A Donor Conceived Adult
Tiffany Gardner, an adult DCP
Tag: family
-
Non-Genetic Parents Are “Real” Parents
parent (n) – a. A father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian. b. A caregiver or caretaker of the offspring of their own species. Building upon yesterday’s post about how “real” is an inappropriate word choice
-
What is “Real”?
real (adj) – Being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verifiable existence; true and actual; not imaginary, alleged, or ideal. I never liked the idea of having a “real” dad versus a dad who was not “real.” Some people use “real” when they mean “genetic.” And unfortunately, other people use “real” to diminish someone’s
-
Intergenerational Trauma
My oldest son turned 8 yesterday. This time with my children is flying by, just as everyone said that it would. He is insightful, sensitive, artistic, curious, kind, and funny. He loves Minecraft, Harry Potter, LEGOs, Star Wars, creating art, reading with me, and playing video games. Out of all three of my sons, he
-
The Pain of Rejection
Share your joys and sorrows with your family. a fortune cookie Some days I just cannot fathom how I will spend the rest of my life cut off by my biological father and his family. Worth nothing more to them than a stranger on the street when I want so badly to have some small
-
A New Brother
If life can remove someone you never dreamed of losing, it can replace them with someone you never dreamt of having. @sloanestephens Twenty-four hours after my dad died (and just about two months after my biological father sent his “final chapter” email), a new brother showed up on my Ancestry DNA relatives page. I was
-
The Final Chapter
When my biological father stopped communicating with me, I thought perhaps God was taking him out of my life in exchange for my father who raised me. That maybe my dad would survive the cancer. I was wrong. It’s been exactly two years since I woke up to find an email titled “Final Chapter” and
-
The Right to Know Our Genetic Identity
Today we raise awareness about the right to Genetic Identity, which has been recognized by the United Nations. Anonymous sperm and egg donation prohibit a person from having lifelong medical history updates, knowing their ancestry, and understanding exactly what parts of them are due to nature versus nurture. Anonymity leads to burning questions that are
-
Missed Connections
That moment when you stumble upon an online photo of your nephew—the infant son of a half brother who has no interest in knowing you and who had an active role in destroying your relationship with your biological father—and realize that not only does your youngest son look just like your half brother, but your
-
Fear of Abandonment
When you fear the abandonment of another, the probability of you abandoning yourself goes up. Vienna Pharaon This one resonated. When I found my biological father and we connected, I did everything in my power to be perfect. I was sincere in my efforts at bonding with him and his wife, but I did my
-
Respect Your Child by Telling the Truth
Lying is a form of disrespect. Remember that. Freskoismee via Tumbl Recently I was very upset after going down the comment rabbit hole on a potential recipient parent’s Instagram post. A recipient of donated eggs commented that she and her family (grandparents of the child included) had decided to never tell the child that they
A Donor Conceived Adult 