To Donate or Not to Donate

Donation, Donor, to Donate....the Merriam Webster definition: to make a gift of ; especially : to contribute to a public or charitable cause

We all do it one way or another. I've been thinking about all the ways we give to others. Some donate time, others give money or goods. There are the truly selfless who donate organs to save someone else's life. Friendship is a cherished gift as well; sharing your heart song and opening yourself up. I've been thinking a lot about the kindness of others and the good we can do in this world.

A stranger recently shipped me her left over Progesterone in Oil (PIO). We'd been on the same donor board for a while but didn't really "know" each other. I posted a question about PIO and she sent me a private message offering 3 extra bottles of unused (sealed- I promise, no worries) medication. I offered to pay her and she refused. She said that she had been lucky enough to have insurance coverage for her medication and this was left over. She wanted to help as this was her last IVF cycle. This lovely woman has had 10 miscarriages, 3 failed IVF cycles (with her own eggs), 2 failed donor egg (DE) cycles and was at the end of her journey. There were 2 frozen embryos left. She was cycling for the last time and preparing to transfer the last of their embryos. She wanted to help and was willing to do it in the middle of the fear she had for her own future. I promised to pay it forward and accepted her gracious donation. Last Friday she got her BFP (Big Fat Positive) and her blood results look great so far. I am so happy for her. I don't pretend that sending the 3 little bottles of PIO to me gave her the BFP. But what I do take from this is the continued realization that no matter what we're going through in our lives, it's a good thing to keep working for others and step out of our own fear and worries.

Egg donors give us the gift of life- the start of life. We get to carry a child, growing and nurturing it from the moment of conception in a petri-dish until birth... and beyond. I am truly amazed at the women who are willing to do this. It's not easy. It takes about 3 weeks of time and energy. Frankly, it's a pain in the ass...literally and figuratively. And yet they do it. Many do it more than once. Thank you my donors....from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

During this endeavor I have been in complete awe so many times. Perfect strangers, dear friends and family have been so generous to us in many different ways. There's no real way to ever express how deep our gratitude is but.... THANK YOU! We hope you know how much it means to us. I promise we have and will continue to pay it forward....in all ways.

Our recent donations:

Mel's Belle's- 3 Day Susan G Komen walk-fund raiser. In loving memory of my friend's mother. Spreading the word for her cause.... :-)

http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/SanDiegoEvent?px=3006932&pg=personal&fr_id=1298&et=Ovs7LpjJIrP43aQ8OJtUvg..&s_tafId=84960

Silent Unity- They've been there for us, through it all.

http://www.unity.org/prayer/index.html