“I refuse to feel ashamed, and I want to be open and honest about my experience.”
Sportscaster Erin Johnson, widely recognized for her coverage of the NFL, recently garnered attention with a heartfelt essay discussing her fertility challenges. The 43-year-old revealed that she has endured seven cycles of IVF in her quest to conceive with her husband, Mark Thompson, a journey that began when she was 35 years old.
In a candid Facebook post, Erin shared insights about her struggles, noting how her latest IVF cycle coincided with the busy NFL season, adding stress as she juggled her demanding career alongside the “time-consuming and emotionally taxing” treatments.
“I made the decision to communicate with my producers about needing to come into work a bit later due to daily fertility appointments. I’m grateful I did,” she explained. “They encouraged my openness because this is real life. I’m not just stepping out for a yoga class; I’m trying to start a family. I’m done feeling ashamed, and I want to share my story.”
Many women face similar feelings of embarrassment and inadequacy, but Erin aims to dismantle the stigma surrounding IVF and “shift the dialogue” about it. “It can feel awkward when your name is called in the waiting room. You think, ‘I want this to be private, I don’t want anyone to know,’ but I don’t care anymore! It’s tough, but I’m right there with so many other women who are experiencing the same thing,” she reflected. “It’s a club that no one wants to join. We’re all going through this together, even if it feels lonely.”
Despite the daunting odds, Erin remains hopeful that one of these cycles will yield the joyous outcome she has been striving for over the years. “While I sat in the waiting room last week, I gave myself a pep talk! I thought, ‘You’re 43, you’re giving this a shot!’ People said Tom Brady was done, but look at him now! Anything is possible, why not us?”
“Now that it’s my seventh round, it struck me. Why am I keeping this such a secret? This is just part of our lives,” she wrote. “Instead of feeling shame, we need to be kinder to ourselves. It’s incredibly tough, and it can feel isolating. But many of us are in this together, and it’s just not openly discussed.”
As she continues to hope for a miracle, Erin’s crucial message to others in similar situations is that they don’t have to endure this journey alone. “The fertility clinic can be overwhelming, but we’re not alone. You never know who else is facing similar challenges; it could be a colleague or someone you see daily. There are more people out there than you might realize.”
For more on topics related to fertility and pregnancy, check out this blog post, which offers additional insights. If you’re looking for resources, visit WomensHealth.gov for valuable information on pregnancy and home insemination.