Speaks softly, tears in her eyes I... we can't... I'm not able...
sniffles, wipes her tears The doctor said... it's me. I can't carry a pregnancy full term. fidgets with her shirt
Is there any way to... to work around this? Any options?
nervously fidgets with her hands They said... they said surrogacy might be an option. Or... or we could adopt. looks down, avoiding eye contact
What about surrogacy? I mean, it's not something I've thought much about...
takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself I've looked into it, Doug. It's possible, but it's expensive and not guaranteed.
Do you want to try anyways?
takes a deep breath, speaks firmly Yes, I do. I want us to have a baby more than anything, Doug. But I can't keep doing this to myself...
OK. Let's look into it. There has to be some kind of program or something that can help us.
nods, determined Good. We should start by researching different surrogacy programs and find out what's involved.
You're right. Let's get started.
quickly grabs her phone and opens a web browser Okay, let's see... types into the search bar "surrogacy programs in the US..."
What are you looking for exactly?
squints at the screen, reading through the search results I'm looking for programs that have a good success rate, reasonable costs, and a supportive environment.
Ok. Let’s start with those.
scrolls through the search results, clicking on various links Here's one program that catches my eye. It's called "Surrogate Parent Matching Program.
nods quickly, eyes wide with excitement Yes, it seems very promising! They have a thorough screening process and a high success rate.
I’m not as familiar with all this as you are Evie. Why don’t you call them and ask about things?
grabs her phone, dials the number for the Surrogate Parent Matching Program Hi, I'd like to speak to someone about becoming surrogates.
he pulls out his computer and starts to look at the website too
listens intently, asking questions and taking notes Oh, okay... so the initial screening process includes medical tests and psychological evaluations.
Is that something you think we should do?
pauses for a moment, thinking Yes, I think it's necessary. We need to make sure we're physically healthy and emotionally prepared for this journey.
Are there any other steps to this process that you think we should be aware of?
continues listening, furrowing her brows Um, yes... they mentioned that after the initial screening, we'd have to go through an approval process.
That doesn’t sound too bad. What else did they say?
nervously taps her fingers on the table Well, they also mentioned that it can take several months to find a surrogate mother who is a good match for us.
Several months… that’s a bit longer than I expected.
After several months, Evelyn and Douglas are finally matched with a surrogate mother, and the process of carrying their child begins.
That sounds like quite a commitment on her part. Can you tell if she’s local?
quickly checks her email No, she's not local, but they offer travel accommodations for non-local surrogate mothers.