“I know that blog posts are meant to reflect what we do, and in certain respects, this is related to our aims and objectives. To help couples and single women achieve their dream of being able to start a family but as the co-founder of IVF Treatment Abroad and the “rebel” of the team, I feel that it is important that our patients and that anyone who reads our blogs know how I feel about current world events.
Up until a few weeks ago, we had a patient lined up to receive treatment in Ukraine. The current situation has now dashed this couple’s dreams unless we can find somewhere else for them to have the treatment that they are looking for.
I’m not highly educated. I have no degrees or Ph.D.’s. Just your average everyday life experience, but I do know when something is fundamentally wrong. And there really is. World and geo-politics are something way above my paygrade, but not my emotions. So trying to fathom what Putin is trying to achieve as an ultimate goal is confusing. Is his ultimate aim to try and succeed where Hitler failed (mainly due to Russia’s efforts in WW2), or does he really want just Ukraine territory? And if so, for what reason? Probably strategic, and not because he needs more land.

There have been many conflicts and wars before, since, and after 1945, all of which were unnecessary, particularly to the innocents having to endure them. And it is this disregard for human life that fucks me off the most. Most of us want to live in harmony, in peace and hopefully to grow stronger as a race. Our world is not perfect and it never will be. It probably never was. From the beginning of time, there has been a conflict of some form, be it on a bacterial level, dinosaurs, or possibly the most dangerous level, us.
This situation makes me feel angry, but more than that, sad. The cost of human and animal lives on both sides. The Russian soldiers were told that they were liberating a country that had been overrun by sadistic forces, and that the people of Ukraine would welcome them with flowers for driving these forces of evil out of their country. Lies. All of it is total bullshit. But this is the nature of the communist brainwashing psyche. Ukraine according to Russia wants to become (or possibly is) a nuclear-armed superpower. Ohh pleeease!
You can either believe what the Russian leadership is saying, or what most of the rest of the world knows to be true. We are looking at a country with no ambitions of domination over any other country, one with beautiful architecture and one that wants to be left in peace. Have no doubt that they will do everything that they can to try and find a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but that they will also defend their country to the last man and the last bullet.

And when people are targeted because he doesn’t like the things being said about him. A hit squad was targeted against a Sky news team. In effect, an assassination team was sent out to kill Stuart Ramsey and his production team. Driving up to what they thought was a Ukrainian checkpoint, they came under heavy fire. Hundreds of rounds were fired into their vehicle, and even when they identified themselves as being with the press, the firing continued. Ramsey himself was shot in the leg with the bullet exiting his lower back, whilst the others only suffered abrasions and minor lacerations. This was not warfare. It was attempted murder. Fortunately, Stuart despite his injuries will make a full recovery and intends to return to Ukraine when he can. The only slightly humorous thing about this situation was that the car rental company refused to give them their deposit against damages back.
Shit like this should not be happening in our so-called modern world. Whilst any war is deplorable, there will always be idiots that are hungry for power and for money. If it is for personal gain, it’s kind of hard to spend it when you’re in a wooden box. If it’s for your country, how do you really want to be remembered? At the moment Mr. Putin, you are a pariah to 99% of the world and savior is not the word we would associate with this atrocity.”

Most of us want to live our lives in peace. There are global goals to explore space together and Olympic athletes from different nations train together. The joy of seeing the Dutch and Belgian speed skaters celebrate their races was a revelation. This is a simplistic view, but it makes me feel better. That there can be unity and comradeship. You just have to have the right frame of mind.
Would he have attacked Ukraine if they had been a part of NATO? Doubtful, but now NATO can do little without escalating the situation. Here’s where it gets difficult. I’d like nothing more than to bomb the shit out on that big Russian convoy and to take out his air force. But at what cost when you are dealing with a mad man.
I wish I could write something more positive and meaningful about this situation but all I can really say is that I for one stand with the people of Ukraine. I hope that you do too.”

​Image/art piece by me, Emily Pellow.