VailChapter Xiii - “surrogaCy & stMo”

BRADLEY AND MEGYN SIMPSON HAVE NOW COMPLETED ALL THE SOPHISTICATED MEDICAL AND SURGICAL TREAT-MENT FOR HER AGGRESSIVE GYNECOLOGIC CANCER AT A YOUNG AGE. THE COUPLE HAS MOVED BACK TO EAST VAIL, AND IS NOW CONCENTRATED ON FURTHER REFINE-MENT OF THE STMO (SIMPSON TRAUMA MOBILE OPERAT-ING - ROOM). DESPITE THE SURGERY AND POOR PROG-NOSIS FOR MEGYN WITH TERMINAL CANCER, THEY ARE STILL ATTEMPTING TO HAVE A BABY. MICKY HAS SECRET-LY DECIDED TO BE A SURROGATE MOTHER FOR MEGYN. SINCE MICKY AND MEGYN ARE IDENTICAL TWINS, THE OFFSPRING WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE THE SAME WITH EITHER PARTNER. MICKY HAS NOT AGREED TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION HOWEVER, AND SAYS SHE’LL ONLY GET PREGNANT NATURALLY. MEGYN IS FRUSTRATED AND PLEADS WITH HER REGARDING THE PROCEDURE. THERE-FORE SINCE MEGYN, BRADLEY’S WIFE, STILL HAS HER UTERUS AND HER EGGS ARE FROZEN IN DENVER, THE SIMPSONS’ ARE PROCEEDING WITH IN VITRO FERTILIZA-TION OF MEGYN. MICKY HAS FINALLY AGREED TO A UTER-INE TRANSFER FROM MEGYN - WHO WITH TERMINAL CANCER OBVIOUSLY CANNOT COMPLETE A PREGNANCY. THE UTERINE TRANSFER IS A HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE - WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH INSTRUCTING THE SIMPSONS THAT IT IS IMMOR-AL AND AGAINST CHURCH DOCTRINE. MICKY IS IN THE FINAL PLANNING STAGES OF HER WEDDING WITH RU-DOLPH, A MAN SHE MET WHILE VISITING IN VAIL. RU-DOLPH IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF COMPLETING DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHABILITATION IN DENVER - HAVING SPENT TOO MANY NIGHTS AT THE HUBCAP - A VAIL WATER-ING HOLE. WE BEGIN IN THE SIMPSON’S HOME IN EAST VAIL.

FaDe iN:

BRADLEYI CANNOT BELIEVE THE BISHOP WAS SO HARD AND RUDE REGARDING OUR REQUEST.

MEGYNLOOK AT IT FROM HIS ANGLE. HE SAID A FIRM NO TO STEM CELLS - BESIDES IT’S NOT THERE YET.

BRADLEYYOU MEAN SCRAPING MY SKIN AND TURNING THOSE CELLS INTO FERTILE SPERM CELLS WITH ACTIVE VIABLE DNA.

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MEGYNEXACTLY. IT’S NOT YET THERE. WE HAVE BOTH DONATED TO RESEARCH IN VARIOUS CENTERS - BUT IT WILL BE YEARS.

BRADLEYI JUST DON’T GET MICKY. SHE HAS AGREED TO BE THE SURROGATE, BUT IS UNWILLING TO UNDERGO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION. SHE WAS HESITANT TO DO EVEN THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS SURRENDERING ALL RIGHTS AS A PARENT AS YOUR SISTER.

MEGYNTHAT’S MICKY. MUCH MORE STUBBORN THAN I. THAT IS WHY SHE IS NOT MARRIED. THOUGH I LOVE HER, AT TIMES I’D RATHER BE NEAR A WOUNDED PIT BULL.

BRADLEYYOU STILL DON’T THINK YOU CAN CONVINCE HER TO UNDER GO A SIMPLE PROCEDURE IN DENVER AT ONE OF THOSE HENHOUSES AS THEY SAY ?

MEGYNBRADLEY - YOU DON’T GET IT. SHE WANTS TO ROMANCE YOU BEFORE SHE GETS MARRIED.

BRADLEYNO WAY.

MEGYNYES - WAY.

BRADLEYWELL IT WON’T HAPPEN.

