Last year at this time, I was preparing blog posts, changing my cover photo on Facebook, posting a poem every day, getting my suit and talking points ready for Advocacy Day. This year is...different. And I'm not entirely sure where I fit in.
I just put up one of Keiko's cover photos, one that points to the profile pic and says "Because 1 in 8 is someone you know." Implying, of course, that the person in the profile pic is infertile. But am I? I don't know. After all, the testing all came back normal. Together with DH, I was infertile. But I don't know if I, in and of myself, am infertile. So I don't know if the cover photo applies to me or not. Looking back at the one I got from her last year, it also says, "Because 1 in 8 is someone you know" but adds "Like me." So I can't just go back to last year's photo without wondering either.
Yes, I could just let NIAW pass by without notice. After all, I am in an awkward stage of my infertility-or-lack-thereof journey. But that feels wrong, too. It isn't true to the experience that I've had so far, and it isn't true to the experience that people I care about have had or are still in the midst of. The theme for this year's Bloggers Unite is Join the Movement. According to the Resolve website, "The goal of this year's Blog Challenge is to bring together bloggers to talk about how you are making the difference in ways large and small in the lives of people with infertility. Topics covered in your blog post can include how you broke the silence of infertility in your life, how you advocated for the infertility community, how you advocated for yourself, or how you created a support community to help you through the infertility journey".
Every other year, I've had an easy time writing about the theme. But this year, I don't know what to say. I probably won't write a post, because I don't know what I've really done. I guess I'm "joining the movement" by not slinking quietly by and ignoring NIAW. But anything else? I dunno. Last year it was clear, but not anymore.
Glad to see you posting again.
ReplyDeleteI think anyone who has been a part of this community always has a place here. The question is not what your head is telling you, but your heart. I struggled for years with "normal' test results and yet I couldn't become pregnant without IVF. So it's all a matter of how you define yourself.
Post what makes sense to you. Don't worry about the themes or fitting into a category. Just write what's in your heart. Know I'm reading.
I'm struggling with the theme this year as well. I don't know what to write. Glad to see you writing here again!!
ReplyDelete