Hey!
So I've got this new website! I'll be blogging there from here on out. Check it out!
http://www.findingtruthfertilitycare.com
Happy Friday!
8/30/13
8/9/13
7 Quick Takes
I got a fortune cookie without a fortune in it this week. Lame. Not that I believe in those things anyway, but nobody eats a fortune cookie for the taste... right?
Tonight... my husband and I are going on a date! My lovely sister offered to watch Zoey so we could have a couple hours. We're going to Adoration to get filled up a bit and then head over for some FroYo. Sounds good, huh? I'm terrified. I've been a pumping crazy lady today because she'll probably starve in the two hours we're gone. It's probably best to have like 8 ounces in the fridge and then some in the freezer.... I'm a mess.
Any of you excited for Fall? This cooler weather has me thinking about pumpkin bread, turkey, and sweaters. I'm ready!
Really wants one of those shirts that says:
"Unicorns are lame... said no one ever."
Because unicorns... well... they're my favorite animal.
"Unicorns are lame... said no one ever."
Because unicorns... well... they're my favorite animal.
A cute little pumpkin for Dad's cutie babe.. that's all.
Pope Francis... that man. I love him. My favorite Pope Francis quote this week is:
" Let us ask the Lord for the grace of Christian endurance that gives us peace."
Seven things I'm grateful for this week:
1. My Mom's cooking.
2. Makeup to cover these bags under my eyes...
3. A beautiful sister who is awesome.
4. Corn.
5. Thunderstorms... we've had some crazy ones lately!
6. Sophie the Giraffe.
7. Rosary time.
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
8/8/13
Postpartum Depression
Whew. Heavy subject, huh?
Postpartum depression is a real, scary, irrational emotional state.
I had severe postpartum depression after losing our son, Jacob, but it took me a long time to realize that I was suffering from it. It crept up on me silently until I found myself lying in bed staring at our open bathroom door wondering what Peter would do if he found me in the tub with gashes in my wrists....
Graphic, but so real. I knew something was wrong after that ugly, fleeting thought. When Peter came home from work that day, I told him, through a mess of tears, I wanted to end my life. He did not take this lightly because he knew I had never in my life had dark thoughts like that. He told me to call the doctor in the morning and schedule an appointment ASAP.
I did. I called the physician and set up an appointment. I had heard of a progesterone treatment for postpartum depression through Creighton training and wanted to inquire about it... but I was afraid.
What if I was overreacting?
At the doctor's office, through a mess of tears, I told my physician I was having suicidal thoughts and something uncontrollable was going on with my emotions.
I was embarrassed. I felt crazy and irrational. I felt like I was over reading everything. Thank God Peter came with me to that appointment. If he hadn't been there, I would have left that appointment without saying a word.
The doctor didn't hesitate to offer me two injections of progesterone as treatment. I accepted his offer and he came back in the office and administered them.
(His aggressiveness to treat put me at ease; I felt validated.)
After the appointment, my husband and I went to lunch, and a few hours later, I was laughing and smiling -- a completely different person. No joke.
I felt better instantly!
The progesterone made the depression symptoms disappear; I finally had some clarity. For months I was trying to deal with the emotions that the depression spawned while simultaneously trying to deal with the emotions of losing a child. I didn't realize how exhausted that made me until after the depression was gone.
I remember wanting to take a nap. A long, long, nap.
For me, it only took one treatment of progesterone to restore my normal. I think it should be standard procedure for every woman who delivers a baby to get a treatment of progesterone. There would be so many more happier moms out there and fewer medicated ones, too.
Progesterone works.
Postpartum Depression:
At some point in their lives, 20 percent of women will suffer from depression. Many seek treatment from primary care providers, but up to 50 percent may go unrecognized and more go untreated. Recognition and treatment of depressive disorders in pregnancy and during the postpartum period is critical for the healthy outcomes of both the mother and infant.
Symptoms include the following: fatigue, changes in appetite or sleep, dysphoric mood, loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities, psychomotor agitation or retaliation, recurrent thoughts of death/suicide, feelings of worthlessness or guilt (especially failure at motherhood), and excessive anxiety over the child’s health.
There are multiple advantages to the use of progesterone. First of all, it is rapid in onset. Within literally minutes or hours after the first injection of progesterone, many of the symptoms are lifted. Secondly, over 95 percent of patients will respond positively to a progesterone therapy. While progesterone therapy is not commonly used by obstetrician-gynecologists, this is mostly because of their lack of awareness of the effectiveness of progesterone in this situation. It is, bottom line, an incredibly effective treatment. It far exceeds the effectiveness of either psychotherapy or antidepressants and should be considered in the treatment of postpartum depression.
For more information, visit naprotechnology.com.
NOTE: This post is not meant to diagnose, but to offer information.
Postpartum depression is a real, scary, irrational emotional state.
I had severe postpartum depression after losing our son, Jacob, but it took me a long time to realize that I was suffering from it. It crept up on me silently until I found myself lying in bed staring at our open bathroom door wondering what Peter would do if he found me in the tub with gashes in my wrists....
