Susie Troxler, who was 50 years old at the time, had been trying to have a baby for over a decade, but after years of infertility issues, she was finally thrilled to be pregnant.
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Susie and her husband Tony Troxler, who was 61 at the time, welcomed their baby girl, Lily Antonia Troxler, to the world on September 29, 2021. The Troxlers had never considered fertility treatments before because, like many people, they were unaware of the options available to them.
Susie Troxler shared, “When we got married, we just assumed we’d get pregnant, and then it didn’t happen. But we’re both very old-school, and when we grew up, nobody even talked about or discussed IVF [in-vitro fertilization]. It wasn’t even a thing.”
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It was only when a compassionate OBGYN asked Susie if she had any concerns about her health in her late 40s that the issue of her fertility came up. Susie was caught off guard but took the opportunity to ask about her fertility.
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The doctor referred her to a fertility specialist, who diagnosed her with fibroids, benign tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus. She underwent surgery in January 2019, but they still had Susie’s age to consider as well as some health complications on her husband’s side.
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The first approach the Troxlers were encouraged to try was in-vitro fertilization, but they were never able to produce a viable embryo. Then they decided to try egg donation, but the embryo created would not implant in Susie’s uterus. After that, the pandemic put their plans on hold for nearly a year. They had one embryo left to try that had been frozen, and it was their last chance – in February 2021, it worked!
Susie and Tony couldn’t believe their last-ditch effort had worked. They called the pregnancy “surreal.” Even more surprising was Susie’s “pretty uneventful” pregnancy. At her age, it’s common to have complications.
But after a planned C-section on September 29, 2021, the Troxlers finally became parents. By their side during the delivery was OBGYN, Dr. Carolyn Harraway-Smith, the doctor who originally started Susie on her journey by simply asking her to share her questions and concerns.
Harraway-Smith described the delivery as “a beautiful and exciting and peaceful moment.” Everyone in the room was excited, and Lily was born happy and healthy to two doting parents who couldn’t be happier to have her around, even if it means getting less sleep than ever.
Susie said, “I’m of the belief that kids come when they’re supposed to come, regardless of the age of the parents. We look at it as this is exactly how it was meant to be. She’s our miracle baby.”