15 August 2014

Keeping Private Things Private

This topic has been on my mind (and in my drafts folder) for a while now, and as we're inching closer to starting our first IVF cycle, I felt like it was time I finally write this out.  I'm pretty sure that anyone who has documented their experiences with infertility has dealt with this dilemma - I want to share my story, but this is also a sensitive time and equally sensitive subject, and there are things that I'd like to keep private.

Figuring out the balance of sharing vs. keeping private is especially difficult because we're pretty "out" about our experiences with infertility and treatment.  Both of our immediate families are mostly aware of what we're going through, as are some close friends, and anyone who has been following along here or on Twitter.  Oh, and anyone who read B's blog post last fall that he shared on Facebook.  So I guess that means there are quite a few people who have some knowledge about our infertility.  For a long time, I really didn't mind sharing (over-sharing, even) the details of our treatment cycles, what next steps were, and so on.  But as we're getting deeper into treatment, I'm finding myself wanting to hold some things back, sharing a little less, including a few less details.

The major bit of information that I'm most cautious about sharing is the outcome of the cycle.  I'm still debating how and when I would share if the cycle is a success (if it's a failure, there's a pretty good chance I'll be bitching about it), but I think it's a decision that will be made by B and I when we get closer to finding out the results.  In the meantime, I think I'm going to stick with my current method of sharing - talking about real details with close family and friends, and sharing more broad information on social media and such (not in real-time).  Hopefully this plan works out, and we'll be able to continue sharing and getting support while still maintaining a bit of privacy during this crazy time.

No comments:

Post a Comment