Adopt-a-Blogger!

This month, January 2016, we pray for

S @ Mystery Blogger!!

Something a little different coming your way this month, everyone! Sometimes people don't have the flexibility to be open about their infertility and they need to maintain their anonymity. As you can imagine - Conceiving Hope knows a thing or two about that. So what do you do when someone is voted to be our next Adopt-a-Blogger, but isn't ready to share their infertility struggle with the world, their work place, and their family (especially at the holidays!)? You pray doubly hard for them!

This prayer campaign is about praying for those who suffer in silence, and I cannot think of anyone more worthy of prayer than our blogger this month. The upcoming season of Lent reminds us of longing to be through the desert, something the infertile couple knows the feeling of in their vocation to grow their family with no end in sight. It can be heartbreaking, and I pray for  God to lessen your pain.

S describes herself and her intentions below, so please be kind and generous and take a moment and make time to read through this and pray for our mystery blogger this month!

As always, I pray for the intentions of everyone joining me in prayer in this Adopt-a-Blogger campaign, that God's will be done in your life. Happy New Year and here is S in her own words here: 

Thank you for praying for me this January as the Adopt-a-Blogger this month. I feel bad that we aren't able to share our identity since you are so graciously praying for us, but our family and careers are connected to our blogging presence and this isn't a topic we've broached with either of those worlds yet. We've been married for 3 years. We have male factor and female factors involved in our infertility. Both of us have surgeries scheduled in the upcoming month, and we could really use your prayers for healing for that, if nothing else! As we continue to seek God's will to grow our family, we appreciate your support and understanding. Please pray for God to make His will clear in our lives so that we know can answer the call He placed on the sacrament of our marriage. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How it works:


ALL bloggers, readers, commenters, lurkers, lurchers, creepers, crazies (clomid meltdown, aisle 3!), borings, snorings, dazed, confused, and willing - i.e., ALL OF US - will be uniting our prayers for the entire month for the blogger mentioned above. At the same time, across the country, across the Americas, heck, even across the world, our prayers will all be directed in the same place, at the same time. FOR A WHOLE MONTH! Get ready for some SERIOUS fruits, people!

Click on the blog link above to visit the Blogger of the Month's post in which they will give you a brief history of their journey with infertility/adoption/childlessness. Then, continue to follow up and check in on that blogger throughout the month, to become more familiar with them and better align your prayers with their intentions.


Why?:


The idea is to pray a Childless Blogger, one of our own, to a Childless-No-More status. To bridge that final gap, to knock down that final wall, to make them MOMMIES against all odds!! Above all else, our prayers will be for peace and joy in their hearts as only God holds the answer to these prayers.


When?:


All month long! A new Blogger will be announced at the beginning of each new month. This post will be updated on the 1st of every month, so be sure to check back!


So,... How, again??


Pray whatever prayers you'd like. Do a Novena. Say a rosary. Meditate. Say a litany. The Memorare. Whatever your heart desires, whenever it desires it. You may also choose (and this is HIGHLY ENCOURAGED!) to offer up your suffering, any suffering at all, for the Adopted Blogger. Your offering can be as small as your patience with an overtired, sugar-high toddler, or it can be as large as offering your cycle (if you are going through infertility) in the hopes that your cycle will be instead the cycle in which their child is conceived. Singles? You, too have an excellent opportunity to offer your daily wait for a spouse. Not trying to conceive? That's okay- hey, trust me, I'm sure we ALLLLLLL can find some form of suffering in our daily lives to offer up!


So, join in, one and all, and please feel free to STEAL one of these lovely Bloggy Button Thingies for your your blog, facebook, pinterest, twitter, instagram, or wherever:

                                 

                              

The button should link back to this post on your page (steal the current URL from above), so that all blog readers can learn how to join in, and WHO to pray for!

(Remember, the post will be updated on the 1st of each month, so the link changes each time)

Thank you for participating in the Adopt-A-Blogger Prayer Campaign here @ Conceiving Hope!!! Your prayers are powerful, and so very much appreciated! 

Follow the blog with Bloglovin

IVF Treatment in Tamilnadu

In Vitro Fertilization ( IVF)

In Vitro Fertilization is the procedure in which the men's sperm and woman's egg are collected and fertilized in the laboratory. IVF is a form of assisted reproductive technology in which special medical techniques are used. In Vitro Fertilization is done when the other fertility methods failed.

