Instagrammer Kelsi Burley from @myjourneywithivf shared a promise to herself as she gets ready for more fertility treatments as she and her husband try to build their family.
It reads:
I promise to not be so hard on myself
I promise to continue to be a warrior.
I promise to realize when enough is enough.
I promise to take breaks when I need it.
I promise to allow myself to cry when I need to.
I promise to reach out for support.
I promise to be others support.
I promise to listen when you need me to.
But most importantly,
I promise to love myself.
This promise is one that resonates with so many in the infertility community who also struggle to not be too hard on themselves.
Here’s Kelsi’s journey so far:
Q: What’s been your infertility/fertility journey so far?
I had an ectopic pregnancy in 2018. It was my first pregnancy and had just began trying to conceive. The ectopic pregnancy caused scar tissue to grow on my fallopian tubes and after a HSG test, we found that my tubes were now blocked. We went straight into IVF and did one round with 1 egg retrieved, no embryos. Second round I did 10 days of STIMS (injections) and my body had a fluke and ovulated early and we got zero eggs. My third round, we retrieved 7 eggs and got 4 embryos. My first transfer unfortunately didn’t stick and my second transfer, we put in two embryos and one stuck. It sadly ended at 7 weeks when the baby stopped growing.
“I promise to take breaks when I need it.”
Q: How has going through infertility affected your marriage?
The beginning was VERY rough. Our first round of IVF we were thrown into this “unknown” and it was extremely stressful. Administrating shots, doctor appointments, hormones going crazy, lack of sex, financial stress, and the list goes on. We eventually were exhausted and figured out how to work together and not against each other. We are now stronger than ever.
Q: You have a great quote, “Don’t just check in on your friends when the hard stuff happens. Check on them during the in between.” What are the best ways we can show support?
Show friends and family that you care: send a simple text, DM, a letter, anything to show that you are there to be supportive and are thinking about them. A care package can really lift spirits. It’s just the little things for me that I appreciate so much.
Don’t just check in on your friends when the hard stuff happens. Check on them during the ‘in between’.
Q: What does the infertility community mean to you?
Women who have experienced my pain and issues first hand, who really truly understand, have helped me get through this. I’m grateful for the help and support of this community.
Infertility journeys, no matter what each individual one looks like, are challenging. It’s amazing to see this community grow and support each other. It’s amazing to have platforms like this one to let people know they aren’t alone.