It's that time of year again...so soon?

So all infertiles know that it's infertility awareness week.  Based on my own experiences, here's some helpful guidance if someone you know (or don't know) is dealing with infertility.

Things that don't help.

1. Complaining about how tough of a time you've had getting pregnant.  I know, that one IUI cycle you did (that got you pregnant) and that clomid you used for 2 months (that got you pregnant again) were pretty stressful but the two women you are complaining to just had miscarriages and it took them YEARS to have their only child.  So um, shut up.
2. Upon hearing the news that I had a non-viable pregnancy, telling me that your friend who was separated but not quite divorced and got pregnant by her married boyfriend because both of them were too lazy to use birth control and had an abortion said "the bleeding wasn't that bad."  Not the same.  Not the same at all. 
3. Having the Walgreens clerk look at the two boxes of pregnancy tests I am buying for my latest IVF cycle and smirk and say "Trying, or just making sure?"  
4. Having Target clerk look at my daughter in the cart and ask how many children I have.  When I reply "one" tell me that I should have more, because I don't want an only child.  
5. Don't tell an infertile person you "know" that they'll have a baby.  Sometimes they don't.  

Things that do help.

1. Having your friend call to find out the results of your beta and finding out it's negative, having her say "I'm so sorry, that just SUCKS" and knowing by her voice that she really means it.
2. Having a mom who gets it.  One who cries with you and tells you that you don't deserve anything that's happened.  And when you're finally lucky to have a baby, one that tells you every chance she gets that you're a good mother.
3. Having a friend who gets it.  Doesn't even have to be an infertile friend.  I have a super fertile friend who knew that I'd recently had a miscarriage.  She called me to tell me she was pregnant before she told our book club.  She said she felt guilty because it was easy for her to get pregnant and she has friends who struggle with it and she wanted to be sensitive to my feelings.  
4. Hearing a hard luck success story.  Yes, the 7 IVFs story makes me hopeful.  
5. Vodka.  Chocolate chip cookies.  Running.  Maybe that's just me though.