Tuesday, May 14, 2013

With hope, the odds don't matter

Life is filled with statistics.  And Scott and I talk about statistics all the time.  He works with cancer patients on a regular basis, I have a health care background, and we spent a lot of time trying to make life decisions based on statistics provided by fertility specialist.  And what we have come up with is that statistics don't really matter if you are on the other side.  If they give you a 99% success rate and you are the 1% who does not succeed, what did that statistic really mean to you?
When I started writing this blog, people would always comment that I shouldn't share such personal information so publicly.  So, for a while, I tried to write my blog but change names or places to create anonymity.  You never know who is going to read it...you know.  But I can't write it if it doesn't come from my heart.  And it can't come from my heart if I am pretending to be someone else.
Today I was contacted by a complete stranger who read my blog.  It happens more than you would think.  But this time I am happy to say that I have written from my heart and that something in my blog stood out enough for this person to contact me.  And she shared her personal experience with me.  And that experience hit home.  It made me cry.  And it filled me with hope. 

I hope you feel the same.  Thank you Heather!!!  

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Sunday, May 12, 2013

Hugs on Mother's Day

On my fifth "real" Mother's Day I am being spoiled by my amazing family. I am awaiting my breakfast in bed made by chefs Scoff and Lily while enjoying some Little Einsteins and cuddling with Jack. I no longer require KFC on Mother's Day. I guess I have finally moved forward from my desperate need for that chicken when watching those commercials throughout my many painful years as an infertile and childless woman. I think Scott was surprised when I didn't ask for our annual KFC celebration and instead requested his masterpiece French onion soup. 
Mother's Day is truly a well deserved holiday. Mothers are amazing creatures. They have magic kisses and eyes in the back of their heads. They have the ability to find something in the closet after everyone else has already looked. This day is truly deserved. Happy Mother's Day to all the truly amazing mothers in my life. 
You may have noticed that I started this blog saying that this was my fifth "real" Mother's Day. My first Mother's Day was two days after my first embryo transfer. On that day I spent a lot of time with my hand on my belly begging the powers that be to let that baby grow so that Mother's Day would count. Unfortunately it was not to be. The sting of that memory and many other heart breaking Mother's days helps me to remember all the amazing women who have not yet had the opportunity to sprout those eyes on the back of their heads. I am positive that they too have magic kisses but have not had the opportunity to test them out yet. 
Through my choice to share these personal and painful experiences I have been able to surround myself with women who have had similar experiences. I know moms who have lost their newborns. Moms who are celebrating their very first Mother's Day at this moment. Moms who used donor eggs. And donor sperm. Moms who found out through experience that you don't have to give birth to a baby to love them. Moms who are pregnant with their first today. Moms who have lost babies. A mom who finally completed her fertility journey to find herself fighting a cancer diagnosis. And one mom who had an embryo transfer yesterday and is the exact reason I felt the need to write this blog. I am so fortunate to have my family and I think about that every single day. But I work hard to remember the journey in hopes that it wasn't for nothing. And in hopes that my experiences can help those experiencing unimaginable pain on this day. 
Happy Mother's Day to all current mothers. And future mothers. Hugs to everyone feeling the sting of childlessness today. May your journey be close to the end. And may you find yourself joy and peace.