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HILARIOUS yet very embarrasing story...

MomToBe85MomToBe85 Posts: 60
edited November -1 in Trying to Conceive
Soooo, after a huge devastating BFN with an at-home ICI last month, DW and I decided to try again this month with an at-home ICI. We purchased one vial but ovulated 3 days early (the day before the shipment arrived). Anyways, we ended up having to ship the vial back to NWCB and instead of scheduling a pick-up from home, I decided to take it directly to UPS.

After waiting in line for about 5 minutes, I was finally called up by the front desk worker. There were two men in line behind me and about 3 men and 1 woman in the line for pick-up. I lifted the box onto the counter and the woman started to examine the box. She turned to me and said, "What's in this box? Is there anything toxic in here?" I let her know there wasn't anything toxic in the box. She asked again, "Well, what's in the box?". Turning red in the face, I leaned over to whisper, "It's a tank from a cryobank." Of course, she didn't hear a word I said because I was trying to whisper as quietly as I could. She repeated, a bit louder, "What? What's in here?" So again, I tried to whisper, "It's a tank from a cryobank..." and I repeated again, as she leaned closer to hear, "Cryobank tank". At that point, my palms started getting sweaty and I could feel the temperature rising in my body. She still didn't understand what I said so I continued with, "It's a sperm tank.. Sperm." And of course, she looked right into my eyes and blurted out, "Sperm, oh ok, Sperm tank." Slightly humiliated and embarrassed, I replied, "Yes." With the return postage clearly visible on the box, she turned to me and asked,"What company is this going to?" At that point, I was pissed and ready to run out of the door so I replied, "It's on the label." I didn't even have to turn around to feel the number of eyes looking my way. I grabbed my receipt and ran out of the door!

Wow, what an experience! The things we have to go through when TTC!

Put us down for JULY! =) Hoping this is our month!
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Comments

  • acennamo86acennamo86 Posts: 80
    edited November -1
    I am always shocked to see this happen to people. I go to my UPS and they say Hi then scan the box and give me the receipt. Not once was I questioned. I don't think it is any of their damn business as long has it is not hazardous material. Some people I think are just nosey haha
  • MomToBe85MomToBe85 Posts: 60
    edited November -1
    I honestly think she was just being lazy. The box clearly states the package is non-hazardous and the label (if she would've just looked at the label) has the company's name on it. Ugh, just a terrible experience!
  • foxfox Posts: 40
    edited November -1
    The only problems I've ever had dropping off a tank is having to take so much time off work due to the UPS stores erratic open times. Online it says it opens at 8am, but in reality I've never found it open before 9 and some times I've been waiting for it to open until 10:15.
  • MNmommasMNmommas Posts: 1,081
    edited November -1
    That's pretty obnoxious. If anything like that had ever happened to me, I think I would've just curtly said that it was all on the label. Not that I'm embarrassed about the sperm, it's just rude and I wouldn't want to answer a million questions about anything I was shipping. When they pick it up from your home, you don't even have to be present, so they certainly don't need verbal answers to those questions. Sorry you had to deal with that!
    Donor 7070, births 2012 & 2013
  • PatienceisavirtuePatienceisavirtue Posts: 777
    edited November -1
    Oh man, I have my share of UPS stories and can totally relate. Let's just say the TTC process has given me a very negative view of UPS. I'll leave you with 2 gems of stories....(although I have many more).

    1. In Dec. UPS claims to have come to my door to deliver the tank even though I was home all day and the buzzer never rang. We then had to go pick up the tank the next day at the shipping center 35 miles away from our house. They told us the package would be ready to be picked up by 3pm. We got there around 4 and had to wait until 530 until they found the tank. The lady then picked up the tank and laid it on its side to scan it. My wife and I both freaked out (I mean those are our babies in there) and she rudely said, "Oh well how else was I supposed to scan it?" I said, "well, it could have stayed on the floor." She then asked, "What is in here anyway?" To which I hastily replied, "It is none of your business." She was piiiiisssssseeed...and I was crabby but she gave us the tank and we left.

