Please, Stay with Me

Please, Stay with Me: 5

"Hey, are you okay?" Tanong ni Max habang nagdidrive. Patungo ngayon kami sa isang fertility clinic para mag test. Alam nyo yung feeling na heto na naman ako, pupunta na naman ako sa OB, Fertility Doctor, at sasailalim na naman ako sa mga tests, iinom at mag iinject ng mga meds at kung ano ano pa. Aasa na naman ako na baka merong mangyari. Na baka magkakababy na ako.

I had an artificial insemination, IUI then IVF, at hindi lang bank accounts ko ang naaapektuhan, physically, emotionally at psychologically sobrang turmoil ang pinagdadaanan ko every failed attempts.

"Lana?" Muling tawag nito sa akin. I just gave him a smile.

"Hi Doc." Bati ko rito ng makapasok kami sa clinic nya.

"Hi Lana. How are you?" Nakangiting bati nito sa akin. Kilala na nya ako at ang pagkagusto kong magka anak.

"I'm here again." maliit na ngiti ko ang binigay ko rito sabay ng pagpasok ni Max sa clinic na umagaw sa atensyon naming dalawa.

"Hi." Bati nito sa amin na tila nahiya dahil pareho kaming nakatingin sa kanya tapos ay dinapuan ako ng tingin.

"Doc, this is Max. Max this is Doc Cynthia. She my Fertility Doctor. Sya din yung nag administer ng IUI ko last time." Magalang na lumapit si Max kay Doc at pormal na kinamayan ito tapos ay umupo sa tabi ko.

"Doc, gusto ko ulit magtry." Sabi ko.

"Okay? Magpapatulong kayo to conceive?"

"IUI doc." Mabilis kong sabi dahil sigurado akong iba ang nasa isip ni Doc. Tumingin ito ng tila nagtataka. "He'll help me this time."

"I see." Umayos ito ng upo at pinagsaklop ang kamay sa ibabaw ng mesa. "There are protocols we need to follow. You both need to undergo some tests. Blood test, Semen Analysis for your Max, Ultrasound for you Lana." Simula ng paliwanag nito.

"After the tests and the results are good. I will give Lana Meds then schedule the IUI procedure." Hindi na inelaborate pa masyado no Doc ang gagawin since napagdaanan ko na naman to but since tananing ang kasama ko, hindi nito pinalagpas ang pagkakataon para usisain ang procedure.

"Well, on the scheduled IUI, you're role is to provide us your s3men. We need at least 5 million normal s3men count for higher chance of pregnancy. It will be washed before we implant them to Lana."

"Directly? I thought it will be ahhmm like in science lab? You know, eggs and sp3rm will merge outside the body? Then it will be freezed?" Natawa si Doc Cynthia sa description ni Max. Ramdam ko ang pagkacurious nito. Sino ba naman ang hindi? Kahit ako nung una halos umikot ang utak ko sa mga sinabi ng doktor.

"It's IVF. Lana did that once. The procedure requires us to harvest eggs from Lana then let the sp3rm from the donor or, what we did with Lana, from the sp3rm bank, then wait for it to be fertilized and have an embryo. Those embryos will be implanted to Lana. It can also be freezed like what you said. In IUI, your washed healthy sp3rm will be injected directly to Lana." Nakangiting paliwanag nito kay Max.

"That simple?" pagtataka nito.

"For a healthy individuals, yes, that simple. IUI procedures are usually given to those with infertility problems and it is not as simple as we think. In Lana's case, she's healthy and assuming you are also, she needs to undergo IUI since natural method is not applicable." Tila nalinawan ng kahit papaano si Max.

"Last question, how can you say that I am healthy? That I am fertile? I really din't know what to call it but.. that I can bear a child?" Kita ko ang pagka interesado ni Max sa topic namin.

"Max, if the sp3rm sample you will give reached the atleast 5 million normal sp3rm count then you have a great chance to bear a child."

"Do I need to, you know, go under the knife?"