Introduction to "Infertility: Stories of Hope and Inspiration"

When I started recording video diaries of our IVF journey on YouTube I had no idea if one person or 10 people would even bother to watch them. Obviously at that time we have no idea where that journey would take us and what hurdles we would meet along the way. I just figured, whatever way our story went, if sharing it could help even one person then it had to be shared.

I am so incredibly shocked at the amount of people that have watched my videos of our journey over the last few years through 3 IVF ICSI cycles, our missed/silent miscarriage   ,our twin pregnancy, and these days videos with Gracie and Alfie in them and the zillion pictures I put on Instagram each day! (Oh and the random make up/haul vids and tags just for a bit if fun) but I am incredibly humbled and grateful at the friends I have made along the way and the amazing, strong people who have shared their stories with me, opened their hearts to me in messages, acted as cheerleaders to us, asked questions and advice, and offered perspective and encouragement even through their own battles.

Our journey led us to be incredibly blessed with these amazing little people Gracie and Alfie who rock our world every single day. Not a day goes by even now at almost 13 months where we are not pinching ourselves, astonished that they are really here, our beautiful babies.  Though that path I realise wasn't just a path to our wonderful children but a path to all of the incredible people that would touch our lives along the way. Our journey lead is to Gracie and Alfie but it also lead us to lifelong friends to cherish, stories to capture our hearts and to humble us every day. 

I am so grateful to each and every person who has contacted me in one way of another with words of encouragement, stories of hope, and congratulations. To those who not only took the time to watch the videos, but took further time to offer kind words of any way that our story, our journey may have offered them any hope, inspiration or encouragement. That was always the intention so to hear it had reached someone's heart and lifted them or given them hope means the world to me.

Because of this and as a tribute to the incredible people I have "met" I have decided to start a series here on my blog " Infertility: Stories of Hope and Inspiration".

I have reached out to all the people in my networks who I consider my friends and asked them if they would like to share their stories in this series. I am truly overwhelmed at the response I have had so far and so have decided this will be a weekly series whereby I will upload one story each week. 

It is just incredible the amount of people who have said "I will share my story, even if it can help one person........" Exactly where my YouTube diary started a whole world ago. 

I am already crying my eyes out reading the first 3 stories I have been sent. I will be stocking up on tissues.

If you would like to include your story in this series please email me atchelenic@live.co.uk

To all of you, sincerely, thank you.

Love Chele  Tweet