Ellen Weir Casey - Unstoppable: Forging the Path to Motherhood in the Early Days of IVF

Medical breakthroughs garner applause for doctors. But these scientific battles take place in the bodies of patientstheyre the ones who put their lives, emotions, and financial resources on the line. In Unstoppable, Ellen Caseys beautiful prose sweeps us along on her journey as a pioneering patient undergoing in vitro fertilization. Her grit, persuasiveness, investigative skills, bravery, and inability to take no for an answer made her dream of parenthood come true. Her story will inspire you, no matter what your particular dream may be.

Lori Andrews, lawyer, bioethicist, and author of The Clone Age: Adventures in the World of Reproductive Technology

Ellen Caseys story of resilience is a remarkable one.

Ann V. Klotz, head at Laurel School for Girls; founder of Laurels Center for Research on Girls, blogger for Huffington Post, writer, and teacher

This story is about pioneering gynecology in part, but, more significantly, it is the story of one womans courage and perseverance in her quest to become a mother. Anyone experiencing infertility should find inspiration and hope here.

John M. Smith, MD, author of Women and Doctors

As a modern-day mother of an IVF test tube baby, I felt the stress and anguish of desperately wanting a baby and being unable to conceive on my own. Fortunately, todays doctors have the experience and knowledge of millions of babies born using in vitro fertilization. Ellen Casey had to experience that grief and longing, while also pioneering a brand new assisted reproductive technology and facing the immense scrutiny and judgment of being in the public eye. This book shares the story of a womans longing to be a mother and the exhaustive journey it would take to get there.

Kimberly Miller, IVF mother

Ellens remarkable story is one of grit, courage, and, finally, triumph. An IVF mother myself, I was captivated by the magnitude of her journey as a true pioneer in fertility medicine. This inspiring book is not to miss for anyone who can appreciate the marvels of science and the power of a mothers love.

Beth P. Finch, IVF mother

This book is a memoir reflecting the authors present recollections of experiences over time. Its story and its words are the authors alone. Some details and characteristics may be changed, some events may be compressed, and some dialogue may be recreated. Some names and identifying characteristics of persons referenced in this book, as well as identifying places, have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families.

Published by River Grove Books

Austin, TX

www.rivergrovebooks.com

Copyright 2022 Ellen Weir Casey

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by River Grove Books

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover images used under license from

Shutterstock.com/Yurko Gud, Shutterstock.com/Flas100

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-63299-497-4

eBook ISBN: 978-1-63299-498-1

First Edition

For Elizabeth and Peter

I live in eternal gratitude to these medical geniuses whose innovative brilliance helped me have our precious baby daughter, Colorados first test-tube baby.

Dr. Martin M. Quigley

Dr. Victor Gomel

Dr. Michael Baggish

Dr. John Smith

Dr. Patrick Steptoe

Dr. Robert G. Edwards

I know they really wanted me.

Elizabeth, age ten, Colorado Springs Gazette

I told my class today that I was a test-tube baby. I explained exactly how it worked. They didnt believe me. I guess theyll just figure it out someday.

Elizabeth, age eight

Mommy, I cant remember. Is he the doctor who put me in or took me out?

On the way to visit the doctor who delivered her, Elizabeth, age five

I believe women today should know the stories of the women who went before them, not so very long ago. These were pioneering women who startled convention by questioning authority, who did their own research, made their own decisions, talked about difficult, taboo subjects, and paved the way for you, the brave, independent-thinking, goal-driven females whom we so respect and value today.

I was one of those pioneers. I was unable to have a child because a medical doctor endangered my health by presenting me with an experimental IUD, not approved by the FDA. This book is the story of what I endured in the earliest days of infertility treatment, both medically and emotionally, as well as the cultural, informational, and religious roadblocks I faced.

Writing this book was both exhilarating and heartbreaking as I relived devastating losses and extreme successes. This is my very personal story and the memories are mine alone. I used my copious files, which I began compiling in 1979, and was able to refer to medical bills, dates of appointments, notes on procedures, paper airplane tickets, letters, and documents from medical offices. This was such a help in confirming my recollection of facts, addresses, and dates.

Each conversation and situation is as I remember it; others may recall details differently. Memory is a tricky thing, and I represent this as solely my own experience. I have changed names and identifying characteristics of every person except for my own, my husbands, Sylvia Pace-Owens, and the spectacular doctors, each of whom did his best to help us to have a child. There was so much I did not know at the time about the nascent IVF, other types of surgery, and the possibility of complications. I have researched and spoken to todays medical specialists to fill in details.

I am elated to know that young women today have options for treatment performed by experienced specialists to help them achieve their dream of becoming mothers. I also know how agonizingly hard this road is and hope my story will give each one hope that she, too, will have a happy ending.

Ellen W. Casey

Wouldnt you say you are playing God? the talk show host hissed, leaning her heavily made-up face right into mine as if to challenge me.

The Boston-based television show had just gone live. I was one of four guests, seated in a chair to the hosts right. In my peripheral vision I noticed the experts on the panel with me freeze in response to the hosts aggressive posturing. Two medical doctors, a bioethics lawyer, and I had been briefed, moments before the cameras rolled, on the hosts plan for her hour-long show. First, the professionals were to explain the medical and legal details of in vitro fertilization. Then, the host said, I was to be the final person interviewed and would describe my baby.

This was definitely not the plan she had shared with us. Her first question was an arrow aimed at me.

Wouldnt you say you are playing God?

In an instant I recognized that she was attempting to ambush me with the massive religious and ethical controversy surrounding what were then called test-tube babies. If she had known what Id been through over the past five years, she would have realized I wouldnt shatter at her attempt to rattle me.