The Women In The Waiting Room – How We Became A Family #ABHC4IVF #abpoli

My Journey Through Infertility and IVF

The story of infertility is a varied one. There are plenty of women who struggle, and the reasons are probably unique to each one of them. Its Christmas time, and for us Christians of the world, it’s a time to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus. There was a time in my life that the thought of a virgin being pregnant pissed me off. Sacrilegious, sorry, but I was indoctrinated by the media that it only takes once! Stories of women getting pregnant on birth control or unexpectedly made my eyes roll. I was unable to get pregnant on my own, and the people of the world were flaunting it in my face. I also refused to talk about it. I told everyone that I had plenty of time for kids, I loved being an Aunt, or I loved my job. While all true, I just wanted the decision about kids to be mine, and not something out of my control.

There comes a time, when living in suburbia, surrounded by ideal families with their 2.2 kids, golden retrievers, and white mini vans, when you notice the other people who are also childless. It was then that I made an infertile friend. We slowly began to confide in each other. What tests we had done, what our hormone levels were at, becoming human pincushions, and paying hundreds of extra to get your blood work done at the hospital because your 21st day of your cycle happens to fall on Christmas Eve and no clinics are open. We unknowingly formed a group of like minded strugglers; the women in the waiting rooms.

The Women In The Waiting Room

I always envisioned infertility affecting women trying to get pregnant in their 40’s or the rare person who has a condition makes conceiving difficult. TWWR (The Women in the Waiting Rooms) were my age, healthy, active, just like me. It is estimated that 1 in 5 (20%) of couples in Canada experience infertility: the inability to conceive after one year.

This Christmas I am planning on enjoying my time with my 3 sons. My presents are wrapped, the tree is up, and I get to spend the next few weeks not running around like a chicken with my head cut off. and focus on making new memories and traditions with my family.

Going through infertility is hard enough, without having to worry about paying thousands for In Vitro Fertilization. In Alberta, 67% of the population believe that IVF should be covered by provincial health care. I signed the petition here and you can as well. I also emailed it to my MLA. Feel free to share the petition with friends and family as well.