From Book to Shirts

Hi all!
Sorry I haven't blogged in a while.  Between the death of my beloved Opu, Super Storm Sandy destroying my parents' house and my father-in-law becoming ill right before Christmas, things have been crazy-busy around here.

The death of Opu, my first baby and a black labrador retriever in September, didn't only greatly sadden me, but also my children.  Funny, but it was my three year old son, Owen, who wanted me to bring him home from Kevin's house (clearly didn't understand that I was saying that Opu was in "Heaven" and instead that he was at Kevin's house in the clouds).

This was the genesis of my idea of putting "Opu" on a shirt for my children.  It was much harder and easier than I thought it would be.  I hadn't sewn since Home Economics class in Junior High and let's just say that anyone who knows me knows that I cannot draw.  However, I strongly believe in the age-old saying that if there is a will there is a way and well...I found a way to make the shirts for my kids.  I have gotten so much joy out of creating the shirts and positive feedback from people that I decided to open an Etsy shop.  We'll see what comes of it, but I've definitely have had fun making, not only the Opu shirt, but also the pirate ship, hammerhead shark and butterfly for my kids.

Here is a link to my shop KooCoo Say, if you would like to look at or purchase a shirt.

The name comes from my kids' favorite saying, "Koo Coo Sock."  Brian and I don't know where they got it from, but basically if you are being silly, they will call you a "Koo Coo Sock!"

My kids are giving me multiple requests each day, so by the end of the week I'll should also have a tiger, flower, whale and octopus up on Etsy.

I wish you all the best,
Laura

New Hope for Infertile Couples

An Embryoscope is a new device that is helping doctors deal with especially challenging issues of infertility.  It allows doctors to monitor an embryo's growth, almost minute by minute. And in doing so, help them select the best candidates for successful invitro fertilization.  It is similar to a high tech incubator and time lapse camera that captures the beginning of life.

Dr. Nina Desai, of the Cleveland Clinic explains, "Imagine you're able to see every minute of the embryo's development even before it's transferred to the uterus, before it implants on the uterine wall you're able to see this embryo. It’s never been possible before."  

Traditionally, Doctor Desai takes an embryo out of the incubator once a day to look at it under a microscope. but a lot can happen that she'd miss.  The Embryoscope keeps the embryos in a safe and stable environment and tracks every second.  That gives doctors an even better chance to catch even the most subtle changes.  

Dr. Desai continues, “It's a wealth of information we're learning so much that we hadn't realized happens to an embryo as it grows so we are just blown away by this, it's an amazing, amazing technology.  When pointed out, the ones that were growing well were definitely different from ones that were sort of stuck."

Here is a link to the full article.

My book, Five Strands of Hope, is available here on Amazon.  It is a memoir about my journey through secondary infertility through a horrendous triplet pregnancy.

50 Million Couples Experience Infertility

On the Friday before Christmas an article appeared in HealthDay News regarding infertility rates.  It makes me sad to think that almost 50 million couples experience infertility.  However, I don't find it surprising, because I have so many friends who struggled to have their children. 

In 2010, nearly 50 million couples worldwide were unable to conceive a child after five years of trying, according to the study published online Dec. 18 in the journal PLoS Medicine.  For the study, researchers examined 277 national surveys in order to estimate the infertility levels in 190 countries between 1990 and 2010.

50 Million Couples Experience Infertility

The analysis revealed that in 2010, 1.9 percent of women aged 20 who wanted to have children were unable to have their first live birth (primary infertility), and 10.5 percent of women who had previously given birth were unable to have another baby (secondary infertility).

That works out to a total of 48.5 million couples worldwide, study leader Gretchen Stevens, of the World Health Organization, and colleagues explained in a journal news release.

Here's the link to the full article.

My book, Five Strands of Hope, is available here on Amazon.  It is a memoir about my journey through secondary infertility through a horrendous triplet pregnancy.

Male Infertility: Enzymes to Blame

There is an article on News-Medican by Sally Robertson, which discusses morphology issues in male sperm, among other things.  It is rather technical.  However, here is a quote and you can find the link to the full article below.