MEGYNMICKY IS A FIGHTER AND GETS WHAT SHE WANTS. DO YOU REALLY THINK SHE WANTS TO MARRY RUDOLPH ? HIS MOM HAS AGREED TO THE IN VITRO - AS IF IT’S HER BUSINESS ANYWAY - IN RETURN FOR THE HAND OF MICKY WHO SHE ADORES AND A WEDDING IN VAIL WITH A PRIEST AND RABBI.

BRADLEYRUDOLPH IS A GOOD GUY, AN EXPERT SKIER, AND............

MEGYNHE IS A CLASSIC SKI BUM, IS MARRYING UP, AND ONLY DOING IT BECAUSE HIS MOM KNOWS MICKY IS A GOOD CATCH.

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BRADLEYTHE IN VITRO IS NO BIG DEAL. BY COMPARISON AN EX-PERIMENTAL UTERINE TRANSFER IS A MIGHTY BIG DEAL. IN EARLY PREGNANCY THE FETUS MUST REMAIN VIABLE, THE BLOOD SUPPLY MUST BE CONNECTED AND THE RISK OF LOSS WITH A MISCARRIAGE IS EXTREMELY HIGH DE-SPITE ALL THE HORMONAL TREATMENTS GIVEN IN PREPARATION.

MEGYNI THOUGHT WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD DO WHATEVER IT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN IRISH FOOTBALL PLAYER?

BRADLEYWE DID; BUT THERE ARE OBVIOUS LIMITATIONS TO WHAT MEDICAL SCIENCE CAN DO. YOU HAVE NO ABILITY TO NATURALLY CONCEIVE. AND YES - IT IS SOMEWHAT AGAINST CATHOLIC DOCTRINE TO GET INVOLVED WITH IN VITRO FERTILIZATION AND TRANSPLANTATION OF OR-GANS FOR PROCREATION. WHY I’M NOT ENTIRELY CER-TAIN, BUT THAT IS THE DILEMMA WE FACE.

MEGYNNO ONE FOLLOWS CATHOLIC DOCTRINE PERFECTLY. YES WE MAY BE SINNING; HOWEVER WE HAVE TO RESPECT MICKY’S WISHES. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT I WON’T BE THE MOM, AND MICKY MAY REVERSE AND WANT TO BE THE MOM.

BRADLEYSHE IS MARRYING RUDOLPH NEXT MONTH - RECOVERED OR NOT. SHE’LL HAVE HER OWN FAMILY. SHE MAY VISIT THE BABY AS OFTEN AS SHE WISHES.

MEGYNI GUESS THERE ARE SO MANY UNKNOWNS THAT WE ARE ONLY SPECULATING.

BRADLEYCORRECT. YOU MEGYN SIMPSON MAY OUTLIVE ALL OF US. WE JUST DON’T KNOW.

MEGYNGOT IT - WHY DON’T WE GO DOWN TO THE HUBCAP FOR A MICROBREW, PLAN THE BABY, AND THEN EAT OVER AT THE SONNENALP - WE HAVEN’T BEEN THERE FOREVER - NOT SINCE OUR FIRST WEEK HERE.

BRADLEYI’LL WARM THE CAR.

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iNterluDe

THE SIMPSONS ARE NOW AT THE HUBCAP WATCHING SOME SPORTS WHEN IN WALKS MICKY AND RUDOLPH. RUDOLPH IS TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THE PLANNED SUR-ROGATE MOTHERHOOD OF HIS NEAR FUTURE WIFE, MICKY.

BRADLEYOH MY GOD. HERE COMES MICKY AND RUDOLPH.

MEGYNGREAT. WE CAN DISCUSS THE FINAL PREPARATION FOR THE BABY PROJECT - OUR LITTLE FOOTBALL PLAYER.

BRADLEYHEY MICKY AND RUDOLPH. HOW ARE THINGS GOING?

MICKYGREAT. ONE MORE MONTH AND WE’LL BE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE HERE IN VAIL. THE BIG CELEBRATION OF CA-THOLICISM AND JUDAISM COMING TOGETHER IN MAR-RIAGE WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR.

MEGYNSO RUDOLPH, HOW ARE THINGS? I SEE YOU ORDERED A DIET COKE.

RUDOLPHSURPRISINGLY THINGS ARE QUITE WELL. I’M ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY.

MICKYYES, HE MAY HAVE A TOUCH OF WINE AT THE RECEPTION NEXT MONTH, BUT THEN AGAIN HE MAY NOT.

BRADLEYHOW IS THE HOUSE HUNTING?

