Jordan and Lindsay Rome are quite honestly the perfect match. If you are to meet Jordan, you will immediately be drawn to his humor and charisma. Jordan is full of laughs and always a good time. He met his match when he met Lindsay. She has the perfect combo of beauty and poise, with just enough quick wit to keep Jordan on his toes. Jordan and Lindsay were married May, 19 2007.
The Romes, both originally from Baton Rouge, moved to Ruston in 2008 and wanted to wait a couple of years before having children. Jordan and Lindsay were both adopted and had always looked forward to having children of their own. This journey ended up being a much longer and bumpier ride than expected. After several months of hoping for a positive pregnancy test, the couple decided to see a doctor, just to make sure everything was OK. Lindsay was prescribed a hormonal stimulant and they were told this would be an easy solution.
Unfortunately, this was not an easy fix and after many months they moved forward with other options. In 2012 after having run several tests, they went for their first attempt at the fertility treatment IUI (intrauterine insemination). After this attempt was unsuccessful, Lindsay decided to make an appointment with a fertility specialist. This was a difficult decision, because this meant accepting that she was indeed facing the struggles of “unexplained infertility.” The decision needed to be made to try IUI again or to make the huge financial sacrifice to go through with IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). They wanted a baby so badly, but the cost of this procedure is substantial. The chances of a successful pregnancy are higher with IVF so after four attempts with IUI they decided to make the sacrifice for IVF.
Lindsay looks back at this time as one of the most frustrating and sad times in her life, in June 2015, they found out that the IVF was also not successful. The couple decided to take a break from the stress and disappointment they had endured. They built a new home and adapted a very healthy lifestyle. Feeling defeated by infertility and financially exhausted, they looked at the option of adoption. Adoption is close to both of their hearts, but the adoption process is also exhausting and Lindsay decided it was best for them to just “be still” for a while and heal. Lindsay had signed up for an infertility awareness 5-K in Baton Rouge to be with women experiencing the same struggles of infertility and register for the tiny chance of winning a half-priced IVF treatment. The 5-K took place on a very dark and rainy day, but Jordan and Lindsay were not going to miss it. They were with their parents and thousands of other hopeful families. Jordan, Lindsay, and their parents were huddled under an umbrella that Lindsay says “was not doing good at keeping them dry,” when the name “Lindsay Rome” was called over the loudspeaker. She gasped with excitement, and her dad asked “What is it Lindsay? Do you know her?” “That’s me, Dad!! I won!” Her dad had not gotten accustomed to her new name, but this is when the excitement began. Lindsay said that many times she had been afraid to keep hoping, but always prayed to “get to the good part of the story.” This was the good part.
Lindsay and Jordan made the trip down to Baton Rouge to see Dr. Heber Dunaway of the Fertility Institute of New Orleans in June 2016 and froze four embryos. Due to his very full schedule of patients, they had to wait until December for the transfer of two embryos. On December 22, 2016, Lindsay called her best friend to rush over to her home. There were two faint lines on a pregnancy test, and after taking twelve more tests, she was convinced. They were pregnant! They traveled on twenty-four trips to Baton Rouge to see her specialist, and then Lindsay was released to her OBGYN, Dr. Kerry Tynes.
At sixteen weeks they found out they were having a baby girl and Lindsay had a perfect pregnancy. Caroline Grace Rome was born on August 21, 2017, at the same time of the total eclipse of the sun. Lindsay and Jordan were aware that the eclipse was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the birth of their beautiful baby girl overshadowed everything.
Lindsay shares her story in hopes that someone who may be going through the heartache of infertility, and who is keeping hope an arm’s length away, will continue to keep faith and know that they are not alone. Baby Caroline Grace is a beauty like her mother, is sure to have a quick wit like her dad, and for the Romes, holding this perfect baby will always be their total eclipse.