Be a voice. Be heard.

Happy National Infertility Awareness Week!

Infertility is always a part of each victim's life.

It doesn't matter if you seem to be "on the other side" of the disease with the answered prayer baby in your arms or in your belly. It doesn't matter if you are just starting to seek out medical help. It doesn't matter if you are on your second IVF failure. It doesn't matter if you have gone through countless procedures, surgeries, miscarriages and heartbreak.

We ALL know what it feels like to want something so badly that you would do nearly anything to get it.

We put our bodies through hell for the chance of starting or completing a family. We get our hearts filled with hope at the beginning of a cycle or the beginning of the adoption process...to have them broken into a million pieces when things go awry. Our hearts seem to magically heal in time for the next cycle...and the next...and the next. We go through this over and over again holding onto a faith and love with such persistence. We obsess over each twinge, spot of blood, cramp, and cycle day. We test...then test, and then test again. Our minds constantly guessing on what it all means and if we need to call the RE.

We carry a heavy burden.

We bear other's advice. We bear the weight of our partner's childlessness. We beat ourselves up and blame ourselves for all the failures. It is our bodies. It is our fault.

We ache for the child so badly that when we are lucky to see a positive pregnancy test...we are afraid to celebrate. After all, we know that at any given moment, our dreams could come crashing down.

We are infertile.

It is the type of disease that stays with its victims forever. Once an infertile, always an infertile. Even after it seems like we have "beat" infertility...it becomes a state of mind. We will never be the same. It has altered our hearts. It has essentially robbed us from an experience that many get for free without heartache.

If you don't know about infertility, please take the time to educate yourself. Most likely a couple you know is suffering. Some in silence. We need you.
For more information, visit www.resolve.org 

-Lisa-