The Fruits of Our Labor

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“Each life creates endless ripples.” – Frank Herbert

This summer I was idly chatting with the mom of one of Miss O’s school friends at a pool party. Our conversation switched to careers and she mentioned that she is a nurse at the fertility clinic that I used to become pregnant via IVF (in-vitro fertilization). What’s more, she works on the team of Dr. Dudley, my fertility specialist.

When I revealed that, her eyes grew wide. She looked at me for a long moment, she looked at eight-year-old Miss O, she looked at four-year-old Mr. D, she looked back at 54-year-old me, and her eyes were full. She’d never met a baby of one of her patients. Even though I wasn’t directly her patient, it was like seeing the fruit of her labor.

There are times that I forget that I had kids in a non-traditional way. I have no problem talking about it, as I recently did on the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast with the amazing Vicki Atkison. But often it’s just that life right NOW is so busy, I forget about way back then.

Everything is timed to a T in the IVF process. This drug here, that test there, the implantation of the embryo, then a blood draw on day 10 to see if you’re pregnant. If you are, the due date is an exact calculation from the calendar. The fertility clinic, at least in my case, sees you until you are at ten weeks along. Then you transfer to an obstetrician and may never see them again.

One of my dad’s favorite parts of being a pastor was that he felt it was such an honor to be a part of the many sacred moments of people’s life – birth, baptism, marriage, death. To see the whole story.

But my acquaintance, the nurse, usually only gets to see that one part of the story. I remember sending a birth announcement to the fertility clinic when I had my babies. I gather from her wet and twinkling eyes that’s not the same as seeing these kids do a cannonball at a pool party.

There are a lot of times we never see the impact of our life – the way we touch other people with a smile, a question, or a reply. So, I love the stories of the full circle moments when we do get to see the fruits of our labor, even if “those fruits” just got you wet at a pool party. All the better to hide the tears.

For a related story about the IVF process, please see my Heart of the Matter post, The Courage To Try.

(featured photo from Pexels)

54 thoughts on “The Fruits of Our Labor”

  1. Pingback: The Courage to Try – The Heart of the Matter

  3. I love this! Not just for the nurse who got to see a couple of lively kids she had had a hand in bringing into the world, but also om a bigger scale, how we can impact other people’s lives and never know how our little part played into the picture. What a beautiful gift this nurse has had!

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    1. Oh, Tamara, what a spot on comment. All the ways we impact other people’s lives and never know. Not until a random conversation reveals some beautiful synchronicity. Love your take on this! ❤

      Liked by 1 person

  5. What a meaningful happenstance. Getting to see the fruits of HER labor (!) would have had such unexpected and special meaning for her. What a great reminder of the importance of her work. Great post.

    Liked by 5 people

  7. I love the story of the chance meeting, the deeper understanding that you both gained, and the insight you gain about the impact of our lives – even the brief encounters. It’s a rally helpful story. Thanks Wynne.

    Liked by 3 people

  8. As Vicki and I have discussed a bit, the best therapists can do is hear a story about what became of a patient and her life after treatment. In some cases, we know we made it possible for those individuals to set suicidal plans aside and choose life.

    I think your nurse/acquaintance saw something even more powerful: two beautiful lives that would not have existed for a moment but for the work done by her fellow medical professionals — the calling to which she and they have devoted their lives.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Ah, I can imagine how knowing stories about your patients would be both helpful and rewarding. Love your comment about what my nurse acquaintance saw – so beautiful!

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  10. “There are a lot of times we never see the impact of our life – the way we touch other people with a smile, a question, or a reply.” I’m with you Wynne, I love the full circle moments where we see the interconnections and how we touch others. I love that part of the story. I think that’s one of the reasons I love blogging so much, to see the “rest of the story” moments!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

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  11. What a touching story, and what a moment for the nurse. Last winter we lost the beautiful soul who married me and my husband and baptized my son and a niece and nephew. I missed his memorial service, but my brother reported that at one point the congregation was asked to stand if they’d been married by this man. And to stand if their children were baptized by him. Not many were left sitting.

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  12. What a wonderful connection and moment to meet with someone from your doctor’s practice. My best friends in Santa Barbara tried IVF and it was not successful. Our DIL wanted to harvest eggs prior to her chemo, but they said her cancer is too aggressive and there was time for all that timing you’re talking about.

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  16. What a small world, Wynne! And how wonderful that through your conversation, she was able to see her work come full circle. It’s so important for individuals to see the outcomes, even if indirect, of their work.

    I know of a friend who is going through IVF and my goodness, it truly is a process. I’m glad it worked for you twice!

    Liked by 3 people

  18. Goosebumps and moist eyes reading this, Wynne. As someone who needed medical intervention to get pregnant when I was married, and as the aunt of a college student conceived after three IVF attempts, I can imagine the emotions swirling with the nurse/mom at the pool party. Here’s to the fruits of our labor. Beautiful post ❤️

    Liked by 4 people

  19. This is exactly like when I write a blog post for a client and then see it live on their website!

    (And by “exactly like,” I mean, nothing at all like. But it’s the closest analogy I could think of.)

    Liked by 2 people

  22. What a great story Wynne, and what a coincidence! I bet seeing your kids was a very special and validating moment for the important work she does but never gets to follow it to the birth of the child. I can imagine her tears of joy. It really does make you think about the work we do and how our love, time, kindness, service, presence might not seem like a lot but has a hidden impact that we don’t necessarily get to see. Hugs, C

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    1. I love how you connect the dots – love, time, kindness, service, presence. Those are such beautiful gifts we give every day to each other. Thanks for yours!

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  23. “There are a lot of times we never see the impact of our life – the way we touch other people with a smile, a question, or a reply. So, I love the stories of the full circle moments when we do get to see the fruits of our labor, even if “those fruits” just got you wet at a pool party. All the better to hide the tears.” I love how you connect the dots Wynne. Nice post

    Liked by 3 people

  24. Pingback: Use Your Words - Wise & Shine

  25. True we rarely know what becomes of someone beyond our moment with them in life. I also love a good update (card or email), but nothing beats witnessing someone’s growth, and life moment in person. Your father was lucky to often see the full circle of life. Thank you for sharing. ❤

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