Thanks to The Festival!

Most people that know me are aware of my involvement in the Mixed community.  Over the past four years, I've put my time and heart into two life-altering  projects, The Mixed Chicks Chat Podcast and The Festival.  An enormous thank you to The Festival for featuring me and Chill on their website!  I am so grateful for their continued support and faith in me.  They helped me find my voice and encouraged me to use it.   Check it out! 

Eff Cancer

I met Alice Crisci at the Fertility Planit Show in Los Angeles this past January. She was a speaker on the egg-freezing panel. The moment she finished sharing her story, I knew there was no way I could leave that place without meeting her.

She was vulnerable, full of life, enthusiastically talking with her hands, and had one of the most infectious laughs I’ve ever heard. I was inspired by her journey and in complete awe of her strength.

At 31, Alice was diagnosed with breast cancer. Let me repeat that – At 31, Alice was diagnosed with breast cancer. Talk about a game changer. When I think of cancer I don’t exactly envision someone in their early thirties having it.

After learning chemotherapy treatments could cause infertility, Alice decided to freeze eggs and embryos. She wanted to give herself the best possible chance to become a mother after she survived cancer. If she survived cancer.

India & Egg Freezing

Egg freezing has arrived in New Delhi! Although the procedure is fairly new to India, the concept of women racing against their biological clock is not.

Deepika Gupta is a 35 year old career focused lawyer who is still looking for Mr. Right. In the meantime, she has decided to freeze her eggs.

"Many women are coming forward to preserve their fertility as either they don't want to have a child now or haven't found the right person. Every month we get four-five queries about egg freezing and one or two of them come in for the procedure," says director of the Surrogacy Centre India Healthcare, Shivani Sachdev Gour.

Can We "Have It All"?

Being single and in my mid-thirties, I am quite familiar with the steady stream of comments regarding my lack of marriage and children.  Honestly, I know I'm not the only woman half way to 40 plagued by this, but sometimes it feels that way. 

These days more women are postponing motherhood or buying themselves time by opting to freeze their eggs.  Check out the article, Egg Freezing: De-Thaw To "Have It All"; it discusses two woman, Sabrina and Deborah, and their reasons for freezing their eggs. 

Now what?

Now that my eggs are frozen, there's a follow up question people love to ask: "So when are you gonna use them?"

During my initial research, I came across a great website that discusses everything egg freezing.   I was pleasantly surprised that Eggsurance provided so much information in one place.  The best part?  A handful of "Women Like Me" who had already completed their journey, including Eggsurance founder, Brigitte. 

Freaking Out

I have a habit of freaking out about things I can't control.  It's not one of my better qualities, but I've been working on it.

A few years ago I started meditating.  When I'm dicisplined enough to meditate regularly, it's much easier to surrender the unknown. 

Sometimes when things around me are running smoothly, I get cocky and skip the daily meditations.  Big mistake. 

Good News

I'm excited to share that I received fantastic news yesterday: 

"Congratulations! Your project Chill has been accepted for fiscal sponsorship with Artspire, a program of the New York Foundation for the Arts. We are excited to begin our relationship with you, provide technical assistance to support your project’s growth, and ultimately watch Chill come to fruition."  

How cool is that?!

Dream Big

The original purpose of this blog was to provide information on the egg freezing process, encourage women during their egg freezing journey and share my own. 

 

It has been brought to my attention by my BFF, that I'm not taking full advantage of this blogging business.

"Why are you making it so specific? Why don't you include more experiences from your life journey?"

The first few words of the documentary tag line clearly say "balancing life" so I guess he has a point.  I've been limiting my writing when the truth is:  I have complete freedom.

Egg Freezing "Experimental" Label Lifted

The good news is spreading like wildfire.  The American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has lifted the “experimental” label from egg freezing declaring that the “rate of pregnancy and healthy offspring are comparable to using fresh eggs.”  

Less than a decade ago, human egg freezing was considered a new, expensive and uncertain technology.  Today, the costs will still put a dent in your bank account, but science has made great advances.  

The breakthrough was a process called vitrification or flash-freezing.  “ 80 percent or more of vitrified eggs survive thawing and up to 12% of thawed fertilized eggs produce a pregnancy.”   With significant improvements in freezing and thawing techniques, the probability for overall success increases. 

Laura's Aha! Moment

Check out the last article from Laura Naaman's egg freezing journey, What's Oprah Got To Do With It?  My favorite excerpt is from the last paragraph:

"...I have a really good life. God, or whoever (let’s be honest God is probably Oprah anyway) has taken care of me. If I’m meant to have kids, I’ll have them. If I’m not, I still have a lot of other amazing stuff. Hilarious friends, a fun job, parents who—despite what the butt doctor says—truly DON’T give a crap if I give them grandkids or not. In the meantime, I will sleep until noon on the weekends, and do my very best not to make myself miserable trying to avoid some vague possible future regret."

Laura, thanks so much for allowing us to come along with you on your journey!