National Infertility Week & some giveaways!

National Infertility Week
*Disclaimer: I allowed my emotions to write this. Please forgive the sarcasm and attitude. Some may be able to relate. Some may not. Some of the words are meant for an older audience.

If you have never struggled with becoming pregnant, if you can walk by your husband and get knocked up, say i want a baby-go pee on a stick-BAM you're pregnant-carry to term. Congratulations! You're one of the lucky ones.

But.... if you're one of the ones that decided to have a baby. You go off the pill, you join some online forums that share the up to date tricks to get pregnant faster, you start making friends in the TTC chat forums, Making Whoopie is fun, you possibly buy an outfit and put it away... (because 9 months from now you'll have a cute little bundle of joy with his eyes, and your nose.....), you pshyc yourself up to be a mommy. You call your hubby on lunch breaks and exclaim I'm Ovulating, which during this time is about as good as christmas morning. A month goes by...Nothing. Two months go by... nothing. So you google "tricks to getting pregnant". You make whoopie in "certain" positions, prop a pillow under you and lay still not moving for at least 20 minutes, Maybe you stand on your head up against the wall. But then... three months, four months, five months, a year. Still you're not pregnant. You start seeing more and more prengant women around you. Online friends in from the TTC forums are now in the expecting a baby in July forum. Mom to a newborn Forum. And yet... you're still in the TTC. (That is if you haven't punched a hole in the computer screen)(That's if you still even go into the forum) Every store you go in there's pregnant woman all around. Like a bad dream, like you're being mocked. And no matter how positive you try to be... You still kind of want to kick someone. You go to the doctor... finally. You see, your not given a ticket on the infertility roller coaster until at least (Usually) a year of trying and being unsuccessful.  So, you go to the doctor. And after several fun legs in the air exams, ultrasounds, blood draws, and (more) money out the wazoo. You get CLOMID. Sometimes this works for couples. And to them I holler YAY!!!! But... there are those it doesn't work for. This is when the infertility journey get's a bit rocky for me to continue to explain. As I am only a couple months out of learning that Clomid doesn't make me ovulate and researching what to do next. What I know right now is that infertility is not covered under insurance in most states. This was heartbreaking news for me to learn. So I have slowed down on the agressive approach to get "knocked up". Our finances at this moment do not allow me to go and spend the thousands of dollars I may need to find out what is wrong with my body. I will be trying a new drug in the next couple months called Femara. It's still being researched and (shhh.) insurance has caught on that it's being used for fertility so it's covered. But since my knowledge doesn't go beyond what I have experienced I am going to stop writing about all the joys (insert sarcastic tone here) of infertility. I have read enough and known several women who explained to me the "next steps" and it's scary. I am taking baby steps because part of me doesn't want to accept the reality in which I am living. I'm praying for a miracle.

Like I said Some reading this blog may be able to relate to me. Others may not. This week is National Infertility Awareness week and I am not writing this to make anyone feel bad for me. I'm not reaching out for notes of encouragement. I just want people to be aware of infertility. It's not talked about often. Please take a moment to read some of the facts associated with infertility.

Fast Facts About Infertility

Infertility is a disease that results in the abnormal functioning of the male or female reproductive system. Both the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), World Health Organization (WHO) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recognize infertility as a disease.

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse (six months if the woman is over age 35) or the inability to carry a pregnancy to live birth.

•Infertility affects 7.3 million people in the U.S.

•Approximately one-third of infertility is attributed to the female partner, one-third attributed to the male partner and one-third is caused by a combination of problems in both partners or, is unexplained. (http://www.asrm.org/)

•A couple ages 29-33 with a normal functioning reproductive system has only a 20-25% chance of conceiving in any given month (National Women’s Health Resource Center). After six months of trying, 60% of couples will conceive without medical assistance. (Infertility As A Covered Benefit, William M. Mercer, 1997)

•Approximately 44% of women with infertility have sought medical assistance. Of those who seek medical intervention, approximately 65% give birth. (Infertility As A Covered Benefit, William M. Mercer, 1997)

•Approximately 85-90% of infertility cases are treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures. Fewer than 3% need advanced reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF). (http://www.asrm.org/)

•The most recently available statistics indicate the live birth rate per fresh non-donor embryo transfer is 28%. (Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005)

•Fifteen states have passed laws requiring that insurance policies cover some level of infertility treatment: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia. (For more on this visit the insurance coverage section of resolve.org.)

