Don't Ignore

In our lives we ignore things on a daily basis. THOUSANDS of things. The voice in the office next to yours, the nagging ache in your back, phone calls and emails of people we don't want to deal with, dirty dishes in the sink and a floor that needs mopping, the homeless man on the street with his sign. We are almost programed to ignore that which is uncomfortable or unpleasant. And its easy to do. Our own lives are complicated enough without adding other people's problems or issues to them. There is always something more pressing to do.

Today, I am asking you not to ignore. For me- I've been ignoring our diagnosis of infertility. It is easier not to talk about it, not to share and not to have to deal with the thousands of questions that come from it. But easy is not why God put us on this earth. Easy is going with the flow and not standing up for one's self and the thousands of others.

It is national infertility awareness week and RESOLVE has challenged the millions like myself and Jim to write a blog called "Don't Ignore". Infertility is still a "dirty" word in this country and it is time for that to stop. Too many people are left in shadows with shame over something that wasn't their fault and there is MEDICAL procedures to help with. There has not even been a single media coverage of the event of any substance. It is time to stop ignoring.

Currently only 15 states require fertility treatments to be covered by insurance for this disease (and yes, it is a disease. A documented disease of which its patients have little control over). As a conservative I hate Government meddling in business affairs- but I also realize how little insurance companies want to cover. I saw in Florida where they did not even want to be mandated to cover therapies for Autistic children- and this year even made a play to have that removed. While I am completely OK with insurance companies (and any company for that matter) making a profit- even an obscenely large profit- if you are in the business of covering diseases- you should cover all of them and not get to pick and choose- and I am OK with paying more for that coverage.

Jim and I are in a tough battle and it is not even remotely over. It has created more challenges than I ever thought we would face in our entire marriage- much less the first year and a half. It has been emotionally, physically and financially draining. Dreams have had to be altered and faith has been shaken. So today, I am asking not for sympathy or pity, not even for kind words. I am asking for your prayers and for you to stop ignoring. Stop ignoring your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers, and your family. We all deserve that.

http://www.resolve.org/infertility101 (Basic understanding of the disease of infertility.)

http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/about.html (About NIAW)