Thankful

It’s been a while, my friends. It seems that once the school year starts, I am in sprint mode until the holidays roll around! I’m sure my teacher friends can relate 😅 Finally coming up for air nearly 4 months since my last post. I’ve been wanting to share this story with you for weeks!!

About a month ago, I was supporting one of my 2nd grade students in his classroom. The class read a poem and then talked about the meaning behind it. One of the words they pulled out to discuss was the word “special”. Students were asked to give an example of what makes you special. So many students raised their hands, saying things like “I share with my friends” or “I enjoy helping others”. The teacher called on multiple students, acknowledging each response. Then one little girl raised her hand and said “I’m special because my mommy and daddy had to try really hard to have me”.

CUE THE TEARS 😭

I literally stood in the back of the room, holding back tears thinking about the journey that her parents may have taken to have her. Was an IUI successful? IVF? What was their story? How great is it that her parents shared this with her?! 🤍

I couldn’t help but think about how one day, I would love to tell our child about our journey, and just how badly we wanted to bring them into this world. One day, I hope and pray that we are blessed to be presented with this opportunity.

It really is a shame that so many, even people that I know, don’t or can’t pursue fertility treatments because of the financial burden it presents; even though most of us would likely sacrifice our own arm or leg just to bring home a baby.

Very few are blessed with IVF insurance coverage. Why is that?! Infertility isn’t something that people ask for or that is caused by anything that we do wrong. It can affect any and everyone, male or female, and arrives like a freight train you didn’t even see coming. It doesn’t discriminate and it has no mercy, it doesn’t matter if you are famous or just your everyday average Joe. Infertility doesn’t give a damn!

In this season of being thankful, and stepping back and really thinking about all that we are blessed with, I want to acknowledge just how lucky, blessed and grateful we are that we are even in a position to pursue fertility treatments in hopes of bringing home our rainbow baby one day 🙏🏻

I hope that those that have come face to face with infertility will continue to speak out and share their stories. I pray that one day, infertility won’t just be this invisible disease that society tiptoes around. The inability to have children naturally and without intervention is devastating. The fact that the body and reproductive system is not doing its job as it should is a medical problem; and I really hope that one day, this is acknowledged and addressed in the field of medicine, as it should be, so that EVERYONE facing infertility has access to this treatment and the amazing doctors in the field of reproductive medicine, regardless of your financial status 🙏🏻