Blog Post # 200 & New Chapters

This is my 200th post to this blog since August 2005 (about 9 and 1/3 months). I actually cannot believe I am at 200. It feels like a moment ago I was at 100 posts much less even just starting this blog. I started the blog just for me to talk my thoughts through in some form and have found that it evolved into a proactive vehicle to get involved in the DC community in a positive form. Hopefully some of you have found you are not alone by my being out here.

I am proud to say that as a result of this blog other men have begun their own blogs chronicling their journeys through infertility and DI. It's a hard enough subject to deal with much less to address it publicly when you are in the middle of it and I applaud both Richard, Max and others out there.

From starting this blog I was invited to take over as owner and moderator of the DI Dads Yahoo Discussion Group. Today I approved our 50th member to join the group. For the men that have found the group I know it has made an impact. The support of others in the same position have given many of these men the abiilty to feel more comfortable asking their questions. Whether they have decided DI is right for their families or not is second only to their making informed decisions which they can live with and feel are the right ones to them. The DI Dads group was founded under the idea that in a private setting these men can open up where otherwise there was no safe place they could go and not feel ashamed or embarrased by these discussions.

Within the coming weeks I hope to launch a new blog tentatively titled "DI Dads Speak Out" where some of the Discussion Group members will add another face to the issues of male factor infertility as it relates to decisions surrounding DI. The idea is again that if more men can speak publicly about these issues others will be empowered to positively address them as well. Whether you are pro or con on the issue of DI, for the children and adults conceived via DI we need to take steps to erase long standing stigmas and to address all the issues (i.e. openness and identity issues) in the light in order to have honest discussions. I hope the new blog can add to that discussion.

My long term goals are still to create a national US based donor conception support organization harnessing the energies of all the DC constituenties. Maybe by Post #200 I will be able to provide an update to you in that area.

Thank you for stopping by along your travels.

- Eric