UK Sperm Donor Satisfaction Survey

The UK's National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT) are requesting that registered Sperm Donors Complete their Sperm donor satisfaction survey. The survey takes 5 minutes to complete and will help the NGDT to recommend positive changes that will make things better for future donors.

Vasectomy Completed!

Had my vasectomy yesterday.

It was fine - wasn't painful at all. No real pain after the operation, or today, the day after. Just walking a little more carefully and a slight ache. Didn't get the best nights sleep but not so bad considering.

After the op I returned to work after and completed my afternoon's tasks - and I'm back at work today also.

Can only that if you are considering having it - go for it.

Just got 4 months to wait before providing two sperm samples to see if the operation was a success - and I'll then be confirmed as sterile.

The surgeon showed me, at my request, the bits he removed - think two lots of 2.5cm long spaghetti - and that's what it looks like.

Final update for June

I got a nice email back from the clinic to say that the results of the screening had been returned to them and that my second, and final set of donations had been released for use - everything was in the clear.

My wife is booking in my vasectomy for later in the year - I'll be sure to give a update on how this works out and the procedures and tests that follow.

One final thing before I sign off for a while, I would like to wish all the my recipient parents, and their children, all the best for the future.

Screening Update

Completed my final screening for bloods and urine today.

When this has been processed, the sperm from my second donation cycle will be available should it be needed.

Families Helped Update

The Clinic updated me today so say that I'd helped eight families in total so far, I have an almost even split of boys and girls, and into double figures with the total number of children born.

Apart from the initial multiple births, no families have had second live births yet though it is a little early for that to take place ...

Lost Earnings Problem

The previous post was going to be my last - but I have to tell you about the latest lost-earnings problem.

The clinic decided that the maximum I could claim for Travel Expenses + Lost Earnings was £250. I ended up getting the HFEA involved, and I believe the clinic went through a lot of pain to clarify the rules and now they agree that reasonable expenses are unlimited and loss of earnings have a £250 cap.

I took holiday from work to make my second donation cycle, and the clinic then decided in their wisdom that as I took paid-holiday that they'd not pay me lost earnings. Now I don't know about you, but paid-holiday is when you go on holiday. If you work when you are on holiday then you are not on holiday, you are working.

A few bunfights later, the clinic accepted to pay for my 'lost' holiday - though it was rather silly.

Hopefully the next Sperm Donor that donate at the clinic I used won't have the same problem ...