Kainoa & Keola: Our June 2017 Babies of the Month

In 2012, Mom Ashley and Dad Brandon learned that they would need fertility treatments to get pregnant. The couple felt frustrated, uneducated, and very apprehensive thinking that the process was going to be quite difficult. Little did they know that they would be very lucky to have a successful initial IUI cycle and first-born son Kainoa Thomas entered the family on May 21, 2013, with the help of Dr. Frattarelli whom the couple nicknamed “that guy,” – their good luck charm. Fast forward 18 months and the couple tried natural conception and then a total of 6 IUI’s, only to learn of an ectopic pregnancy that damaged one of Ashley’s Fallopian tubes and even more emotionally overwhelming was having to stop nursing son Kainoa as a result of one of the medications she needed to take. Ashley said she would never do IVF, but so desperately wanted to have a second child so went through with it and was successful. All ob scans looked great, the fetus had a strong healthy heartbeat, and Ashley was subsequently discharged from FIH. At her 10 week OBGYN visit, the devastating news that the heartbeat could no l longer be detected was delivered. Thinking it was a glitch in her own doctor’s monitor, Ashley came to FIH for confirmation. “I sobbed in the room, Dr. Karmon stayed with me, comforting me for what felt like hours, but was probably only 30 minutes or so.”

When Ashley was healthy enough, the couple did a Frozen Embryo Transfer with one of her remaining embryos in July 2016. After a long, nerve-wracking 9 months, little Keola Thomas was born on April 25, 2017, as handsome and healthy as ever.

“The last 2 years has been a roller coaster of emotions. More sad times than happy, but the whole time the FIH staff was just wonderful. I never met a staff member that I didn’t like. Each and every person was always happy, positive, and like family. I was there sometimes 3 times a week. Weekly visits month after month, many times for bad news, but they were always there for me. My experience was a happy ending, and I owe so much of that to Dr. Frattarelli, Dr. Karmon,
and the whole staff at FIH.” – Ashley & Brandon