AGAINST ALL ODDS, WE’VE HAD TWO MIRACLE BABIES

AGAINST ALL ODDS, WE’VE HAD TWO MIRACLE BABIES

Shara Brookes, 35, from Hereford, was told she needed a hysterectomy for her chronic pelvic pain, ending her dream of being a mum. Here she tells her incredible story.

When I was in my mid-twenties, suddenly all my friends seemed to be getting pregnant. And inevitably the question came; ‘so, when are you going to start your family, Shara?’ Initially, I’d change the subject. Other times, I’d lie and say I wasn’t sure I wanted children – only to then hear how wonderful they were knowing it was my body that was preventing my husband Craig and I from having children left me feeling guilty and inadequate. ‘Why don’t you find someone else who can give you a child?’ I’d cry to Craig. ‘But I don’t want a baby with anyone but you, he’d insist.

               We’d met in 1992 in a nightclub. Craig accidentally spilt his pint over me, but he was so lovely I didn’t mind. After five years together we married. We were in no hurry to start a family, but my GP advised me to come off the pill to give my body a break. My periods returned with a vengeance, one lasting ten solid weeks. Some days I could barely get out of bed, the pain was so excruciating. Then one day I collapsed in agony at the hairdressing salon where I worked and was rushed to Hereford County Hospital.

               ‘Hysterectomy?’ I stammered, staring at the doctor in shock. ‘You have severe endometriosis’ he replied ‘ a condition where small pieces of the womb lining grow outside the uterus’ I was also riddled with cysts and fibroid. ‘But I’m only 26!’ I croaked tearfully, ‘I suggest you think about it, Shara’ he advised gently.

               But there was no way Craig and I were prepared to give up on our dream of becoming parents. After I refused a hysterectomy, doctors agreed to remove the left side of my reproductive system – including my ovary and fallopian tube – and carried out repairs to my right side to fix the damage caused by the endometriosis.

               It gave us a chance, at least , of becoming parents. But my real hope was fertility treatment. I joined the NHS waiting list for IVF and 18 months dragged by. Finally, in May 2000, Craig and I were allocated a course of IVF at Midland Fertility Services, West Midlands. But my endometriosis had to be controlled with weeks of treatment before we could start. The quest for a baby took over our lives, with constant doctor’s appointments and check-ups. Whenever I felt down, Craig would leave me flowers or a note saying how much he loved me, but I still felt useless.

               In July 2001, I was set to start treatment. It made me nauseous and my tummy was so swollen that, ironically, I looked pregnant. The result was that 24 eggs matured, but only half went on to fertilize, plus there was no guarantee they’d all survive the thawing process ready to be implanted. Even so, Craig and I were excited.

               But four months later doctors found a grape-fruit sized cyst in my womb and more surgery was needed to remove it. Finally, after another two months,  I was ready. My embryos were defrosted and two ‘perfect’ embryos were transferred to my womb.

               The next two weeks were the longest of my life. The night before I was due to take the pregnancy test, I was too excited to sleep. At first light, I tiptoed into the bathroom. Seconds, minutes ticked by, then one blue line appeared. I desperately re-read the instruction……’Negative”. I ran to Craig sobbing and we held each other. I was terrified of having to go through it all over again, but in March 2002, my womb was prepared for implantation a second time. Now the odds were really stacked against us: of our frozen embryos, only one had survived the thawing process – so our hopes of a baby were halved.

               A week later, early one Friday morning, I did a test, alone. Trembling, I woke Criag. ‘You’d better take a look at this’. I said, handing over the little stick showing two lines. ‘Yes! He screamed, punching the air and laughing. When I rang the clinic to break the news, I heard the staff cheering in the background.

               Even then it wasn’t plain sailing. Tests revealed a high chance of Down Syndrome. But we agreed that that what would be would be – no matter what the challenges. At 36 weeks, on 15 November 2002, I went into labour. After just two hours, my baby was laid in my arms. ‘She’s perfect,’ I sobbed. Despite all our worries, we had a beautiful, healthy girl. We named her Skye, meaning ‘sent from heaven’. After all we’d been through, it felt she really had been.

               Two years later, I’d watch Skye playing in the garden alone and think: ;wouldn’t be lovely is she had a brother or sister?’ But I reminded myself I’d been blessed with one child and the chances of me conceiving naturally were nil because of all the surgery. Sadly, we couldn’t afford to pay for more IVF treatment.

               Then in July 2004, I started to feel ill. ‘The endometriosis is back’ I told Craig bleakly. In desperation, I went back to the fertility clinic. A doctor rubbed gel on my tummy to scan my womb for ovarian cysts. ‘There’s your problem,’ she smiled, pointing to a flickering on the screen. ‘A heartbeat’ Craig and I were so dumbstruck she had to spell it out, ‘Shara,’ the doctor laughed, ‘you’re pregnant!’

               Against all the odds, I’d conceived naturally! The doctor explained that having Skye had healed my endometriosis, paving the way for a natural pregnancy. On 25 February 2005, I gave birth to a baby girl and we called her Summer.

               Sometimes, as I watched the girls chase each other around, I have to pinch myself. Craig and I have been doubly blessed and I like to think our story gives hope to other childless couples. My advice? Take each day as it comes, work together and hold on to your dreams. Don’t give up. We’re proof that miracles can happen.     

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