"An enzyme complex present in sperm plasma membranes plays an important role in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in sperm with abnormal morphology, researchers have shown."

Sperm-Egg

Here's the link to the full article.

My book, Five Strands of Hope, is available here on Amazon.  It is a memoir about my journey through secondary infertility through a horrendous triplet pregnancy.

Infertility Treatments and Multiple Sclerosis

There is an article on WebMD, which discuss two studies that show that infertility treatments increase relapse rates for MS patients.  This makes me incredibly sad.  Infertility is hard enough and so is MS, but to have both and to know that infertility treatments may make your MS worse is just too much.  I wish the best for women who are suffering from infertility and MS.

Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy

Here is a link to the full article.

My book, Five Strands of Hope, is available here on Amazon.  It is a memoir about my journey through secondary infertility through a horrendous triplet pregnancy.

US Women Like IUDs for Birth Control

When I saw this article I wasn't surprised.  I spent a good chunk of my early twenties taking the birth control pill.  I loved it.  I knew exactly when my period was coming and for how many days.  It didn't care that I really had no need for the pill, except that without it I rarely menstruated and my doctor thought that it was a good idea.

Now, however, if I needed birth control, I would definitely choose an IUD.  I have a couple friends who have one and they don't get their period at all.  That sounds marvelous.  No tampons; no cramps; no oopsies I forgot and sprinting to the bathroom.


For the full article click here.

FIVE STRANDS OF HOPE ebook at Amazon

5 Stands of Hope Free on Amazon for the Holiday

Hi Everyone!
Happy Labor Day weekend.  I hope everyone has a nice and relaxing weekend.  School starts for my kids on Wednesday.  I'm happy and sad as every parents has probably felt when their child started kindergarten.

Labor Day 5 Years Ago

I can't believe it's been less than a year since I started to write my book and then published it and only 4 months since I started my blog.  I guess I've accomplished more in the past year than I thought.  Scary to think that the picture was from June.  I feel like I took it yesterday!

Last Day of School in June

Five Strands of Hope is free on Amazon for the holiday weekend.  I hope you get a chance to read it and that you enjoy it.

Five Strands of Hope (FREE eBook)

Happy Holiday!
Laura

Expanded Infertility Care for Veterans

I saw an article in the Seattle Times regarding expanded health coverage for veterans.  This bill, which is being considered in the Senate, includes infertility care for Veterans and their spouses.  Currently, IVF and surrogates are not covered.

I am so excited for the Veterans and their families.  Of course, I'll be happier when the bill actually passes.  However, I was upset by comments readers left on Seattle Times' website.  It is horrible enough that men and women who protect our country and human rights of people everywhere are hurt and killed in the line of duty.  It never occurred to me that thousands of men and women also lose the ability to have biological children.  Since it is within our abilities to perform infertility treatments (IVF and surrogacy) that will greatly increase the chances of Veterans to have children, then we should not think twice about covering the cost.

Here is the link to the full article.

Five Strands of Hope on Amazon

Mothering with Pain

Good morning!
I'd like to say Happy Wednesday, but I'm a little blue.  Ahh....Happy Wednesday!  I'm trying desperately to hold onto my good spirits even though a knee injury that I suffered 5 weeks ago while playing tennis.  It is interrupting my sleep and drastically curtailing my activities.

Knee

I have mothered in pain before.  However, this time is different because I'm in pain and not very mobile.  I find myself getting short with the kids when one at a time they want something to drink, help going potty and forget to close the back door.  All of which necessitate me getting up off and walking around.

The summer started out wonderful.  We taught Gavin how to ride a bike and now he can bike to the ice cream shop.  I started to teach all the kids my favorite sport, tennis.  Admittedly, the triplets think their tennis racquet is a golf club and just whack at the tennis balls on the ground, but Gavin has gotten quite good at hitting the ball over the net.  Our weekly trip to the ice rink, so Owen could make snow angles and the others could ice skate, was put on hiatus.  Family soccer when Dad got home from work was another activity that brought the family joy.  

