WAUSA – Ted and Ciara De-Bilzan have a dream of raising a family in Wausa, but that process has proven more difficult than they could have imagined.
The young couple’s unexpected journey began in December 2021, when they started trying for a baby. In October 2022, Ciara visited with Denise Taggart, a physician assistant in family medicine with Avera Medical Group Hartington, for a woman’s physical.
“This was the first time we met and she had asked if I had kids,” Ciara said. “I explained that we were trying, but haven’t had luck. She recommended that I start tracking discharge and basal body temperature (your temperature when you are fully at rest) and that Ted and I start taking vitamins.”
If Ciara was not pregnant by January 2023, she and Ted would get a referral to see a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology or another specialist.
“January 2023 came and we still were not pregnant,” Ciara said.
She received a referral to see Dr. Alex Laudenklos, an OB/GYN at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk, for a consultation and lab work.
“He had instructed Ted to get a semen analysis, which was done in February 2023,” Ciara said. “My results were great. No problems.”
The results for Ted showed a sperm count of 2 million. A man is considered to have a low sperm count if he has fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen, according to the Mayo Clinic.
At this point, Laudenklos referred the couple to the Heartland Center for Reproductive Medicine in Omaha.
This fertility center works closely with Dr. Chris Deibert, who is a urologist at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.
“Ted then started Pregnyl injections three times a week in May 2023 through January 2024,” Ciara said. “Three months after starting injections, he had another semen analysis. This time, results came back at 6 million.”
In August 2023, Ted found a lump on his left testicle.
“He had an ultrasound completed and results were sent to Dr. Deibert to review,” Ciara said. “He had thought the lump to be a surplus of veins, which could block sperm from traveling, therefore, causing our infertility. He explained that he believed (there) to be a 75 percent chance that a surgery would improve our chances of having a child.”
In October 2023, Ted had the surgery done in Omaha. Three months later, in January 2024, he had another semen analysis and the results came back at 2.5 million.
“At this point, Dr. Deibert recommended IVF,” Ciara said of in vitro fertilization. “The sperm count was not high enough to recommend IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatment. We were told that getting pregnant without treatment would be like winning the lottery each month.”
Ted and Ciara were referred back to the Heartland Center for treatment and began speaking to Dr. Meghan Oakes, a reproductive endocrinologist.
“She said that she would recommend IVF, which (has) a 65 percent chance of success, or adoption, if we wanted to build a family,” Ciara said.
When the couple looked into adoption in 2023, they were told that some couples in Norfolk had been waiting for seven-plus years for an infant adoption and that the costs vary from $40,000-$60,000 depending on how long the waiting period would be and what type of adoption they would do.
Ted, 27, and Ciara, 25, also looked into fostering, but felt that it would be unfair to work to unite children with their families while also wishing to be parents themselves.
“We did understand that we could foster to adopt, but I also really wanted to experience pregnancy and those milestones for myself, if possible,” Ciara said.
“Ted and I both agree that in the future, either after our (biological) kids are grown or if unable to conceive our own biological children, we would become foster parents then,” she said.
As of now, the couple have agreed to pursue IVF with the Heartland Center and have gone through the consultations, watched all of the educational videos and completed all of the paperwork.
“On 3/1/24, I started Month One, which is birth control for 21 days, to help ovaries to respond better to fertility drugs, but also to control timing of my cycle,” Ciara said. “Month Two requires me to be at Heartland in Omaha roughly every other day for 10 days for labs and ultrasound, while also taking daily (stimulation) injections.”
Depending on her results at each appointment, Ciara may be required to come in again the next day and/ or have a medication adjustment.
“At the end of my 10ish days, I’ll have a trigger shot, triggering ovulation, and then we have a retrieval surgery under sedation,” Ciara said. “This is where they will take out as many eggs as possible. Those eggs will be fertilized and monitored for so many days and then the ones that reach maturity are frozen and saved for transfer. Transfer is in Month Three of IVF.”
Near the beginning of their fertility journey, Ted and Ciara looked into the cost of IVF.
“We were told $15K,” Ciara said. “We thought that meant for all of it. They meant that was the cost of retrieval alone. So, while going on this adventure, we spent $11K on medical, but saved $15K in preparation in case we needed IVF.”
The couple received an actual cost breakdown in January 2024 showing them that the cost of their IVF treatment was going to be closer to $28,000.
“Our insurance does not cover anything for fertility and there are not many programs in the state to help either,” Ciara said. “However, we were able to apply for one medication discount either through ReUnite (Rx) or Fertility Life-Lines. With discounts, our IVF cost dropped to $24K.”
Ted, who works for Wausa Lockers, and Ciara, an agent at the Midland Insurance Agency in Wausa, decided to host a 2024 puzzle fundraiser that started on Feb. 3 and lasts through April 5 to help with the rest of the IVF cost and for money to travel to Omaha often during Month Two.
“We purchase a puzzle,” Ciara said. “People can buy a puzzle piece at $10 a piece by mailing (a) check or cash or sending money through Venmo, Cash App or Facebook Pay. We write their name on the back of the pieces they purchase.
“After our transfer, we put the puzzle together, hang it up in a dual- sided frame and display it in the nursery,” she said. “For those who donate $100-plus, we will deliver or mail an event T-shirt that gives away baby DeBilzan’s sex.”
So far, the couple have raised more than $4,500, with their ultimate goal being $9,000, which would mean they would not need to take out a loan to help pay for the IVF cost.
“However, we were not expecting anywhere close to the amount of donations we have received so far,” Ciara said. “Ted’s mom, Vicki Critchley, created decals for the nursery, and my mom, Tonya Cooper, and her husband, Doug, purchased nursery furniture. Our fundraiser flyer was created for no compensation and our fundraiser T-shirts are being made at a giant discount.”
Many people have reached out to share their love and support for Ted and Ciara and a few others have offered housing in Omaha during the second month of treatment.
“Ultimately, we just feel so blessed for the love and support we have received from friends, family and our community,” Ciara said. “This is what I mean when I say it takes a village. We could not do this without help. These kindnesses help relieve so much stress from our shoulders.”
The couple met in September 2017, were married on May 29, 2021, and moved on June 16, 2021, from Norfolk to Wausa, with the hope that they would start a family within a year.
While that did not happen, they believe Wausa is an ideal place for them to raise a family, as Ted, who was born in Webster, S.D., has lived most of his life in the Knox County community. Ciara was born in David City and grew up in and around the Columbus area and Blue Earth, Minn.
“We were wanting a quiet, friendly community surrounded by family,” Ted said of the couple’s move to Wausa, where he has relatives in the area.
Ted and Ciara are looking forward to everything as they continue their journey toward becoming parents.
“The good and the difficult. The laughs and the tears. The late-night feedings, the blowouts, the terrible- two tantrums, even the angsty teenage years,” Ted said. “Ultimately, we just have such big hearts and want to raise a (child) surrounded by our people.”
