It is strange how sometimes things seem to come full circle.

Almost exactly 30 years ago I began IVF treatment at Bourn Hall as Mr Chalk and I were having fertility issues. They did things a little bit differently then as their knowledge and expertise was obviously nowhere near as comprehensive as it is now.

Although we did not realise it at the time I was given very strong drugs to stimulate egg production, the idea being that the more eggs I produced the more chance there would be healthy ones that available that could be fertilised and re-implanted in the womb. I so clearly remember being woken up after the anaesthetic by a nurse who couldn’t contain her excitement at telling me that my ovaries had produced a massive 28 eggs! Tellingly, egg sandwiches were on the menu for lunch that day …..

It was clear to me that my ovaries were in good working order, although looking back now I was probably hyper stimulated, which can be a very dangerous condition to be in.

Out of my two dozen plus egg haul there were a total of 15 healthy ones so these were put with Mr Chalk’s contribution, resulting in 11 fertilised embryos. A whole football team, no less! Three healthy ones were popped back in, we called these Huey, Duey and Lewy. I was then scanned again a couple of weeks later and discovered I was expecting twins. We renamed these two bleep and booster. We could not contain our joy but it was very early days.

Sadly, at a ten week scan, only one baby had survived. It was a difficult time and there was obviously much anxiety throughout my pregnancy. We were so lucky then to welcome wonderful little Olly into the world on 14th November, 1993. I always wanted to be a mum and it is difficult to express how blessed I felt. IVF treatment was very much in its infancy at that time and we were so lucky to have our baby after this one attempt.

Olly was joined by Joey two years later, who was conceived naturally, a wonderful surprise!

I am so full of gratitude for my amazing boys.

Women’s bodies are truly incredible, aren’t they? As a 60 year old menopausal women, mine has served me well and continues to do so.

A few days ago I said goodbye to my ovaries, almost 30 years to the day since they produced that massive horde of eggs. Last year a cyst was found on one of them, a strange thing called a teratoma which can consist of hair, teeth and skin (eww!) and so I was advised to have them removed. I have been lucky enough to have had the most wonderfully kind and caring surgeon who looked after me beautifully throughout. I was not sad, but thankful when I came round from the anaesthetic. Our bodies go through so much but it is my belief that they are really quite miraculous.

Egg sandwiches, anybody?😉

Wendy xx