Graphic, but so real. I knew something was wrong after that ugly, fleeting thought. When Peter came home from work that day, I told him, through a mess of tears, I wanted to end my life. He did not take this lightly because he knew I had never in my life had dark thoughts like that. He told me to call the doctor in the morning and schedule an appointment ASAP.
I did. I called the physician and set up an appointment. I had heard of a progesterone treatment for postpartum depression through Creighton training and wanted to inquire about it... but I was afraid.
What if I was overreacting?
At the doctor's office, through a mess of tears, I told my physician I was having suicidal thoughts and something uncontrollable was going on with my emotions.
I was embarrassed. I felt crazy and irrational. I felt like I was over reading everything. Thank God Peter came with me to that appointment. If he hadn't been there, I would have left that appointment without saying a word.
The doctor didn't hesitate to offer me two injections of progesterone as treatment. I accepted his offer and he came back in the office and administered them.
(His aggressiveness to treat put me at ease; I felt validated.)
After the appointment, my husband and I went to lunch, and a few hours later, I was laughing and smiling -- a completely different person. No joke.
I felt better instantly!
The progesterone made the depression symptoms disappear; I finally had some clarity. For months I was trying to deal with the emotions that the depression spawned while simultaneously trying to deal with the emotions of losing a child. I didn't realize how exhausted that made me until after the depression was gone.
I remember wanting to take a nap. A long, long, nap.
For me, it only took one treatment of progesterone to restore my normal. I think it should be standard procedure for every woman who delivers a baby to get a treatment of progesterone. There would be so many more happier moms out there and fewer medicated ones, too.
Progesterone works.
****
The following is taken from the Pope Paul the VI Institute and gives a little more information. If you think you are suffering from these symptoms, please look into this treatment. It is immediately EFFECTIVE.Postpartum Depression:
At some point in their lives, 20 percent of women will suffer from depression. Many seek treatment from primary care providers, but up to 50 percent may go unrecognized and more go untreated. Recognition and treatment of depressive disorders in pregnancy and during the postpartum period is critical for the healthy outcomes of both the mother and infant.
Symptoms include the following: fatigue, changes in appetite or sleep, dysphoric mood, loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities, psychomotor agitation or retaliation, recurrent thoughts of death/suicide, feelings of worthlessness or guilt (especially failure at motherhood), and excessive anxiety over the child’s health.
There are multiple advantages to the use of progesterone. First of all, it is rapid in onset. Within literally minutes or hours after the first injection of progesterone, many of the symptoms are lifted. Secondly, over 95 percent of patients will respond positively to a progesterone therapy. While progesterone therapy is not commonly used by obstetrician-gynecologists, this is mostly because of their lack of awareness of the effectiveness of progesterone in this situation. It is, bottom line, an incredibly effective treatment. It far exceeds the effectiveness of either psychotherapy or antidepressants and should be considered in the treatment of postpartum depression.
For more information, visit naprotechnology.com.
****
NOTE: This post is not meant to diagnose, but to offer information.
8/2/13
Next week I'll be finalizing my Creighton website -- and I'm so excited to have that done and to share it with you. :) I'll keep you posted.
I've been asked to give a talk. Will you say a few prayers for me as I prepare for it?
Post partum is a fun time except that funky time when your pre-pregnancy pants are too small and your pregnancy pants are too big. Ugh. I've been looking for maxi skirts to help with this body transition and cannot find them ANYWHERE!! Help. I need to wear something other than sweatpants people.
I went to Hobby Lobby with my Mom yesterday and had the strangest experience.... Zoey was a little squirmy, so I decided to take her out of her car seat and there happened to be two very sweet elderly ladies standing very close to me. The commotion caught their attention and they stopped to watch and proceeded to say how cute Zoey was (proud Mom moment). But then, all of the sudden, one of them started walking over with her arms extended as if she wanted to hold her. A little taken back by this bold gesture, I pulled Zoey back a little bit. The woman, stunned, put her arms awkwardly back down to her side and then walked away --
Um... I did the right thing here, right? ;)
Um... I did the right thing here, right? ;)
Did you read about how many young people attended World Youth Day in Rio??? THREE MILLION!!! Have you been to an event like this? It's truly an experience that will change your spiritual life. I've been to two of them (Toronto and Sydney). BOTH were incredible.
Pope Francis... that man. I love him. My favorite Pope Francis quote this week is:
"Ask Jesus what He wants of you and be brave."
Seven things I'm grateful for this week:
1. Apartment maintenance for a leaky sink.
2. A healthy baby girl who now weighs almost 12 pounds... almost. Tiny butt.
3. My mom's homemade apple pie. Delish.
4. A financial blessing we received this week.
5. Showers.
6. Chai lattes.
7. Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
7/27/13
Favorite Practitioner Moment
"How can there be too many children? That is like saying there are too many flowers." -Mother Teresa
I couldn't agree more with Mother Teresa. Children bring color to this world -- vibrant, vibrant, color. Their innocence keeps us grounded, their intrigue keeps us searching, their love of life keeps us passionate; children are a gift to be received, loved, and cherished and it is a joy to hear from a client they are expecting.
