Guest Blogger Kayla

Kayla here! I'm sorry for the long absence between blogs! My life has taken a complicated turn with Hubby temporarily out of work. But that is a blog for another time.
As a TS girl, I have known my whole life that I couldn't conceive naturally and the risks for IVF with a donor egg were high. This can, at times, make it hard to relate to those in my support group. Most ladies there have tried for a long time to conceive before knowing there was as issue, and many continue to try with the help of a specialist only to be disappointed every month.
I can't imagine the heartache of going through trying to conceive like that! I mean, what a roller coaster! And the temptation is there to negate my own pain and struggle. "You've had your whole life to come to terms with this," my mind says, "Suck it up! Count yourself lucky not to go through what they do!"
Truth is though, that the pain of remaining childless is still very real for me. I was not prepared, at all, for how watching what feels like all my friends become parents. I have to remind myself that my pain and struggle is no less valid than any other infertile woman. While I may not go through the same struggles and treatments of those brave ladies who have had infertility thrust on them, my group to be an invaluable source of strength and understanding. Seeing things through their eyes has certainly helped me in my own life and has offered a fresh perspective. And that's always a good thing.
All that to say, if you have a group available or even just a friend without TS who is struggling to start a family, don't be afraid to jump in because you don't feel you belong. Relate where you can, and don't be afraid to share your story because it doesn't come with the same set of heartaches. Remember your already on common ground in wanting to start a family! I have found my support group to be beyond understanding despite my not sharing all their same experiences! So, reach out. If you can. If not for yourself, then for that person who may just need to know someone understands.
I hope someone gleams something from this. I know it has been something I've had to deal with, so maybe I'm not the only one.
Until next time my butterfly sisters!

Guest Blogger Kayla

Hello ladies, it's Kayla again! Like I said in my first blog, I want to focus many of my posts on the infertility aspect of TS. It's not a subject I see discussed often in our community,.but it is an important one. Tomorrow is mother's day. For many of us, this will be a day of joy. But perhaps for some of us TS girls longing to be moms and start their families, it can be a source of pain as well. So how do we manage our hurt and longing? Unfortunately, I have found that you never fully can. However, I have come across some coping techniques that may help lighten the load.
- Feel! Never apologize for or even try to over analyze the emotions that come with infertility. The desire to be a mom has deep roots in hormones and is a chemical response in your brain. It's not something we can always help. So sometimes the best thing to do is just accept the emotions, let them wash over you, and walk through them.
- Seek fellowship. Support groups are a wonderful thing!
- Seek Counciling. One of the best decisions I have made. There is no shame in needing an impartial ear.
- Know and explore your options. You'd be amazed at the options out there for infertial people wanting to start a family. There is hope!
- Work towards a plan of action that works for YOU. Weather you decide to adopt, try IVF, or choose to remain childless, that choice is only yours to make. And nobody else knows best. PERIOD.
- Be honest with yourself. Wether that's knowing what plan is best for you, accepting your physical limitations as a girl with TS, realizing your emotional bounds, or knowing when you just need to sit that old high school friend's baby shower out and send a gift instead.
- Be open. Weather it's to all the world or just one trusted friend, or your spouse, let them know what you are going through. It creates awareness and means you don't have to suffer in silence.
Be proactive. Weather that's saving a little bit, getting your health in order, or whatever it may be. The smallest action that takes you feel like you are one (baby) step closer to your goal is progress indeed and can feel rewarding. And soon you will realize you are your own hope.
Don't take advice lightly. Even this blog! You probably have had a mountian of advice piled on you. But every one of us is unique and so too our journies through infertility. This means we will all have different coping methods and ideas that are best for us as individuals. And that's okay!
THERE IS HOPE!!
I hope you ladies find this helpful. Realize too that I am no more wise than the next person. In fact, I am very much still right there with you, plugging, or rather stumbling, through this heart breaking journey. Just remember there is hope. And no shame in mounds of conciliatory chocolate if need be on Mother's Day.

A Guest Blogger Post...

Hey everyone,

            I hope you’re all doing well. I’ve got an idea for you! Like I’ve said before, it’s always good for us TS girls to give each other advice. So, that’s what we’re going to do here. If you’ve got something you would like to share that hasn’t been talked about as much as you’d like, write a comment about it on this post. Some things may end up repeated, but hey, sometimes that’s not entirely a bad thing, right? What are you waiting for? Get writing! =)

                                                                                                                                    Colleen

Guest Blogger

We have another post from a guest blogger!!! Enjoy:

Hi everyone,

Colleen here! I’ve got some more advice for you, girls.

