Author: Elizabeth Swire-Falker
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher:Riverhead Trade; Riverhead Ed edition (April 6, 2004)
ISBN-13: 978-1573223812
ISBN-10:1573223816

I got this book from Singapore National Library. Interesting title! But how is the content? Is it as interesting as the title?
First of all, this book is written by Elizabeth Falker, a lawyer who is struggling from infertility with trying IVF five times. She finally decided to give up with the struggle and pick adoption for her motherhood. So from the background, you will see that the book is more how she shared her struggling with infertility. she shared her own personal experience and offers insight into what challenges to expect along the way-from getting support to finding the right doctor into dealing with insurance. Heartfelt, honest and well-informed flowered with some jokes, the author gave a well-documented personal experience. However coz the author is not with medical background, don’t expect this book with the detail of medical treatment option. She though explored also about IUIs, IVF and some of mostly infertility related sickness but she tell in patient way not in doctor’s way. For me she’s lacking with medical theory and the medicine related. Should this book call a infertility survival handbook? Handbook for me is like a bible. Calling this book as a handbook is just not right.

I recommend you if you’re purchasing an infertility book you’re probably find it which is dealing with yourself. Infertility is a complex problem. You will not get good and complete inform from the book which covers all like this book. However if you just borrowed from library or friends, this book is OK to read. Yeah just OK not great.
Score: 3 out of 5

Below I copy from the cover of the book:

From the Author
People often ask me why I decided to write this book and why I chose to be so honest and straight-forward about what it’s like to be infertile. The answer is simple: I was confused by the information I found on infertility treatment and I felt tremendously isolated and alone. I was walking to my car after an acupuncture session one day and I was angry (why me?), frustrated (for every step forward it seemed we were taking two steps backward), confused (was the acupuncture really a waste of time and money?). But most of all I was scared – was I ever going to have the baby I dreamed of and longed for?
I wandered into a bookstore hoping to find “the one book” that could help me deal with my pain and confusion. Book after book was written by physicians who seemed to know nothing about what infertility was like for the patient (clearly these men had all impregnated their wives on the first try). They may have explained what a Hysterosalpinogram involved, but none of the books told me how absolutely horrific it was to live through or why it’s so important to have it done.
And so it began: endless research and a decision to go so painfully public with my own story that my family is still trying to recover (sorry guys!). I chose to be honest because I knew that if I was open about my experience then someone reading the book might not feel so isolated. The research I did for the book made me empowered – no longer fearful or confused, I was able to take power back and gain some control over my life. There was so much I didn’t know, so much that was unsaid about being infertile; I chose to change that. No one should feel alone and confused as they wander down the street aching for a baby. (And by the way, acupuncture does work. Research now proves that undergoing acupuncture during an IVF cycle increases pregnancy rates!)

It was Saturday morning almost 9AM. After had light breakfast we rushed to MRT station. We had appointment to my Obgyn doctor Prof. Ng. Soon Chye from Gleneagles hospital at 9:50. My home is some how 45 min to city but Gleneagles nearest MRT station is Orchard which still needs 15 min by bus. Board at the train I asked my hubby whether we just stopped at Outrampark station and catch taxi to gleneagles. My hubby said “Don’t worry, we still have enough time”. My anxious was occur. at 9:50 we were still at Raffles Place interchage and still have to wait the delayed train. Finally we took taxi from orchard to gleneagles. Arrived at the clinic, some one has leaped our queue.

Fortunately we don’t have to wait so long for our turn. This was my second visit to Prof.Ng. I came to Prof.Ng coz my previous doc Prof Jacob from Sam Marie Jakarta refers me to him. later on I knew that Prof.Ng was one of the team in the first IVF successful program in Asia. He is very nice, calm and caring doctor. He gave us our lab test results. the results are not so pleasant. It was OK with my hubby but mine still… my old problem high FSH! Today is my day 12^th of my menses. Prof.Ng ultrasound me to check whether I am ovulating or not. and the results is… like usual. NONE. Even it happened all the time that I had no follicle detected but still it shocked me. Didn’t I try anything for this, from western, massage to acupuncture. Didn’t I give my sacrifice enough for this from leaving my job, dropping my study until leaving my business. why the results still seemed like 4 years ago. oh Gusti Allah.. tell me what should I do? I want to pregnant now even I want to pregnant yesterday… I just can’t wait anymore..

I left Doctor Ng’s room with miserable feeling. My hubby cheered me up with asking me to get Elle bag for me as my late birthday present. my birthday was 4^th april. My old Elle bag has been crumples, so I mentioned my hubby about Elle bag for birthday present. Off course I’m very pleased to accept my hubby offer. Arrived in orchard we directly headed for Paragon. My friend curie said before there is discount for elle. looking at the shop directory. I saw nothing about elle shop. then I asked the reception lady. she said”no elle shop at paragon” waks? curie must give us wrong mall name. I tried to call her. no answer then we decided to go to Takashimaya. No elle bag so far. then we decided to go to orchard point as we guessed maybe what curie mentioned is orchard point not Paragon where they are close. Then my phone rang. It was curie. she told me that the discounted elle is in Metro dept store in Paragon. so we went to paragon again. but o o .. it was heavy rain outside. no way we can cross the street with the windy heavy rain. so we went back to takashimaya. we were looking for tunnel headed to lucky plaza. the tunnel gate was found but it was under construction. we could not pass. so we decided to go to kinokuniya bookstore at takashimaya. on the way to the shop we ‘re passing Louis Vuiton. My hubby asked me whether I would change my mind from elle to louis vuiton. No way! I just don’t dare to spare my money on such thing. beside we have to queue to entrance as the shop limits their guess. taking the elevator we saw takashimaya bazaar on the basement. so.. kinokuniya is not interesting anymore. Viola.. I found elle bag. but I could not find my wished bag. so I still ask my hubby to comeback to paragon. back to paragon. I could not find my model and they are not discounted either. so we come back again to takashimaya. at this time my hubby just said let me rest you find your self. OK dokey. I just went quick to grab my bag.

our jalan-jalan is still going on. My hubby asked me to go to Vivocity at harbor front. We’ve never been there as vivo is quite new mall. Vivo city is the biggest mall in Spore. what we are looking for is tempat makan. my stomach has been clanking. right just entering the mall. someone called my hubby’s name. What a small world we met indonesian friend here. I am happy we found halal food junction and the best here is they totally seperate the halal and non halal counter. the dishes from halal counter are not allowed to bring to non halal and the other way as well. The foods are good. what a good and comfort place to eat. we definitely will come back to this place.

After eating we are heading to vivo gate which is connected to harbor. after long exploring. we’re finally found. the place is nice enough facing to the sea with wood floor board remembered us to sydney harbor at lunapark except the View! in sydney harbor front, the view is the astonished harbor bridge together with operahouse. But here the view is such spoiled container piles. though we still saw some fine things like gondola kereta gantung and trains which are going to and from sentosa island. others? no special! we didn’t spend much time at this board coz looking around what we saw just flirting couples. my husband whispered me it must be more couples at night. not comfort with the place then we find other part of vivo which is heading to harbor. we find it. not really nice also but at least here more families with children enjoy the day. our last exploration for today was all japanese shop. A Japanese shop but almost the items made in China. I was looking for wood massage hammer as my back always in pain while I shop groceries. tra ta.. I find it. wow it’s only $2! worth to buy. Thanks hubby for the birthday present and a fatigue day. you’re just brilliant to change my mood from a miserable morning. love you .