As a teenager I knew two different couples dealing with infertility. I was only 12 when I learned of the first one and even then my heart hurt for them. I did not fully understand what it meant but I knew that it was not right that a couple could not have a baby. I remember praying for them, even going so far as to ask God to allow me to get pregnant so that I could give them a baby. How I thought that was going to happen, I am not sure. I just knew that I wanted to help them. Thankfully the couple adopted a gorgeous baby boy a few years later. The other couple I met a year or two later and I remember crying on Mother's Day for her as I saw her struggle to remain composed. This couple adopted as well.
Around this time I began to suspect that I had endometriosis. I was only about 16 years old and no one believed me. A good friend had it and my symptoms mirrored hers. She had three children so I did not fully comprehend the impact that endo could have on my, but there was still something in the back f my mind that told me that getting pregnant would not be easy. I got married at age 21 and we began ttc soon after. A part of me thought that it would be easy, but there was always this nagging doubt in the back of my mind. I just "knew" that we would battle infertility. I also suffered from a bad case of denial. I refused to allow myself to think about infertility. Until we got close to the year mark when my fears became a reality.
Did you "knew" you would battle the demon of infertility?
I had no idea at all. Even when we went to an RE; we started IVF with ICSI because my husband had had vasectomy. He told us it should be easy, and then when cycle after cycle failed they never offered any help or explaination. They just said that's how stats are sometimes; keep trying. :-(
ReplyDeleteIt's strange; I remember having the same feelings, just "knowing" I would have trouble. I was around 12 when it started and I just decided that I wouldnt have kids. Of course, love and marriage changed my ideas completely. But yes, it's nuts how sometimes you just know.
ReplyDeleteI did, but I had absolutely no reason to think so. Regular periods like clockwork and all that. But somehow, I always thought I would end up doing IVF. Of course, I thought the IVF would work.
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That is so strange that you wrote about this...When I was about 17ish my aunt was telling me about her friend who had to go through fertility treatment to get pregnant with 2 of her children. Something inside me right then told me that was going to be me. Once I got married I tried to ignore that feeling. Sometimes I have thought I had jinxed myself for thinking those thoughts, even though I know that had nothing to do with it. It took me going to 3 OBGYN's for one to listen to me and finally did a laproscopy only to find Endometreosis all over when I had no symptoms at all. He later referred me to my RE...boy am I glad I was persistant!
ReplyDeleteI never thought it was possible. I was fertile & got PG easily, but then we had the reversal, regretted it, saved money, and when we finally got dh that reversal...I was IF. I have grown a lot through my IF later in my fertility years. Thank you for continuing to post about a subject that affects so many young & not so young ; )
ReplyDeleteyep, I did just "know" I was going to need help. My 1st inclination was that all of my friends and my younger cousin had all gotten their periods before I did. I was almost 17 before I got mine and it was so heavy I ended up in the hospital and had to have blood transfusions. From then on I just knew when it came time to actually "try" for a baby it was going to be difficult. My obgyn said he'd just put me on a "pill" and it would be no problem. Boy am I glad I didn't listen to him! I had endometreosis and a septum in my uterus. Thank goodness for RE's!
ReplyDeleteNO! Actually I thought my "big" hurdle was getting "approval" from my heart docs. The ironic thing was that my hubby and I discussed the possiblity of not having biological kiddos- adopting if my heart docs felt it wasn't safe. I got that approval from the docs and figured we would be pregnant soon after (this was right after we got married). Several months later with no period I saw my doc, and they decided to put me on clomid, once again I thought okay here is our answer I will be pregnant in the next month or two with the possiblity of twins! HAHA little did I know the journey we were on to have our family.
ReplyDeleteI never had any idea, always had pretty normal, regular periods. I always dreamed of being pregnant and even stuffed towels under my shirts to pretend. Didn't have a clue that I had endometriosis until it was found during a lap. I guess God had different plans for me.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a huge burden to bare at an early age. I would love to hear your feedback on educating young women and men on infertility. Check out my post and let me know what you think... http://thehopefuljourney.blogspot.com
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