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Endometriosis Awareness Month #ivf4bc #bcpoli
March marks Endometriosis Awareness Month and because I write often about infertility, adoption and health I wanted to take this post to tell you about endometriosis. Endometriosis is a painful chronic disease impacting 1 in 10 women. It is linked to infertility and is often difficult to diagnose. Many readers here know that I have some health issues. I write about Crohn’s Disease sometimes, but until now I have never written about the endometriosis I used to struggle with as well. Despite my frankness with many other issues and topics, talking about periods, menstruation and even some fertility issues, is difficult. But since March is Endometriosis Awareness Month I figured it…
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Infertility Is Not a Choice – Unexplained Infertility #IVF4ON #onpoli
Danielle Xavier, Conceivable Dreams board member, 30. I proudly wear this button on my blog and I will tell you why. Building safe families, healthy families in the province of Ontario is an issue that should be non partisan. It should be front and centre every day. It should be the most important item on every party agenda. Plain and simple. Families are economic engines, building blocks, voters and future voters. This week a flurry of articles and TV segments ran on infertility – they framed the issue as one impacting only women. Families and men were absent from the picture. Grandparents and grandparents in waiting also were not shown…
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What is the New Normal #FamilyDay? #ohip4ivf #onpoli
On Family Day I wanted to spend my one thousandth post talking about family and the new normal and the changing face of family. Today, people will spend the day with their children, or their parents. Some may celebrate new births, a few may go out for dinner, sledding or to the movies. In our family we often take the afternoon to go skating on Family Day. It’s a fun tradition here at our house, one my daughter reminded me of today. I spent a lot of time thinking about family here lately, and policies that impact family. On Family Day I want families and politicians to use the occasion…
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On the Eve of Family Day #ABHC4IVF #ABPOLI
Updated – for Family Day 2017 On the eve of Family Day 2013 I asked infertility patients a question. The answers were emotional and many were heartbreaking. For those who do not yet have a family many holidays are reminders of loss and grief and health care struggles. That could change if Alberta started to fund IVF in the province. There are currently in 2017 four provinces funding the procedure. Alberta is not yet one of those provinces. A couple of short weeks ago I asked the question on Generations of Hope Facebook page I help manage. The question was this: How do you tolerate Family Day? For some of us…
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IVF Funding Ontario Could Have Made a Difference to This One Family’s Journey #OHIP4IVF #Onpoli
With thanks to Kerri-Lyn Cuppage for her family photo. It is a given this time of year when temperatures dip and families begin the process of nesting through the winter, when holidays are pending and the year winds slowly to a close, that we all take stock of our blessings, our gifts, challenges and triumphs. For families whose children came to them either through adoption or in vitro fertilization, whose start was rooted in the sad realization of infertility, then compounded by medical issues and potential financial difficulties the blessings are magnified. But the challenges are not to be forgotten. What if it cost you $10,000 to build your family?…