Talk about a cool perk...
Anyway, there are many times when I am one of the first, if not the first, to hear the good news that a couple is pregnant, and that's where I begin with this post. To date, this is my favorite, 'We're Pregnant!' moments crafted by a client couple of mine.
I was asked to present to a group of parishioners at Our Lady of Loreto the Creighton Introductory slideshow. There were quite a few couples in attendance, and as a bearer of this beautiful truth, I prayed every single one of them would choose to chart and set up an appointment with me following the session.
and most of them did. :)
Anyway, this particular couple contacted me a few weeks following the presentation and scheduled a meeting. After said meeting, I knew a prayer for faith friends had been answered; we had A LOT in common and our friendship grew and grew over the next few meetings. It was a blessing to have been introduced to this couple, and eventually, after getting to know each other better through our frequent meetings, they shared they were ready to have a baby! I was SO excited to hear this news because my husband and I were in the same boat. We had decided to start trying, too. It was great to have this in common, too.
Well, pregnancy didn't happen as easily for us, but for them, it did, and this is how I learned of that news... this is how it all went down.
I remember having suspicion that something was up when the they called to re-schedule their next meeting. This couple NEVER did that. Always on time, always. But, I have a habit of jumping to conclusions when I know a couple is trying... everything they do becomes suspicious activity. And I mean everything...
They re-scheduled for the following week, showed up and didn't act differently; I was convinced nothing was going on and proceeded with the follow-up like nothing was going on.
You should know...The follow-up session is broken up into a few sections. The first section assesses when and how the woman is observing (we're looking for 100% observations here people). Then, following that series of questions, the chart is reviewed making any necessary corrections or clarifications.
She answered the first section questions like nothing was going on.
I really wanted something to be going on, folks.
Next came the section to discuss their chart; so, I asked to see it. The husband rustled through their plastic folder, pulled their chart out, and gave it to me. I opened it up, and there was....
SOMETHING GOING ON!
I let out an hysterical "I KNEW IT!" and proceeded to scream my congratulations hysterically. Reminiscing, I was probably way too over-the-top with emotion... but I digress.
 |
| This was what was going on... :) |
Have a great Saturday evening!
7/26/13
This is my first 7 Quick Takes post! Excited to be trying something new in this blogging world. Happy Friday!
I got maybe three hours of sleep last night because of an infant who was throwing up and sneezing snot rockets all night. I think it's allergies... can a four month old have allergies?? Anyway, so, this morning, I had a brownie for breakfast.
My Mom JUST dropped this off .... it will probably get me through the day. I love Moms -- especially mine. She's amazing, thoughtful, and a solid example of a mother.
.JPG) |
| Iced Soy Chai with EXTRA light ice (so you get more drink...) |
Weekend Project Alert! I found it on Pinterest. I used to think I was super crafty until Pinterest. Now, I can't seem to think for myself in the way of creativity. But, anyway, I'm going to make my own canvas prints (hopefully for $5 bucks each). I would like the pictures to be bigger, probably 11x14, and for sure printed in black and white. I want to buy a big, red 'W' and paint the canvas edges the same red. We have some amazing family photos that really should be displayed. I can't wait to modge podge with the Hubs and make our living room a bit more welcoming.
.JPG) |
| This idea is not mine... |
NFP Awareness Week is almost over! I can't wait to plan a little more next year and get some cool things going at my parish. How has your week been? Have you entertained the thought of NFP? I hope you've taken some time to explore the topic! :)
Last night was the first time I've been to Adoration since well before giving birth. After meditating on the 5th Luminous mystery of the rosary ( Institution of the Eucharist) while nursing yesterday, I had this overwhelming tug in my heart to go to Adoration and spend some time in prayer. After a particular trying night with the babe, I was feeling frazzled, disorganized, grumpy, lost, and completely empty. I needed muh Jesus. I went, and that hour with Him... mmmm. My soul drank His love, peace, joy, silence, Word, to its content and I left with a sense of ! I had a thought of getting some Moms together for a once a month or whenever late night Adoration fix... would you be up for something like this?
Seven things I'm grateful for this week:
1. My amazing husband. He is my rock.
2. A beautiful, growing spunky baby girl who has stolen my heart.
3. NFP. My ministry.
4. Oxygen.
5. The blessing that is to be a stay home mommy.
6. Adoration.
7. Blogging!
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
7/24/13
Guest Post: NFP is NOT for me. Or is it?
This is a heartfelt and honest testimony by Angela over at Leading Little Ones In Truth. (This is a great blog... do check it out!) She and her husband are courageous, holy, and a solid example of how following God's plan always brings joy and satisfaction. I love these two; they are a couple of my closest friends and such a blessing to me.
