…or Begins. Depending on how you look at it. After almost a year of blogging all the news your womb can use, this will be my final week here at Fertility Notes and at b5media.
Sniff.
But don’t you be sad! You can still find me at my private blog (you can email me for details) and at www.nationalparksonline.net, our newly revamped blog chronicling Michael’s and my two-year road trip to all of the National Park sites across the United States and keeping you up to date on national park news. If you’re interested, I am working on some pretty neat …read more

August? Already? Are you serious?
Sigh.
I think I can squeeze in one more trip or two to the beach. I have to. I still have summer reading to do. I still haven’t finished the The Mind-Body Fertility Connection: The True Pathway to Conception by James Schwartz. Did I mention that I have some extra copies to share? Want one?
Let me tell you what I know: James Schwartz is a Board certified Hypnotherapist and founder and director of the Rocky Mountain Hypnotherapy Center in Lakewood, Colorado. He’s got a fertility program called, “Hypnosis to Promote Fertility” which focuses on “healing the …read more

All right! It’s here! I was going to save this for Freebie Friday, but I can’t wait.
The 2008-2009 version of Fertile Hope’s Cancer and Fertility Resource Guide is now available.  Click on the title to download a  free .pdf version or, go to http://www.fertilehope.org/learn-more/publications/print-materials.cfm to order 1 or 5 or 100. All free. Since this fabulous and free resource is almost 300 pages, you might want a hard copy.
If you are still undergoing cancer treatments and think others at your oncologist’s office would benefit from this, you can use Fertile Hope’s Tell Your Doctor tool and they’ll take care of …read more

You may have heard the term Oncofertility mentioned here at Fertility Notes before.
A Newsweek article that will be published in the August 4th issue of the magazine gives a great explanation of what Oncofertility is and why it matters so much to cancer patients.
According to Newsweek:
Of the 125,000 people under the age of 45 who are diagnosed with cancer each year, roughly half will receive treatments that will affect their fertility. The cancers that most commonly strike the young—leukemias, lymphomas and breast cancers—require some of the most toxic forms of chemotherapy, which target rapidly growing and fragile cells like hair …read more

Back in April, I mentioned the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, a piece of legislation which would provide critical resources for the treatment, prevention and cure of childhood cancer. Why? Because infertility and fertility issues are common long-term effects of radiation and chemotherapy, especially when treatments occur during or before puberty. Cancer can be cured, but the shadows cast by the cure are long and lasting of those of us lucky enough to survive the disease (and the cure).
Since I wrote to my Congressmen about the Act, I received the following update from CureSearch.org:
The bill, first introduced in the Senate by …read more

Calling all RNs, NPs, LPNs, and other healthcare professionals specializing in reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive technology: there is a really good reason for you to take some time off in August and head to Vegas.
Smart ART IX, which will take place August 14-16, is a symposium that will “provide a unique opportunity for nurses and healthcare professionals involved in the management of infertility patients to learn about new agents, procedures, and counseling techniques contributing to the continued success of ART.”
Oh wait, did I mention? Maybe I didn’t…
Enrollment is limited to the first 450 registrants and is available on a …read more

If you are in my neighborhood next week, there are a few free educational events and support groups sponsored by RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association. Follow this link to register for one or more of these activities taking place along the New Jersey/Pennsylvania border and in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
      PA-New Hope: Attachment Strengthening Activities for You & Your New Baby or Child 10:00 AM
      Tele-Seminar: Making the Decision to Adopt 9:00 PM

Thursday, July 24, 2008
      PA – York: General Infertility Peer Support Group 7:00 PM

Sunday, July 27, 2008
      PA-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre: General Infertility Peer Support Group 6:30 PM

For more information on support, events …read more

When you have a few minutes (because it’s pretty darn long), go check out this article at Psychology Today entitled, “Who Stole Fertility?”
Originally written for the 1996 March/April issue of Psychology Today Magazine, this article stills feels timely and relevant. I’ve had this page bookmarked for a while and have been digesting it in bits. Don’t be turned off by the first paragraph which states:
Contrary to popular belief, there is no infertility crisis sweeping the nation. We’ve just lost all conception of what it takes to conceive. Reproductive technology has made us impatient with nature. So for increasing numbers …read more

To make up for those Fridays when you checked only to find Freebie Friday was on a little vacation, I have not 1 but 2 Freebie Fridays today!
FertilityLifeLines.com is offering a FREE 48-page booklet entitled, In the Know: What No One Tells You About Fertility
The 48-page girlfriend-to-girlfriend booklet was created to address this gap in the current resources available to couples seeking information about infertility. The booklet covers the broad range of issues that couples face when struggling with infertility, including a description of infertility in males and females, how to cope with the emotional stresses of infertility, an …read more

The strangest thing happened the other day. My co-worker and I made a proposal for she and I to attend a conference clear on the other side of the country. And our boss said yes! We were speechless. And then excited.
And now I’m a little nervous.

Image details:  served by picapp.com
Why? If things continue to move forward, I could be facing the possibility of traveling with my medicine cabinet, which includes, gasp, sharp objects.
I’d rather travel light using only a carry on – would this even be possible? It’s been ages since I’ve flown. Just how screwy are these new rules …read more