    2. In February, when returning the tank, the guy asked if anything hazardous was in the box. We replied that there is not and that is labeled as such on the box. He then said he would be unable to ship it by air. We said that we have dropped this package off in the past and have had no problems. He then said that the other workers were doing it wrong and there was no way this type of package would be sent by air. We said the company the package is from sends these packages all over the U.S. without any issues and this was our fifth time sending this box. He then said, "Oh well if it is from a company it is probably fine but I am not making any promises that we are going to send this out." He then laid the box on the side and we pointed out the rather large "this side up sign" to which he replied, "There is no this side up with UPS." We left but emailed NW right away incase the package did not show up.

    People are just rude and nosey. (Sorry for typos/grammar typing fast).
    TTC #1: 1-5 BFN; 6- BFP
    TTC #2: since June 2016...
  • MomToBe85MomToBe85 Posts: 60
    edited November -1
    Wooowww!! Those are two terrible experiences. I am usually good about speaking up when things like this happen but I was in complete utter shock and super embarrassed. This was my first time taking the tank to UPS as DW took last month's for us. I wasn't sure if that was UPS' procedure or not. I emailed UPS and a woman JUST called me to apologize. She told me the woman did not follow "drop-off package" procedures correctly.
  • syoung0204syoung0204 Posts: 504
    edited June 2014
    Same thing happened to me. Out of the 6 times returning our tank to the store, the ONE time there was actually sperm in the tank, they decided to question me. It is so embarrassing. But it makes a good story to tell you future kids. Especially when they're teens. I can't wait!
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  • KNJ28KNJ28 Posts: 21
    edited November -1
    Oh I feel for you! Same thing happened to me.. and finally the lady said ohhh horse or cow sperm? And red faced I replied " human sperm" and then it just got awkward..
  • PatienceisavirtuePatienceisavirtue Posts: 777
    edited November -1
    KNJ28- That is hilarious!
    TTC #1: 1-5 BFN; 6- BFP
    TTC #2: since June 2016...
  • truemiraclestruemiracles Posts: 63
    edited June 2014
    Oh my gosh, I feel so bad for you all! I never had any issues when picking up or dropping off in person, but one of my shipments was delayed due to weather. I was frantic when it didn't show up and called UPS to ask what was going on. Was told it was probably sitting on a runway somewhere and definitely would not be coming until at LEAST the following day. I explained to her that this was extremely time sensitive and I couldn't just wait around to see what day it would show up. She then said she'd see what she could do and asked what the contents were. I didn't care since it was over the phone, so I told her her it was sperm. She said "what??" And I repeated. She asked a third time, stating she couldn't understand me, and I said loudly and slowly "HUMAN SPERM." There was dead silence and then she asked what I was going to use it for. I hung up!
    TTC #2
    April '14 - BFN
    May '14 - BFP (angel baby, 4 wks)
    June '14 - BFP (angel baby, 5 wks)
  • MomToBe85MomToBe85 Posts: 60
    edited November -1
    She asked what you were going to use it for???? Wow!!
  • truemiraclestruemiracles Posts: 63
    edited November -1
    I think she was just stunned. That and/or she just completely lacked any sort of filter. It really surprised me how unprofessional she came across. Is it really that shocking to know that people ship sperm?!
    TTC #2
    April '14 - BFN
    May '14 - BFP (angel baby, 4 wks)
    June '14 - BFP (angel baby, 5 wks)
  • Jen727BFJen727BF Posts: 2,304
    edited November -1
    Wow! These stories are insane! I am sorry you all have had to go through these embarrassing situations.
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    TTC No. 2 since Aug. 2014; IVF #1 - Cxld; IVF #2 - BFN
  • katelmkatelm Posts: 268
    edited June 2014
    I had the guy at our local UPS ask me a couple of times what was in the box. I wasn't sure if he had a right to ask, so I just said it was a dewar for shipping frozen goods and walked out. I see no reason for them to ask nosy questions. It's also astounding that whenever I needed to buy OPKs or pg tests, it always seemed to be the pimply teenage boy behind the checkout counter! I also remember being momentarily shocked to be talking to a guy the first time we called NW to order. Turned out we loved Zach, but still! No shortage of embarrassment in this venture!
    My amazing wife is the bedrock of our family. Three beloved foster children now in far flung places. One beautiful son born in March 2011. One amazing daughter born December 2014. We are blessed!

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  • scifimomscifimom Posts: 1,173
    edited November -1
    That's funny! But I like to brag about using donor sperm. :)
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