The IVF treatments success rate depends on particular fertility problems, other condition, and age. IVF treatment is the one of the most common reproductive technology. In the in vitro fertilization process, the eggs are combined with the sperm inside the laboratory and then it may move to embryo to the uterus of the woman.

The In Vitro Fertilization are  mainly used for treating infertility with patients having ovulation disorders, uterine fibroid, genetic disorders and unexplained infertility, male factor infertility and blocked fallopian tubes. In Vitro Fertilization procedure include simulating and monitoring the progression and development of the healthy eggs in the ovaries.

The In Vitro Fertilization procedure cycle has  4 stages -:

1. Ovarian Stimulation
2. Egg Retrieval
3. Fertilization and Embryo Culture
4. Embryo Transfer and Cryopreservation

The In Vitro Fertilization procedure will take about 4 to 6 weeks for completing the one cycle of IVF. The Success rate of the IVF treatment may depend upon the reproductive history, age, lifestyle factors.

Female Infertility Treatments in Madurai

Guru Infertility Center Madurai provides best Female Infertility Treatments in Madurai. Infertility may occur both in female and male. If the infertility diagnosed in the women the success of the treatment is depends on the age of the woman, previous pregnancies, causes of the problem and period of the fertility issues.

In female the main cause of infertility is with the problem of ovulation.It means the eggs can not be fertilized with the ovulation. Due to the irregular periods are the main signs of non ovulation.

The other causes of female infertility includes blocked Fallopian tubes, uterine fibroid, endometriosis etc. The age is also a factor of female infertility.

Some Approaches are Used to Treat Female Infertility :

• Quit Smoking
• Body Weight Control
• Lifestyle Changes
• Avoid Excessive Exercise 

Infertility Hospital in Madurai

What is Infertility..?

The disability or inability of a person to contribute to a conception is known as infertility. Nowadays infertility is common in both male and female.
Guru Infertility center is the best solution for your Infertility problems. It is the one of the Leading Infertility Hospital in Madurai, Tamilnadu, India.


Guru Hospital Satisfied Patients, Speaks about their Pleasent Experience with Dr.B. Kalpana at Infertility Center in Madurai.

Infant Loss Awareness Day

I am keeping vigil with all who mourn, grieve, and wait... because today is the same as every other day on the calendar when you've experienced the loss of a child: every day is Infant Loss Awareness Day.

They are all gone too soon.

Be good to yourself before clicking on any of the links below - know that you will see pictures of pregnant bellies, children, and talk of pregnancy in all of them, even the academic links. If you are new to this blog, please see the resources tab for help on how to manage a loss at all stages of the process (before, during, and after) physically, practically, spiritually, and in remembrance.

Miscarried and stillborn babies, as well as infants who died after birth... are all now saints in Heaven (not angels), being held in the arms of our Creator. We, as women, delivered them into this world through our bodies, but a small part of them physically remains behind in us forever. The scientific phenomenon is called microchimerism. And there is a lot of research behind it in recent years.

Our children remain with us at a cellular level forever. That makes every mother of a lost child a sacred relic, if you think about it for a moment. I am praying with all of you and for all of you as we navigate another reminder of all who are missing in our lives. We are not broken. Our children are literally strengthening us from within, for years to come. As long as we live, they are here within us, a tangible part of us that remains literally in our hearts and minds. And we are not the same as we were before them. Even those whose losses were so early that they never had an ultrasound... you are changed. Your child is a reality as you live and breathe each moment. In fact, those experiencing recurring miscarriage are more likely to experience this phenomenon, statistically speaking.

But until we get to cradle them in our arms, in the home of our Heavenly Father, let us keep vigil with each other.

Best Ante Natal Care in Madurai

It is a preventive healthcare treatment provided at the time of pregnancy. It allow doctors to treat and prevent potential health problems at the period of pregnancy. In this time women need prenatal vitamins for the healthy growth of the child. For this prenatal vitamins, women must go for the regular check-ups in the hospital and must receive the medical information about the food supplements and vitamins. 

