[blparent] Question for Single folks who may have tried ArtificialInsemination, IVF or similar things

Fri Feb 6 04:56:47 UTC 2015

Michelle, I'm gagging along with you.  I wish I could say I'm surprised by 
the narrow-minded attitudes of sighted people in general and the medical 
community in particular, but I'm not.  I've been through eight years of 
infertility treatments, and although I stopped short of considering 
artificial insemination or IVF as options for myself and eventually 
conceived a baby and carried her to term--to my utter shock and complete 
joy--I understand your agony to the extent that one human being can 
empathize with another.

Beyond empathy and strengthened resolve to educate a woefully ignorant world 
one idiot at a time, I can't offer you much except encouragement to keep 
looking.  Do you have to get a referral in Canada before you can go to a 
fertility clinic, or can you visit one on your own?  What about clinics in 
the U.S.?  Is there an organization in Canada that advocates for the blind?

Also, when I was having trouble with difficult family members who doubted my 
ability to be a parent and wanted to take my baby away from me at birth, I 
contacted a wonderful organization called Through the Looking Glass.  It's 
an advocacy group for parents with disabilities.  I don't know if the 
services of that organization would include would-be disabled parents who 
want to try artificial insemination, or if they serve Canadian parents, but 
it couldn't hurt to contact them at www.lookingglass.org.  They might know 
where to point you, at least.

Best of luck, and don't give up!
Jo Elizabeth

Truth is tough. It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch; nay, you may 
kick it about all day like a football, and it will be round and full at 
evening.--Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Michelle Creedy via blparent
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2015 8:11 PM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] Question for Single folks who may have tried 
ArtificialInsemination, IVF or similar things

Hello List

I know this is a somewhat personal topic, but I need some advice. In my
single state, I've been pondering having a baby. I'm now off disability and
all that and feel that I would like to consider artificial insemination. I
just had the most distressing thing happen to me! I'd gone to see my family
doctor who was supportive about the whole thing. He promised to make a
referral for me. I called my doctor to ask where the referral was too. He
said that the clinics all said I wouldn't pass the social test because I'm
blind. It was the single and blind thing together. Made some remark about
babies choking and all that. I told him about all the capable blind parents
I know. I was hoping he may try to advocate on my behalf but no. You
wouldn't know when the baby was choking. He seemed supportive and I don't
know whether he just didn't know what to say. He clames he believes in me
and has had my file sitting on his desk not sure how to call me. Apparently,
the doctors all believe I'd not pass because I'd need 24/7 care with me.
That honestly almost made me gag!

I plan on calling around to fertility clinics tomorrow. I also plan on
talking to my lawyer.

I'm in Canada in case anyone has Canadian experience with this.

God bless the Federation as I try to write Sunday's sermon! That's not going
all that well. All I feel like doing is standing up in the pulpit and
ranting about sighted people's attitudes about blindness but we all know
I'll be a good little minister and not do that.

Michelle

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