There is a drive within the genetic code of human beings that can be as urgent as the need for food, water, or sleep. It is the urge to procreate. When Kelly Damron and her husband tried to have children in 2001 she had to deal with the problem of infertility. She was finally able to conceive only to have her twin daughters born prematurely in 2004. Then after their troubled birth, Kelly found herself experiencing postpartum depression. She went on to join the march of Dimes as an active volunteer in 2006 and became the co-chair of the Family Teams Committee for the March for Babies (formerly known as WalkAmerica). She was the Mission Family presenter for the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event on May 17, 2007, and has become involved with RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, assisting in their Marketing and Events Committees. In
Tiny Toes: A Couple's Journey Through Infertility, Prematurity, And Depression Kelly candidly records her personal story, drawing upon both her experience and subsequent hard-won expertise. Now the mother of two happy and healthy little girls, Kelly has written
Tiny Toes for the benefit of the thousands of others who every year must deal with what she's had to cope with -- infertility and premature births, and sometimes a combination of both. Strongly recommended reading, especially for the one in eight couples encountering infertility and the 12.5% of women whose babies are born prematurely,
Tiny Toes is as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring. -Susan Bethany, Reviewer, Midwest Book Review --Midwest Book Review
The book is not just about infertility, but a look into how relationships can change and impact a couple when they are faced with adversity. This is a honest, personal story of a couple's struggle to create a family. Damron tackles the effects of infertility, including how it damaged many of her relationships. By exposing her emotional trials and marital struggles, she gives other women the permission to feel angry, sad and hopeless. After conquering infertility, the couple was faced with the premature birth of her twin daughters, and describes in detail the medical and emotional aspects of such as trauma. The story is infused with medical terminology to help the reader learn and understand the technical aspects of infertility and prematurity. By demonstrating how she was able to overcome the depression that was keeping her from her own joy, Damron provides a heartwarming end to her journey and hope for the reader that they, too, can overcome any challenge. -Joanne Henning Tedesco, Editor of Arizona Networking News --Arizona Networking News
I was totally unaware that over two million couples in the US each year are faced with infertility. Kelly Damron and her husband were among them. Her book
Tiny Toes frankly allows the reader into her psyche as she discovers and reacts to the news of their infertility. The reader is taken on a gut wrenching journey as the Damron's investigate their options, decide on in vitro fertilization, select a doctor, go through the agonizingly stressful IVF procedure, succeed in achieving pregnancy, tread the tightrope of disaster as their twins are born ten weeks early and persevere under incredible pressure as the two pound girls battle life threatening physical problems. Kelly falls prey to clinical depression. Her husband, who must be a saint, holds their strained marriage together until counseling and medication help Kelly conquer depression. The book is extremely well written, shining a light into an area of the human condition that needs illumination. It is a must read for anyone facing infertility, IVF, premature birth or depression. Thanks for taking me on your journey. -Mark Landsberg, Author of Landsberg's Law; A Journey of Discovery --Self Publishers Place
Kelly K. Damron s experience with infertility started in 2001. Her twin daughters were born prematurely in 2004 and she has completed extensive research on the statistics of prematurity. Her personal experience with and extensive research in the areas of infertility, premature babies, and pregnancy-related depression support her expertise in these areas.
The premature birth of her daughters led Ms. Damron to join the March of Dimes as an active volunteer in 2006. She is the Co-Chair of the 2008 Family Teams Committee for March for Babies (formerly known as WalkAmerica). In 2007, she joined the local chapter of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association as a volunteer.