At the period of pregnancy an ultra sound scan is needed during the 8th and 12th week. This ultra sound scan will provide certain important points
-Fetal development. Growth of baby is roughly calculated by measuring the distance between pelvic bone & top of the womb.
-Diet and nutrition.
-Information on exercises like pelvic floor exercises, general exercises etc.
-Screening test information.

IVF: Mild Milder Mildest

IVF in the initial days was done in the natural cycle, in other words no medicines were used to boost or prevent ovulation. As a result, the success in getting an egg and achieving a pregnancy was very inefficient. Louise Brown, world’s first IVF baby was conceived after a whopping 102 failed embryo transfers!

In the pursuit of better success, new drugs and protocols were developed so as to enable more number of eggs. To get more eggs, ovarian stimulation was warranted. To prevent premature ovulation required the use of GnRH analogue and antagonist injections.

Ovarian stimulation can get into trouble when the stimulation is too much. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to give the 'right' degree of stimulation. This is especially the case in ladies with PCOS as these women are at higher risk of developing the complication of Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or OHSS. The need to make IVF safer has over the years turned the clock back to natural or milder IVF. 

While natural IVF continues to be quite inefficient, Mild IVF can enable a middle path to achieve reasonable pregnancy rates at a cost effective price. Mild IVF is also of benefit to women with lower ovarian reserves who do not respond well to stimulation. In these women, a specially designed protocol using Clomiphene tablets and low doses of FSH/hMG injections. The eggs retrieved are fertilised and frozen. Multiple cycles are usually required to accumulate embryos which are then transferred to enable pregnancy.

It is therefore best to consult an IVF specialist to enable a treatment that is best suited to you that would enable you to achieve your dream in a safe and cost-effective manner. 

Poor ovarian response

When ovarian stimulation is commenced the aim is to get 10-12 follicles. As worrying as overstimulation, is the scenario when too few follicles grow in response to stimulation. The cut off that most doctors adhere to is 6 follicles. So when less than 6 follicles are present the response is said to be low.

When I counsel my patients facing this problem, the commonest questions asked are "Why?", "What are the implications?" and "Does this mean I cannot get pregnant?". Let me answer these one at a time. Please do feel free to write to me if you have any further queries.

Why?

The reasons of low response can be :

• Insufficient dose of FSH/hMG
• Ineffective Drug (Good quality injections need to be maintained at the right temperatures in order to work well)
• Unresponsive ovary/Low reserve of eggs in ovary

What are the implications?

The implication of low number of follicles is the retrieval of lower number of eggs and this in turn means a lower number of embryos. On an average, eggs may be retrieved from 70% of follicles. In other words if there are 3 follicles the number of eggs may be only 2. Of these not all eggs may be mature (or usable for making embryos). The outcome would then be a low number of embryos or even no embryo. If there are no embryos there can be no pregnancy! 

Your doctor may advise you to either cancel the cycle in case of a poor response or try Intrauterine Insemination. This may prove to be more cost-effective than an IVF cycle as the success rates are bound to be low. 

Does that mean I cannot get pregnant?

The further course of action after the cycle with poor response depends on the cause. Treatment may be repeated using a higher dose of gonadotrophins or changing the drug. In case of low ovarian reserve being the reason for poor ovarian response, the situation becomes a little tricky. Treatment using drugs like DHEA and Arginine may be tried with variable success. The other option may be Minimal Stimulation IVF using Clomiphene to augment stimulation. The last resort would be Donor egg IVF.

The answer to this question is not easy but is certainly not a "No"!

Good Things Happen To Other People

On this Feast of the Assumption, Catholics recognize the miraculous moment when Mary was ascended into Heaven, bodily. It's hard to imagine a human body ascending into Heaven, isn't it? I find myself wondering whether we have any real sense of Mary's journey through life - or the details surrounding her Assumption - from our vantage point in the year 2015. Are we so far removed that we can't relate anymore? 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Around every corner, there is another birth announcement. It seems birth is "in season" lately. I guess it makes sense though... as Christmas was 9 months ago. Almost all of the people who I began this walk through infertility with now have children in their arms - or they eagerly await impending births (biologically or through the gift of adoption) of children still in utero. And really, there seems hardly any greater joy than to be able to congratulate someone on the birth of a child after they have suffered the pains of infertility. We all jump at the chance to do it - myself included. What could be better? I mean, I have one idea... ;)

Good things happen to other people, so you can hardly begrudge someone at realizing their life's dream, just because your own dreams were the same and remain unfulfilled. It's one of the more complicated sets of emotions that get navigated when a couple experiences infertility: joy at the blessing you crave for yourself, bestowed on someone you care about.

