For some reason, I was determined to be the hottest girl in the egg donation waiting room.
I wanted to look like I was heading to a middle-of-the-day Pilates class.
I was cosplaying as rich, even though that was not the case at all.
Allure/Channing Smith
I knew it was a gift.
I chose “curious, compassionate, and funny.”
(I felt like a total hack, because who callsthemselvesfunny?)
Some of the drugs that I injected, plus a syringe, alcohol swabs, and gauze pads.
Obviously, though, it’s about more than just being a really nice person.
That had to be a good sign.
This is all to say: it’s not easy to sell your eggs.
Right before I went under on retrieval day.
But first, I had to go off ofthe pill.
This also meant that I’d have to give up vaginal sex for about a month and a half.
But I have other holes, and my boyfriend has other, uh,organs.
At the geriatric age of 27, I was on the older end of the spectrum.
Most of the women I saw donating were college-age, around 21.
I have never injected anything into my body on my own, and have a slight fear of needles.
One of the shots was prepackaged, so all I had to do was inject it into my stomach.
The other one consisted of two medications I had to mix together before administering them.
I got more confident with each new attempt, though, and it got easier.
Some of the drugs that I injected, plus a syringe, alcohol swabs, and gauze pads.
They also told me to not, under any circumstances, work out.
Lessons From the Waiting Room
My egg donation was not a secret.
I love attention, so I talked about it at every opportunity.
Still, she smiled the entire time.
I saw partners who never let go of their wives' hands.
I havenever longed for motherhood, or even felt particularly comfortable around children.
There are many reasons why I don’t want to be a mother.
I also worry about the world a kid would inherit.
People are gentler there.
They don’t mind waiting their turn.
They treat the people helping them with respect.
Right before I went under on retrieval day.
It’s the most I’ve ever been paid, at once, in my entire life.
So yeah, I donated my eggs for money.
But my get-rich-sorta-quick scheme was more than just a cash grab: I know I helped people.
And I don’t say that to pat myself on the back.
I’ll get in a hole and think that everything I’ve ever done was wrong and disgusting.
But now I can remind myself that it’s possible for me to do good things.
