What do warm socks, pineapple cores, and yoni steams have to do with fertility treatments?

In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers of IUI (pun intended) to share the superstitions, surprises, and science behind trying to conceive. From $5,000 reality checks to acupuncture and vaginal steams, we’re taking you on a rollercoaster of hope, humor, and obsession with follicle sizes.

Whether you’re new to the fertility journey or a veteran of TTC TikTok, this episode dives into the bizarre, emotional, and confusing world of IUI with our signature blend of candor and comedy.

What to Expect:

-The Obsession Spiral: Pineapple cores, warm socks, and every TikTok trick imaginable.

-$5,000 IUI Realities: From Letrozole to trigger shots—what it really costs.

-Needles & Yoni Steams: Acupuncture and alternative therapies insurance actually covered.

-The Two-Week Wait: The hardest part of IUI and how we kept our sanity (spoiler: we didn’t).

Let’s Connect:

Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com

If this episode made you laugh, cringe, or nod in recognition, please rate and review Hopefully Kidding on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us share these raw, relatable, and ridiculously funny stories with others navigating fertility, medical surprises, and life’s unpredictable chaos. 💛

What do radioactive dye, a rebellious cervix, and smoking weed with a Yakuza have in common?

They’re all part of our fertility journey. In this episode, we’re diving into the wild, painful, and unexpectedly hilarious moments of navigating fertility treatments — and taking a detour to Japan for some much-needed adventure.

From awkward medical tests to drunken karaoke, this is a story about finding humor in the chaos and holding on to hope when life throws curveballs.

What to Expect:

-HSG Horror Stories: The painful (and cramp-filled) test Lauren wasn’t ready for.

-Sperm Counts & High-Fives: Why Alex became a legend at the fertility clinic.

-Japan Adventures: Karaoke, Kobe beef, and smoking weed with deer—because why not?

-The Last Hurrah: A bittersweet weekend of freedom before starting fertility treatments.

Let’s Connect:

Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com

If this episode made you laugh, cringe, or feel a little less alone, please rate and review Hopefully Kidding on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us share these raw, relatable, and ridiculously funny stories with others navigating fertility, medical surprises, and life’s unpredictable chaos

What happens when you’re discharged from the hospital but the trauma keeps piling on?

In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on life after 33 days in medical lockdown. From reconnecting with our pugs to an ill-advised holiday party appearance, this is the raw, emotional, and unexpectedly funny story of our post-hospital reality — complete with beeping fanny packs and amateur home nursing.

Between saying goodbye to Alex’s dad, learning to flush a PICC line, and juggling holiday chaos, we’re unpacking the wild mix of grief, hope, and sheer determination that keeps us moving forward.

What to Expect:

• Fanny Pack Drama: The unexpected challenges of at-home medical care (pro tip: bring your tools everywhere).
  

• Heartbreak and Healing: Coping with loss while navigating recovery.
  

• Dogs, Doctors, and Holiday Parties: Why our first outing post-hospital ended in chaos (and what we learned).
  

• Family Planning Restart: The big decision to call the fertility clinic — and the cliffhanger that changes everything.

Let’s Connect:

Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com
If this episode resonates with you, please rate and review Hopefully Kidding on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us connect with others navigating life’s unexpected chaos.

What do you get when sepsis, swelling, and bad hospital food collide with a parade of doctors who can’t agree on anything?

You get 33 days in the worst all-inclusive resort eve r— a place where the amenities include endless needles, duct-taped phones, and a nurse with a power tool ready to cut off Alex’s wedding ring.

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most surreal, painful, and darkly funny chapters of our life so far. From “weekend doctors” giving questionable advice to a frozen sperm plan that only makes sense in a crisis, this is the story of how we survived the impossible — together.

What to Expect:

•A Shower of Clots: What happens when sepsis hits your heart, lungs, and brain all at once.

•Medical Madness: The MRI that left Alex screaming and a blood transfusion almost gone wrong.