For some, birth announcements (regardless of whose) become painful - stinging at the mere mention of children. And yet for others, the announcement of a birth itself isn't painful... but it is a reminder of their own infertility. And it's a reminder of the dull ache and sadness at childlessness that is still lived in their own life. Neither feeling is wrong. And feeling either way, in my opinion, is more a product of instinct than anything else. You don't aim to be upset and overjoyed at something simultaneously. It just happens that way.

Marian feast days have a way of stinging when you have experienced infertility though, don't they? Here we are, celebrating something beautiful and unbelievable that happened to a mother. Let's be honest - at it's core, that's what a Marian feast day is: celebrating a mother. Albeit an amazing mother... but there is no point in rationalizing the details and qualifying specialties with those who are in the throes of infertility. For some reading here - this is what the meme would look like, if they were honest about their feelings on a day like today:

You might be saying "yeah, but it's different". OK, great. It's different. But it's still a celebration of a mother. And for those who get lost in the pain of that - I write this post. My goal in writing here isn't always to have the neat or poetic answers. It isn't to tell beautiful stories that always end exactly the way we want. And it isn't even my goal to spin all the details into some neat, tidy, little package that in hindsight makes it all seem worth it. God isn't our magician. 

Sometimes life is hard. Infertility is always hard. And Marian feast days are tough when you navigate infertility. I'm validating that here. You aren't a bad person for feeling sad when good things happen to other people. You're human.

But today is a reminder that sometimes unbelievable things happen to humans. Sometimes the impossible happens - like getting carted up to Heaven with your skin on, and your soul still jiggling around on the inside. It's not a concession to your current pain. But it is a reminder that there is purpose in celebrating things that are painful. And that God does have a plan - and sometimes it involves the unimaginable. 

Infertility isn't something you were ever in control of to begin with, regardless of your 27-pills-a-day-regimen and your carefully plotted out diet. But if you are suffering on Marian feast days, struggling to find a relationship with the Blessed Mother, hurting from your own experiences with your own mother, confused at how to reconcile your faith with your pain, or otherwise feeling like you are flailing with this whole infertile-and-Christian thing... I have words of encouragement for you:

I am praying for you: The person who is reading this and crying. The person who is reading this while lurking silently online, never leaving a comment. The person who reads this and feels guilty, sad, alone, and forgotten. And I'm asking God to make His Plan a little clearer in your life so that you can see how hope is conceived in all things... even the things that seem difficult.

If you would like for me to pray for a specific intention, I am in the middle of a 54 day novena - praying only for others' intentions. I would love to add what's weighing on your heart to my prayer list. Just send me a message on the contact form above or comment below.

Good things are going to continue to happen to other people. And I hope you realize that to someone else, you are the other person. And they'd have given anything for the blessing they've watched you receive. Meanwhile, you'll continue to look at others' blessings the same way. This is human nature in our fallen world, isn't it? We aren't in a competition with each other, nor are our pains in vain. Nor am I ever going to say "get over it" to you.

If I'm even remotely right that it's instinct that creates these reactions though - then that means we have a reliable source of ignition to let us put our suffering to work, doesn't it? It's the only way out of the self-centered-prison that infertility wants to build around us and reduce our lives into and I'm convinced prayer is the most powerful weapon. Let's burn the pain of our infertility and use the strength of the inferno to power good things to happen to other people. It doesn't diminish the deepest longing in our heart for children. It won't relieve our childlessness. But I'm pretty sure if there is anything that could impress Jesus and answer His call in our life and fulfill His plan for us - it would start a little something like humbly putting your most painful pains to work selflessly for others. And that you could pull yourself out of the emotional and spiritual (and sometimes physical!) paralysis of infertility would be a testament to how we may be broken, but that it will not dictate what we are capable of as Christians...

