Comedy and Error

I've just been reading the memoirs of comedian Simon Day, best known for his role in 'The Fast Show'.  His book, Comedy and Error, is an interesting read from tales of his teenage days in borstal to the inside view he gives into the drug and drink fuelled celebrity lifestyle he embraced at the height of his TV success.  It's funny and well-written too, and if you enjoyed 'The Fast Show', you certainly ought to take a look.

By now, I am sure you're wondering how a celebrity's autobiography about fame and addiction could possibly be related to Precious Babies... Well,  you may be surprised to discover that Simon Day's two children were both IVF babies.  As he explains at the end of the book, it was his wife and children who rescued him from his endless addictions and who showed him the route to a calmer, more contented life.  He talks of the "sheer joy" his children bring, and explains how going through IVF and having children later in life has made him "more appreciative" of his luck.

His experience mirrors what every parent I interviewed for  Precious Babies had felt - that infertility makes you understand how fortunate you are to have your children, and ensures that you don't take them for granted.  For Simon Day, having a family wasn't just about ending the pain of infertility, but also helping to change a life of destructive addiction.