Biking at the Manasquan Resevoir

Now I'm a bit of a lump.  I feel badly that I'm not doing all these activities with the kids.  Thankfully, they seem quite happy.  We have gone to Nana & PopPop's pool more frequently than before my injury  and they've spent a lot more time with their favorite babysitters.  The happiest glowing from their faces and the slits their eyes turn into at night indicate that they are very active and enjoying their summer.  This gimp heart is relieved that a fluke knee injury while playing tennis with my father didn't ruin their summer, which ultimately means that my summer wasn't ruined either.

Here's to an injury-free school year!
Laura

Robinson Triplets - Slideshow

There is an article on the NWF Daily News website about a family's journey with their triplets.  As a mom to triplets, I'm always interested in the life's of similar families.  The Robinson family had/has a particular tough ride with its triplets. 

Robinson Triplets

Here is an excerpt:

The sun is finally coming up for a local family who has spent most of the last year battling nearly insurmountable odds.

It began with the unexpected news that Rita and Greg Robinson were expecting triplets and became more complicated as health issues for Rita and the premature babies stacked up.

Zamen had acid reflux and a cyst on his brain that made him incapable of ever feeling full. Zamyah had underdeveloped lungs and a hole in her heart. Niren had two holes in his heart, an extremely narrow tube leading to his heart and far too low oxygen levels in his blood.

Here's the link to the full article.

My Book at Amazon: Five Strands of Hope ($0.99)

Happy Monday - Princess Camp

Happy Monday!

My little girl goes to Princess Camp this morning.  She's so excited...and so unlike me.   

Anna & One of Her Many "Princess" Outfits

I spent years playing in the dirt, digging for gold with my two best friends, Dave and Bobby.  Then I spent more years playing tennis all day, all summer long.  I never desired to be a 

princess.  I dreamed of being a hockey player even though I didn't play.

Here's to all the little girls who dream of being a princess or a hockey player!

Happy Monday, 

Laura

Should Schools Teach About Infertility?

There is an interesting article in The Guardian (UK) that discusses teaching infertility in schools.  It asks the question:  "Why doesn't sex education cover infertility, when five children in every class are likely to experience it?

I am not ashamed (and hope no one is) that we had to turn to fertility treatments to have the family that we do.  I plan to be very open with my children (why I wrote the book) about the path we took to have our children.  However, do I really want them to learn about infertility in high school?  Do I want them to be scared that they will struggle to have kids when they are still kids themselves?


No, no, no...I do not want my kids to have a class in high school that teaches them about infertility.  I want them to focus on high school, college and to find a career/vocation that they love.  I don't want them thinking that they should have children in their late teens/ early 20s, because they might suffer from infertility.  


When my children enter their 30s and don't have children then I will discuss infertility with them, specially my daughter.  I will educate her about freezing her eggs and other options that she has.  If I am not around to talk to her, I will hope that she will be comfortable with the internet and search engines and will be able to find out all the information that she needs regarding infertility.


I'd love to know what you think about teaching our high schoolers about infertility?

Here's the link to the full article

My Book at Amazon: Five Strands of Hope ($0.99)

Here are links to previous blog posts: 

My Beach Days Have Changed Forever

90% Divorce Rate for Parents of Triplets

I'll Have Another

A Mother's Fears

The Strongest Women

The Loneliness of Having Triplets

Natural Remedy for PCOS

Infertility and Alcoholism

Acupuncture Improves Your Chances

Stress Kills Your Chances

It's Not Your Lifestyle: Male Infertility

Grasping at Straws: Laptops Damage Sperm

Fresh vs Frozen Embryo Transfer

Premature Babies Twice as Likely to Suffer Mental Disorders

Does IVF Increased Your Breast Cancer Risk?

Ode to Opu

My First Baby - Opu

Opu Summer 2011 - Enjoying the Sprinker

Opu is our very much loved black labrador retriever.  I got him when we was 40lbs and 4 months old.  Now he is eleven years old (yikes) about 90-95lbs.  He has arthritis in all his joints, but his right shoulder is the worst.  He started complaining (moaning and refusing to go up and downstairs) in January.  

