I received a notice yesterday that there was a certified letter waiting for me at the post office, so today I picked it up. It was from a fertility clinic in Albany.
Back before Jay started his first chemotherapy, he stored several vials of sperm at Albany Medical Center. He was only 46 at the time (I was 54), and the doctors recommended it for peace of mind. Jay had no children and always wanted some, so ....
After he died, I didn't know what to do with the vials. I let them stay the first year, but they really weren't doing anyone any good just sitting there. Then Albany Med closed their fertility center, and I got a notice that the vials were being transferred to another center, followed shortly by a bill from the new center for another year's storage. It's a few hundred dollars a year. I agonized over it a bit, and then called them and signed the papers to have them released - I chose the option where they can use them for fertilization or science, or just destroy them, and I would not be told what happened to them. I decided that whatever their fate, it would be what was meant to be. That was early in 2003.
In 2004 that clinic closed, and I got a notice that the vials were being transferred to another center, followed shortly by a bill from the new center for another year's storage. I called and explained the situation, and they forgave the bill.
In 2005 that clinic closed (Do you see a pattern here? What is it with fertility clinics?), and I got a notice that the vials were being transferred to another center, followed shortly by a bill from the new center for another year's storage. I called and explained the situation, and they forgave the bill.
Here it is 2006. Guess what. They are being transferred again. I haven't got the bill yet, but I suppose it's coming.
I feel haunted. Hounded. I wonder if Jay has a hand in this from beyond. I may have to find a surrogate mother somewhere to use them up.
Anyone out there interested in giving birth to a tall dark furry genius?
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