Fixing My Male Infertility
A couple's difficult journey towards having a baby: Part 2.
Part two of a four-part series on male infertility. Click here to read parts one, three and four.
Right around this time, my Amy and I decided to move to California. Perhaps a fresh start, a fresh perspective would help.
My wife's doctor in NY sent her to a doctor in Beverly Hills, who sent her to a fertility specialist, who sent me a doctor whose first name sounded a lot like "Pappy." He was the doctor to see for guys whose guys need to get going.
Pappy had a slightly goofy personality. His brimming optimism, a tonic after my dour New York medical experience, reminded me of Timothy Leary.
Pappy assured me that New York was very much behind the times and that there was plenty he could do to improve my condition.
I was immediately put on a boxer shorts / no hot tubs / and no marijuana program (two of those required a change of lifestyle). He also recommended I undergo surgery to correct a varicocele.
Without referring you to the many, many, medical sites, books and journals I immediately consulted on the subject, there is some belief that a certain vein that traverses one or both testicles can, in one way or another, affect the quality of sperm production. Operating on it may, or may not, improve sperm quality. In my case, a double varocelectomy was recommended. Read: Breaking The Big, Bad Taboo Of IVF
Many men struggling in the attempt to have children are accused of not caring enough or not being involved enough. Husbands take note: agreeing to go under the knife for the cause buys a lot of good will.
The surgery was easy and the recovery made more fun by being introduced to a new friend, Darvocet, whom I was not allowed to play with after six days, but whom I enjoyed getting to know.
After the appropriate recovery time, Amy and I were encouraged to resume baby-making at every-other-day intervals. What can I say? Doctor's orders! We were positive, optimistic, bonded in our mission. Every day our relationship was getting better.
Discussion
It's interesting how well acupuncture works. I've never had it but I hear so many success stories. And to Lyz, I bet a lot of it is science--and you can't argue when the swimmers actually come to life.
I wonder if it was the combination of acupuncture and tea that worked...also I wonder if acupressure with tea might be effective. Annecdotally acupuncture worked to help cure my horse of her laminitis when paired with acupressure and a bit of Reikki she was mobile and feet were healing within a matter of weeks rather than the years that the vet had warned me it would take to see improvement. We also used a bit of herbal remedy but the jury is out on whether it worked...
