Last weekend we closed (i.e. paid a lot of money) on the kitchen cabinets and countertop at Lowes. It took about two hours to make the changes we wanted and finish the deal. During this time we learned that our sales guy there had four kids: an 8 year-old girl who was from an IUI, 4 year-old boy twins from an IVF, and another 4 year-old boy born less than a year later who was a surprise and from a "natural" pregnancy.
Our guy Mike said that they spent $19K last year on daycare, which is more than we paid for the countertop and cabinets last weekend.
Mike had his own kitchen business for 18 years but said he got tired of chasing people for money. So he decided to give working for Lowes a shot. His wife works at a local university. I'm not sure what kind of work she does.
Point of this? It's always amazing when I just encounter other people who have gone through this stuff. Much of the time in the real world I feel like a total minority in the infertility game, except for my friends online. But apparently we are everywhere. I wonder how many other people I've encountered who have been through it and who I will never know about.
We are everywhere. I'm usually very open about it - I see no point in keeping it a secret. And I've been blunt about asking others when I've guessed there's an issue; and I've always been right (luckily!).
Posted by: maggie | May 19, 2007 at 11:37 AM
We ARE everywhere, unfortunately it really is the big secret I just wish everyone would talk about.
As for daycare costs, man do I get that. For a few years, daycare costs were higher than our mortgage. Depressing actually.
Posted by: Aurelia | May 19, 2007 at 01:12 PM
What's funny to me is that I feel like I keep meeting other people who exclusively pump or have other pumping issues.
Wow, 3 four-year-olds.
How exciting about the new kitchen!
Posted by: Eva | May 20, 2007 at 01:05 PM