Monday, September 29, 2014

MONDAY RAMBLINGS – Make Every Moment Count........


Experts say that the best time for women to have children is in their 20’s and a woman’s fertility peaks at the age of 24. I got married at age 25 so oops, time was already not on my side as I missed that peak.

Many of my peers by now, have children in high school, some even in college and some looking to become grandparents. It seem then, that I am among the few still raising young children. I am not disgruntled at all, as anyone who knows my story, should get by now that I am extremely grateful to God for the opportunity of being a mom to two beautiful children, regardless of my age. The only grey area is when I realize that some days I am just not physically able to keep up with them. Then I am reminded of my age and silently wished I was younger, in my 20’s maybe.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have been to 2 funerals, the last one being the hardest, as the deceased, not an old person by any means, learnt she had cancer earlier this year and died, just months afterwards. Her children were broken. It was so hard to watch. The program facilitated a slide show of stills from the deceased pass and as the images of her went by, the ones with her at the weddings of her daughters’  got my attention, which brings me then to the reason for my post. Since I had my children at such an advanced age, how far will I make it into their development. Will I be around for their college years, their graduation, their marriage. Will I be around to welcome my grandchildren. I often do the maths and it is certainly far from encouraging.

The only thing in my power, that I can do, then, is to make every moment with them count, because, after all, that is all we are given at a time. I know though, that even if their dad and I are not around for them for some of their important milestones, an aunt, an uncle or even a friend will, as God will not have it otherwise, as we know that they are indeed gifts to us, straight from his heart.







http://www.fabu-licious.com/Metal-Signs-Wall-Plaques/Vintage-Make-Every-Moment-Count-Hanging-Wall-Sign
post image by


Friday, September 26, 2014

FERTILITY FACTS, NEWS AND VIEWS –Letrozole May Help Women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Conceive


 New, large study reports pregnancy complications for women with PCOS regardless of whether they underwent ART


PCOS affects 5 to 10% of women of childbearing age resulting in problems conceiving. PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility, with symptoms of  absent of  ovulation, resulting in very irregular are absent periods, weight problems, facial hair and thinning hair on scalp.

A recent article published in Science Daily, reports that a nationwide study led by Penn State College of Medicine researchers, found that the drug Letrozole, results in higher birth rate for women diagnosed with PCOS, over the conventional treatment, Clomiphene Citrate, (a drug that stimulates ovulation), which results in only 22% success rate with up to six cycles of treatment.

The study also found that fewer twin pregnancies were associated with the drug Letrozole, 3.9%, compared to 6.9% on Clomiphene Citrate.

Read more by following the link below:-



The more we know.........







image by: http://www.examiner.com/article/new-study-on-pregnancy-complications-for-women-with-pcos

Friday, September 19, 2014

INFERTILITY FACTS, NEWS AND VIEWS – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Inflammation during pregnancy


Polycystic ovary syndrome related to increased pregnancy complications




Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a condition occurring in over 5 million women in the United States, is a leading cause of infertility in women.  

Among the symptoms of this condition are, irregular or absent periods, excess weight, facial hair or thinning hair on scalp.

According to a recent article in Science Daily, a  study recently published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that pregnant women with PCOS, experience inflammation during pregnancy, more than those who do not have the condition at all. Pregnant women with PCOS usally experience low-grade inflammation, but this becomes more severe during pregnancy.

Other complications that pregnant women with PCOS experience are, the risk of pre-clampsia and gestational  diabetes, which according to this study, has a connection with inflammation.

Read more, by following the link below:-










http://www.examiner.com/article/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-and-pregnancy-risk-factors
Post image by: 

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS – On Self Acceptance




Today, I am grateful for self acceptance

We are our greatest critics, we try in every way possible to be perfect. Well, news flash, we are not created perfect, ask God, he says we are created imperfect beings. Why then do we cause ourselves unnecessary anxieties and stress, trying to be something that is humanly impossible.

Those of us who know me enough, know that I am far from perfect, I stutter and those who know me more intimately know that this is something I struggle with. A normal day for someone else, see me struggling just to co-op with what some of us find it so easy to do, talk.

As someone who stammers, I carry scars from childhood. From being called names, to being laughed at and ridiculed and not being validated by my family (who I don’t blame one bit, because they did not know better, as they did not possess the tools necessary to deal with a family member that stammers). I remember deciding that I would not talk at all and you know what, I did stop talking for a while, as it made me tired, tired and helpless and I hated feeling that way.

I suffered great injustice in adulthood because of my stammer, some a result of just trying to make a living and so I tried hard to be someone I knew I wasn’t, a fluent person and caused myself a whole lot of anxiety and pain. The thing is, I knew the result would just be more pain and heartache for me and thought many times that it could only be easier to just accept myself for who I am. This I tried numerous times but it proved futile. I became angry with myself, that it drove me into developing a hobby in writing which I am working on to make it a career, because I find I am loving it.

I remember being extremely afraid to attend social gatherings because I just could not carry a conversation and so I would find every excuse to not attend these functions. Not to mention that my self-worth took a hard blow as I found myself struggling with stammering and dealing with the pangs of infertility. 

