Infertility is often referred to as the IF Island, some stay for a long time, some leave quickly. This analogy helps Jeff and I make the most of the IF island and gives us a lot of perspective. I watched my oldest sister and her husband get on the ferry boat headed to the island more than 5 years ago, they've since return with three beautiful children from Ethiopia and are patiently waiting for their 4th. I have another sister who resides on the mainland with three beautiful children, but we will not forget she too also spent a short but painful stay on the island.
So it wasn't a shock to get our IF island tickets a year ago. None of this has really been a shock, I've known deep in my heart that a island visit was something I would most likely face. This is not to say I was being negative or "jinxing" us. You can not tell your ovaries to stop making follicles. That my friends is because Infertility is a disease. Plain and simple, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Just like we wouldn't tell our friends with cancer that just need to relax, we should not tell IF island dwellers to do the same. We should give them a hug, ask what they need, listen to them, Do not ignore them. We understand that as friends/family you want to give advice and help in some way. I can tell you that I go home almost nightly to do "research", to read, to search. I know the options, but leaving your plan A is not so simple. There's a grieving process with each movement away from center (center being what our 5th grade teachers taught us in health class).
So with all that being said, Don't ignore the strength. Don't take that away from your IF friends or family members. Yes, this is hard, it's really effing sad. I might be grieving the lose of my genetic tie in a few months but keep listening, keep hugging, keep writing, keep commenting. A comment on this blog does wonders for my heart. I have had the most amazing response from my loved ones but that is not the case for every IF island dweller. In honor of NIAW please don't ignore Infertility and please don't ignore us....
This week is a really important week for Infertility awareness. It is National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) April 22-28th! Please read more about infertility and NIAW here:
http://www.resolve.org/infertility101 (Basic understanding of the disease of infertility.)
http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/about.html (About NIAW)
3 comments:
I've never heard of it as an island, but I love it! I thought I left the island but the riptide sucked me back! Thanks for participating in NIAW.
Love this post and all that it acknowledges--and asks others to acknowledge, also. I am listening. I am sure many others are, too. <3
PS I know the pics were part of another post, but it has to be said that Jeff's beard is for REAL out of control. You can tell him I said so. ;)
Danielle, the beard is a mess, he's now only growing the chin part and he keeps "stroking" it. PLEASE tell him how you feel about it at the baptism!!
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