from Richard M. Levin, M.D., PSC at 1-800-766-0304
Volume 28: September 2004
The Labor Day Edition
The testimonial below is the twenty-eigth in a series of remarks from real people who found Dr. Richard Levin on the Internet and have had a tubal ligation reversal. Sharon and Floyd Ledford of Pineville Kentucky have been so kind to allow us to share their story (FROM 1984) with others who are thinking of having a tubal ligation reversal. Sharon and Floyd do not have e-mail, so you will not be able to correspond with them. I chose to do this testimonial because I just received a high-school graduation notice from the Ledfords and it touched my heart to remember these very lovely people. If you are interested in having this procedure performed then please visit our web site listed below by clicking on "Get Started . . . have a baby!".
Sharon and Floyd, thanks for sharing your story with us!
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| Case Facts: The case facts for Sharon Ledford are probably forever lost. This case dates back to 1984 and consequently her medical records from that time period no longer exists. My memory of this case is similar to Sharon's description below but she seems to have left one thing out. When the tubal reversal was performed by me, I found a structural defect in her uterus which I repaired at that same time. That repaired uterus, largely explains why she was able to carry the tubal reversal pregnancy. Please enjoy Sharon's story in her own words below . . . | |
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I married at the very young age of 16. In the space of two years I was pregnant two times. The first baby, a girl, was stillborn. The second baby, also a girl, lived approximately 24 hours. Both pregnancies ended at about 5½ months. After each loss I was truly heartbroken. My doctor told me he didn’t think I’d ever be able to carry a child full term. He suggested that I have my tubes tied. Not wanting to suffer through the loss of another baby, I took his advice. Here I was at 18 years of age not able to have my own family. My heart was broken. I felt empty inside knowing how much I wanted children. Dr. Golden suggested adoption. After considering this for some time, my husband and I decided it was something we wanted to do. We were blessed with a beautiful, blue-eyed, blonde, 2 ½ year old boy. He was such a sweet child; I loved him very much. But always in the back of my mind I kept hoping and praying that someday I could have a baby, just one. That’s all I asked for. When someone in my family had a new baby, I’d be truly happy for them. But inside my heart would be breaking, wishing that could be me—just once. My first husband and I divorced when our son was 12 years old. I remarried and moved to Louisville. On a visit back home my sister, Mary, told me about a lady she worked with who was expecting her second child after having a tubal reconstruction. She knew how much I loved children. When my husband and I went back home to Louisville, we talked about this almost every day. Would it be possible to find a doctor to do the surgery, and if so, would it be successful? Could I carry a baby to term? Would it live? The questions were endless. The only way to get answers was to find a doctor, go for a visit, and get their opinion. I can’t recall at which visit Dr. Levin explained what tests I would need to determine if surgery would be possible. He gave me an 80% chance of getting pregnant. Surgery was performed in October 1984. By the next October I was pregnant. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on June 18, 1986. James will graduate from high school on May 23, 2004. He will celebrate his 18th birthday on June 18, 2004. I will always be grateful to my sister for telling me about her co-worker and especially to Dr. Levin for the training and hard work he went through to be the best possible Doctor he could be. Thank you Dr. Levin. May God bless you always. Sharon Ledford
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