It never rains, it pours (We are trying to make a baby | Part 5)
For the last couple of weeks, trying to conceive a baby with a new sperm donor and remembering to have regular walks were the only things I had in mind.
Shit happened.
- my smartphone got flooded, I ordered a new 'rugged' smartphone supposed to be strong, waterproof and long-lasting;
- my cat got admitted in emergency care for a random viral infection gone terribly wrong;
- after a long wait, I got another negative pregnancy test;
- although all STI had been properly tested before the sperm donation, a clinician called my donor and indicated he may have been contaminated with Syphilis (Treponema pallidum subsp pallidum), subsequently contaminating me;
- my own clinician found some clues of endometriosis around my ovaries;
- my brand new 'rugged' phone got blocked after 16 days of use. Looks like Android does not allow my open-source apps anymore.
Well, I must say everything went according to plan. Yeah... Super smooth couple of weeks.
The good thing is everything got better in a few days. The cat got better, we're not there yet but at least we're out of the woods. I learned a few things about Syphilis I'm eager to share with the world. I learned the bacteria is a champion in contagion as it can be transmitted though kisses, manual and oral sex, even if a condom is used (but clinician still recommend to use a condom as it decreases the risk drastically). It can take up to 3 month after exposure for blood tests to turn positive. A blood test needs to be repeated if dubious, as many things can go wrong with these (false positives or false negatives). The bacteria can stay in the body without any remarkable symptom for years before eventually showing up. Even if gay and bisexual men are statistically the most at risk of contracting Syphilis, contamination numbers rose for straight people too. The good news is: it is treatable. Because most of the cases are early or asymptomatic, you need to have 1 injection of antibiotics and you're done. I got treated with antibiotics even if my test is negative because I'm trying to get pregnant and my donor got treated too. The medical team at the Sexual and reproductive health center was fantastic and we got a clear view of what to expect for the next couple of weeks.
I'm grateful I'm properly treated. I'm grateful I found a non-judgmental medical team, able to help me through the loops of being in a queer family and trying to conceive. I wondered if this stuff is too personal to share online. I think it's actually the opposite: it's public health. STIs are rising right now and I'm glad I got tell this story. On a different note, it looks like the next rabbit hole I'll dive in is open OS for Android phones because I still can't access mine and the helpdesk is not helping. Helpdesk is not helpdesking, I must say. This next topic may be better suited for bearblog readers but hey, public health is cool.
Reference:
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations
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