:)
From our very first date, I was honest with Nate that I desired to get married in the Church and raise my kids Catholic. To be perfectly honest, neither of us had a clue what this really meant or would mean for either of us! Once we were engaged, Nate so lovingly continued to support me in this decision to get married in the church. We found out the Church required us to complete some pre-marital classes including NFP also known as Natural Family Planning. No problem, we'd take the class, check it off our list, and move on to wedding planning, to house hunting, to the life *we* were planning. We took a few group NFP classes and while we checked the requirement off our list, we didn't end up using the method we initially learned. For whatever reasons, it just didn't work for us. So I continued thinking NFP was just not for me. {I don't know when I'm going to learn that it isn't about *our* plan but His!
Fast forward a few years into our marriage and we agreed it was time to start talking about adding little ones to our brood. The doctor recommended getting off birth control and just trying. If after a year we weren't successful, we could come back and discuss our other options. What? That was all. Neither of us were exactly content with this answer.
Once Nate realized little ones might be on the horizon, he started asking tons of questions about what it meant when he agreed to willingly raise any future little ones Catholic. In order to simply learn, Nate started attending RCIA to find out what the Catholic Church really taught, I attended to support him. It just so happened that during one of the question and answer sessions, we saw a presentation on the Creighton Method of NFP. Insert God's answer and part of His plan for us here.
It was not until we learned and began to use the Creighton System of NFP that *we* began to WANT to use a natural system for planning our family. It allowed us to become truly confident in understanding my fertility through charting. I emphasize we here because Nate has stuck with me through this crazy yet amazing NFP journey. Once he learned the system, he was in full support of using it, even more so than me especially until I gained confidence and trust in it. He even still takes charge of filling out my chart on most nights, I think it gives him comfort knowing where I am at in my cycle and if it is a "baby" day or not. Talk about having to communicate and make decisions together, NFP made it {and continues to make it} necessary for us to continue learning how to communicate and discuss our marriage.
Some argue, "I don't believe in what the Church teaches so why would I try to understand or even use NFP?" Why not? So many people are trying to live more natural and healthy lives. From choosing healthy or organic foods to eat and cook with, avoiding unnecessary chemicals in foods we eat or the products we use, being active and exercising, monitoring the types of containers we use to drink out of, limiting the amount of medicines we ingest, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, and I am sure this list could go on and on and on. For me, at the very basic level, NFP is one of these healthy choices. In the simplest of terms, NFP allows me to fully understand, accept, monitor, and love how my body naturally works without any unnecessary chemicals.
{Lucky for us, it is also approved by the Catholic Church because 'no drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child.' (Standards for Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry, p. 23)}
For those thinking, there are medical issues that might prevent me from using any sort of NFP, there is hope! NaPro Technology is an option for woman who use Creighton. It is basically when a NaPro trained doctor works with a women's Creighton charting efforts to help identify what is causing symptoms that a woman may be experiencing at some point during her cycle or that may be preventing her from achieving a pregnancy. NaPro works WITH a woman's system to care for the symptoms and correct the cause of any issues that she may be experiencing.
To anyone who says, "NFP is NOT for me", I would simply encourage you to first take the time to understand what it is, what it consists of, and THEN consider and decide if it would work for you. I get it. I was there not so long ago. I remember saying, "NFP is not for me". That was before I even knew what NFP was. Once I opened my heart to learn and understand instead of passing judgement, there was no question that NFP {Creighton in particular} was definitely for me. Personally, Creighton has become a reliable way for my husband and me to understand my womanhood. We have successfully been able to both avoid pregnancy as well as have successfully achieved a pregnancy, all without any guesswork about my cycle because charting is based on observable scientific facts with the option to work with a trained doctor as necessary.
After years of thinking NFP was not for me, I have come to accept that NFP is a natural, healthy, reliable way to understand, appreciate, and love ourselves as the women God created us to be {and I personally think it helps encourage the men in our lives and in society to do the same}.
Thank you to our amazing Creighton practitioner, Joann, for being willing to be 'used' by God in order to open our hearts to NFP!
:)
In honor of the NFP theme this week, I think Angela's post hits on all three: pro-woman, pro-man, and pro-child. Enjoy!
***
NFP is NOT for me. Or is it?
"NFP is just not for me." I have heard this so many times over the past few years. So many women have this line drawn in the sand and when I hear someone say this, I simply feel sad. Sad that they don't see what a gift NFP can be. This often gets me thinking "How could any woman not want to use NFP?" Seriously? Then of course God quickly steps in and gently reminds me that it was not very long ago that I thought NFP was not for me.
