Persistence Paid Off For Paralyzed Dad
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
I have heard of procedures to help retain the sperm of paralyzed men in episodes of Law and Order and also on shows like ER. But I began wondering how true any of these series were. What options are there for paralyzed men and their families? How closely did these shows resemble what is available in real life?
I found the article, “Persistence Paid Off For Paralyzed Dad” on HappyNews.com, which, as you know, is one of my favorite sites to get info off of. The other links at the top of this post are also provided by the original article.
The article narrates the fertility success of a couple named The Luthers. Geoff had always wondered about his fertility after his accident that left him paralyzed. The family now has two children.
Their story illustrates how determined couples can conceive with guidance from medical professionals who are well-versed in techniques that work for paralyzed men.
What helped in Geoff’s case was a device that triggers ejaculation with a low-voltage impulse of electricity, a procedure borrowed from animal husbandry and developed for use in humans by Dr. Carol J. Bennett and her colleagues at the University of Michigan’s urology department.
Geoff remembers asking his doctor: ”How will you know when you have it turned up high enough? Will my ears start smoking or what?”
The low-voltage impulse worked for Geoff, but his sperm quality was low. So, a single sperm was injected into one of Tammy’s eggs to create an embryo. That embryo was implanted in the womb and Trent was conceived. A few years later, Kayla was conceived the same way.
With anything else, it helps to know of someone who has already been through it, to help guide your decisions.
For men with spinal cord injuries who want to be fathers, Geoff offers this advice: ”Search out the best doctors, or you can waste a lot of time and resources.”
Related posts:
