Without question, fertility treatment isn’t cheap. Or to put it another way, quality treatment – which gives you access to all the available science and technology, along with guidance from a reproductive endocrinologist – isn’t cheap.

In honor of Veterans Day, we asked Tyler and Crystal Wilson, who have worked tirelessly for necessary medical coverage for “wounded warriors” (military personnel injured in active service who have been denied fertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization), to use their voice as a shining example of how advocacy works. The Wilsons know, from their own personal experience, the pain and frustration of having injuries that make it impossible to have children without medical treatment due to active military service. Thank you, Tyler, both for your service to our country and to your fellow service people, regarding building a family after a debilitating injury.

My observation is that we have gotten away from the natural order of things. With the advent of modern technology, many of us are less in touch with nature than ever before. Days can go by without our feet ever touching the earth, even during the hot summer months. This is especially true for someone challenged by the rigors of infertility. It’s hard for our feet to touch the ground when we’re so caught up in the everyday hormone injections and necessary fertility treatment procedures. The process becomes so all-consuming that we can forget the simple beauty that comes with each day. How long has it been since you have walked in the woods, stood by the ocean, or marveled at the full moon? With the start of fall, this is a good time to offer ourselves yet another chance to truly enjoy the beauty of the season by reconnecting with the universe as well as reconnecting with ourselves. I have always found comfort in the understanding that the laws of the universe apply to all.