From our very first date, I was honest with Nate that I desired to get married in the Church and raise my kids Catholic. To be perfectly honest, neither of us had a clue what this really meant or would mean for either of us! Once we were engaged, Nate so lovingly continued to support me in this decision to get married in the church. We found out the Church required us to complete some pre-marital classes including NFP also known as Natural Family Planning. No problem, we'd take the class, check it off our list, and move on to wedding planning, to house hunting, to the life *we* were planning. We took a few group NFP classes and while we checked the requirement off our list, we didn't end up using the method we initially learned. For whatever reasons, it just didn't work for us. So I continued thinking NFP was just not for me. {I don't know when I'm going to learn that it isn't about *our* plan but His!
Fast forward a few years into our marriage and we agreed it was time to start talking about adding little ones to our brood. The doctor recommended getting off birth control and just trying. If after a year we weren't successful, we could come back and discuss our other options. What? That was all. Neither of us were exactly content with this answer.
Once Nate realized little ones might be on the horizon, he started asking tons of questions about what it meant when he agreed to willingly raise any future little ones Catholic. In order to simply learn, Nate started attending RCIA to find out what the Catholic Church really taught, I attended to support him. It just so happened that during one of the question and answer sessions, we saw a presentation on the Creighton Method of NFP. Insert God's answer and part of His plan for us here.
It was not until we learned and began to use the Creighton System of NFP that *we* began to WANT to use a natural system for planning our family. It allowed us to become truly confident in understanding my fertility through charting. I emphasize we here because Nate has stuck with me through this crazy yet amazing NFP journey. Once he learned the system, he was in full support of using it, even more so than me especially until I gained confidence and trust in it. He even still takes charge of filling out my chart on most nights, I think it gives him comfort knowing where I am at in my cycle and if it is a "baby" day or not. Talk about having to communicate and make decisions together, NFP made it {and continues to make it} necessary for us to continue learning how to communicate and discuss our marriage.
Some argue, "I don't believe in what the Church teaches so why would I try to understand or even use NFP?" Why not? So many people are trying to live more natural and healthy lives. From choosing healthy or organic foods to eat and cook with, avoiding unnecessary chemicals in foods we eat or the products we use, being active and exercising, monitoring the types of containers we use to drink out of, limiting the amount of medicines we ingest, breastfeeding, cloth diapering, and I am sure this list could go on and on and on. For me, at the very basic level, NFP is one of these healthy choices. In the simplest of terms, NFP allows me to fully understand, accept, monitor, and love how my body naturally works without any unnecessary chemicals.
{Lucky for us, it is also approved by the Catholic Church because 'no drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child.' (Standards for Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry, p. 23)}
For those thinking, there are medical issues that might prevent me from using any sort of NFP, there is hope! NaPro Technology is an option for woman who use Creighton. It is basically when a NaPro trained doctor works with a women's Creighton charting efforts to help identify what is causing symptoms that a woman may be experiencing at some point during her cycle or that may be preventing her from achieving a pregnancy. NaPro works WITH a woman's system to care for the symptoms and correct the cause of any issues that she may be experiencing.
To anyone who says, "NFP is NOT for me", I would simply encourage you to first take the time to understand what it is, what it consists of, and THEN consider and decide if it would work for you. I get it. I was there not so long ago. I remember saying, "NFP is not for me". That was before I even knew what NFP was. Once I opened my heart to learn and understand instead of passing judgement, there was no question that NFP {Creighton in particular} was definitely for me. Personally, Creighton has become a reliable way for my husband and me to understand my womanhood. We have successfully been able to both avoid pregnancy as well as have successfully achieved a pregnancy, all without any guesswork about my cycle because charting is based on observable scientific facts with the option to work with a trained doctor as necessary.
After years of thinking NFP was not for me, I have come to accept that NFP is a natural, healthy, reliable way to understand, appreciate, and love ourselves as the women God created us to be {and I personally think it helps encourage the men in our lives and in society to do the same}.
Thank you to our amazing Creighton practitioner, Joann, for being willing to be 'used' by God in order to open our hearts to NFP!
***
Angela and Nate's struggle to adopt NFP is relatable, no? Many couples write NFP off before understanding it; I hear this all the time, but I pray her story touches those couples who might be on the fence about NFP. And to said couples, it's a risk worth taking!
Happy Wednesday!
7/22/13
Guest Post: Small Witness, Great Change
Welcome to the start of NFP Week! I'm excited to start this week off with a guest post from a talented, holy, beautiful, loyal client (whom I now call a good friend). She has been married for nine months and she and her husband are committed to using a natural method in their marriage. She is a great evangelizer of His truth and a steward of His love to everyone she meets.
We love her. Truly.
Anyway, part of the theme for this week emphasizes that NFP is pro-woman. This guest post highlights the empowerment that comes from understanding fertility. In fact, one of the slogans for the Creighton Method is exactly that: "Unleashing the Power in a Woman's Cycle." There's no getting around it. If a woman uses a natural system, she will undeniably feel empowered with the knowledge gained from learning about her body and feel confident in sharing it with the world!
Knowledge is power, right? Exactly.
I just love this client's story. I love it because for once, someone else is sharing with you how incredible NFP is.. (smile). No, but really, I love it because this story is a testament to the boldness that blossoms from a woman who understands her body, and the seeds that can be planted from that boldness.
