Life doesn't always go according to plan. Yet, Susie and Tony Troxler's story shows that this can be a blessing. The couple got married over 13 years ago and are now in their 50s and 60s. They hoped to have a baby the natural way, but it didn't work out.
Source: Susie Troxler
“When we got married, we just assumed we’d get pregnant, and then it didn’t happen,” Susie said. “But we’re both very old-school, and when we grew up, nobody even talked about or discussed IVF [in-vitro fertilization]. It wasn’t even a thing.”
Luckily, Susie encountered alternative possibilities when she visited her new OBGYN for her annual check-up. The two of them were introduced after Tony got hired in their security department.
Source: GMA
“At the end of the appointment, she asked me a question nobody else had ever asked me: ‘Is there anything else, any concerns or questions?'” Susie said. “Because she asked it, I mentioned that we hadn’t gotten pregnant, and she said, ‘OK, we can work on that.'”
Normally, Susie's OBGYN, Dr. Carolyn Harraway-Smith, would direct a patient in her situation to a fertility specialist. However, considering the urgency due to Susie's age, she guided her towards a reproductive endocrinologist. During this consultation, Susie learned about her conditions: fibrosis and endometriosis.
Source: GMA
Back in 2019, she underwent surgery to eliminate the fibrosis. However, the outcome was disappointing; given the health issues and ages of both Susie and Tony, natural conception remained unlikely. Nevertheless, they resolved to pursue IVF, fully aware of the associated risks and the possibility of her not carrying to full term.
“He [the doctor] was very clear that this was going to be an uphill battle from the beginning,” Susie said. “I had fibroid surgery January of 2019, went through the healing process, and then they collected egg after egg. I went through several rounds of egg retrieval and the insemination of eggs and none of it took. Nothing, nothing, nothing.”
Source: GMA
Next, they tried egg donation, which led to the identification of only two viable embryos. Unfortunately, the first attempt did not result in a successful pregnancy. A few months later, the onset of the pandemic further complicated matters. Their final opportunity for a natural birth remained suspended as they waited for certain restrictions to ease. Despite the challenging waiting period and the trials endured up to that point, Susie and Tony didn't lose their hope.
“We weren’t waiting for our joy to happen once we had kids. We were in a place where if it turned out we never had children of our own, it would have been OK,” Susie said. “We would not have liked it, but we would have been in a place of peace about it.”
Source: GMA
In February 2021, they were finally able to try with their last viable embryo. It was their last chance.
“I don’t even have words for it,” Susie said.
After such a long, difficult journey to getting pregnant, Susie was blessed with a “pretty uneventful” pregnancy leading all the way up to her planned C-section on September 29, 2021, when Lily Antonia Troxler made her grand entrance into the world!
Source: Susie Troxler
“Even now, I find myself just staring at her,” Tony said. “Before she was born, she had me wrapped around her pinky finger.”
Susie added, “I don’t even have the words, it’s surreal. I still can’t believe it. I spent so much time being me, first, and then being a wife. So now, this idea of being a mom is... still a ‘wow’ for me.”
Several months have elapsed since Susie welcomed her baby, and both she and Tony are relishing each and every moment of their newfound roles as parents.
Source: Susie Troxler
“I actually cherish those moments at three in the morning, when I’m sitting there rocking her and she’s sitting there looking at me with those bright eyes, not the least bit sleepy,” Susie said. “Because you don’t get them back. So I’m determined to enjoy even the sleep deprivation, because it almost never happened.”
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