My first infertility talk

Notice how I say "first" because I expect there to be many more :)

Speaking of which, if anyone knows of a church group or moms group in the Jhb area, I am willing to come share my story of hope, encouragement, inspiration and beating the odds (that's my slant, not so much the infertility bit).

So K, the group leader, told me that I could take as long as I liked after I said to her on Facebook, "20 minutes?!!! I could talk for 3 hours"

I took 40 minutes.

I tried to take 30 minutes but there was just far too much to share.

Also, when I talk, I check reactions to some of what I'm saying and I sensed that some girls needed to hear more about the "I am not alone" and all the emotional side of it. And about the "having a plan or something to focus on" part of it. Maybe that's a control freak thing? :)

So I went with that.

Turns out to have been a good idea because I've already received LOVELY emails from 3 of them about how valuable it was to hear me talk about it.

Interestingly, there were 3 of us that were "old members", all with twins. Two of them used donor eggs and it was so right that they were there because 4 of the new girls have been told they need donor eggs.

It was very encouraging to them to see actual donor egg success stories, plus our one same sex gal who is pregnant at the moment and looks all kinds of gorgeous.

There was also one girl who was a bit upset because the eggs they did ICSI on (they split hers and did half ICSI and let the other half fertilise "normally") were the only eggs that fertilised, and those two embryos were the ones transferred.

She said, "what good can come of ICSI'd eggs?" (too funny)

And I whipped out a pic of my two and said, "these babies came from ICSI'd eggs" LOL

She was so glad to see you don't get a more inferior embryo and that they do work!

There was also a lady there who said she's not infertile (has 3 kids) but feels like her purpose in life is to pray and encourage women like us. Bring it on! So she's been praying when people go through cycles and is texting them to check on them, etc.

Anyway, so I felt that the talk happened beautifully, just as if everyone who was there was meant to be there.

So special! And I was reminded yet again that this kind of support is so vital and so, so needed because even though we know the stats, this whole infertility thing is shrouded in secrecy so everybody going through it feels alone.

How was your Saturday?

P.S. Julia asked about Monday's talk at the church on organising kids . Also went beautifully and I'm doing an abbreviated version for my list on Thursday via teleseminar. If you want to sign up for that one, email me.