God be with everyone reading here on this Feast of the Assumption, and the good things can you make happen for other people. Think about it.

Infertility Treatments in India

What is LEEP ?

LEEP is Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure. An electrically heated wire loop is used in Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) for removing the the cells or tissues for the diagnosis of cancerous or abnormal conditions in female genital tract.

One of the abnormality in cervix is named as cervical dysplasia were cells grow abnormally on the surface. This is not cancerous in nature but can worsen and can lead to cancer in the future. Here LEEP technique is used for taking the cells for lab examination. This technique is also used for removing the abnormal cells and thus to allow the growth of healthy tissues.

Guru Infertility Center in Madurai provides the best Infertility Treatments in India including LEEP.

When is LEEP used ?

• LEEP is a technique used in situations where vaginal or cervical abnormalities are found during the examination or on a Pap Test. 
• LEEP is used to detect or diagnose cancer in the vagina or cervix.
• LEEP is used to assist various treatments for conditions like genital warts, polyps etc..

Seven Quick Takes - (#12)

1. This is my new favorite piece of paper. I've waited a long, long time for this piece of paper. Longer
than I ever waited for a degree, and wayyy more anticipated. This was received after I made the final payment....and it represents 100% of my education paid off (from AA to MA to post graduate studies)!! If this isn't a form of conceiving hope, then I don't know what is!

2. This is my new favorite piece of glass. Because I made it! A dear friend showed me how to do it and I had a lot of fun making it. Before I learned the process, I had no idea how it worked. This was the result of 17 different shards of glass and a little bit of frit (glass dust) being fired at over 1300 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours. Here's the interesting thing I learned about glassmaking: you really have to know what you want to do and how you want to accomplish it. I didn't know either. But who can go wrong with a Little Flower tribute? She's been pretty present in my life for the past five years, so that's what I went with....but now to figure out what to do with my little handmade cabachon. Pendant? Part of a handmade shrine? Ideas?

3. This is my least favorite advice from this week: One of my best friends told me that he thought I was "choosing to live in the past" when he saw me acknowledge the life and death of my son on a facebook post months ago (read it here). It amazes me how almost 20 years of friendship can leave two people so disconnected on a topic they both completely agree on: the importance of family. He then went on to make it better by saying that "at least if I never have children, I can have a nice married life without kids". I'm pretty sure I'm done listening to people tell me how they are processing my experience with child loss and infertility. Even the people I love dearly! Go hug your infertile friends, people!!

4.WIWE: This is my new favorite recipe for the week. I don't use any spirulina, but I do use a little matcha powder. The flavor hearkens directly back to the after-dinner Andes mints my grandmother used to give me as a child, but with clean ingredients that I don't have to worry about! Next up to try is this pie. Last week I made this and these and they were amazing.

5. This is my new favorite probiotic. I gotta say, me and my 900 billion new friends... we're pretty tight. All puns intended. I saw a change in my digestion within 24 hours of starting these. None of the bloating I've read others talking about either! If you are on a mission to heal a leaky gut (like I am), then here's what my current regime entails: Bio Kult, Prescript Assist, and Ultimate Flora (Critical Care) all rotated with each other. I've read that using probiotic strains that are native to soil is a better way to begin repopulation... so that's where the Bio Kult came in. The others are just to keep the strains rotated to built back gut flora quicker. This new one is ridiculous. I lost 3 inches off my waist over NIGHT. Now granted, I don't have UC or IBS diagnosed and I definitely don't have an IP, so I suppose this is an off-label usage for me. But with my inflammation issues and history of endo... I figured it couldn't hurt to try it. UHmazing results. 

6. The Twin Hearts Novena was prayed by 15 people this year (who shared with me). I have no idea who else might have been lurking... so I can only go off of those who commented on the novena post or who sent me a private message. Thank you to everyone who joined me in prayer! And thank you for letting me pray for you and your intentions. And THANK YOU for praying for mine. I hope everyone had a wonderful Feast of the Sacred Heart, as well as a blessed Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Lord, hear our prayers. Mother Mary, pray for us in our need.

