Thursday, August 9, 2007

Meet the Clickers

Clickers? What the hell are Clickers? In the world of blogging, you are the reporters, covering all the news in your world. Clickers are merely going from blog to blog, gathering news so we can compile it in the newsletter and point people towards your blog when you have something exciting happening or when you need a bit of support. Everyone is still encouraged to send in their own news as it happens, but Clickers are also reading through the infertility and pregnancy loss blogosphere to make sure everyone who needs support is getting support.

Each Clicker has his or her own beat (and some have more than one) that they cover. Read through the list to find the Clicker that is covering your blog. That way, you know who to thank if news from your blog shows up in the newsletter...

Want to be a Clicker? The more the merrier. Email Melissa at thetowncriers@gmail.com with your preferred beat to get added to the list.

Melissa writes the blog Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters. She also runs the Lost and Found and Connections Abound newsletter. She is parenting twins conceived through fertility treatments and has been trying again for a second pregnancy. She likes these things (in no particular order): raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles, warm woolen mittens, and wild geese (but only the ones that fly with the moon on their wings).

She edits the newsletter and is a Clicker for all categories.



Kristen writes The Sticky Bean Preconception Journal. Kristen is 24. She lives in the Baltimore metro area and has been trying to conceive her first child since February 2006. Two miscarriages along the way have made her bank her hope in that common adage: "third time's a charm." She and her husband are also considering adoption. Kristen works as a media buyer for an advertising agency outside Annapolis. In Kristen's free time, she enjoys reading, writing, movies/tv, sailing, invitation design/printing, swimming, going to the beach and going for long walks.

She is a Clicker for International Adoption, In the Beginning, and Pregnancy after IF/Loss.

Lori is the author of Weebles Wobblog and Drama 2B Mama. Plus, she helps people write their adoption profiles. She is a mother of two in Denver. She has survived the fires of infertility and adoption. She loves dark chocolate and lately, mojitos. If you're ever in need of some company and mojitos, swing by her blog. Summer is her season. She seeks to integrate all of her selves...and her thoughts, words and actions.

She is a Clicker for Domestic Adoption and Parenting after Domestic Adoption.



Fattypants is a gardener extraordinaire and the author of Fattypants. She is trying to change her life a little at a time without mauling anyone in the process and her blog is about her struggle with weight, infertility, PCOS and now, unfortunately, miscarriage.

She is a Clicker for International Adoption and Parenting after International Adoption.





Kami writes the blog Are We There Yet? She is currently doing a donor egg cycle and trying to conceive after the loss of her son, Ernest, who died shortly after birth.

She is a Clicker for International Adoption and Parenting after International Adoption.






Starfish currently writes Hell & High Water. After trying to conceive for 4 years (5 IUI, 3 IVF), she and her husband decided to adopt. They are currently the parents of one year old little boy who was adopted from Colombia, and have been married for ten years. Starfish is the breadwinner of the household, and her husband is a SAHD. Starfish enjoys painting, knitting, crocheting and all other things crafty. Diagnosis? PCOS and other uterine abnormalities.

Starfish is a Clicker for International Adoption.



Lisa writes a private family blog and she is an avid blog supporter. You may know her work from the many comments she leaves on infertility/adoption blogs. She is a runner, mother of twins, IVF veteran, volunteer extraordinaire, and an all-around wonderful person. She is expecting her third child this fall.

She is a Clicker for General/Undecided Adoption.





Tracy writes Or, Life is a Bed of Roses. She is closing in on 38 (November 8) and has been happily married for almost 4 years. They have recently decided to stop treatments after Clomid, IUI, and IVF and they are now pursuing adoption. She love to go to concerts, especially Dave Matthews Band, travel, read historical fiction (Philippa Gregory is her current favourite), and train for races (jogging) when not cycling.

She is a Clicker for Domestic Adoption.




Lindsay is the author of Looking for 2 Lines and Other Ramblings. She is a rabid Grey's Anatomy fan, organizer of all activities for infertile bloggers in D.C., and starting her first (and hopefully, last) IVF cycle.

She is a Clicker for Clotting and Immunology.







Drowned Girl is the author of Beaten But Not Bowed. She is currently pregnant via a FET cycle with a friend as the egg donor after seven miscarriages. She lives in London and has a four-year-old.

She is a Clicker for Donor Gametes and Secondary IF.







Frank is only our token male until the next male comes along to join him (will it be Smarshy? Eric? Josh?). Frank writes The Adventures of (In)Fertile Frank. Happily married for five years, Frank and his wife have been trying (unsuccessfully) to have children. They have learned that laughter and communication makes this process a lot easier. His blog is his attempt to chronicle the process of infertility treatment from the "Average Joe" perspective as they attempt IVF/ICSI.

He is the Clicker for the Elusive Male Point-of-View and Surrogacy.


