So, I have to be honest. There are Things. That. Annoy. Me. And I cannot keep my pie hole shut. I have to share them.
First, it bugs me a good deal when people do not want to use the First Response Early Results pregnancy tests because they are too expensive. It's true: FRER are not cheap. At Target, they cost $13 for 3. At the dollar store, one can get their store brand version of the test for $1 each. So you could buy 3 for $3 versus 3 for $13. Agreed! Cheaper.
If you are normal and only take one per month, you pay $3.33 more than you need to. (The FRERs can detect pg earlier, but that's an annoying fact for later on in this post). If you are like ME and take all 3 tests each month, you pay $10 more per month.
Here's the illogical and annoying rub for me: if you ARE pregnant, it's going to cost a wee bt more than $10 a month to have a child. And if you can't afford that extra $10/month, you really need to think twice about getting pg. Or just take one test! Then you're only out $3!!!
There are many reasons NOT to use a FRER. It's only good for finding out if you are pg ASAP (like the day after the embryo implanted). If you wait until you're a couple of days and you are officially "late", then you can use the dollar store test. That's what normal people do.
I, of course, am entirely too neurotic to wait that long. I want to take the tests as early as possible, often to see if I can have a guilt free glass of wine (or three) for dinner. So for me, it's worth $3 to enjoy that $10 bottle of wine. (We're cheap on the wine, at least. Oh, who am I kidding. Trader Joe's is in town and we enjoy 2 Buck Chuck now) Wait a minute here, my reasoning is taking an ugly turn. I must now point that that the $10 bottle is now costing me $13 when I use the FRER. The logical meandering is starting to make my head hurt. So let's get back to the point.
If you don't want to test early, then don't. But don't use the excuse that the FRERs cost too much. It's not a valid reason and *that* annoys me.
My other annoyance: people afraid of testing because they are going to get a negative test. Welcome to my world. God bless them if they have the ability to wait until they are 2 weeks late to test. My advice: keep on going!! 5 or 6 months from now if you still don't have your period, you're probably pregnant. Or you're going through menopause.
And I guess what is annoying about those things is that I am a pathetic little person. Other people don't make the same choice as I do, so, well, DAMN! They bug me. That's sad, eh!?!?!
Well, ok, on that self-enlightened note, let's end with the recognition that it's National Sucks To Be Us Week. I'm allowed to be cranky. Go read the other (much better written) article. And then write your congressperson to support in legislation to provide medical coverage for infertility.
And then you can wait with bated breath for my post on how I'm coping with the fact that I'm not 38 1/2 weeks pregnant like I'm supposed to be.
Amen!
ReplyDeletePlus, FRER are easy to take apart, pull out the dye strip and hold up to the sunlight so you can see if those pigments of your imagination are there or not.
I've enjoyed reading your blog for a while (amazing what you find when you google implatation dip) and I just couldn't resist commenting on this post!
The number of children per woman in the U.S. is still over the rate of replacement. (Your immigration rate is quite low at this time. So population growth is through reproduction mainly.) I can't remember exactly what it is, but you people are breeding more than we are. Given that, I don't see why (because it's always gotta be a 'why' the government would legislate funding for fertility assistance). Americans don't seem to require encouragement to create families. I know plenty of American families with four, five, six and seven!!!! children! It's quite unusual by Canadian standards. The only young families that I know here with largish families are Mennonite farmers and Ultra Orthodox (Hassidic)Jews.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada the birth rate is low. Our population growth is through immigration. People come here because they want a better life for their children. After they get here they realize that our society is not 'child friendly' so they don't have the children they wanted to provide with a 'better life'. Ironic.
I've done an informal survey of my patients over the past 20 plus years: According to my (probably not large enough to be significant) data, (but it is longterm timewise following the same people through decades)women who have four children are the most satisfied mothers. Mothers of three are more satisfied than mothers of two. Mothers of two sons are much more satisfied than mothers of a boy and a girl. Depending on culture of origin, mothers of two girls are just as happy as mothers of two boys. Sometimes there are surprises: like when Chinese couples from The PRC would have prefered to have a girl. ??/!!!
Grandmothers who have four children and a multitude of grandchildren are like the cat who swallowed the canary.
Satisfaction appears to be something that mothers develop/acquire with age. When the kids are grown up, independant and thriving in their own families, mothers really come into their own. It almost (not quite) makes me believe that our purpose in life is to become grandmothers. (I'm not all that interested in the job. For now.)
gk
OMG ANITA!!! I just laughed so hard about the two buck chuck part I peed!!!
ReplyDeleteOkay. I would SOOOO not buy it because it was "too expensive." I would be that person. That said, I have also found myself annoyed when people say they don't buy something (that I think is important) because it's "too expensive." Because I think I am both thrifty, and a good judge of value. But what I have observed is, "too expensive" does not usually have anything to do with "I can't afford it." All it means is "I have limited funds and I would rather spend the $3.33 on something else." Next time someone says that to you, check to see if they're wearing Kirkland jeans. (tee hee) Bet they're not. Let's see... $3.33 a month times eight months equals a new pair of Levi's. (Do people still wear Levi's? They stills show up at the thrift store, so I guess so.) :)
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'm sorry for the challenges you face on brining another baby into the world. I truly wish you much luck in getting preggers. ((Hugs))
ReplyDeleteOh, and I was totally the one buying the most expensive/first response tests with my kids - I didn't care!! I just wanted to know!! LOL!
Good luck!
p.s. I hope my comment wasn't annoying. :)
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, it's judgment. (You're wasting your money if you're buying that).
And who wouldn't be annoyed by that.