Tuesday, May 7, 2013

reminders

Bah.

As every infertile knows, this is actually Infertility Awareness Week. The week before Mother's Day? Torture. Torture. It's like a study in how much reminding you can stand before you absolutely crumple up and die.

Every time I open my email, ten different stores are reminding me. IT'S MOTHER'S DAY! Treat your mom! Treat yourself! Don't you deserve a new _____ (ring, sofa, massage, dress)??! You're a mom! Celebrate!!

Apparently my demographic puts me in the bulls-eye for obnoxious pink flowery store emails.

The ads on TV and the radio. DON'T FORGET!! (Like I could ever forget?) MOTHER'S DAY IS SUNDAY!!! Come to this special brunch! Moms are special! They need brunch!!

Thanks, helpful ad executives. I'll be sure to jot it down. Now will you quit talking about it?

There's this ad (or 'sponsor feature' or something) that comes on NPR almost every day (not MD related) that's for a local naturopath/acupuncturist. And the ad finishes with the voice-over person saying "Dr. So and So... specializing in treating colds, the flu, and infertility!" in this really cheery voice. And I'm like what the what?? Because those things are all equivalent? 

Colds= you will get better from it eventually no matter what.
Flu= sucks, but lasts two weeks, max, and you'll heal no matter what.
Infertility= SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE FIRST TWO, JUST FYI, DOC.

Sorry, it just ticks me off. Not that I'm anti-acupuncture or naturopathy (we've done both of those...and saw absolutely no results, so thanks), I'm just anti-being stupid, and I think that ad is stupid. 

I apologize for my bitterness today. We just gotta make it through this awful week and then things'll look better.

A few years ago (OMG this is my 5th infertile MD. Shoot me.) on MD, Matt and I were at Home Depot. He let me pick out a gorgeous new flower arrangement in a hanging basket (you know, a MD consolation prize) and I was carrying it around. This guy passed by and saw me carrying the plant and smiled at us. "Happy Mother's Day!! You have the most important job in the world!"...and I tried to smile back and thank him. He didn't know. He was just trying to be friendly (God bless the South...). But it almost killed me. 

And on that happy note, we're done. And with any luck, the next six days will pass quickly and Infertility Awareness Week will be done, too. God help us all.

19 comments:

  1. You're so much more graceful than I, must be a Georgia thing. I will punch the fella who makes the mistake of wishing me a Happy Mother's Day... and by "punch in the face" I mean run away crying. We'll get through this week, but we should get some sort of purple heart for all of the emotional wounds we've suffered! And chocolate, lots of chocolate!

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  2. Ugh, ugh, UGH! I have been a bitter, hot mess this week... and it's all MD's fault. I just can't take all the reminders! Like you, I'm counting down the next six days ahead! xo

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  3. God bless the South... poor you, and poor guy who makes that mistake with Bren! This is one of those occasions when the Infertile T-shirt idea would come in handy!

    Happy Infertility Week... abiding with you!

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  4. Hope the week flies by for you and that Sunday is unexpectedly pleasant! Also, I order you to take a break from the tri training and bird diet to eat some ice cream.

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  5. I'm sorry! Prayers for you this week/weekend. Unfortunately, the weather is not helping the mood. Oh wait, I see a glimpse of a big yellow thing in the sky.

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  6. I was JUST thinking this when all the Mother's Day commercials started piling on yesterday. Watching those makes me feel like I can't breathe....here's to surviving the rest of the week, empty uteruses (ueteri?) and all.

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  7. Hoping for lots of distractions for you in the next few days and for Matt to punch people in the face on your behalf when needed!

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  8. Blech. It's the South - give him a big ole "Well bless your heart..." He'll know.

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  9. Would like to ask that DR what infertile patient he has ever cured in two weeks (like the flu!). And... if he has in fact cured a patient of said infertility, in that amazingly short amount of time, then I will assume he's freaking famous! Here's to guessing he's not!!!

    I agree with Amanda - this week gives Matt permission to punch people in the face when necessary.

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  10. I think this is why I have been more down about the baby thing this week than usual. I've been so focused on my diet, it's helped me to be excited for something, I guess, and believe that pregnancy WILL happen (eventually?). But this week? Kinda down. And not even an influx of pregnancy announcements! Gotta be MD! UGH.

    I really don't like church on Mother's Day. It's all "happy mother's day - we want to give all our ladies, especially the moms - a special gift!" or something like that. Blerg.

    Hang in there!

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  11. Lemme know if I need to throw any punches. And I can always provide distractions. If it's real bad I can go provoke the bird, you know, just by looking at it.
    Chocolate, hugs, and love.

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  12. I'm so sorry that this is such a hard week. My heart is breaking for you and for all the other people out there who would like to be parents, and for one reason or another, aren't right now. I hope you get a lot of extra grace and strength and support to get through this week. And Mexican food and ice cream.

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  13. Thanks for the reminder that there are so many women out there who dread this day. I will work harder to be mindful of those women, and I totally think a lot of ice cream is called for in the next few days for you! I'll be thinking of you...

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  14. I keep getting emails for free meals for restaurants on mother's day.. for mothers only!!! They should do this for infertility week too!

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  15. We're all with you, girl. I'm pretty sure my AF is supposed to arrive on MD, which ALWAYS SUCH A TREAT. Talk about a reminder of all that we don't have.

    Just know that you're not alone, not even a little bit. For every happy-go-lucky Fertile Myrtle mom there's an equally unhappy Just-Get-Through-the-Damn-Day Debbie. We're less obnoxious, really, and also ready and willing to punch out unsuspecting well-wishers in a Home Depot. People should know better.

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  16. I just am realizing why this week has been not great for me... it's the first MD without my mom. So when I see the emails, commercials etc, I too want to punch someone in the face (or as an earlier commenter said ie. run away crying)

    I did kind of laugh when you called your flower basket a MD consolation prize.

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  17. I second Melissa's comment on how going to church on MD can be a bit challenging.
    Especially the part when they have all the mothers and grandmothers stand up to get a special blessing. I KNOW the priest means well, I know these wonderful women deserve to be honored. I pray for God's grace to be loving to others at that moment.
    ok . . .Thanks for letting me vent.

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  18. Colds, flu, and INFERTILITY? Um, yeah, okay dr. estupido. And that guy at Home Depot? Ugh. People should know better.

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  19. I just love your bitterness. Say it like you mean it! And I didn't realize you are in Georgia, me too!

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