Deb writes All Things Deb. She has PCOS with Insulin Resistance and they are potentially dealing with male factor as well. She takes her mind off of infertility by reading, surfing the internet, and watching her beloved Cubs.

She is a Clicker for Family Building When Single and Single Parents by Choice.





Heather writes BigP and Me. She has three dogs. She also has rosy cheeks, but Microsoft Paint failed me on the rosy-cheek front.

She is a Clicker for Female Factor.








Rian writes A Day in the Life of a Moody Person. She has been married to Josh for 8 years. She works for an allergy doctor, but she can't wait for the day she gets to stay home full-time. They have two cats and one dog and they are all named after potato products (fries, tots and chip)!

Rian is a Clicker for Female Factor and Pregnancy Loss.






R&R writes Road Blocks and Rollercoasters. She is a 27 year old teacher dealing with primary female factor infertility. They've been trying to have a child since January 2006 and after successfully becoming pregnant in April 2007, they lost their identical conjoined twins at 9 weeks. They are now starting over at a new clinic. Their first IUI is tentatively schedule for Oct./Nov. and they are considering IVF if they are not successful by January 2008. She also like shopping, going out to eat, bitching about everything, and writing, hence the origin of my blog. :)

She is a Clicker for PCOS (currently Female Factor).


Pam writes the blog, Blood Signs. She is a writer/teacher who lives in the Twin Cities. Currently on leave from teaching, when not procrastinating about writing her novel she spends inordinate amounts of time reading and watching cable on demand. She and her partner have been ttc for three years, most recently with injectibles and IUI. She is the step-mom to a wonderful seven-year-old boy, and the mom to Lucy, a boxer-lab mix, and Henry, an extremely fat cat.

She is a Clicker for GLBT and IUI/IVF.



Chicklet writes Blurb This! She is 31 and has been having a go at this kid thing for almost two years now. While things aren't going her way on that front, she is however lucky enough to live by the beach with a husband who makes her laugh almost every single day. He's the only reason the anger hasn't 100% taken over.

She is a Clicker for General Infertility.





Courtney writes My Journey to Motherhood. She is an EMT-I on an ambulance. She has been married for 2 1/2 years and TTC for 2 years. She is also the Children's Pastor at her church for the last 7 years. She is a PK (preacher's kid), loves music and singing, loves to write and read, and she also loves to cross-stitch. She has 2 wonderful dogs, one of which she uses for Search and Rescue. Diagnosis? Endometriosis, low progesterone, ovulation problems, and male factor.

She is a Clicker for General Infertility.



Kim writes A Someday Mom. Kim has been married for four years and TTC for two. Diagnosis? Wacko levels of prolactin and progesterone, long periods, and short cycles = infertile.

She is a Clicker for General Infertility and More on the Plate.







Sharah writes Outlandish Notions. She is a sassy Southerner who is as sweet as sugar and married to Manly. She is also an engineering nerd and brand-spanking new Ph.D. student. On the rare occasion when she is not studying, she enjoys cross-stitching, baking, and reading sci-fi. She has PCOS, but she ovulates even without drugs; still, she has never seen that elusive second line. She runs an ongoing trivia contest called Game Day and that new players are always welcome to join.

She is a Clicker for In the Beginning and Living Child-Free after Infertility/Loss.


Pamela Jeanne writes Coming2Terms. She started TTC at 29 and spent a dozen years in search of a pregnancy. After Clomid, countless IUIs, herbal remedies, acupuncture and chiropractor visits, she moved to IVF. Two IVF cycles and one FET later, she and her husband reluctantly decided to call a halt to ART and decided to let nature take its course. They are childfree today and are committed to removing the stigma associated with infertility. She is also working on a work of fiction stemming out of her experience with infertility.

She is a Clicker for Living Child Free after Infertility, Male Factor, and TTC Over 35.

Jenna writes Epi-blog and also runs the Inconceivable Journey website. She is the author of The Empty Picture Frame. She is not only funny and talented, but she also held her own against the great Oprah Winfrey...

She is a Clicker for IUI/IVF.







KD writes Karaoke Diva . She is a 30-something bottle redhead living in the Midwest with her husband and son. They've been trying for Kid 2.0 since May 2006 and miscarried at 9 weeks gestation in January 2007 due to Turner’s Syndrome. She has been diagnosed with PCOS and she doesn’t ovulate without a lot of assistance (read: drugs). They've been through over 10 IUIs, medicated with Clomid and lately with Follistim as well. In her free time, she loves to scrapbook, karaoke (duh), and read urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

She is a Clicker for IUI/IVF and Secondary Infertility.


Serenity writes Serenity Now! Currently pregnant after IVF, she lives outside Boston with her husband and cat. She has a spanking new uterus thanks to some surgery and she makes the best 80s mix CDs of all time.

She is a Clicker for IUI/IVF and Uterine Anomalies.