Ever since I was in high school, I have heard of doctors recommending birth control to “solve” all sorts of problems that are not related to preventing pregnancy: acne, PMS (those horrible symptoms prior to the start of a period), ovarian cysts, to name just a few. I never really understood this, and luckily did not find myself in a position where I was personally recommended it.
My doctors always affirmed my decision to remain a virgin until marriage and I never had any other problems where birth control would have been prescribed. On the other hand, I have friends who have been on and off it: one friend to control acne, another friend, with numerous concussions, was given birth control to control migraines caused by her concussion, and many began birth control because they had trouble with cramps and other PMS symptoms. I continue to wonder why birth control is the “answer” for all these problems....
There has to be another way to control these issues, right?
I never believed that taking “medicine," for which the main purpose is to prevent pregnancy, was a good idea, and moreover, that type of "medicine" is certainly not a solution for all the other problems I listed.
I especially could not understand how it was the answer to the concussion migraines... seriously, it left me wondering: what if a guy was in the same situation as my friend; would his doctor prescribe him birth control? I doubt it... but I digress..
As I became more involved with my Catholic faith in college, I was presented with some of the major health conditions birth control can cause. I also came to realize that it does not actually fix any of the other problems that it is prescribed for; it just masks the symptoms. Well, that does not seem to make much sense to me. Why are we masking symptoms? I just could not believe that in the modern world we live in, there was no other answer.
Well, I found an answer as my husband and I began our marriage prep requirements for Natural Family Planning. After all I knew about birth control, there was no way I was taking it myself, not to mention the beauty behind the Catholic Church’s reasons for natural methods are so holistic and beautiful. Going into our first meeting with Joann, we had really no idea what to expect, beyond learning about how to read the signs of my body and that we would be abstaining from sex while I was fertile.
Well, let me tell you, I was BLOWN AWAY! Why hadn’t someone taught me about this sooner, like maybe high school? I recommend to all women (single, dating, married, etc.) that they learn more about their bodies, their natural fertility signs and gynecological health. Not to mention, Creighton has solutions, actual solutions, to many of the problems that I mentioned above. Joann has touched on this in her previous posts.
Anyway, about three months into charting, I had a physical with a Physician’s Assistant. This one was different, though, because in six months I was getting married and would be sexually active.
“Would you like me to prescribe you birth control?” asked the PA.
“No,” I explained, “we have decided to use a natural method.”
“Oh, okay, well just know that when you actually get married, the natural methods can be very inconvenient, so if you and your husband change your mind, just give us a call and we can write you a prescription.”
I left it at that. I knew things would not change once we got married, but I really did not know how to tell her that. One year after that doctor's visit, and after nine months using the Creighton System in my marriage, it was time for another physical. I arrived at the appointment and had three people in the exam room with me. My doctor, a resident, and a student who was shadowing the doc that day.
Before the physical began, the resident mentioned she was going through marriage preparation classes at St Francis Cabrini Catholic Parish.
As the exam progressed, my doctor asked, “Are you on any medications?”
“Nope, none.”
“Not even birth control?” asked the resident.
“No, my husband and I are using a natural method,” I explained (excited, that this time I had experience to back up our decision to use a natural method in our marriage).
“Really?” my doctor asked, “so you observe signs…?”
“Yep, I check every time I go to the bathroom, and we are able to determine whether or not I am fertile and from there abstain as necessary” I replied (wrongly assuming he knew what I meant by check… oops).
“Do you check your temperature, also,” asked the resident.
“No, we are using the Creighton method, which only requires I check my mucus”
“Oh, ok, we are learning about the Couple to Couple method right now in marriage prep,” explained the resident.
“Wait, what do you check, do you have some sort of kit you use to determine the fertility?” asked my doctor.
“No, there is no kit. Every time I go to the bathroom I wipe before and after to see if there mucus present and if there is I finger test it to see how stretchy it is; from there we know if we are fertile.”
“Interesting. I have never actually met someone using a method like this. It was mentioned in our textbooks, but that was always it. So is your cycle pretty regular then?” asked my doctor.
“Mine is, well most of the time. Last month was a bit all over the place with 12 fertile days in a row… that is what I get for being stressed, though.”
The conversation fizzled out at that point. It is still so strange to me that the medical world does not know more about practices like this and that I was teaching my doctor about it. I pray that he will be able to open his mind to it and maybe even offer it as an option to patients. I also pray that the resident can realize that it really does work and choose it as the option for her upcoming marriage. It has been such a blessing in ours.
This doctor’s appointment was definitely a reminder that we are called to be witnesses everywhere, even if it means explaining something to our doctors that we think they should be explaining to us.
Through small witnesses, we are able to make great change over time.
***
We love her. Truly.