7. Don't forget to give the 7QT host some love.

Seven Quick Takes (#11) - Blogiversary Edition

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1. So it's officially been a year since I sat down at the keys and figured out how to make a blog! And then, miracle-of-miracles, I kept up with it. So, umm, that's never happened before... And while it feels like an accomplishment unto itself, this blogiversary is also a stark realization that I am not yet a mother to a living child. It doesn't weigh on me as heavily every day as it did a year ago, and that's a good thing. There is no less desire in my heart for a child... but I focus on the likelihood of it happening a lot less now than I did when I first sat down and put my fingers on the keys. I've been conceiving hope in other ways, trying to make the best of this infertile prison... while I watch everyone else leave the island. It's a surreal feeling. I write this not so much as a depressing update, but as a reminder to all that the pains of infertility don't always end in having living children. So many of the people I have met online since this journey began (read: most) have moved on to family life raising children. That's just not our story. And I actually think it gives a little hope to others in the same situation to remind them that they aren't alone. Our dreams haven't come true either. We're praying with you.

2. I never set out to write a blog that got a lot of clicks. And it's a good thing I didn't measure any success on that. But while the traffic here stays low, the private interaction with my audience stays high. You all are searching for the same answers I'm searching for... and when I get up the courage to write a prayer, offer friendly advice, or seek to pray with you, it seems to matter to you. So thank you, dear readers. I hope you will continue on this journey with me as I try to make sense of the God's Plan. I'm slowly getting out of my blindered IF haze and starting to learn how to live life again. Gracious thanks for your encouragement! And thank you to everyone who prayed along with me on the Twin Novena that I finished today!

3. Y'all apparently love a good series, advice, prayers, recipes, and a little controversy! The most shared, read, pinned, and tweeted posts seem to be the ones that are really written with a raw heart here. One of the things I set out to do at the beginning of this was to write the posts I was looking for and couldn't find. I wanted to be able to have concrete words to give people to say this is what infertility really is and this is why IVF is wrong and any number of posts I haven't even been able to write and publish yet. My hope is that the traffic on these posts means you were looking for the same. Any time you comment, I feel encouraged... so keep it up if you find this content helpful! :)

4. There has been some change going on in my life recently (hence being at the keys a little less). I can't really talk about any of it publicly yet, even with this being an anonymous blog. Some of the change is for good, some of it isn't. We'll have to see how it all pans out. In the meantime, I'm trying to distract myself with my studies and to be the best at FCP-ing as I can be. So far, I'm about 1/4 the way through the program to certification. It's not much yet, but I'm doing really well with what I have already accomplished and hoping that streak continues. I'll reach the 1/2 way point in September 2015.... so keep me in your prayers for that? Thanks!

5. After many months (read: years!) of craziness in my luteal phase, I've reached a good and stable post peak phase of 15 days. PMS is gone for the most part, thanks to my post peak supplementation and the LDN. Now it's just a matter of trying to figure out the ovulation defect and how to improve that. A doctor recently mentioned that micro-hCG injections pre-peak could be the way to stimulate better ovulation for people like me. I'm interested in learning more and will let you know what I find in my research. But seriously... back to the absence of PMS... there needs to be a parade!!!

6. It's been a while since I gave an update on Duck Watch here on the blog. It's an idea I came up with last October that involves a mighty adventure. The adventure has not yet unfolded, nor have the ducky details. Right now, all you know is that it involves a duck. Potentially some water. Potentially a traveling adventure. And it will likely happen in 2015. Ravenous for a clue? Care to venture a guess? Here you go: It's American, French, and English at the same time...and manages to be very gassy while still being terribly classy, if you can imagine that.








7. Remember to give the 7QT host some love! It's been a while since I linked up, but I hope you enjoyed this little edition! :)

A Novena for Twins

So it's that time again! Last year, I posted a novena for those praying for twins.... but there was a twist. It's really a novena to the Twin Hearts. And even if you didn't get a chance to join along with me last year - you should consider giving it a try this year. I'm posting a new take on the novena this year, but feel free to use the version from last year if you prefer it. The novena starts today... and it's simple to follow along with... so will you pray with me?

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a movable feast on the liturgical calendar, which means that it depends on the date of Easter Sunday each year. The only constant is that it is always celebrated 19 days after Pentecost Sunday. That means for 2015, we'll celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12th. The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is celebrated on the Saturday after the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. So for 2015, we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 13th. (Sidenote: If you happen to find this novena at some other point in the year than the lead up to the Feast Days discussed above - no need to wait - go ahead and start praying it! This is a novena that can be prayed any time of the year!)

