Kristin Peck

UPDATE: PERSEVERANCE HAS BEEN NAMED BEST KINDLE SINGLE OF 2014! BIOGRAPHY AND Q&A Kristin Peck is thrilled to be the working mother of two amazing children. She keeps herself sane by belting out her favorite pop and country songs while running and completing triathlons, and is proud to have recently completed her first marathon. She is currently EVP, Group President of Zoetis, Inc., the world's largest animal health company. Kristin received her bachelor's from Georgetown and her MBA from Columbia Business School. Kristin, her husband, two children and their dog live in CT. Perseverance is her first book. Q. Why did you write the book? A. When I first started writing it down my goal was really just to document the crazy journey so that I would never forget its ups, downs and lessons. It took two years of writing on planes, and late at night when I could not sleep and on vacations to finally get the whole story down. When I finally did and shared it with Bob and close friends, they encouraged me to refine it and turn into a book I could share it with others going through similar struggles so they would realize they were not alone and that if they persevered there was hope. Now with amazon.com Kindle Singles publishing it, I hope that the book does inspire others and the proceeds of the books can help other needy children and families persevere through their own struggles through the help of Family and Children's Agency of Norwalk CT. Q. What do you hope to accomplish by publishing this book? A. I hope that it inspires people, men and women, who are going through similar struggles or know people who are to know they are not alone and that there is no one right way to start a family. That if they persevere and never give up, that there is hope. And I hope that if it does inspire others and they buy the book, that all the proceeds that are going to Family and Children's Agency of Norwalk CT help other families preserve through their own struggles as well. Q. You are incredibly busy, how did you find time to write a book? A. It took almost two years initially to write the story down. I wrote when I was traveling on business, late at night when I could not sleep, or on vacations. It then took another three or four years with help from editor friends to get he story edited to a level I could share with others. Q. What was the most insensitive thing someone said to you during the whole process? A. For me it was the, "you just need to relax . . . if you were not so stressed about this you could have a baby." When having a baby is your dream and goal, try not thinking about it. It made me feel guilty and selfish for wanting and caring so much. It was such a no win struggle. Q. Did you consider leaving your stressful job as a way to increase your chances of getting pregnant? A. When you go through something like this you consider almost everything. One option was to quit work completely but when I thought about this option for me, I realized I could not fathom anything less helpful than having nothing else to do all day but stress about having a baby. That being said, I did change jobs to find one less demanding so that I could put more energy and time into starting a family. Q. How do you reconcile being a working mom and missing your kids? A. As all mothers and fathers know, balancing the demands of work, family, and other commitments is tough, whether you stay home or whether you work. I am so fortunate to have an amazing husband who is my partner if life. Together we always make sure to find the time to do things that matter most to us. Q. What would you say to someone that is currently struggling with infertility and is about to give up? A. The first thing I would say is how sorry I am for their pain . . . that I am there for them whatever they need. I would then ask if there was anything I could do to help . . . and then I would listen to what that actually was. I never assume I know what they want or need. I would share my story if that is what they need. I would let them know I support them no matter what path they choose - to keep trying, to adopt, to do surrogacy, or to let fate handle take its course, or stop trying if that is what someone feels they need to do. There is no one right path. But the support and strength of those who love us counts for a lot. Q. I am sure everything you did cost a lot of money. Isn't what you did only an option for wealthy people? A. There is no question that infertility, adoption and surrogacy cost a lot of money. My husband and I were very fortunate that we had the means at our disposal to follow the path that we did but I never lost sight of the fact this was not an option for everyone. You may or may not be surprised at the sacrifices families make to afford infertility treatments, adoption and surrogacy. But for some, many of these options are sadly out of reach. But if the goal is to be a parent, there are many adoption options that are lower cost that can be considered such as adopting slightly older children or foster children. Q. Other than your children, were there other positive outcomes/aspects to this process? A. I learned that Bob and I can get through anything together and that having a plan is great but that life's greatest moments come from the But for those suffering from infertility or struggling with adoption and surrogacy, many of the simple controls we come to expect in our lives--whether over our schedules, our bodies, or our emotions--become a mirage. What is clear to me, having made this arduous but ultimately rewarding journey, is that life's joys come more from the unexpected than from the expected. That it's smart to make plans, but flexibility and perseverance count for a lot more. And in the end, when you hold your son or daughter in your arms for the first time, no matter how you got there, nothing matters more. Q. What was the funniest moment in the process? A. Believe it or not, as you will see in the book, there were many funny moments in the process . . . maybe because I have a crazy sense of humor or maybe because I think there is humor everywhere if you look for it. My favorite looking back was when I found out I had preeclampsia and told Bob. He then proceeded in the waiting room of the hospital to call his mother and tell her we were going to have to cancel our plans since I had Chlamydia. He had no idea the difference between the two - which as we all know if pretty great. I was mortified but looking back it was pretty funny. I would have loved to have been the other people in the waiting room trying to figure out what to make of the whole thing - staring at an 8 months pregnant woman whose husbands announced in front of ten of others she had Chlamydia.