MICKYGREAT. DON’T WORRY - WE WON’T BE YOUR EAST VAIL NEIGHBORS. WE’VE BEEN CHECKING OUT SOME GREAT PLACES ALONG GORE CREEK. RUDOLPH WANTS TO LIVE NEAR THE SLOPES.

MEGYNLAST TIME WE TALKED YOU WERE LOOKING AT LIVING IN THAT 18 MILLION DOLLAR HOME IN BEAVER CREEK - A TRIAL OF RENT TO OWN - YOU KNOW THE ONE HIGH UP IN BACHELOR’S GULCH.

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MICKYTHAT IS STILL AN OPTION. WE GOT THE BUILDER DOWN TO 13.9 MILLION. HE CAN BARELY COVER HIS LOAN.

MEGYNTHAT SOUNDS LIKE A YUMMY PLACE. WHERE ARE YOU GETTING THE MONEY FROM TO HANDLE EVEN THE RENT ?

BRADLEYMEGYN, YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO ASK THAT. HMMM...... I BET IT IS FROM DAVENPORT. OUR PARENTS ARE FRONTING THE HOUSE.

RUDOLPHIT’S OK. MY DYING GREAT UNCLE FROM WILMINGTON DEVISED HIS TRUST TO ME THIS PAST WEEK. WE HAD NO IDEA HE WAS SITTING ON A BUNDLE. WE’RE NOT CERTAIN WHAT TO DO WITH THE CASH.

BRADLEYYOU COULD FRONT MEGYN’S UPCOMING SURGERY.

RUDOLPHWHAT ON EARTH WOULD THAT BE? I THOUGHT EVERY-THING WAS DONE AND NOW IT IS IN THE GREAT CRE-ATOR’S HANDS.

BRADLEYYOU KNOW - THE PLANNED IN VITRO FERTILIZATION OF MEGYN WITH HER EGGS ON ICE AFTER MY DNA IS COM-BINED WITH HERS IN A TEST TUBE.

RUDOLPHSO YOU WANT ME TO PAY FOR THAT?

BRADLEYTHAT IS ONLY PART A.

RUDOLPHAND PART B IS?

MEGYNI GUESS I DIDN’T REALIZE YOU DIDN’T KNOW RUDOLPH.

RUDOLPHKNOW WHAT? I’M BEING KEPT IN THE BLIND. MY TIME AT LUTHERAN HOSPITAL REHAB KEPT ME OUT OF THE LOOP.

MICKYWHY DON’T WE CHANGE THE SUBJECT? RUDOLPH AND I WILL DISCUSS THIS AFTER WE GET BACK HOME.

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RUDOLPHNO I WANT TO KNOW NOW. YOU KNOW HOW AM. I’M SPOILED, IMPATIENT, AND GREEDY - REMEMBER YOU TOLD ME SO MICK.

MEGYNRUDOLPH WE DIDN’T REALIZE YOU DIDN’T KNOW. I’M SORRY.

RUDOLPHAGAIN I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE ARE EVEN TALKING ABOUT? YOUR IN VITRO PROCEDURE HAS ZERO TO DO WITH ME. AND NOW YOU WANT ME TO SOMEHOW FUND THIS FROM MY GREAT UNCLE’S TRUST?

MICKYOK RUDOLPH, WHILE YOU WERE IN REHAB LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENED.

RUDOLPHOK, I UNDERSTAND. I’M ALL EARS AND REMEMBER A NICE GUY AT TIMES ALSO.

MICKYI WANT YOU TO STAY THE NICE GUY AFTER I TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED. REMEMBER THERE WERE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE UNDERGOING MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL TREATMENTS.

BRADLEYLOOK RUDOLPH, I’LL TELL YOU MAN TO MAN. MEGYN IS DYING. WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER DEARLY AND WANT A CHILD. WE ARE PLANNING THE IN VITRO FERTILIZATION OF MEGYN’S FROZEN EGGS WITH ME, GROWING THE BABY IN MEGYN’S UTERUS FOR A WHILE, AND THEN TRANSFERRING THE DEVELOPING FETUS INTO MICKY.

RUDOLPHTELL ME THIS IS FANTASY LAND. THIS IS A DREAM, FUTUR-ISTIC STUFF, AND IT IS NOT REALLY HAPPENING. MICKY YOU AGREED TO THIS? DID YOU SIGN PAPERS?

