As I was thinking about what I wanted to say, I was brought back to a cold November day when I was sitting on an exam table. I was one week post-op from laparoscopy for severe endometriosis. My body ached, but my soul ached stronger. I remember hearing my doctor say, "you need to do IVF if you want to have a baby." I had no idea how much would happen in that exact same exam room over the next three years. The moment IVF was spoken panic came over me. At that time IVF was a very dreadful word. IVF was going to be expensive, risky, involve hundreds of needles, countless exams & procedures, & all of that without a guarantee of a baby.
By the time I got home I realized that fear was already taking hold of my heart. Ryan, on the other hand, was full of faith from the very first second & was my anchor of hope through it all. I knew if we were going to do IVF that my heart had to be in a good place. I didn't have one single friend that had gone through IVF, or least I didn't know IF they had. It was a scary lonely place to be. I didn't feel like I had anyone that understood what I was going through. I was on Instagram and typed in #ivf & #infertilitysisters & I discovered a world of courageous women that were sharing their stories of infertility & IVF. I get emotional just thinking about how much it meant to me to have that connection to others going through the same thing. These strangers, many of which became my friends, gave me a sense of peace that everything was going to be okay. They made me feel strong & brave because they were strong & brave. They showed off the needles going into their butt & I knew I could do it too. They cried & they vented, & they celebrated & they prayed, and their stories are the reason I wasn't swallowed up into a dreadful miserable place. They posted photos of their cute transfer socks, they talked about their frozen embabies that they couldn't wait to bring home, they shared tips & they were there for me if I needed them. It was amazing. I loved following women that got pregnant & brought home their #ivfsuccess babies. HOPE, there was so much hope in their stories.
I'm sharing all of this because I want others to know the importance of talking about infertility. Just because it involves sex doesn't mean it has to be hush hush. Couples don't have to hide behind closed doors & cry alone. To feel a connection, to feel as though you're not alone in a struggle, can be life changing. This is true for any battle. Talking brings healing. 1 in 8 couples deal with infertility. I guarantee someone you love is struggling with infertility & they may be doing it in secret. They may go home & cry & you may have no idea because it's hard to talk about. The more we talk about it, the easier it'll be to help others.
For all the women & men that came before me, to the first person that came forward to bravely talk about this difficult subject, I want to say THANK YOU! We are forever grateful to the Lord above for hearing the prayers we cried out for a child. We are forever grateful to science & medical professional that made this possible. A baby grown in a petri dish, that is simply miraculous!!! And so very grateful for the courageous women that shared their stories & support.
I'm always here to talk about our journey, please always feel free to message me with questions or thoughts. And I hope, with all my heart, our story to Magnolia brings peace to someone else. May our story inspire you to talk about infertility without hesitation.
xo
Wendy
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