Celebrities and infertility...

Okay...so I have to admit, I kind of had my own pity party this morning. I was watching a little bit of GMA, when they ran a story about Celine Dion. She has been trying to conceive her second child, and they were making a big deal about women trying to have children after the age of 40. In this story, Celine Dion was talking about her journey, and how she was on her 5th round of IVF. They posted a quote from her on the ticker tape at the bottom of the screen, saying, "I'm going to try until it works."

While I can appreciate her determination, it kind of hit me in a sour way. I am not trying to belittle her struggle, or deny the emotional roller coaster that she is on, but all I could think about was..."well...aren't you the lucky one."

While I know that there are several women who have gone the IVF route, I can't hep but think that Celine Dion's story is far from the norm. At least far from my norm.

My husband and I have been trying to have a second child for 4 years now. Granted, we have pretty much stuck to the "old-fashioned" method, but we have sought medical intervention. And let me tell you...it's not cheap. We have been spending $35 each month for 5 tiny little pills, and then $25 each month for sticks to pee on and throw away(ovulation predictor kits). That on to of my Metformin (which, unlike the others, is thankfully covered by insurance). There there is the blood work, HSG, sonogram...it all just keeps piling on, and most of it is completely out of pocket. We may have to look at moving it IUI, and I haven't even thought about how much that is going to cost. IVF is just out of the question right now, because I know that we can't afford it.

I think that is why it really bothered me. While I understand her desire to have a child, and feel for her as she deals with infertility, I can't help but think how easy Celine has it. She isn't the one that is trying to find a way to pay for the treatments. She isn't the one who mortgaged her home in order to have a child. Her struggle, while very real and emotional, she knows that there is a chance, because she can afford to us IVF as many times as it takes.

I know that this all sounds like jealousy or envy. And I would be lying if I denied that I am struggling with it. But it's more than just me. There are so many women out there who are dealing with infertility, and many of them are in the same boat as me. They just can't afford it! And, since most states don't require insurance to cover treatments for infertility, we're just on our own.

I wish blessing for Celine Dion on her journey, but if GMA wants to do a story about infertility, maybe they should talk to the average woman who is dealing with it. They would get an entirely different perspective.