MICKYYES AND YES. LOOK YOU WERE GONE AND SAID DO WHAT IS NECESSARY WHILE YOU WERE IN DENVER LUTHERAN. SO I DID. MY SISTER IS DYING. DYING! SO I’M GOING TO HELP HER.

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RUDOLPHDO WHAT IS NECESSARY IS LIKE A CAR PAYMENT OR WINDOW WASH, NOT A FETAL TRANSPLANT.

MICKYI WASN’T THE ONE BEING IRRESPONSIBLE. I’M TRYING TO HELP MY SISTER AND BROTHER IN LAW. I CANNOT GIVE THEM A BIGGER GIFT. YOUR MOM EVEN KNOWS ABOUT THIS. WE WERE TO DISCUSS THIS IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. LOTS HAPPENED SINCE YOU LEFT TOWN 8 WEEKS AGO. AND QUIT STARING AT ALL OF US - IT DOESN’T EVEN INVOLVE YOU.

RUDOLPHI DON’T KNOW WHETHER TO CRY OR SCREAM. WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MICKY DURING ALL OF THIS? WHO PAYS FOR THAT?

MICKYNO ONE. REMEMBER MONEY CANNOT BUY ME - YOU SAID THAT. JUST BE A GOOD GUY AND GO ALONG WITH ALL OF THIS. I’LL CARRY THE BABY FINE. THE OBSTETRICIANS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ARE ALL FINE WITH THIS IN THAT WE ARE IDENTICAL TWINS.

BRADLEYYES, MICKY WILL BE PREGNANT FOR NINE MONTHS AND THEN SHE CAN GET PREGNANT AGAIN. MEGYN WILL CARRY THE BABY FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND THEN A TRANSFER WILL OCCUR WITH A NEW TECHNIQUE THAT INVOLVES SOME STEM CELLS FROM US IMPLANTED INTO HER UTERUS AND THEN A NEW DRUG TO INCREASE AND REESTABLISH THE BLOOD SUPPLY OF THE BABY. THE BABY WILL OBTAIN OXYGEN BY DIFFUSION DURING THE FIRST FEW HOURS UNTIL THE UMBILICAL CORD AND PLA-CENTA HAVE ATTACHED.

RUDOLPHHAS THIS EVER BEEN DONE BEFORE?

BRADLEYNOT IN HUMANS AT THIS STAGE.

RUDOLPHAGAIN WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MICKY?

BRADLEYIT COULD, BUT THAT WOULD BE A SIMPLE MISCARRIAGE AND NOTHING MORE - REMEMBER IDENTICAL TWINS.

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RUDOLPHAND MY MOTHER KNOWS OF ALL OF THIS?

MEGYNYES - SEE HOW QUICKLY THE WEDDING COMBINED A RABBI AND VAIL SETTING WITH THE DAVENPORT CATHO-LIC CROWD.

RUDOLPHWE THEN ARE BARTERING WITH MY LIFE OVER MARRIAGE, UTERINE TRANSPLANTS, AND MY VERY EXISTENCE IN MY EARLY MARRIAGE.

MICKYRUDOLPH THIS ISN’T ABOUT YOU. IT IS ABOUT FAMILY. WE’LL HAVE A FAMILY - IT WILL JUST BE DELAYED A BIT.

RUDOLPHSO WHAT ABOUT WHO IS MOM IF MEGYN DIES?

MICKYI’VE AGREED TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL EXCEPTING FOR OCCASIONAL VISITS. BRADLEY WILL JUST MOVE ON IF MY SISTER DIES; AND I’LL JUST DEAL WITH DELIVERING MY SISTER’S CHILD AS A SURROGATE.

RUDOLPHYOU KNOW THE LAW IN THIS AREA IS NOT VERY WELL DEFINED. I’VE HEARD MANY SURROGATE MOMS WANT TO BE THE REAL MOM - WHETHER IT IS THEIR DNA OR NOT. WHAT DO WE DO THEN?

BRADLEYTHERE ARE OBVIOUSLY MANY UNKNOWNS; HOWEVER WE HAVE ALL 100 % AGREED WITH A FERTILITY ATTORNEY IN DENVER TO THIS ARRANGEMENT. IT IS DONE.