Anyway, part of the theme for this week emphasizes that NFP is pro-woman. This guest post highlights the empowerment that comes from understanding fertility. In fact, one of the slogans for the Creighton Method is exactly that: "Unleashing the Power in a Woman's Cycle." There's no getting around it. If a woman uses a natural system, she will undeniably feel empowered with the knowledge gained from learning about her body and feel confident in sharing it with the world!
Knowledge is power, right? Exactly.
I just love this client's story. I love it because for once, someone else is sharing with you how incredible NFP is.. (smile). No, but really, I love it because this story is a testament to the boldness that blossoms from a woman who understands her body, and the seeds that can be planted from that boldness.
***
Small Witness, Great Change
Ever since I was in high school, I have heard of doctors recommending birth control to “solve” all sorts of problems that are not related to preventing pregnancy: acne, PMS (those horrible symptoms prior to the start of a period), ovarian cysts, to name just a few. I never really understood this, and luckily did not find myself in a position where I was personally recommended it.
My doctors always affirmed my decision to remain a virgin until marriage and I never had any other problems where birth control would have been prescribed. On the other hand, I have friends who have been on and off it: one friend to control acne, another friend, with numerous concussions, was given birth control to control migraines caused by her concussion, and many began birth control because they had trouble with cramps and other PMS symptoms. I continue to wonder why birth control is the “answer” for all these problems....
There has to be another way to control these issues, right?
I never believed that taking “medicine," for which the main purpose is to prevent pregnancy, was a good idea, and moreover, that type of "medicine" is certainly not a solution for all the other problems I listed.
I especially could not understand how it was the answer to the concussion migraines... seriously, it left me wondering: what if a guy was in the same situation as my friend; would his doctor prescribe him birth control? I doubt it... but I digress..
As I became more involved with my Catholic faith in college, I was presented with some of the major health conditions birth control can cause. I also came to realize that it does not actually fix any of the other problems that it is prescribed for; it just masks the symptoms. Well, that does not seem to make much sense to me. Why are we masking symptoms? I just could not believe that in the modern world we live in, there was no other answer.
Well, I found an answer as my husband and I began our marriage prep requirements for Natural Family Planning. After all I knew about birth control, there was no way I was taking it myself, not to mention the beauty behind the Catholic Church’s reasons for natural methods are so holistic and beautiful. Going into our first meeting with Joann, we had really no idea what to expect, beyond learning about how to read the signs of my body and that we would be abstaining from sex while I was fertile.
Well, let me tell you, I was BLOWN AWAY! Why hadn’t someone taught me about this sooner, like maybe high school? I recommend to all women (single, dating, married, etc.) that they learn more about their bodies, their natural fertility signs and gynecological health. Not to mention, Creighton has solutions, actual solutions, to many of the problems that I mentioned above. Joann has touched on this in her previous posts.
Anyway, about three months into charting, I had a physical with a Physician’s Assistant. This one was different, though, because in six months I was getting married and would be sexually active.
“Would you like me to prescribe you birth control?” asked the PA.
“No,” I explained, “we have decided to use a natural method.”
“Oh, okay, well just know that when you actually get married, the natural methods can be very inconvenient, so if you and your husband change your mind, just give us a call and we can write you a prescription.”
I left it at that. I knew things would not change once we got married, but I really did not know how to tell her that. One year after that doctor's visit, and after nine months using the Creighton System in my marriage, it was time for another physical. I arrived at the appointment and had three people in the exam room with me. My doctor, a resident, and a student who was shadowing the doc that day.
Before the physical began, the resident mentioned she was going through marriage preparation classes at St Francis Cabrini Catholic Parish.
As the exam progressed, my doctor asked, “Are you on any medications?”
“Nope, none.”
“Not even birth control?” asked the resident.
“No, my husband and I are using a natural method,” I explained (excited, that this time I had experience to back up our decision to use a natural method in our marriage).
“Really?” my doctor asked, “so you observe signs…?”
“Yep, I check every time I go to the bathroom, and we are able to determine whether or not I am fertile and from there abstain as necessary” I replied (wrongly assuming he knew what I meant by check… oops).
“Do you check your temperature, also,” asked the resident.
“No, we are using the Creighton method, which only requires I check my mucus”
“Oh, ok, we are learning about the Couple to Couple method right now in marriage prep,” explained the resident.
“Wait, what do you check, do you have some sort of kit you use to determine the fertility?” asked my doctor.
“No, there is no kit. Every time I go to the bathroom I wipe before and after to see if there mucus present and if there is I finger test it to see how stretchy it is; from there we know if we are fertile.”
“Interesting. I have never actually met someone using a method like this. It was mentioned in our textbooks, but that was always it. So is your cycle pretty regular then?” asked my doctor.
“Mine is, well most of the time. Last month was a bit all over the place with 12 fertile days in a row… that is what I get for being stressed, though.”
The conversation fizzled out at that point. It is still so strange to me that the medical world does not know more about practices like this and that I was teaching my doctor about it. I pray that he will be able to open his mind to it and maybe even offer it as an option to patients. I also pray that the resident can realize that it really does work and choose it as the option for her upcoming marriage. It has been such a blessing in ours.
