More Personal Experiences of Patients
Below are personal experiences that some of our patients were kind enough to write and share. If you would be interested in sharing your own story on this site, please contact us.
Fanny Cifuentes, Columbia
I was referred to the Immunobiology and Genetics Unit of the Hospital Infantil
Lorencita Villegas de Santos. I received information there about a program
with Dr. Alan Beer from Chicago for patients like myself with three pregnancy
losses.
Drs. Jeannette Cubillos and Francisco Espinel treated me with immunotherapy;
then they told me I could get pregnant. During my pregnancy I did everything
they prescribed. I also had the wonderful opportunity to meet Dr. Beer
personally when he was in our country lecturing. I thought he was a special
person, kind and interested in the treatment I was receiving. He gave us
hope when we thought it was impossible to go to the end of my pregnancy.
My delivery was cesarean. Now. when I hear my little girl cry, I feel
an indescribable happiness. She is our whole life, and she fills our home
with love and tenderness. My husband and I are so grateful to the doctors.
I recommend the treatment to all couples who have this problem.
Josefina Toro, Columbia
I suffered three pregnancy losses with all the physical and emotional
consequences involved. Being incapable of doing something so apparently
easy and natural for most people, left me without hope or the desire to
try again.
I heard about an immunogenetics program; it became my last hope to have
a child. Drs. Espinel and Cubillos received me with kindness and love into
the program. I started the necessary testing with their support and that
of my husband, Edgar. He told me that if this is what I wanted, he would
be with me until the end. If it wasn't, it didn't matter, because he'd
seen me suffer enough.
After five or six months of testing and analysis, we started the treatment,
and we found out I was pregnant again! Dr. Espinel reassured me that it
was okay, and we started the immunotherapy right away. Phospholipids and
crossmatch controls became words as familiar to me as knowing that I have
to eat and sleep.
Being pregnant again brought back pain and doubts. I was injecting heparin
every 12 hours. My stomach was green and purple, but it didn't matter.
My baby was still there and alive. I was also taking baby aspirin, and
I did all of this faithfully every day at exactly the same time, not five
minutes before or after or I would worry.
After six months had passed without bleeding or pain, I finally believed
that I was going to have a baby. The reward, for all of us who were dedicated
to a happy ending, came on December 20. Erika Maria came into our lives.
Even today, when I reminisce about this part of my life, I can't avoid
the tears. Tears not of sadness or suffering, but tears of happiness and
gratefulness.
Henna and David Grunblatt, Brooklyn, New York
When we had our first child in January of 1980, we never dreamed that we
would embark on an odyssey of twelve and a half years duration before we
would have another child. We never dreamed that this journey would be interrupted
by eight miscarriages and visits to an endless number of specialists and
experts, who would prescribe countless tests and procedures in a futile
attempt to identify what continued to elude us - the cause of our problem.
Our odyssey ended in Chicago, when we were referred for testing to Dr.
Beer.
Our years of disappointment had heightened our skepticism. However,
when the test results were in, and we sat with Dr. Beer, who so patiently
and so clearly explained the significance of his immunological studies
and how applicable they were to our situation, we knew almost instantly
that our odyssey was truly over.
Those months of pregnancy are a blur in our memories - sending blood
to Chicago, doctor's visits, testing, and monitoring - it all blends in
our memories now. What does stand out and is easily recalled is the constant
reassurance and support that we received during those trying months from
Dr. Beer and his staff. The professionalism and compassion that they always
showed in responding to our every question and concern was commendable.
As Orthodox Jews we have certain customs and holiday cycles which are
a bit different from that of the mainstream, but what we share with those
of all backgrounds who have come to Dr. Beer is a firm belief that children
are a blessing. Being able to have a child is a wondrous and miraculous
event!
We simply cannot say enough about Dr. Beer and his staff. Our son Eli
was born in November 1992, and he is a source of joy to his mother,
father and thirteen year old brother.
Eleni Kornarou, Greece
I wanted to have a baby, but not at any price. I saw having a baby as an
important factor in my life, but not the only factor without which I would
be unhappy. However, in eight years of marriage my beloved husband and
I had six unexplainable failures during the first three months of my pregnancies.
I went to Sweden, Great Britain, and Canada in which these doctors gave
me very general information without solving my problem or even coming close
to the cause or causes of it. However, they did give me some general information
that possibly Dr. Alan Beer could help me.
After I returned from Sweden, which was the last trip abroad, I visited
in Athens Dr. Harris Mantouvalos. I talked to him about my problem and
the information I had received. He encouraged me to see Dr. Alan Beer,
and he gave me a referral letter.
The personal behavior of Dr. Mantouvalos and the honest presentation
of his credentials made my husband and I decide before traveling to Chicago,
to follow the controls and therapy program of Dr. Alan Beer as they were
offered in Athens. This program was set up under the same protocols as
The Chicago Medical School, Reproductive Medicine Clinic.