It would be difficult to meditate on the Sacred Heart of Jesus without also thinking about the woman who conceived hope for all of mankind, through the power of the Holy Spirit. It took an Immaculate Heart to do that. And that's just what God gave the Blessed Virgin Mary! So because of this beautiful Divine reality that we understand through Jesus and Mary - Jesus through Mary - meditating on the Twin Hearts seems meant for those with a special devotion to twins. Doesn't it? You will literally be praying two novenas concurrently... but starting with Christ. It's a beautiful double helix of a prayer...with the humanity of Jesus and Mary being intertwined with the divinity of the Triune God.

The truth about praying for twins is that it's not always going to manifest in birthing newborn twins biologically. A girl can hope though. This girl certainly does. While talking about herself in the third person I might add! More importantly - a prayer for twins is a sign of being open to God's will. Let it be done unto me doubly! Let me be the exhausted handmaid of the Lord! Step back for a moment and think about that. When we pray to both Hearts, we're asking Mary to understand our longing in a special way... but we're also asking Jesus for mercy. We're asking for Mary to pray for us and for Jesus to heal and soothe our hearts. So it seems a perfect pairing for those who have a special call on their hearts for twins to pray to these Two and to ask for intercession for the longing in our hearts. Join me in praying this year, and maybe next year, there will have been answers revealed in your life that will make this particular novena seem obviously fruitful. Don't mind me while I daydream about the answer being actual, tangible, crying newborn twins. I'll just be over here in crazy-town dreaming my big dreams..... conceiving hope however I can. :) 

Send me a message if you are praying with me and I'll include you in my novena! Also, don't forget to pray for our Adopt-a-Blogger this month (because every infertile girl could use a set of twins, amirite?!)  ;) And if twins aren't on your heart - pray for the intentions of the twin hearts involved in your marriage. And if you aren't married yet, pray for the twin heart that hasn't been sacramentally joined to yours yet. 

It takes about 10 minutes per night and here's the plan:

The first day, you will pray one decade of a rosary and then say the prayer to the Twin Hearts. This prayer will be prayed each of the 10 days of this novena, with the addition of your intentions at the end of it. Be specific. Ask God what's on your heart. Give Him your pain. Once you've finished with your intentions, you will begin to pray the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This prayer will be prayed for 9 days. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on 6/12, you will end the Sacred Heart novena with the first decade of a Divine Mercy Chaplet.

On the second day of prayer, you incorporate the second novena. You begin the same, but you end it differently: Pray your decade of the rosary, then praying the prayer to the Twin Hearts, then add your intentions, then pray the Sacred Heart Novena, and then you will begin the second novena. Do this by praying another decade of the rosary, then pray the Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

On the last day of praying (the 10th day), You are praying a decade of the rosary, the prayer to the Twin Hearts, then adding your intentions, then praying the Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and then you will end with the Regina Coeli (which can be found about half way down the page on that link). 

-------------------------

If you prefer to have a hard copy of the instructions, here's a free printable of this novena. Hover over the top right corner and click on the right button to "pop out". From there, you can download, print, or save it. Feel free to post this wherever you tweet, post photos, share, or like things! 

Outcome of First ICSI -FET (frozen embryo transfer)

Gynecologic Surgery in India

A gynecological surgery is a surgery related to female reproductive system. For many reasons a woman require gynecologic surgery. Some times a gynecologic surgery may get rid of the infertility problem. Mainly gynecologic surgeries are performed by gynecologists. There are many problems that effect the female reproductive system. There are wide range surgical methods that are developed to solve these problems.

Dr.B. Kalpana is one of the famous gynecologist who had performed a wide variety of gynecologic surgery. One of the gynecologic surgery that she performed on May 10^th gained a wide popularity. The case was rare, where the patient suffered from infertility due to the presence of double uterus. Dr. Kalpana carried out a gynecologic surgery and solved her problem of infertility.

Guru Infertility Center in Madurai provides Best Gynecologic Surgery in India. Here we provide minimal invasive gynecologic surgeries which is of less pain and fast recovery.

