By Melissa Meehan
Dr Louisa Yim and her husband’s journey into parenthood is a story of resilience, hope and never giving up.
Today, they have two beautiful, longed-for children conceived through IVF treatment.
For two long years, the Kew East couple tried to conceive naturally.
They knew they were ready to become parents – they were settled into their careers as doctors and excited for the next stage of their lives together.
“At the time I was working as a GP specialising in antenatal women’s health, so looking at women pre-pregnancy and looking after women during pregnancy, and also a lot of women’s health, obstetrics,” she explained.
“I was also working at a student health service in the city.
“During that time, whilst I was trying, it dawned on us we may need help, medical help.”
It took some time to realise that they may need some assistance falling pregnant, an incredibly difficult realisation for two medically trained professionals.
Enlisting the help of fertility specialist Dr Lynn Burmeister, they tried five cycles before they were successful.
“Everyone’s journey is very different. It took us about two years of trying naturally and about five years with IVF,“ she said.
“During that time it involved a lot of blood tests, medical appointments, extra tests, lots of poking and prodding and needles.
“Each cycle, each try was quite a rollercoaster of emotions.
“Whilst I was working I encountered a lot of other women who fell pregnant quite easily and unfortunately I had to treat women with unplanned pregnancies.
“It was hard emotionally for me, I found it really difficult to take myself out it.
“Eventually I had to give myself a break, I put my stethoscopes aside.”
And while she would like to return to general practice, Louisa felt a change was necessary while they endured the countless IVF treatments.
She was mentored by a fellow doctor who was trained in cosmetic medicine.
The change in career path was a big step, but now she calls her line of work the “art of medicine” and runs her business, Total Bliss Beauty in Greensborough, where she works as a cosmetic doctor.
“It created a new career for me whilst I can focus on creating a family and I was able to do that with my new job,” she said.
For Louisa and her husband, staying open about their struggles and communicating made the setbacks and emotional toll of IVF all the more bearable.
She kept a diary, penning heartfelt letters to the baby she so desperately wanted.
“The idea was I’d write to my future child, I don’t know if he or she would ever exist,” she said.
“I kept an email entry, diary and then after my daughter was born I gathered all the information of the diary and I put it into a book. I penned it under the character’s name Dr Sarah Lnyy.
“It narrates the story of Sarah and Sam and their struggles, the ups and downs.”
The book, entitled ‘Moving Beyond the Unspoken Grief: A doctor’s memoir into on her own IVF journey as a patient’ has been translated into Chinese.
The English version is available on Amazon AUS/US and Chinese version is available on Amazon China.
“The goal was to try and get the word out there and tell people they are not alone,” Louisa explained.
“In fact, there are lots of people who are going through IVF.
“Unfortunately it’s not very black and white – what I mean by that is those who are still trying and those who have crossed the bridge into successful pregnancy.
“There are all of these people on the bridge in limbo. Everyone has their own journey and story as well.
“All my best wishes to those who are undergoing IVF treatments. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, keep communicating with your partner and keep your feelings in check.“
– with Danielle Galvin
