Today in History: My Own History

​On this day in 1992, I was smack dab in the middle of my injections to make my ovaries work, with Jason learning the art of shots and giving them to me at home each day. I had frequent blood tests and ultrasounds to ascertain status. I had the direct hotline number to my physician. It was hard going, with very close monitoring because we had gone this route before with very bad results. I’d had a bad reaction to the meds and almost died. I was in the hospital almost two weeks, with my doctor ringing his hands at my bedside worrying that I might not make it. Following a few months of recovery after that whole ordeal which included a miscarriage and more emergency surgery, my doctor gave me the choice of two things: being put into menopause to treat my endometriosis, or very carefully venturing back into infertility help. So only with incredibly diligent supervision, we were going to have one more crack at IVF before we hung up our parenting caps and hopes.
 
Then fast forward exactly two years, to today in 1994. In a beautiful backyard I’d never guessed we could have, there is a wading pool filled with our little guppies. It reminds me that hope and dreams can come to fruition. Some dreams are huge, some are tiny, but dreams and hope are what keep us going. If we had no hope, why would we get out of bed in the morning? I think we need them to survive. And sometimes, if we’re fortunate, we get to have a dream or two come true. So today, I salute dreams and hope, both small and big, trivial and Ultimate. I like to count my blessings and take stock of the dreams that have come true. Being aware of the good gifts in life—practicing gratitude—helps us through tough times. When I’ve been waiting endlessly for something to come and I feel hope is breaking, I go back to what God has given me, count my blessings, and remember all that I have. It puts me in a better place, grows my hope, and helps me wait better. For my four guppies, I am grateful. I have Hope.