You Are Not Alone… Even When National Infertility Awareness Week is Over.

Every year that I’ve participated in Resolve’s National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), I typically only post once (Here are some past years: 2012, 2013, 2014) and if you scroll down below this post, you’ll see my first post for this year - 2015.

However, I felt compelled to write just one more blog to make the point that while NIAW is just a week, that for too many, it is year round and sometimes, for their entire lives.

I used to joke that my two week wait felt terminal. The reality is though that for some, it is. @Ms_Infertile posted something that I thought was so true and the public at large doesn’t get when it comes to infertility and that is you can try your best, do everything you can and use every resource and still have empty arms at the end of it.

Throughout my infertility journey, I’ve made friends with a countless amount of people and all of them have had either different conclusions or none whatsoever. Some have had children through insemination, IVF, donor eggs, surrogacy and adoption. Others however have gone on to get divorces or opt to stop treatment altogether. Neither is right or wrong – it’s what was best for them but my point is that infertility isn’t just something we talk about in a week. It’s something that can change people’s lives forever.

I’m proud of this week, that it exists and reminds the fertile public at large we’re here but frankly, it pisses me off that after this week is over, too many don’t know the reality or the scope of infertility.

As many of you know, in the past few years, I’ve been a very vocal infertility advocate. In the past couple of months, albeit in the overwhelming minority, I’ve gotten some questions (and a bit of grief) about why I continue to be an advocate when I’ve had a child (through my third IVF) and I’m currently expecting my second from what I can only describe as a Hail Mary long shot miracle. I have four responses to that:

1.   I still care. Period and end of story.

2.   There are many who survive breast cancer or other life changing diseases but just because they are seen as a success story doesn’t mean that they can no longer be an advocate for the cause. Why? See number one.

3.   I have been diagnosed with infertility. I am definitely one of the privileged who has gone on to have children but this diagnosis affected my life tremendously and again, please refer to number one.

4.   I saved this one for last because frankly, it’s the biggest most personal important reason to me and keeps me an active advocate.

When I was deep in the trenches, I was intensely private about my struggle to conceive. I was profoundly embarrassed, depressed and ashamed. Very, very few knew what was going on and what we were going through. I can honestly admit now that I was actually terrified of people finding out. It, along with never having children, was my biggest fear.

Right now, at this moment, someone is exactly in that place. Hell, I talk to people all day long who have confided in me their infertility issues and shared with me that their family or close friends don't have any idea that they are dying to have children but are unable to.

I have the luxury (yes, the luxury) to be at a place in my life to give those people who can't yet be open about infertility a voice. They are the ones who can’t tell Dolce and Gabbana what they said about IVF Babies was very offensive (Read HERE). They are the ones who can’t write a post for Huffington Post telling people they are being insensitive when they ask others why they haven't had kids yet (Read HERE). They are the ones who can’t advise the younger generation to know their fertility health to possibly try and avoid what they are currently going through (Read HERE) and they certainly would never go on television to disclose they have a child through IVF (Watch HERE).

Whether you like me or hate me, whether you think I should go away or keep on keeping on, I can never shake the person that infertility made me. I’m not saying at all that I do everything perfectly or you have to agree with all of my actions. What I’m saying though is I know how I was and I know how there are still so many, too many people scared as I was to admit that this is something they are dealing with. I promise you with every fiber of my being, whenever I do anything on this subject, they are always, completely in my heart and on my mind.

When NIAW is over, the infertility journey for one in eight is not. So again, I say to those of you who are the one in eight -- not only are you not alone, but there are others like me who aim to give you a voice if you feel you simply can’t have one.

Here are just a few of my fellow advocates/bloggers of those very people:

• @remagineit - Please see his blog HERE.
• @radkitten - Please see her blog HERE.
• @FurrowedFox - Please see her blog HERE.
• @JustineFroelker - Please see her post on HP HERE.
• @gsmwc02  - Please see his blog HERE.
• @jenrutner  - Please see her blog HERE.
• @ChancesOur - Please see her blog HERE.

And again, you can learn more about infertility by visiting these links:

• http://www.resolve.org/about-infertility/what-is-infertility/  (Basic understanding of the disease of infertility.)
• http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/about.html (About NIAW)