After my first visit to the fertility clinic, I have even more respect and admiration for those struggling with fertility issues. This has really been an eye-opening day, even for one who has been doing research on the subject. Looking around the waiting room at all of the people waiting, hoping for good news, dealing with their individual struggles just broke my heart and strengthened my resolve to help in the only way that I can. The clients were from varied races and ethnicities, appeared to be from many different walks of life and of different ages. Some were there alone, some with significant others, some with children. All I could think of was how truly blessed Russell and I have been. Our beautiful babies entered our lives easily, from conception through delivery. We didn't have to have tests, bloodwork, questions, doubts, tragedies, heartache. We didn't have to have someone tell us what was wrong, who the fault lay with, what our odds were, how we could best increase our chances of getting pregnant and keeping that pregnancy. We didn't have to have mock cycles, timed cycles, sync-ed cycles, mock transfers, repeated ultrasounds, measurements, injections, medications. We didn't have to have doctors, lab techs, nurses, specialists. We are blessed.
Today Russell and I both had bloodwork (since we are an intimate couple) and gave urine samples. Then I had a trans-vaginal ultrasound and a catheter monitoring, measuring and mapping my cervix and uterus. All went well, so we then took a class on administering hormone injections in my rear end with a GIANT needle and in my tummy with a tiny needle. My husband, who is hugely needle-phobic, will be administering these shots every 3 days when my next cycle starts as a trial run and then every day when it is time for the real deal for 10 weeks. The hormones are to thicken my uterus lining so that the pregnancy will stick. In addition, I will have to have suppositories inserted as close to my cervix as I can get them :) And all of these things are nothing, nothing compared to what the intended parents have gone through over the last decade. I don't care about having to do these things and I don't list them to elicit sympathy, only to serve as a small taste of what a couple dealing with infertility has to do as a matter of course.
Things are going well, really smoothly. Once again, I am blessed. And above all, I am blessed to have had my eyes opened to the heartache and difficulties that so many deal with just to be able to say that they have conceived. Anyone who thinks children aren't a blessing, who takes their procreation abilities for granted-shame on you. And shame on you, our legislators, who so capriciously and maliciously are threatening to take reproductive rights away. Don't be fooled, Virginians, that the Personhood bill is only about abortion, regardless of your stand on it. It would restrict fertility options tremendously. Do your research, know your rights, support those who want, more than anything, the fundamental right to be parents.
