No Match for a Mountaineer

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Maybe it's just the teacher in me, but my struggle with infertility has taught and continues to teach me things about myself and about the world around me. Maybe some of you wish I could turn off the infertile commentary, but I just can't. It's my world, and I feel like I should share some of that with you.

Over the past two years, I have struggled with decisions I never thought I would have to make. I've asked things of myself and my husband I never thought I would. In truth, we could be in for much more before all is said and done.

From the onset, one big thing has bothered me. It's the proverbial elephant in the room. As with most of those elephants, no one wants to address it. However, I'm going to take Randy Paush's advice and introduce it.

Having PCOS and subsequent infertility was never a choice.

Not even a little bit.

My insurance company sure thinks so, as is evidenced by their lack of adequate treatment for the affliction I face. I know even some of you are unconvinced this isn't a choice. I mean, I'm CHOOSING to try to have kids, right? Therefore, the right to ovulate regularly and attain a pregnancy must be a CHOICE. I mean, I have the option to choose not to get pregnant, right?

Except, not really. I can only "not get pregnant" without medical intervention. I REQUIRE medical care and medical treatment to try to get pregnant. Since my insurance won't cover it, it becomes more expensive since I don't get a negotiated rate. I get to pay "full-retail" for many of the services that are part of infertility, out of my extremely deep teacher pockets (can you sense the sarcasm?).

But, there are organizations who are fighting for my right to Family Build in the way that I see fit. They want to give me the medical rights anyone else has in our American medical system. They want to help me realize the dream of being a mom, whatever that means. They are fighting for research, education, advocacy and more.

This organization is called Resolve.

If you know me, you know I am a person of action. Naturally, I want to find something I can do to bring awareness to this cause. I want to actively participate in the fight to give me the family I deserve. I want to be a part of something that could make a difference for many women, besides just me.

So, why am I sharing this with you? First, if you know someone dealing with infertility, share the Resolve website with them. They need to know they are not alone and so many people are there to support them in their fight.

Secondly, I am asking for your support. Though it hasn't been formalized yet, Resolve holds the Walk of Hope each year in several different cities. The closest to me will likely be Washington, DC. It's held every year. I expect 2015 to be no different.

In line with my fitness and life goals, I am going.

I invite all of you to join me if you want to make the trip. But, I know many of you won't be able to do so.  In that event, I would like for you to think about becoming one of my supporters.

Once I register, I will post the link for my fundraising forum. But, for now, I have a personal campaign for the Walk of Hope Fund.

I have teamed up with TeeSpring to create a One Tough Egg Supporter shirt for all of my Mountaineer friends and family. If I receive 25 orders, the shirts will go to print. If I don't, well, I guess my team isn't very big then. If you want a shirt, all you have to do is order through the site.

I've debated doing this for quite a while. I don't like to ask anyone for anything, and I certainly know how hard everyone works for what they have. But, this is a no-lose situation. If no one wants the shirts, the order never happens.

So, why the shirts? As you may have read, I'm going to be running my first 5 K in the spring and I want a shirt that shows who I am and what I have worked so hard toward. This is it. Also, I would love to see pics of my friends and family sporting their Mountaineer One Tough Egg Supporter shirts. In those dark moments, when this all seems too big, I would love to know exactly who out there is cheering me on.

Additionally, any profits from the sale of the shirts will be donated to Resolve for the Walk of Hope. I will be making a donation myself, but your purchase could also help me make a bigger impact for the infertility community.

I know lots of people want you to support their organization or buy their goodies. I understand if you can't or don't want to. But, before you make a hasty decision, think about all of the other women out there, just like me. Think about the choices they have to make. Think about your daughters and granddaughters. Should they ever have to wrestle with the choices I have before me?

One shirt will not save the world. It will not fix infertility. It will not fund my infertility treatments. But, one shirt just might show me just how many people are in my corner.