Posted by Lisa on May 09, 19100 at 21:31:55:
In Reply to: YES!!! Despite All My Hand Ringing...The Rally Was An Incredible Success!!!! posted by Pamela Madsen on May 09, 19100 at 17:05:51:
Thank you Pam and everyone for standing up for all of us! I could not make it to the rally today, but I was thinking about all of you in Albany, with guilt that I was not there. I have all the same excuses that all of us who did not attend have (work, family, etc.), but there really are no excuses.
I did 5 IVF cycles, all out of pocket due to an obvious lack of insurance coverage. I had to do so much creative work to pay for these cycles, juggling credit cards, borrowing, traveling to Mexico for drugs...Fortunately it paid off and we now have our beautiful baby. As we all know, in addition to the horrors of infertility treatment, having to worry about paying for it just adds to the devestation of a failed cycle. I often felt like I was a gambling junkie, always thinking I would hit the jackpot on the next try, then hitting bottom with the failure.
I always knew I would have to stop with one pregnancy, the financial toll is just too great. Now with the hope of this bill passing, it offers hope that I can try again.
I remember walking with my empty stroller at a rally in NYC two years ago, the day before my retrieval for one of my cycles. The bill was a long way off and I never thought it would get this far, nor did I think I would ever have my baby. Now I know both are possible.
Thanks again Pam and everyone who is fighting so hard to make parenthood a reality for all of us.