Wow your DH sounds amazing! I love my OH with all my heart but he is kind of a nighmare with the whole ttc affair!! It took me ages to convince him to go for SA and he was very reluctant I thik he was afraid of his pride being damaged IFKWIM? It turned out his results are ok... not great but will do the job. Your husband sounds so supportive and willing to do whatever it takes; I really admire that!
He is an absolute sweetheart! Every day when I wake up and look at him, my day begins with a smile

But I must admit ... it took us a while to get there. He is very very sweet natured, but did need a good kick up the backside to get moving - so, I definitely KWYM

We started actively trying in October 2010 and I knew we were DTD at the right times - after a few months I had started getting "help" determining the fertile periods. In May 2011 (turning 36 in August), I got myself checked-out, as I wanted to make sure that - if we needed help - we could start getting it ASAP. Well, everything was OK and I begged DH to get checked-out. He didn't see the urgency that I felt (and TBH every single month when

showed up, I would get upset). Took until the end of August, before he finally went ... to get the diagnosis we (I especially) had dreaded. My poor angel! Rang me and said "it's my fault"

He felt sooo bad (especially knowing how I had wanted children all my life ... am a child of divorced parents and, well, have basically had the candle of hope in my window for forever that someday, I will have my own family and children and can make it all right again, by making them happy)...
So I promptly called the clinic my friend had recommended and ... the first appointment I could get was October 17th

So I was kind of pxxxxd, that by wasting 3 months, we lost another two, just by not getting the results earlier. In September, he had another check, where they found even less than the first time around. Our clinic visit had me hopeful - but again, they wanted to do all sorts of blood tests, hormone, etc. etc. and get another SA from him ... followed by yet another after taking some drops to widen the "tubes" to see if they were just not getting out ... so - four SAs and nothing. And each time, he wasn't taking the first possible appointment for the SAs (and so of course each time I get sad inside, because I know that means yet another cycle...). Then he was sent to the place to discuss the testicular biopsy - but he just wanted to do more blood tests and another SA. They found a tiny bit and suggested another SA at the clinic and freezing if they find anything ... so ... SA # 6 (with nothing).
I finally told the doctor that this constant not-knowing and taking so long was really really getting to me - that I just want to know where it is going, what are the chances etc. etc. I feel for the doctors, it is so easy to just be clinical - whereas it is my / our sanity, our family, our time, our lives that ...
Anyway the clinic doctor sent him to the biopsy guy again - and that is where we are now : taking the medication.
I ask him every so often, whether he also so desperately wants an LO, or if he is just going through this all just for me ... but he says he wants one too. The clinic doctor has already suggested that we start thinking about donor sperm - but DH doesn't want to consider it and I have agreed to "cross that bridge if and when we should come to it". I must admit - I really want to be able to melt when I look into his eyes in our LO.
I think it took a while for it to sink in for him, that it won't be that easy ... and I think the harder it gets for us, the more he realises that he does really want to be a Daddy...



and ... he has seen what it does to me and ... it is so clear, how very much he loves me
I think, that in a way, it is harder for men to deal with, if the fertility difficulties come from their end. Like a pride thing / not something they ever consider. Even me : my one main horror thought all my life was, what if I can't have children? It never even occurred to me, that it might be my partner who can't! And for a man - you know, masculinity is such a big thing (like you say - afraid of his pride being damaged) - it is just not manly not to be able to reproduce... so I think it is something a woman (even though terribly distressing) can take in her stride more easily, than a man.
I am feeling really emotional right now and just want to hug everyone ... so ...

all around and extra sprinkling of