Michelle writes Mommy Someday. She is 36 (soon to be 37) years old. Her husband is 47 (soon to be 48) and they have been trying to have a child since December 2004. She is a primary school teacher and a reading specialist. She loves to read, knit, and watch movies.

She is a Clicker for IUI/IVF and TTC Over 35.






JJ writes Reproductive Jeans. She also runs the Braces Bunch. JJ and Mook are 20-somethings on the journey to pass on their family "jeans." They didn't know it was going to take more than the two of them to make a baby. She must have been asleep during that lesson in Sex-Ed... They are dealing with male factor and female sanity. They have been through one failed IUI and one failed IVF. Next steps TBD.

She is a Clicker for Male Factor.




Farah is the author of Fertilize Me. She lives in Florida and has been TTC for 5 years now. She absolutely loves the ocean. She is a (bad) reality TV junkie. She recently took a liking to wine. She has 2 furbabies (cats). She works in law enforcement. Her husband is the most patient, gentle and loving guy she has ever met. She is about to start injectibles and IUI's. She also put the paperwork in to the state to become foster/adoption parents. She categorizes herself as one that believes in high powers. She is extremely open-minded.

She is a Clicker for Orals, Suppositories, and Injectibles and Religious/Spiritual.

Chris writes Love, Hope, and Faith. She is shamelessly scavenging for support, good vibes, or prayer for her first and last IVF/ICSI cycle starting in September. Other than that, she is here in the trenches of unexplained primary infertility with a splash of advanced maternal age thrown in (says the doctor since she acts as if she is 12). She also has experienced a first trimester miscarriage and D&C.

She is a Clicker for Over 35 and TTC and Unexplained Infertility.



Shelby writes A Sibling for Celia. Currently pregnant after IVF, she is a knitting machine AND she dyes her own yarn.

She is a Clicker for Parenting after IF/pg Loss.








Natalie writes Relaxing Doesn't Make Babies. She is currently pregnant with her first child after IVF. She lives with her husband, two dogs, and two cats. She is a major computer geek (web design and development freelancer) and also works at a cat sanctuary for fun.

She is a Clicker for Pregnancy after Infertility/Loss.






Tina is the author of My Many Blessings. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart and mommy to a greatly loved son, who was just diagnosed with PPD-NOS. She is currently balancing work and motherhood. They were coming to the end of an extended TTC break after 3 miscarriages but are delaying again to make sure their son is in proper, intensive treatment. The diagnosis for her recurrent losses - Homozygous MTHFR and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - and she is being treated successfully now. They will eventually get back to TTC.

She is a Clicker for Pregnancy Loss


Nancy writes for TheNewLifeOfNancy. It's her second blog; her first blog was abandoned due to the ridiculousness of the anonymous. She gets back down to the business of hopefully trying to conceive her third child, while also commenting on the joys of parenting her first two daughters. Nancy went through a bout of temporary IF when it took 18 months to conceive her first. Now, approaching the year mark of TTC #3, she's had quite a few obstacles in her new version of IF.

Nancy is a Clicker for Parenting after IF and Secondary IF.



Sunny is the author of My Journey to My Little Miracle. She can drink you under the table. Sunny and Grumps have been ttc for the past 4 years. She has stage 4 endometriosis. After 9 months of Lupron she became pregnant but lost her little angel to heaven at 8 weeks. They are currently on the wait for an insurance change to do any more treatments.

She is a Clicker for Religious/Spiritual and Pregnancy Loss.





Carole writes The Journey From Here. She is a mother of three: Zak and Abba as well as Joseph who died an hour after he was born. She writes about motherhood after loss.

She is a Clicker for Stillbirth/Neonatal Death.







Cece writes Child Bearing Hips. She lives in a world where knitting, quilting, swimming and motorcycle-riding somehow live in harmony.

She is a Clicker for Unexplained Infertility.

8 comments:

Sunny said...

You did a wonderful job!!!

Bea said...

Welcome all clickers!

Bea

Anonymous said...

I Love Me!!! heeehee... the only thing that could make me better would be a Red Sox penant, but that's because I see a distracting Cubs reference that needs some challenging.
Great job Mel!

~Jenna

ms. c said...

This is just too darn cute! You rock. ANd so do you, all you lovely clickers!

C said...

I love it Mel!:)

Deb said...

Great Job Mel!

Jenna... Would it help to tell you that I am a long time Red Sox fan too? :)

Shauna said...

What a great idea!!

nancy said...

awesome. What I find funny, though, is I have no idea why anyone is holding whatever they have in their arms. Like Sharah has a BIG BAG of sugar. Does she eat sugar "raw"? Is she just super sweet? :)

Mine has roller skates. Of course, EVERYONE knows I've joined the roller derby. So I'm a bonefide roller derby girl. (well, first day is next monday, so we'll see). But it may just look like I don't want to give up my cool roller skating pasttime of the 70s.

Bottom line - I love it Mel. I love all the pictures!