In 1993, I tried therapy because I shuddered at the thought of stammering on my vows. Therapy worked, at least for my wedding, as I only had a minor block on the word ‘impediment’  in the part ( ......”that I know not of any lawful impediment.......”) - how coincidental.  After this therapy, however, I had major regression, as I was so certain this would have worked. The thing is, I largely think, to this day, that therapy had only dealt with what could be fixed physically about my stammering, the embarrassment and shame was not fixed.

I am here to say today, that I will no longer be allowing my stammer to define me, Its not too late, is it? I am Annetta, do you know her, yes, the same one who stammers and you know what, I am fine with that, shame and embarrassment, you are on notice for eviction because I know this will still be a journey, as from time to time I will suffer setbacks.  Most importantly, I have been getting by and will continue to, now more than ever, because I have finally grasped what it means to truly accept myself for who I am.

After all, I have to do this now, because I have to be imparting to my son who stammers as well, the necessary life skills he needs to cope in an unforgiving world. Skills that I garnered from my tears, mistakes, anxieties and heartaches, on a long, winding and lonely road that persons with certain life struggles find themselves on.


I am grateful then for self acceptance.

Monday, September 15, 2014

MONDAY RAMBLINGS – The Legacy We Leave Behind





I had such an intense weekend. Occasion, a funeral - the sad part, but the rest, joyful, as I got to meet a whole host of my husband’s family members and saw some that I knew, but had not seen in many years. It was well worth every moment as they got to meet our children and we got to spend some quality time with them.

Having said that, funerals are such sobering events and this is the time when your thoughts wander off to if your life insurance is up to date, if your health is really what it should be and if your kids will have enough to survive off after you are gone. As I sat there and watch the immediate family members of the deceased grieved, my eyes often welled up with tears, as I gave thought to myself in the position.  I could not fight back the tears as the family members, overwhelmed with grief and clinging to each other for support, made their way to the casket for the last glimpse of their relative before the casket closed.

It was a great funeral as well thought out tributes were received, but what sobered me even more was when the officiating minister began his exhortation by saying, “From the tributes given here today your loved one was a great person, who left such great legacy. He gave you each other for a time like this.” I could not help but feel grateful to God that he allowed us our own legacy, two children and we are trying to make them into phenomenal individuals, equipped with the necessary life skills, because this is more important than the material things you leave them. I am also grateful that they will have each other for support in the grieving period and beyond, should we go before them.


On the way to this funeral, I was talking to a very good friend of mine, whose Uncle passed recently and the funeral was the same day, she said to me, boy so many deaths. I suddenly felt the need to say to her that, this is why we need to make peace with death,  at least I have, because death is sure and no longer dependent on old age. She agreed, but said she would not want to leave her children, (a teenager and younger, about 4 years old) at this stage in their lives. I totally got that, and I would not want to leave mine either, but somehow I knew that since they came to us as such blessing from God, he would make sure that they are alright, if it happens that we should leave them at this tender age.







Post image by: http://www.pinterest.com/gayidle/book-launch-the-wall-around-your-heart/

Friday, September 12, 2014

INFERTILITY FACTS, NEWS and VIEWS – Your Best Sperm Yet.....



Approximately  40% of couples overall infertility problems, can be traced to male factor infertility.

Many of the studies into male factor infertility focus on the concentration (amount) and motility of sperms, therefore if a man is found to have a high sperm count and active sperms, he was deemed fertile, but there was no way of knowing the quality of these sperms, can they effectively carry out the job of fertilizing the egg. 

It is for this reason that a new study developed by Researches at Yale School of Medicine, have discovered a method that looks into the DNA integrity, the best sperms, in an effort to improve male fertility.

This process is similar to the natural fertilization process, where the egg selects the best sperm for fertilization. In the case of invitro-fertilization though, doctors won’t know if they are in fact selecting the best sperm for this process, this would therefore be of great help.

Men, this is indeed good news.

Read more by following the link below:-














Post image by: http://aattp.org/kansas-teapublicans-to-enact-law-stating-life-begins-at-fertilization/

Friday, September 5, 2014

INFERTILITY FACTS, NEWS AND VIEWS: The Power of Love......



Infertility can harm your marriage, there is enough  proof of that. Many couples struggle to have children and often times find themselves struggling to save their marriage as well.

As per my experience, women more often than men, are the ones who end up fighting depression, anxiety, loneliness and all the other symptoms associated with infertility.

I stumbled across this piece of writing by Elizabeth Gilbert , an excerpt from her work, ‘Eat, Pray, Love.’ sometime ago and decided to bookmark it for my blog. I am not sure how I would have used it, since it did not say for sure that this was written about an infertility situation. Nevertheless, I knew from careful reading that it could be used in this context, since I remember myself in this same situation; fighting depression, loneliness and staying up all night crying.

Only a love built on solid foundation can withstand the pangs of infertility. Permit me to introduce to you, such a love.........


"I'm here.
 I love you. 
I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long,
I will stay with you.
There is nothing you could ever do to lose my love.
I will protect you until you die, 
And after your death, I will still protect you.
I am stronger than depression and I am braver than loneliness
And nothing can ever exhaust me."

                                                  Elizabeth Gilbert - Eat, Pray, Love  









Post image by: http://www.fidson.com/blog-sexual-health/the-agony-of-infertility