Do you find that you have a hard time telling others about your TS? If so, here are some tips on how to do so.

*A friend is a friend. If you feel you need to tell him or her, don’t be afraid. He or she should understand.

*If you really feel uncomfortable telling someone, then just don’t. It’s probably better to keep it to yourself. Or, only say the things you feel comfortable with the other person knowing.

*The most important thing is to just be yourself!!!!

Remember, TS shouldn’t define who you are.  Everyone is unique in his or her own special way.

….have any advice of your own? Share!

Another Guest Blogger!

Hey everyone, here is another guest blogger! We hope you enjoy!
Greetings fellow "XO" Girls and wonderful TS Supporters! I'm a new gust blogger here so I suppose I will start with an introduction.
My name is Kayla and I'm from the Middle Of Nowhere, East Texas where I live with a wonderful husband and two fur-babies. I enjoy dance, paranormal investigation, teaching, and all things nerdy. But you aren't here to be bored with that...
As far as TS goes, I was diagnosed with TS at birth when my hips were malformed, and my hands and feet swollen. At age 3 or so, I started growth hormone and continued that until around 14 when I added Estrogen and Progesterone to the mix. I didn't have many symptoms growing up, however, it seems that as I get older, the laundry list grows ever longer; on top of the basic TS issues, I also deal with Osteopenia and Hashimoto's and am currently being tested for blood sugar issues.
The thing that has effected me most of late though, has been infertility. As a married 26 year old with friends having babies babies everywhere, the call to motherhood has been calling with a deafening cacophony of emotions. Thankfully, the Universe has blessed me with a wonderful hubby who was adopted and who is in full support of that option for ourselves. Now it's just a saving money-finishing school-building a house-waiting-waiting-and more waiting-game. This journey isn't always easy, it can be heartbreaking in fact. However, I hope to maybe focus some of my blogs on these issues and share some of my coping methods with other lovely Butterfly Ladies who can't wait to be parents.
Anyway, I suppose that's enough for now. I look forward to all your readership and comments and getting to know you. If you have any suggestions on topics or any of the like, feel free to email me at musickstarz@earthlink.net. Fly free my Butterfly Sisters! Until next time...

XO,
Kayla

Another Guest Blogger!

We are very pleased to announce that we have another guest blogger! Here is her post:
Hello, my name is Larissa. I'm just writing to tell other ts girls and other people how ts has touched my life. I found out that I had ts when I was 16, I'm 19 now. When I was 16 I sill hadn't had my period, so I got worried and talked to my mom and we went to the doc. The doc did a  karyotype test and then found that I had ts. They then did other test to make sure that the other stuff that can come with ts was ok and it was.  My mom and nana was there a lot for me when I found out. I do sometimes have days where it gets to me but I do good most of the time. I hope this helps in anyway

Guest Blogger

We are so excited to announce that we have a guest blogger! If you are interested in being a guest blogger too, then email us!

Hi everyone,

            My name is Colleen Joyce. I’m 16 years old and have Turner’s syndrome. I’ve decided to come here and share my story with you! I was diagnosed in August of 1998, when I was only 3 years old. My mother still tells me about the day she got that phone call. The doctor told my mother what I had, and both my parents were devastated. They didn’t understand what was going to happen from then on. There were many more trips to the doctor, which led to many more questions that needed answers.

            So, I began to understand more of this as I got older. I learned more about what TS really was.  I had to grasp the fact that I was going to be dealing with it for the rest of my life. To be honest, the only thing that really bothers me is not being able to have children. But, I do know that this doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. There are many options out there for girls like us. When I was little, I used to say I’d end up adopting a baby from China because their eyes are so pretty and look like smiles!

            I soon realized that it would be a great idea for me to reach out and help other girls with TS. About six years ago, I created my website titled Colleen’s Turner’s Syndrome Page. I knew that this would be the perfect way for me to do what I felt I had to do. It was a way for other TS girls to connect, and not feel so alone. That’s how I got where I am today! I love meeting new TS girls, and it makes me feel like I did something right. I know that what I’m doing is helping many TS girls around the world; that makes me very happy. So, why don’t you have a look at it? Sign the guestbook if you get a chance! I’d love to hear from you. Visit the site at http://www.freewebs.com/colleenjoyce.