I am a 50-something European woman doing what I once thought wasn't possible: finding happiness after infertility. While it's been a long, difficult and emotional journey (10 unsuccessful IVF treatments), each day I take another step down the path toward a fulfilling new life. This is my story of reinvention. I will be happy to hear from you: klara.soncek (@ ) gmail.com
Monday, February 27, 2012
No new job & travelling
But looking on this from the bright side: I do have an old job. It is much easier to look for a new job if you have already one... much less stressfull.
Unemployment rate is our country has been very high for the last few years (as in majority of the world), there are really almost no new job openings. So I guess it is not really likely to find anything soon (especially because I am looking for a job that is not less paid as my current job).
So I can easily take few weeks off work and go somewhere travelling in May with my husband. I will have an interesting week: checking out different flights to different countries. I love travelling so much!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Survey
I just returned from the supermarket and a kind girl stopped me to make survey for super market store / chain. I haven't been asked to participate in a survey for ages and since I did the same job as a student, I agreed to participate.
Everything went smoothly until demographic data.
Q: How old are you?
A: 39
Q: Marital status?
A: Married.
Q: Number of the family members?
A: 2
Q: So you haven't got any kids yet?
A: No
Isn't it funny - I am 100 % sure that the question should be: Numer of the children in the family. But the student asked it in her own way.
All I know is that I am done with surveys for another decade. Because there is always demographic section with the question I do not want to hear.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
My sister is not talking to me
Last week we met at my parents house and her daughter was obviously sick (she had all the simptoms of a flu). In the last few years I caught a virus on several occasions from different kids - and that's why I do not want to be in the same room as sick kids. One of the benefits that childfree people have!
Anyway. I explained that I really can not afford to get sick again (I already took some sick days in January) and that I prefer to meet when her daughter is well again.
And my cousin got really mad at me - accusing me of being selfish. And left. And now she isn't talking to me.
To be frank, I do not really mind. It is her choice. She will come back, eventually. I hope she will not come back before early summer. She will have her second baby then. And it is great not to see her too often during her pregnancy. I love the babies when they are born. But I am still not good at dealing with pregnancies.
Infertility does leave demage. I guess I will never be a good friend to a pregnant woman. It will always bring too many sad memories back.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Forrest
This week all newspapers, TV... have only two topics:
- all schoolchildren have a week off, which means that also majority of people with small kids take one week off ... so families are everywhere.
- today was the the carneval, all children were dressed in costumes - similar to Halloween in USA, when children are ringing on the doors and asking for sweets and money (when I was kid, we asked for sweets, modern children now ask for money).
As you can imagine, I did not want to spend my afternoon admiring all other people's children, so I escaped to the forrest with my dog. It was a great plan, we had a lovely walk, as always. Fresh air & activities do wonders.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
My blog bio
I love it :)
Pamela - thank you for your help!
BTW: how I wish I could be with you in the plane this moment.... I love love love Australia! Enjoy!!!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Serenity Prayer
I bought a little card with Serenity prayer in Dublin. And I still have it, more then 20 years later.
During my 10 IVF treatments I alway stuck only with the line: God, give me the Courage to change things. I was so sure that I could change my infertility.
Now I am already in the next level: having Wisdom to know the difference. And having Serenity to accept my infertility (since I know now I can not change it).
Monday, February 13, 2012
High temperature... again
I did not go to see the doctor since I know what's wrong. My body is fighting the remaining of the infertility drugs that I received in August / September. I will get my period in few days and then I will be OK (at least for some weeks). How I wish that all those drugs leave my body!
And how happy am I to come to the decision to stop ALL infertility treatments. I have only one life. I can not play with my own life any more...
Friday, February 10, 2012
If only she knew
I have three coworkers who have the habit to start each day with a cup of coffee and complaining about their husbands. The list what the bad husbands did in the last few years is really long. The compaints are really about everything: not helping in the kitchen, not helping with kids, not attending school activities, spending too much time with friends in bars or doing sports with male friends, nightmare stories about mother-in-laws...
Luckily I do not share an office with those women, but I an quite often in their office since we have copy and fax machine there.
One morning I entered their office and they were, as usual, in the middle of complaining. And then a woman, who was just telling a story, stopped and said: "Girls, I just realized something. Klara has never ever said anything bad about her husband in all those years!"
It was nice to hear that and I also realized, that this was completely true. I just laughed and explained, that this was because we were truely happy together.
The coworker just sighed and said: "Well, just wait untill you have kids. It changes everything."
I did not comment any further. I only thought "If only you knew!".
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Freezing cold
When I do not feel like cooking for one ( and today I don't) I always phone my mum and invite myself for lunch. My nieces live in the same house as my parents and it will be nice to see them.
After lunch I have a date with an ex-coworker, it will be nice to see her again. We will have a short walk and then some hot tea at my place. It is so freezing cold! In the morning we had -18C (-0,4 F) and during the day there will be -10C (14F). Soooooo cold!!!
Yesterday after work I took my dog for a long walk. It was lovely despite the cold. Volk loves Sibirian temperatures! And we haven't meet even one person outside.... we felt as the last survivors on Earth.
So, as you see, my life is nothing glamorous. But I like it the way it is. Cosy, peaceful life. My life.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Master of living in the moment - meet the Wolf (Volk)
If I had to choose one thing that helped me overcome my infertility the most, that would be for sure my beloved dog. He has many nick names, my favourite one is the Wolf (=Volk in our language). He came into our life as 6-week-old puppy. And now he is already 5 years old. We love him so much!
I remember that after all failed IVF treatments (especially the ones at the beginning) I was so heartbroken that I just couldn't bear all the sadness any more. But, taking the Wolf for a long walk through the forrest always did miracles. He helped me to gain strenght from the happy moments we had together. Because with my dog I realized that not everything is black. That I just have to focus on all the happy moments that I can get. And getting plenty of physical excersise really does wonders!
The Wolf is really a master of living in the moment. He doesn't have any regrets or sorrows for the past. And he doesn't have any worries for the future. All there exists for him is: NOW.
So, who says that humans are the most advanced living beings on the Earth? I still have so much to learn from my Wolf!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Please, keep your fingers crossed for me!
The posibility that I will get this job is not that big since I am just one of many candidates. But it is nice to think about new opportunities that may be waiting for me.
I like the work that I do. But I do not agree with the way that our management runs the company. I wasn't really happy there for the last few years, but I kept it, because I needed it for social security (please read it: to easily have one year of 100 % paid maternity leave). Since now it is cristally clear that I will never ever take maternity leave (at least not in this life), I can easily start looking for a new job.
To sum it up: so happy!