Chris-Uh-oh, I hope nobody saw that. I looked around before sneakily reaching down and ‘adjusting myself.’ Glance around a few more times, and slowly walk back into the isle that Candace is shopping in. Let’s be honest, for supposedly being the tougher of the two sexes, we definitely do not have a lot of public confidence. What’s more, our ego is possibly the most fragile substance on Earth. Far more fragile than eggs and look at how carefully packaged those are. Well, our egos don’t get such luxuries. They are out there, in the raw, exposed. Oh we try to make sure that they are untouchable. We are tough, nothing is getting past all the psychological and social barriers we put between the outside and our breakable, endangered ego. So, when we hear from the RE (reproductive endocrinologist) that we could be to blame, we go through the 5 stages of what I would call Man-Cope.
Stage 1: Feign Ignorance– wait, what do you mean there could be an issue with the number of my sperm, how they are shaped, how they swim? I never heard of that before. That doesn’t even make sense.
Stage 2: Dismission– okay so that is not a word, but it seemed like it fit for this clinical speak. We dismiss the issue. They haven’t even done a sperm analysis yet and there is no true evidence that your issues with having a family lie in your court, but still you dismiss even the most remote possibility that the issues is with you. You are not insinuating that it is your significant other; that would be selfish. You are too big of a man, your heart is too big to allow yourself to even remotely put the blame on her. But still, it can’t be you.
Stage 3: Explain Away– even if it is a little off, let’s say my sperm count is a little low, or my sperm are a little near-sighted, we have had plenty of sex. There is no way that it can be me. I have a billion million sperm each time. We don’t need to test me. There is no way.
Stage 4: Procrastinate– maybe I will get to it when we have checked everything else out with my significant other. Let’s make sure that there can be no faults with her. Maybe they should check her hormone levels again.
Stage 5: Protect– I will consider doing this, but I will not, ever, ever, let my ego get threatened. I will tell NO ONE. I will act like it is a last resort, like every other option has been tried and I could be the key that solves the problem. Hey, I kind of like the sound of that. I saved the day. Man card renewed. But, damn, there is no way this news can get out. That I had to submit my manliness to testing is ego-threatening enough.
Guys, here is the thing. You have to remember that to make a family, you both have to go ‘all-in.’ That means, putting that fragile ego out there. You know what, if you put it out there, own that you are exposing it, it makes it stronger. I have submitted my Chris-lympic swim team to testing several times. Guess what, my numbers are low, my motility is not great, I think the morphology is fine. Whew, 1 out of 3 anyway. But it’s out there. We have had trouble conceiving and part of it is my fault. So be it. That doesn’t mean we will try any less and we have more information in our arsenal to attack this infertility monster with. Sounds kind of manly to me. Guys, submit your sperm samples, get it tested, and move on to hopefully the next stage, family building. I got your back.
Candace-I only have a few words on this. It is pretty sucky being on the receiving end of all of the objects that has been in your lady’s hoo-ha while spread eagle in a stirrups. For the guys, it is not about the pain I suppose more the vulnerablity of exposing yourself. (This is also talking about the same sex that makes fart sounds with their armpits, but I get it.)
I hear the clinics offer a fluffy sterile couch, some tasteful yet captivating movies and some light reading for the guys to help them along in the process. Point is, making a baby takes two people, two contributions of bio-matter and more importantly two people to commit to wanting a family. It’s like this, you can’t get a touch down pass, without your quarterback throwing it to you. Personally for me, there is nothing more sexy than a man who is brave enough to expose himself in order to commit to a family.
For more information on male infertility check out http://www.dontcookyourballs.com/ Yes, just the name alone makes this a pretty flipping awesome site.
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This post came at the perfect time for my husband and I. I have one child through a previous relationship and all of my testing thus far (I have one more hormone level check) has come back fine. His however, hasn’t. His count is low and the ones he does have have no motility. Not low, none at all. That being said, I’ve been told plenty that of ALL the fertility problems outside of unexplained infertility, this is the easiest to attempt to work on and “fix”. I keep telling my husband that but I know his ego is hurt, his man-card slightly battered. I’ll definitely be having him read this when he gets home from work tonight. Thanks for sharing it.
Very cool to hear such a candid male perspective. Thank you 🙂
I would love to debate the “stronger of the two sexes” comment. But this post is too perfect. Nice to see an honest male perspective.
Cestlavie22– OH I got this… Chris this is Candace- when you are sick, you are the biggest baby I know. I once went to work (for a few days mind you) with a balloon cathiter in me, and partially dangling out of my hoo-ha. Very disturbing. Yeah yeah yeah, you had brain surgeries and all of that but pretty sure the women win the Emmy on “the stronger of the 2 sexes” I have also seen you hung over. Case in point.