The Stork Myth
The appearance of the Stork is sprinkled throughout several cultures including: Jewish, Egyptian, Polish, German, English, Greek, Slavic, and Norse mythology.
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It was believed that the souls of unborn children lived in watery areas such as marshes, wells, springs, and ponds. Since storks frequented such areas, they were said to fetch the babies’ souls from the water and deliver them to their parents.
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The exact origins of the stork myth aren't completely clear but the Stork has been a constant symbol of maternity, childbirth, fertility, and family.
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Meet Me
IVF Nurse Coordinator
As an IVF Nurse Coordinator - I work one-on-one with couples experiencing infertility. My main priority is to help couples get one step closer to fufilling their dreams of creating a family.
Labor and Delivery Nurse
One of the biggest rewards as a labor and delivery nurse is seeing the transition of a woman becoming a mother almost instantaneously during the birth. It is truly a beautiful thing to behold.
Massage Therapist & Reiki Master
Holistic healing has been the cornerstone of my life long before my nursing career. It has reminded me that there is a world outside of science and medicine -- where things cannot always be explained but that does not make them any less real.
Mother
I am the sole provider for a beautiful little boy. He has taught me more about life and unconditional love in the last two years than I have ever known prior to his birth.
A Stork is Born
I have a great passion for women's health and reproductive medicine. I have spent many years working closely with women during different stages of their reproductive journey. I have seen the struggles of infertility, the joy of pregnancy, the strength of labor, and the transformation of motherhood. I have personally experienced a wonderful pregnancy and the swells of emotion as the notion of motherhood slowly sunk in. I have created a life... and now he will forever alter mine.
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I have also seen loss in the most tragic forms. Couples who can't produce embryos. Embryos that didn't survive and pregnancies that didn't last. Babies that have left this world too soon. And parents that have left the hospital with only a memory box and tiny footprints on a card. I have made those boxes... I have made those footprints... I have made the phone calls with the negative results... I have heard their cries and wiped their tears - just as I have wiped my own.
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The concept of a Gestational Carrier was somewhat foreign to me until I started working at the fertility clinic. Very few Carriers are stellar candidates and are usually known to the Intended Parents (i.e. a family member or a friend). However, all we can do is legally counsel the Intended Parents with associated risks of using a less than ideal candidate.
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After seeing the poor caliber of several Gestational Carriers - I thought to myself, "These patients deserve better than that -- I will be better than that!"
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And this brings me to the Story of how Jillian and Anthony came into my life - and how I became their Stork.
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Jillian and Anthony are the ideal couple. They have the love for one another that only seems to exist these days in Hallmark cards. College sweethearts that blossomed into soulmates. They have shared seventeen years filled with affection, respect, support, and adoration. Unconditional love pours out of them -- and the strength of their bond is palpable.
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Jillian's health is complicated by Crohn's disease and led them to pursue IVF in 2013. After a horrendous experience at a fertility clinic in Oklahoma - Jillian and Anothony were told that "maybe someone upstairs is trying to tell you something." Soon after deciding to seek care elsewhere, they found solace at one of the nation's top fertility clinics -- Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine (CCRM). They had a fantastic outcome after their IVF cycle and had created several beautiful and healthy embryos.
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Jillian became pregnant in 2014 and their dream of becoming parents was now a reality. However, the pregnancy was not free of complications and Jillian spent many days in and out of the hospital. Tragically, Jillian was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome at 23 weeks and it was discovered that little Madeline Belle had passed in utero. Jillian needed to have labor induced as well as receive treatment for her life-treatening diagnosis.
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Following their tragic hospital experience, Jillian and Anthony took time to grieve and mourn the loss of their little girl. After careful consideration - they decided to pursue finding a Gestational Carrier. A few more bumps in the road later....and finally they met me.
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I have created this website for Jillian and Anthony as well as their loved ones. I encourage all to follow the pregnancy and support the long and tumultuous journey that this couple has endured. Although their journey is no where near complete -- My hope is to add a little comfort and a whole lot of hope along the way.
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