- This past week was an unnerving taste of the ominous future that's knocking loudly at our doors. After keeping the balcony door closed and running the air purifier for most of the week, because of the poor air quality outside (because of the smoke from the huge forest fires happening all across the country), it (thankfully) rained here on Thursday night/Friday (this) morning. I'm not sure whether it rained where the fires are -- but, combined with the shifting winds, the air quality improved enough on Friday that we could open the balcony door again and go outside, unmasked.
- The Full Stop podcast has a brand new spiffy website -- and this week, they've launched a new global community for childless-not-by-choice people. Visit the new website for details!
- A first-person essay from The Globe & Mail about grief with some familiar-sounding observations: "The grieving outcast: I lost a lot more than my sister."
- From the BBC: "IVF patients need more mental health support, charity says." Well, duh... but it's nice to see some attention being drawn to this critical issue.
- However! Please note: the important message the story is trying to convey was undercut by the fact that just two IVF patients were interviewed for the story -- both of whom are now mothers. (Pregnancy & baby photos are included, of course.) Given that the vast majority of IVF patients leave treatment without a baby (with even greater repercussions for their mental health), might it not have been wise to include this perspective (or even the mere fact that most treatments do not succeed) in the story too??
Friday, June 9, 2023
Friday night odds & ends
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Ominous future indeed. From one handful particulate to another.
ReplyDeleteOooh, How exciting about The Full Stop! Did some exploring. Love it!
Ummm, duh about mental health. And ongoing mental health support. Our first clinic had complimentary counseling, but then finding a great infertility and grief competent therapist outside turned out to be best for me. What jeezum. They can't find anyone who resolves without parenting it without IVF success? Argh
I will have to read that essay!
I'm with you on the ominous future. We felt it a few years ago, when we could see the smoke from the Australian fires. Very scary.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to follow up on The Full Stop - have seen all the announcements, but haven't got to it as I continue to have re-entry issues! (lol)
Argh - the IVF article. Typical! Are they so terrified that they can't talk about those of us who don't come away with a baby? Oh, for goodness sake, I've just looked at it in detail. Almost every photo is of mum and baby, or pregnant mum. Not one about the loneliness or despair she experienced during IVF treatment. That infuriates me. Thanks for raising my blood pressure, Loribeth! (lol)