MICKYI THINK RUDOLPH HAS ABSORBED ENOUGH FOR TONIGHT. WE ARE OUT OF HERE. CATCH YOU TOMORROW.

iNterluDe THE SIMPSONS HAVE MOVED OVER TO THE SONNENALP. DISCUSSION HAS GONE ON TO THE STMO AND THE NEW GRANT, NEW TRAUMATOLOGY FELLOW, AND VAIL HOSPI-TAL SUPPORT.

BRADLEYI DIDN’T REALIZE MICKY HAD NOT INFORMED RUDOLPH OF THE ARRANGEMENT.

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MEGYNSHE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE, BUT DIDN’T WANT HIS REHAB TO END IN FAILURE. SO FAR IT HAS WORKED AND I GIVE HER CREDIT FOR HANGING IN THERE. MOST WOULD NOT.

BRADLEYABSOLUTELY. WE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND MISUSE OF ANY DRUGS AND IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE.

MEGYNSO I HEAR THAT THE NEW GRANT MONEY HAS ARRIVED WITH FUNDING FOR MORE RESEARCH, A TRAUMA FEL-LOW, AND MORE ACCLAIM NO DOUBT.

BRADLEYTHE STMO IS REALLY ON BOARD. TEN MORE CLINICAL TRIALS THIS PAST WEEK. WE HAVE MARCHED OVER MANY HURDLES; BUT THERE ARE MORE.

MEGYNSUCH AS?

BRADLEYTHE BIGGEST IS INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT - IN THAT ANYTHING I DO ON THE SLOPES IS NOT PRE-APPROVED EVEN THOUGH AN EMERGENCY. WE’VE HAD TROUBLE OBTAINING REIMBURSEMENT FROM ALL INSURANCE CARRIERS AND MEDICARE EVEN THOUGH OUR COSTS ARE LOWER.

MEGYNDID THAT WEALTHY FAMILY CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING LAST MONTH - WHEN THEIR ONLY BOY WAS NEARLY KILLED?

BRADLEYNO NOT A DIME. BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. THEY COULD COME BACK.

MEGYNHAS THE TRAUMA FELLOW FROM STANFORD WORKED OUT?

BRADLEYWELL HE IS SO CALLED “HOT” SINCE HIS WIFE HAS JUST LEFT HIM. SHE REFUSED TO COME TO VAIL FOR A YEAR. SHE IS FROM FLORIDA AND HATES THE COLD.

MEGYNTHEY WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT ANYWAY.

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BRADLEYIT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE. THEY HAVE 5 BOYS WITH A SET OF TRIPLETS.

MEGYNSOUNDS LIKE SHE IS SUPER SUPPORTIVE.

BRADLEYTHESE HIGH LEVEL RESIDENCIES CAN WEAR ON FAMI-LIES. THEY JUST WENT THROUGH A BIG TIME RESIDENCY AT UCLA, AND THEN SHE WAS ASTONISHED THAT HE WANTED FURTHER TRAINING AND TO TAKE AN ACADEMIC ROUTE FOR HIS CAREER. VAIL IS EASIER THAN LONG ISLAND I WOULD THINK.

MEGYNWHAT IS THEIR DEBT?

BRADLEYABOUT $600,000. SHE WANTS HIM IN THE REAL WORLD WORKING IN A TAMPA SUBURB NEXT TO HER FAMILY.

MEGYNSHE CAN GO THERE NEXT YEAR AFTER HE FINISHES, AND WORK AT THE TAMPA THINK TANK HOSPITAL TRAINING YOUNGER GUYS LIKE DR. SIMPSON.

BRADLEYHIS FIRST LADY DOESN’T QUITE GET IT, BUT HE’LL BE HERE IN A COUPLE DAYS.

MEGYNAND HE’LL ME MANNING THE STMO?

BRADLEYYES, WITH HIS ENGINEERING BACKGROUND WE WILL USE SOME NEW GREEN ENERGY TO POWER THE ANESTHESIA MACHINE, NITROGEN PRESSURE, AND CONVERT THE SURROUNDING AIR INTO OXYGEN WITH A NEW SEPARA-TION DEVICE. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO NOT BE REQUIRED TO CARRY OXYGEN TANKS TO THE SLOPES OR CAVERNS.

MEGYNTHIS IS BRILLIANT RESEARCH. HAS ANYONE COME AROUND INTERVIEWING YOU RECENTLY LIKE....

BRADLEYTIME MAGAZINE IS HERE TOMORROW.

eND - Vail Xiii

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