I was absolutely riveted by yesterday's re-run of the V.iews special on infertility.
As you can imagine from someone that has been dealing with primary infertility for over five years (wow, that is a sad statistic, isn't it?) there wasn't anything new to be learned. What was interesting was how the five hosts were so open about their struggles with miscarriage, IVF and general infertility.
I knew that B.arbara W.alters had an adopted daughter, but I didn't know that she had struggled with three miscarriages. S.herri Sh.eppard had her only son via IVF and has frozen embryos that she can't touch after her divorce. Elisab.eth Ha.sselbeck self-diagnosed herself with celiac and when she took gluten out of her diet she went on to conceive her three kids (btw, is she a practicing Catholic or not? I did some quick research and I found out that she was raised RC, but I couldn't find out any other info). As for J.oy B.ehar and Wh.oopi I can't recall 'cos I was brushing my teeth, but they both have one child each.
The show featured couples that have dealt with IF and one 47 year old woman who was in the process of getting divorced who was fighting over her frozen embryos (I think that they attributed her divorce to her IF struggles). It was unfortunate that they didn't talk about any alternative or natural ways of conceiving, but then again the way us Catholic IF'ers do it don't make a lot of money like the mainstream methods.
I think that it was a big step to have such a popular show talk about IF issues. I wish that it was something that everyone (okay, that I personally could) could talk about. I think that is another post for another time.
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So Mr. JB and I are enjoying our vacation in the Poconos. Our hotel room is smaller than our master bedroom back home and the resort is a bit kitchy, but you get what you pay for. This is the first time we're using our time.share and we didn't want to spend a lot of points.
I was doing some research on real estate in the area that we're in and I found that our resort is on the market for $699, 000!!!! Not very expensive in comparison to the housing prices back home! Don't worry I'm not planning to abandon my life in Canada to be an innkeeper in the Poconos!
Yesterday we had a super lazy day. We walked to downtown Hawley, had an all you can eat lunch (for $5.50!) at a local diner and then we returned to our room to sleep. Last night we went on a boat tour of Lake Wallanpaupack which was absolutely beautiful. When I finally get my act together we're heading to the outlet mall since it's supposed to rain all day. I LOVE all of the tax-free clothes shopping in PA!!!!!
Better go, Mr. JB is itching to go shopping too! Isn't he the perfect husband?????
IT was a good episode, and Joy had an ectopic pregnancy and almost died, so it seemed like almost all of them had issues.
ReplyDeleteAs for Elizabeth, I think she is a practicing catholic simply based on the views she expresses on the show.
When the mainstream media usually talks about IF they get it so wrong but I thought the View did an ok job. I think it's just one of those things you can never really understand unless you've experienced it. But it's still good for there to be open communication...
ReplyDeleteInteresting View episode. Infertility really is something more prevalent than I ever really thought about before it happened to me. When I started talking about it, so did several others I know.
ReplyDeleteSo interesting.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth used to be a Catholic, from what I understand, but is now an evangelical who, like most ex-Catholics, is fairly anti-Catholic in her views.
I'm not for sure but I think EH is a die hard Evangelical:) Very onservative, of course, but not RC.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great episode. It's amazing how many women have had trouble conceiving or difficult pregnancies and losses.
ReplyDeleteEven though IF seems to be getting more mainstream attention, I hope too, that someone would bring up alternatives to IVF and address that not all people are open to that (or there are some open to it that can't afford it). Just because it's an 'option' doesn't mean we have to take it, and we shouldn't be judged for our personal decisions on it. If you're IF, you're IF -- we should be supporting each other. But I think we're on way there. One step at a time.
Sorry -- just had one more thought. You'd think in this "go green" environmentalist "movement" that CrMS and other non-hormonal forms of family planning would be getting more attention. Just sayin'....
ReplyDeleteYeah, i saw the view episode as well..i usually don't want this show but as i was flipping through the channel the topic of "infertility" caught my attention. It was interesting how Whoopi made a comment to the "celebrity apprentice winner" guy & his wife...i don't remember their names but anyhow..his wife was saying how she had to gain weight (gained 5 pounds) as per her doctor's request so far and how hard it is since they are struggleing with IF and Whoopie said something like " well, you have to make a decision to gain weight and do whatever it takes to get pregnant" I don't know if Whoopi herself has had any infertility issue (but i just found out she has 1 child)
ReplyDeletei just found that piece to be very interesting.
Sadly, Whoopi has also been very public and proud about her abortions, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd just like vent said, I don't think we should be judged for choosing other methods that some wouldn't agree with. "If you're IF, you're IF -- we should be supporting each other." Amen sister!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I can you tube of hulu this...
ReplyDeleteI'm a total lurker who just popped over from Sew's blog and saw the mention of Hawley--you HAVE to go eat here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.torteknox.com/
My husband and I were in the area a few years ago and stumbled across this place. It was FANTASTIC and so reasonably priced. We went there for every meal the rest of our stay. Always said we would return, but never have.
I would have liked to see that episode. So interesting that none (I think) of the hosts has more than 1 kid, other than Elizabeth.
ReplyDeleteYou're in Hawley! - Too funny. I have relatives who live a whopping 16 minutes away. When I was little we went out that way for family reunions every summer, so I have a good picture of it in my mind. The lake was very nearly the last sign of civilization before we got there. (Oh and I posted a week ago about other relatives - who were childless and seemingly very happy last week. Always loved being around them. Guess where they live?! The world is smaller than you would think!)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great episode. I'm glad they were so open about their struggles, but it's too bad that they didn't have anything about the more natural ways of dealing with IF.
ReplyDeleteThat is great that they are shedding light on the world of infertility!
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, the whole idea of someone legally fighting over embryos is so disturbing... I find it interesting that the very idea of this alone doesn't raise more red flags for people...
I can't watch the View, I get to mad at how liberal they are and then always attack EH. I didn't know she wasn't RC anymore, when did this happen? Anywhey I guess it is nice that IF is getting more attention, I just wish that more of the natural methods were discussed.
ReplyDeleteGlad your having such a great time on your vacay! :)