My veterinarian, my beloved cousin, Jen, prescribed him some medicine and it seemed like I had my puppy back.  However, at the beginning of this week, he started yelping, crying and moaning again.  Dr. Jen let me double up his medicine and he seemed ok for an afternoon.  The last two nights, he woke Brian and me up with his cries and moans.  It's sad and breaks my heart, because I know additional medicine is only going to pro-long his life by months - not years.  

Opu has seen me through tough times.  He dealt with my single life in NYC - the ups and downs of dating.  The death of my Godmother, who meant the world to me.  He listened to me when we were planning our wedding.  Helped me deal with my migraines when I was pregnant with Gavin.

Opu and Me (pregnant with Gavin)

Opu, much to popular myth, loved Gavin from the moment we brought him home.  Opu would sleep right under Gavin's crib and curl up next to me on the couch when I was feeding Gavin.

Opu - Love at First Site

Opu sat next to me and kissed my legs, when I cried over a miscarriage or failed IUI.  He consoled me continuously through the triplet pregnancy.  Always sitting right next to me and giving me encouragement.  

Opu and Brian enjoying the Pool

My beloved lab shares the trait of most labs.  He is happiest near food and drink.  At this very minute, he just finished moaning, so he could walk over to the to the deserted plate of waffles.

I'm hopeful that the new medicine he is on will help him enjoy the summer - probably his last summer.

I will always love you Opu, my very first baby.

**Opu passed away on September 24, 2012 - exactly two months before his 12 birthday.  I started a new post about all his crazy adventures during his.  However, his death is still too painful - maybe next month.

My Book at Amazon: Five Strands of Hope 

Happy Friday the 13th!

Good morning!
Well, in light of the fact that our dog, Opu, is really struggling and keeping me awake at night, I feel wide awake (could be the mocha) and recharged.  Life feels full of possibilities (could be the babysitters coming this morning to give me some free time) and full of happiness.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday the 13th and that you feel light and springy too.

I have written half of a fictionalized book that is somewhat of an epilogue to my first book.  I've had some fun and scary moments with the kids during their first two years of life that I wanted to capture in a book.  However, I needed an over-arching story, which is the part that is fictionalized.

Don't even ask me how this happened? (Liam)

I worked best with deadlines (HATE to be late, which is enough to get me to sit down and work), so I decided that I'll commit to publishing the first chapter of the new book (Four's Enough - tentative title) by the end of September.  I'll be honest, I'm cheating a little bit.  The first chapter is already written.  In fact, I've written the first few chapters and the last few chapters and some sporadic ones in the middle.  I don't know why I write this way, but I find that I write what I am in the mood for writing.  Some chapters have deep emotions in them, which makes me get all emotional.  I'm not always in the mood to deal with such emotions, so I write lighter chapters.  However, I do need to edit the chapter and I find that takes a lot longer than writing the first draft.

Owen:  Too tired for comfort!

Wish me luck with my next book.  I enjoy writing and hope that some of you are enjoying reading my writing.  Maybe one day my writing will get good enough that I can find a traditional publisher for my book(s), but if not, then...oh I don't know, life continues as it has been, which for me has been wonderful!

My Book at Amazon: Five Strands of Hope ($0.99)

Here are links to previous blog posts: 

My Beach Days Have Changed Forever

90% Divorce Rate for Parents of Triplets

I'll Have Another

A Mother's Fears

The Strongest Women

The Loneliness of Having Triplets

Natural Remedy for PCOS

Infertility and Alcoholism

Acupuncture Improves Your Chances

Stress Kills Your Chances

It's Not Your Lifestyle: Male Infertility

Grasping at Straws: Laptops Damage Sperm

Fresh vs Frozen Embryo Transfer

Premature Babies Twice as Likely to Suffer Mental Disorders

Does IVF Increased Your Breast Cancer Risk?