484th Issue of the LFCA

Welcome to today's edition of Connections Abound. The point of Lost and Found is to level the support playing field. When LFCA works correctly, the newest blogger with the smallest readership can receive the same level of support as the oldest blogger with the largest readership. Anyone can submit news to LFCA by clicking here.

Lost and Found is open to anyone in the infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, pregnancy-and-parenting after infertility, assisted conception, living child-free after infertility or loss community (as well as anyone I inadvertently missed on that list). Please support the list as well as anyone posting announcements below.

Connections Abound

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
New

• Kirtsy'd Pick O' the Day: Please vote for this one from Wistfulgirl's World. An amazing story about a premonition, a dream, and reality coming together to explain a woman's Christian faith in the face of infertility. How do you vote? Simply by clicking on the words "this one" above and then clicking on the post's title. Why the Kirtsy'd Pick O' the Day? Click on that link in the header navigation bar above for the story. And send me stuff!
• Giveaway: The Bushey Life is giving away a copy of a fantastic little book called Navigating the Land of If (hmmm...I wonder who wrote that brilliant-sounding book?). Go over and enter and get your own copy.
• Easy Voting: Help out a fellow IF blogger. Sticky Feet has her twins entered in a contest. It's very easy--one click over to the site, one click for #18 on the right sidebar.
  
• Moving Blog: Carolyne writes: "Due to unwanted attention from certain folk who have made my life tricky since discovering my blog I have created another. Please would you publish the new address for those who wish to come visit me. I will be deleting the current blog (Mini Monk Maker) once everything is done and dusted."
• Project: Geohde writes: "It's time yet again for the yearly Great Blog Cross Pollination. I'm drumming up interest and would love anybody in the ALI community, no matter what your situation, to participate. The list is open to everybody and all are more than welcome. Meet new bloggers and gain new readers, just by trading guest posts for a day. It really is easy. Click over for more details and to sign up." [editor's note: I've done this two years so far, and I just want to add that Geohde matches you up with a blogger in a similar situation and is very sensitive about that].
• Question: Sassy writes: "Had egg retrieval yesterday (8 retrieved, 4 mature) and just before going in to OR, was informed by my lab that they were recommending ICSI. I was surprised since hub's swimmers are tip top. After speaking to my RE she stated that it was due to only obtaining one embryo out of two eggs last cycle. Does anyone know about ICSI when infertility is linked to the woman, not the man? (I have endo & high FHS).
• Question: A non-blogger writes: "I am a mother (feels strange to type that) of infant boy-girl twins conceived via IVF. Although I was a lurker and didn't have a blog of my own, the ALI (adoption, loss, infertility) community online was probably the single biggest source of comfort and support to me during the most emotional times. I am wondering if such a community exists online for parents of twins as I am now finding parenting twin infants to be equally as emotional. I currently check out the message board on twinstuff.com but am wishing for a group of blogs to peruse." If you know of good sites and blogs, leave them in the comment section below.
  
• Daily Update: There are currently 71 participants on the Creme de la Creme 2009 list.

Old

• Project: I've opened a second, separate list, similar to the Creme de la Creme called The Golden Haiku. The sign-up is a bit different and those in the ALI community can participate in both, either with the same post, or with a different post.
• Resource: Sunny found this great list of romance books that do not have babies and pregnancies as part of the plotline. The site asked for "romances [that] feature infertility in ways that you appreciated, and which books were not so wedded to the idea that a Happily Ever After cannot occur without babies."
• Non-IF Project: Shauna writes, "Noah Biorkman is a 5yr old boy who is in his last stages of neuroblastoma cancer after a 2 1/2 year battle. His family is celebrating Christmas next week and all he wants are xmas cards. Let's try and see how many we can get to him from all over the world please. His address is 1141 Fountain View Circle, South Lyon, MI 48178.
  I checked this story out on snopes...it is true. Please send cards to let this little boy know you are thinking of him."
• Activism: Body Diaries by Lucy writes: "Healthy People 2020 objectives identify public health priorities for research, to eliminate health disparities. Infertility is NOT included in these objectives currently, but they ARE open for public comment. Please set aside some time to provide some feedback on why infertility should be addressed in HP2020. Also, please consider contacting Resolve and encouraging them to respond."
• Blog Move: Me and M writes: "Someone I know has found my blog - someone that I'd prefer didn't know about my struggles to conceive. Or the status of our sex life! So I've set up a new one. It's a direct continuation of Fertile PreConceptions. Nothing else has changed except the address & blog name. Thank-you! Me and M now at To Beam Again."
• Blog Move: Due to anonymity issues, Kate of Maybe Baby is moving her blog, again. Please visit her at her new site.
• Fundraiser: Cara at Share Southern Vermont invites each of you to enter the raffle for Bowling for Babies. The event is next Sunday, but raffle tickets are available online and you can stack the odds to win the item you actually want by putting LOTS of tickets in that virtual container! Many items have been donated by our blogging friends! The more tickets you buy the cheaper they are. Most items can be shipped. OR - if you want to support but aren't interested in items, you can sponsor a lane in memory of your angel baby. A picture of your baby's lane marker will be sent to you. The lane sponsorship donation is $25.
• Forums: If you are not a member of the forums, you will not have access to the LFCA on days when we are utilizing an open thread in the forums instead of posting on this site. Any blog reader or writer can become a member of the forums by clicking here and registering. On days when we don't have the LFCA, it also follows that I'll be slow on approving new members (that whole lack of Internet access thing) so please be patient.

NEW BLOGS (started in October or November 2009)

• None Today.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES (celebrate your birthday or blogoversary with the community. Send me date at any point and I'll post them on the correct day)

• Birds and Squirrels is turning 35 on Tuesday. Go sing her a little song.
• Our Own Creation celebrated her four year blogoversary yesterday. Go wish her congratulations.
  

LOSS REMEMBRANCES (send in the dates of loss anniversaries and I will post them on the correct day)

• On November 12, Bluebird will be remembering her twins on their birthday.

LOSS ANNOUNCEMENTS

• None Today.

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT AND CELEBRATIONS (scary scans, anxious waits, OHSS, and a host of other reasons why these bloggers could use some additional support right now. Also, celebratory retrievals, transfers, and other good news)

• Michele's little girl Maya is still having a very rough time after her eye surgery. Luckily she hasn't had to be reintubated, but she's having a rough time trying to breathe. All that focus on breathing is causing her to not regulate her body temperature anymore. Michele is asking for prayers for her little girl.
  

BEDREST BABES: on bedrest following infertility or loss and needing support. Drop in on them and keep them company.

• Carly has been put on bedrest until the end of her pregnancy, and has had some potentially disturbing news. Go send her some love and support.

PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS

• None Today.

BIRTH AND ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS

• None Today.
  

Read and Support