Beating PCOS to motherhood with Rochelle Patino
ROCHELLE PATINO was diagnosed with the polycystic ovarian syndrome in her early 20s, and for a while, the illness was a grey cloud looming over her desire to be a mother.
“Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS may have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs,” according to www.mayoclinic.org.
There are many symptoms of PCOS which include weight gain, irregular menstrual cycle, depression and infertility. Patino did not experience depression but the weight gain and the irregular menstrual cycle were two of her symptoms, so when she and her husband started trying to have children and it was proving difficult the thought of infertility came to mind.
TRYING TO NO AVAIL
She was told she was not infertile by her doctor so she tried and tried. But irrespective of treatment option, a year passed and nothing. Halfway through the second year, Patino started to believe that giving birth was not going to be in the cards for her. However, not being able to give birth did not mean that she could not be a mother. She fostered a 10year-old boy and both her and her husband came to the agreement to make it official and adopt him.
While the process was still under way she still tried to give birth. In January of 2016, the doctor told her that they might need to start a new course of treatment and discuss what they might need to do in order for her existence. It was difficult for her
because she wanted to have a child, but her husband was truly supportive. Her doctor even through the difficulties was very supportive and helped her to have more of a positive outlook.
Still, with all the positivity, two years passed and there was no child. She officially signed the adoption papers for her son April 18, 2016. While she had felt like his mother and was playing the role, signing the papers made it more real. Satisfied by being the mother to Nick and she and her husband was, even more, the family. However, she had missed her period, and while it had always been irregular to completely miss it was a bit strange. Patino decided that she would take a pregnancy test.
“I remembered it like it was yesterday. I was tired and sleeping for most of the day because it was the day after my son’s birthday, May 20, so it was the 21st. And I woke up and took the test, Lio (her husband) was sleeping. When the test proved I was pregnant I woke him up. I was screaming, ‘look at it, look at it’. He was like, ‘tell me, tell me, I don’t have in my contacts I can’t see.’ So I said, ‘I am pregnant’,” she laughed, while recalling the event.
In January 2017, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She looks at it that she was just supposed to have adopted her son because if she had her daughter maybe she would not have thought of adopting, and her family feels complete with her wonderful husband and her two bundles.