•Thanksgiving in the ICU: Spoiler: Taco Bell became the highlight of the holiday.

•Lauren’s Breaking Point: Why dog food delivery led to a full-on meltdown.

Trigger Warning:

This episode contains discussions of serious medical emergencies, caregiving under extreme stress, and emotionally raw moments. Plus, Alex describes his first enema in detail. While we keep things light when we can, some content may be tough for listeners.

Let’s Connect:

Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com
If this episode resonates with you, please rate and review Hopefully Kidding on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us connect with others navigating life’s unexpected chaos.

What happens when cancer treatment and chemo brain collide with no sleep, no food, and no clear answers?

You get a story so chaotic, it starts with chicken soup and ends in the emergency room. Oh, and Alex peeing on the wall.

In this episode, we’re taking you through the most harrowing 24 hours of our journey yet — a rollercoaster of medical missteps, frantic decisions, and one very questionable choice not to call an ambulance.

What to Expect:

•The subtle warning signs that things were spiraling out of control.

•Alex’s “pee tour” of the apartment and the unforgettable bathroom incident.

•How a PET scan became a race against time—and sanity.

•The hard lesson Lauren learned about being a medical advocate.

Trigger Warning:

This episode contains discussions of medical emergencies, caregiving under extreme stress, and moments of emotional vulnerability. While we keep our humor alive, some content may feel heavy for listeners.

Let’s Connect:

Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com

If this episode resonates with you, please rate and review Hopefully Kidding on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach others navigating the chaos of fertility struggles.

What do you do when life throws you cancer, a surprise pregnancy, and a missed miscarriage — all at once? If you’re us, you deal with it the only way you know how: with raw honesty and inappropriate jokes.

This week, we’re sharing one of the most pivotal moments in our journey. From Alex’s hilariously awkward sperm clinic experience to the devastating news at our first prenatal appointment, this episode is a rollercoaster of highs, lows, and everything in between.

What to Expect:

• Alex’s adventures at the sperm clinic (spoiler: the internet history wasn’t cleared).

• The surreal timing of finding out we were pregnant — two days after a cancer diagnosis.

• The emotional unraveling at a prenatal appointment and the hard decisions that follow.

• Navigating a missed miscarriage and the physical and emotional toll it takes.

Trigger Warning:

This episode contains detailed and graphic discussions of pregnancy loss and miscarriage. While we keep our humor intact, some topics may be heavy for listeners.

Resources:

•Livestrong Fertility Program: Learn more about sperm freezing and financial assistance.

•Miscarriage Support: The Miscarriage Association offers resources for navigating pregnancy loss.

Let’s Connect:

Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com

If this episode resonates with you, please rate and review Hopefully Kidding on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us reach others navigating the chaos of fertility struggles.

We thought we had the perfect timeline: get married, go to Burning Man, and start trying for kids. But life had other plans. In this first episode, we share how our fertility journey began — starting with an awkward discovery mid-sex (yes, really), an unforgettable wedding complete with whales, and the shocking diagnosis that changed everything.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

•How our relationship evolved over 20 years (from college to now)

•The story behind our wedding and its unexpected guests (whales!)

•The moment Lauren discovered Alex’s swollen lymph nodes… during sex

•The emotional rollercoaster of a shocking diagnosis

•The plot twist that changed everything

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• If you’ve ever felt like life threw a curveball you didn’t see coming, this episode is for you. We’re sharing it all—the laughs, the tears, and everything in between—to remind you that you’re never alone in the chaos.

  
  

  Get Involved

  Hang out with us on TikTok and YouTube @HopefullyKidding

  Connect with Alex on Instagram @HooperHairPuff

  Got a story to share? Email us at hopefullykidding@gmail.com
  

  
  

  If this episode made you laugh, cry, or feel less alone, we’d love it if you left a review and shared it with someone who might need it. Every review helps us reach more people in this amazing (and sometimes ridiculous) community.