My dream has always been a constant presence in my life. From a young age, I envisioned a little girl with braids, pretty dresses, and a dollhouse. I imagined her going to ballet classes and filling my life with joy. As the years went by, I would occasionally see other girls and wonder, “What would my daughter be like?”
I vividly remember the excitement and anticipation I felt before my first ultrasound. I couldn’t sleep the night before, and my eyes were filled with tears as I walked into the appointment. My heart was pounding as I listened to the doctor’s words, “You’re having a son!” Although I felt a tinge of disappointment initially, it quickly faded away. When I held my precious baby boy in my arms, I was overwhelmed with love. Almost a decade passed before my next pregnancy, and I eagerly counted down the days, enduring morning sickness along the way. Finally, the long-awaited ultrasound arrived, and I was on pins and needles. Just like déjà vu, the doctor asked, “Do you want to know the gender?” I couldn’t believe it! The anticipation had almost chewed away my nails. It may sound silly, but I had really, really wanted my dream to come true. However, as they say, sometimes you have to be content with what life gives you. And I was genuinely happy with what I had, even if it wasn’t exactly what I had planned.
Years went by, and I found happiness in raising my boys, pursuing my studies, and building my career. During this time, I specialized as a therapist for eating disorders and had the privilege of working with many young girls between the ages of seven and eighteen. Taking care of them brought me immense joy, despite the challenges. Looking back, I realize that perhaps I had unconsciously channeled my longing for a daughter into helping these girls.
Then one evening, while watching a TV program about fertility and reproductive technologies, I came across a fascinating technique called PGD. An expert doctor explained how it was possible to fertilize an egg and sperm, and then test a cell from the resulting embryo to prevent genetic diseases and even choose the gender of the baby with 95% accuracy. As I listened to this, my old dream, which had been buried deep in the recesses of my mind, resurfaced. At this stage of my life, already immersed in therapy and learning about such advancements, it sparked a renewed sense of hope and possibility.
Fate or luck