Holding Onto Hope and Love: A Family’s Journey Through Infertility to Miracles
Oh, how I count my blessings ... our journey to having our 3 beautiful children was nothing short of an extremely emotional decade-long rollercoaster ride.
Holding onto hope and love, both Andrew and I followed this life path, because we always knew we wanted children of our own. We knew this in our hearts as we are so truly passionate about caring for children and families.
Because I am an auto-immune patient, with strange symptoms including a cranky uterus (yes, I know the technical medical term is "irritable uterus" but let me tell you my misbehaving uterus goes well beyond irritable, it honestly verges on downright bloody cranky) Andrew and I lived for 10 very long years with:
- 4 years of multiple miscarriages (each miscarriage a soul-destroying blow, the loss of a much loved baby)
- 6 surgeries
- 2 long years of IVF
- 8 IVF cycles
- 100 needles
- 40+ blood tests
- 23 internal pelvic ultrasounds (yes, these are what my IVF tribe call "having that wonderful 'magic' - wand shoved up your hoo-ha" over and over!)
- 7896 hours of labour!!!
Yes, that's right, while the average active labour time for most women is about 8 hours long because I am auto-immune, with my 3 kids, I have endured labour for a total of 7896 hours or 47 weeks!!!
With contractions every 10-20 minutes and no pain relief!!! Nothing. (Again, this is another reason I am well and truly aware that I have a bloody cranky uterus!);) Whenever I share our family's story people often ask me "why?". Why did you not give up? Why did you keep trying after so much loss and heartbreak? Why did you endure such pain for so long?
To me, the answer is just so simple ... always follow your heart. We did ... Look at our children ... Look at your children. Really, just look at any and all children. They ARE love. They ARE hope. Hold them close!
Happy Birthday Alexandra! Hold onto hope & love, beautiful girl ... always!
From the desk of Catherine Riddle (B.A., Post. Grad. Dip. Ed.). Mum to 3 kids, teacher & Practice Manager of Life Balance Health Centre.
Dr Andrew Riddle (DC) has been providing gentle Chiro treatments to families. If you have any questions or for more information please contact Catherine or Andrew. Email: info@lbhc.com.au or phone (08) 9403 3999.