We did not have to wait long for the miracle to arrive. Six months later
I was pregnant again. We had finally opened the door to a new dimension
in Athens following the path set forth by Dr. Alan Beer and his colleagues.
The beginning of this pregnancy meant to me the beginning of a goal
for which I had to do everything I could do to make it work. I am a persistent
person in general, especially when it comes to a goal. The more important
the goal is to me the more persistent I become.
The main feeling I recall having during those days of pregnancy, especially
when I started feeling the baby move inside of me, was surprise and admiration
for the whole natural process that was working inside of me.
The previous losses created in me a terrible fear of yet another failure.
However, when it came time to deliver by scheduled cesarean section, I
wasn't afraid. The main feeling I got when they placed the baby upon me
was satisfaction and relief for the happy ending to a difficult fight.
The first days of motherhood I felt a heavy responsibility; because
the baby was totally dependent on me. As time passed, what I felt coming
from inside my heart was a deep, deep love - pure motherhood. When I held
my baby, I realized this little one was a part of me.
Fifteen months later I really consider that this effort was worth the
prize. This child has given another meaning to my life. A meaning I never
before could even imagine.
Jan and Steve Weinstein, Highland Park, Illinois
Tears rolled down my face as we sat listening to Dr. Beer tell us with
great confidence that we could have another baby even though we had just
had our third miscarriage in twenty months. Ours was the "easiest" autoimmune problem to correct, and since we already had the incredible good fortune
to have had a successful pregnancy, our chances were even greater. He was
right; thirteen months later our six pound and seven ounce daughter was
born!
According to Dr. Beer our treatment and response were 'textbook" in
nature. We followed his protocol each step of the way including lymphocyte
immunizations, baby aspirin, daily heparin shots, frequent ultrasounds,
blood tests and crossmatches, and towards the end of the pregnancy weekly
non-stress tests.
Our obstetrician kept telling us the pregnancy was "normal". However,
even after we reached week 16, and we had gotten past two minor bleeding
episodes, we weren't going to allow ourselves to believe that our crib
would once again hold a baby.
Protecting ourselves in whatever way we could from heartbreaking disappointment
was the only way we could continue our lives. As with many couples who
see Dr. Beer, miscarriages were not our only battle in trying to become
parents.
We had initially begun infertility treatment in 1985. Thanks to the
expert care of Dr. Jorge Valle, (Illinois Masonic Hospital, Chicago, Illinois)
who performed two surgeries to eliminate endometriosis and reduce a septated
uterus and prescribed low doses of clomid and metrodin, our son Eliot was
born in 1987. When we began our quest for a second child our problems really
began. After our third miscarriage in October of 1991, Dr. Valle and his
colleague. Dr. Theresa Kepic, referred us to Dr. Beer.
After each miscarriage we searched our souls for strength and courage
to continue or stop trying all together. However, each time our decision
was not to give up. We told Dr. Valle I would go through one more surgery
to correct the shape of my uterus. That surgery and our treatment with
Dr. Beer were as far as we could go.
We were so lucky to have made the decision to see Dr. Beer. Without
him and his dedicated and compassionate staff, our baby, Alana Suzanne,
would not be here today. On behalf of our precious daughter, her loving
brother, and ourselves, we would like to thank Dr. Beer and all of the
hundreds of families before us who helped make our dream come true.
Carol and Mario Verre
Our infertility was a time filled with many emotions. For each disappointing miscarriage, the following pregnancies were filled with more and more worry, questioning, and doubts. Infertility testing was a roller coaster of hope, despair and even skepticism. Month after month, year after year, we tried hard to temper all these emotions. Dr. Beer's research gave us renewed hope. It's been almost eight years now since we first had our blood tested to reveal the cause of our infertility. That in itself was a relief, and once again we were cautiously, hopeful. That next pregnancy was different -- just seeing the heartbeat on that first ultrasound was as exciting as the moment of birth itself. There was a baby growing inside, and each time that heartbeat was monitored, it gave us more and more encouragement. The joy and excitement of becoming parents was shared by our family and friends who helped us through the difficult times leading up to this special day.
Our lives are still full of emotions - we feel so truly blessed to be the parents of two sons and now a baby daughter. Our hearts are grateful to the dedication of Dr. Beer and his staff. Their work has enabled our prayers to be answered and our dreams fulfilled as we enjoy each new day as a family.
Alan E. Beer Center for Reproductive Immunology & Genetics
15151 National Ave. #2; Los Gatos, CA 95032; Phone: (408) 356-9500; Fax: (408) 356-9509; E-mail: info@repro-med.net.
Date: 1-7-09, Time: 3:25 am.
General Question? E-mail: info@repro-med.net.
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