•Offering a comprehensive infertility treatment benefit with appropriate utilization controls may actually reduce costs and improve outcomes by eliminating the inappropriate use of costly covered procedures and allowing specialists to use the most effective, efficient treatment for a specific type of infertility. (Infertility As A Covered Benefit, William M. Mercer, 1997)

Some days are better than others. I understand that I am not living with cancer, I don't have a disease that will eventually kill me. But when a couple turns on the internal switch that they want to be a mommy and daddy. It's a hard switch to shut off.

Resolve is an organization that's sole focus is on infertility. You can read about the organization by visiting their website. Here

If you have read this entire post.... I think you're amazing. Thank you for letting me rant a little bit about an issue that is close to me. I appreciate you.

I have some great giveaways for this week.
All comments must be on this blog.

1st giveaway is a FREE 30-45 Minute Photo session with me! Catching Memories Photography.
*limited to 2 people, *1location, *Must be redeemed by August 31, 2011

facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Catching-Memories-Photography-and-Videography/303328865935

Blog: http://www.catchingmemoriesphoto.blogspot.com/

2nd giveaway is A gorgeous handmade Shabby Chic Pillow from Pretty in Paint (picture to come)

facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/prettyinpaint

blog: http://prettyinpaint32.blogspot.com/

3rd giveaway is an awesome hand stamped custom made necklace from Pretty Chicky Boutique

facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/PrettyChickyBoutique
blog: There is no blog. (this does not affect your entry ☺)


4th giveaway is a wallet (picture to come soon) from Vali D Designs!

facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/valliddesigns
blog:  http://valliddesigns.blogspot.com/

(there may be more surprises throughout the week too!)

Here is how to enter!!!
1st entry) Become a fan of EACH facebook page. (If you win, I will verify that you have liked each page) You must also leave a comment on each page that Catching Memories sent you.
Come back here and leave a comment that you did the above. :)

2nd entry) Follow the blog of each company
Come back here and leave a comment that you followed each blog.

3rd entry) Copy and paste this as your status-  @CatchingMemoriesPhotography is hosting an awesome giveaway to bring awareness to infertility! I want to win! Check it out http://www.catchingmemoriesphoto.blogspot.com/
 
(make sure to actually type in the @ symbol before you type Catching Memories and make sure your post is set to everyone, so I will be able to see the post!)
Come back here and leave a comment with a link to your fb page.
Earn 3 extra entries) If you suffer with infertility, leave a brief story, or a long story about your infertility journey. as one comment and then just your name as another comment. (x2)


Hope that all makes sense. Feel free to email me with questions. lacie@catchingmemoriesphoto.com
I have included links to all business facebook pages and blogs. :)

Thank you so much!!
Infertility sucks and I'm just trying to spread the word and hopefully brighten someones day!!

Drawing will be held May 1st through Random.org. A winner for each prize will be selected.

Autism Awareness Month=A giveaway!

April is Autism Awareness month.

Facts Continued...
*Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.
*Autism costs the nation over $35 billion per year, a figure expected to significantly increase in the next decade
*Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases

*Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism

*There is no medical detection or cure for autism

I would like to do a giveaway to one deserving family.

Here is how you can enter to win!


I want to celebrate the unique beauty that exists within a child with autism. Too often their potential is overshadowed by their disability, but I want to turn that around and shine a light on their true uniqueness with my camera. To do this I am donating a free mini photo session to a family who has been touched by autism. This free session will go to the winner of a special drawing on April 30th, 2011. Here are the details:

Shine a Light on Autism: Tell me either about your own family or a family that you know that has a child with autism. Tell me about their unique journey and the hurdles that they have confronted along the way. In order to raise as much awareness as possible, we ask that you be willing to share your story on my blog. I will post as many of your stories as I can during my weekly blog posts. Then, on April 30th at 12pm, one story will be randomly chosen as the winner and announced on both my blog and facebook page. The winner will receive a free 1 hour photo session with me, at a remote 60acre ranch, (free of loud noises and people, and lots of room to run around) including 25-35 images posted to your own private gallery on my website and a CD with a printing release. To enter the drawing please leave a comment with your story. All entries must be submitted by April 25th, 2010.

Also, you must re-post the link to this blogpost to help spread the awareness of Autism.


Photo Session must be redeemed by August 31, 2011