I am finally beginning to feel settled back in after the whirlwind of last week’s trip to New York. I will have some pictures of the event by the end of this week, but I had to post because a hundred different things have been swirling through my head since we got back.
I felt like we were with family within a few minutes of walking in the doors. I don’t normally like any event that has a cocktail reception because starting conversations with people I don’t know has never been my forte. Fortunately Lisa is much more outgoing, plus she looked like a movie star night so we kept getting “don’t I know you from somewhere” which broke the ice.
Dawn Gannon made us feel right at home as she guided through the massive foyer entrance, and within minutes we were talking to Jane Castanias who broke the ice with Elliana, seeing how awkward she was in a roomful of dressed up grown ups.
Elliana’s eyes lit up when Jane said “You must be so proud of your parents that they are here to help other people to get a daughter just like you.” Just moments before, Elli was complaining about having to go to an event with all grown ups. That light bulb moment changed her demeanor the rest of the evening.
There was an energy there that was contagious, and as I picked up pieces of conversations passing by the groups of people chatting I found they all had the same enthusiastic hopeful tone. And a lot of passion.
Within an hour I remembered why Lisa and I had gotten involved with Resolve when we were in a very dark hopeless place in our own journey: to be reminded we are not alone.
There are times even now as parents after infertility that we feel alone. Those times when someone who doesn’t know us well asks “so you only have one?” A friend or relative has an ‘oops’ baby. A new acquaintance tells me how he gets his wife pregnant just by looking at her. All of these experiences bring back those infertility memories.
Yet for the entire time that evening, we never felt like the infertility outcasts. I heard stories of botched hormone shots, testicular biopsies, and other topics that would never be part of the normal cocktail conversations of the non fertility challenged population.
I was reminded we are not alone.
My goal this year is to reach more fertility challenged couples to let them know that they are not alone. Share stories and offer support and advice, but most of all, make sure the Family Act gets the attention it needs to become a reality so that our elected officials can be part of the support system for aspiring reproductively challenged parents.
Can’t wait until Advocacy Day and next years’ Night Of Hope–much more to come….