Mask on…..Mask off

Happy International Women’s Day…..….this year‘s theme #breakthebias speaks volumes to my cause.

Imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world where differences are valued and celebrated. A world where we can speak about pregnancy loss, infertility and various fertility treatments without fear of judgement, ridicule and being discriminated against…

Then we could all walk with our ’invisible’ masks off…

I remember in January 2017 when I returned to work after the December holidays. That is when I started wearing a mask (way before the pandemic hit our shores)

An ‘invisible’ mask of a numb and/or brave face. This is after I had a surgery to remove my no-longer viable pregnancy. An ‘invisible’ mask which was worn to shield myself every time I left the comfort of my home.

It allowed me to smile at others and congratulate them on their great pregnancy news. It allowed me to laugh off the “when are you having a baby?” questions. It allowed me to get the job done without allowing any emotions to interfere with my ability to perform my daily tasks.

However, my mask would immediately come off as soon as I reached home. On other days, home would simply be too far, and my mask would fall off whilst driving. Then all the suppressed emotions would burst out…. And the uncontrollable tears would come tumbling down my cheeks. I am not generally a crier but GEEZ this journey forced me to confront every fiber of my emotions. The tears of disappointment, failure and frustration, the feelings of loneliness & isolation and the perplexity as to why all of this was happening to us (as a couple) and to me as a (woman)

I am in solidarity with everyone breaking the bias to have conversations about issues that are affecting us …may we break the social ills faced by all women esp to do with infertility

Happy 2022 International Women’s Day