What We Do for Love and What Love Does for Us

Roses and Valentine's Day
What’s in a name? Roses and love (Courtesy: Italianculture.ca)

They were moonstruck. Acting like no one else existed, they were silly, giddy and sat so close together that they stole the same air. The phenylethylamine, (love hormone) levels were so thick that you could cut it. Ah, love!

A Quest for Love

She was in her late 30s and it was her first marriage. He was in his mid 40’s and was starting over again after 2 kids and a vasectomy. He swore to himself that he wouldn’t have more children, but alas there’s love, the elixir of change.
We spent the hour reviewing their options for having biological children. Keep the vasectomy and retrieve sperm for an in vitro baby or reverse the vasectomy. They listened quietly, asked a few questions, looked at each other, turned to me with intent and said: “Let’s do the reversal. That’s all we want. We’re trying the natural way.” “Decisive,” I thought.

Love Pays Off

They chose wisely. The procedure went beautifully and at the time of surgery, his vasectomy looked a lot younger than its stated age of 13 years. His system tolerated time well and he was likely to have an early return of good sperm to the semen. To boot, he never missed a beat. They were back running half marathons together a couple of weeks later.
At the first semen check after the procedure, about 6 weeks later, I had him come in and provide a sample. While it was being analyzed, I examined him one last time. I honestly couldn’t tell he had surgery he healed so well. And then my staff handed me the results of the first official semen analysis after the procedure.

Love Potion #9

As I reviewed it in front of them, they became giddy and silly again, like when we first met. Kinda like teens in love. I handed them a copy of the semen analysis report and said: “Read it and weep because…(long pause)….it’s normal!”
“You’ve got some serious firepower here,” I went on. “So if you’re not trying to conceive right now you better use some protection.” They gazed at each other, giggled again, and then turned to me with wide smiles.
“We are trying,” she said. “In fact, I’m pregnant!….on the first try!”
A spectacular feat. A first cycle pregnancy after vasectomy reversal. The grand slam of the game. I bowed to them and said: “You are good, really good!” Ah, the things that love doth enable. In the words of e.e. cummings: “Kisses are a better fate than wisdom.”