This doctor’s appointment was definitely a reminder that we are called to be witnesses everywhere, even if it means explaining something to our doctors that we think they should be explaining to us.
Through small witnesses, we are able to make great change over time.
***
7/20/13
National NFP Awareness Week -- STARTS TOMORROW!
National NFP Awareness Week - STARTS TOMORROW!!!!!
Get Excited!
July 21 - July 28
The 2013 theme is:
"Pro-woman, Pro-man, Pro-child"
"Celebrate and reverence God's vision of human sexuality."
Discover Natural Family Planning
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Copyright of USCCB.org
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7/18/13
Prayer and Teaching: An "Ah-Ha" Moment
I recently had a client couple cancel their follow-up meeting because her parents were in a serious car accident. They had just celebrated her wedding and were on their way home from Colorado. I received the text and my heart dropped; I immediately prayed for them and her parents who are currently in two different hospitals in Denver.
Ah ha! That's what it's all about, isn't it God?
Ah ha! That's what it's all about, isn't it God?
You see, I realized in that moment that my ministry goes far beyond teaching mucus, scheduling follow- ups, correcting stamp placement or explaining double peaks and early ovulations. God has called me to a much greater purpose in the midst of all of that. Every client He decides to send my way is a client He has asked me to teach AND pray for or with.
Intimate., isn't it?
I am sure you would agree that praying for or with another person is the most intimate thing you can do because prayer invites another into pain, joy, happiness, sickness, spiritual battles, etc. And in doing so, we become vulnerable.
Yikes.
That's why I want to teach more.... because in praying for my clients, I am actively participating in something much greater than myself. I know I can't make an engaged couple remain chaste before marriage or make a husband understand that his apathy toward using a natural system is hurting his wife's heart. I can't console or heal a couple who just found out they lost their first baby because of a miscarriage... or make a couple pregnant after struggling for years with infertility, but I believe in a God Who can.
"Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us." (1 John 3:21-24 RSV)
Teaching has been merely the gateway to understanding the depth of God's plan for me which is to be a steward of His love. I am blessed to pray for the people who come into my life through this ministry and the joy and satisfaction that has penetrated my heart through praying for them, is undeniably addicting.
I'm addicted to teaching because it has allowed me to become a better servant of His love through prayer and that is exactly who God has called me to be in His Body.
Beautiful.
***Also, please pray for my client's parents. I know they would appreciate the prayers.
Intimate., isn't it?
I am sure you would agree that praying for or with another person is the most intimate thing you can do because prayer invites another into pain, joy, happiness, sickness, spiritual battles, etc. And in doing so, we become vulnerable.
Yikes.
That's why I want to teach more.... because in praying for my clients, I am actively participating in something much greater than myself. I know I can't make an engaged couple remain chaste before marriage or make a husband understand that his apathy toward using a natural system is hurting his wife's heart. I can't console or heal a couple who just found out they lost their first baby because of a miscarriage... or make a couple pregnant after struggling for years with infertility, but I believe in a God Who can.
"Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us." (1 John 3:21-24 RSV)
Teaching has been merely the gateway to understanding the depth of God's plan for me which is to be a steward of His love. I am blessed to pray for the people who come into my life through this ministry and the joy and satisfaction that has penetrated my heart through praying for them, is undeniably addicting.
I'm addicted to teaching because it has allowed me to become a better servant of His love through prayer and that is exactly who God has called me to be in His Body.
Beautiful.
***Also, please pray for my client's parents. I know they would appreciate the prayers.
7/10/13
Did you say ABSTINENCE? A challenge to love differently.
Using a natural system to avoid a pregnancy means that at some point during a woman's cycle, she will be fertile, and the couple will have a period of abstinence. Usually this is only eight days but every woman's cycle is different.
Abstinence??? FOR 8 DAYS!!!!!!???? Um....
Breathe. It's okay. Abstinence is actually a beautiful thing. Let me explain.
Would you believe me if I said that periods of abstinence in a marriage can strengthen it and make it better?
Would you believe me if I said that contrary to what mainstream media plasters all over the television and internet, we were created to love with our brains and not our genitals?
Yes, that's right. Love with our brains, folks.
So why then is abstinence a beautiful thing? Because it allows a couple to love differently outside of the marital act. It teaches couples to love with their brains.. like a love boot camp, if you will.
Before learning Creighton, I had no idea how to love my husband. Nobody had given me a "How to Love Your Husband for Dummies" book or anything like it. Matter of fact, I thought I had the love thing all figured out -- imagine that.
I quickly learned that love takes time, patience, work.... Creighton gave me a place to start and I offer that to you this morning. A place to start loving your spouse better.
Would you believe me if I said that contrary to what mainstream media plasters all over the television and internet, we were created to love with our brains and not our genitals?
Yes, that's right. Love with our brains, folks.
So why then is abstinence a beautiful thing? Because it allows a couple to love differently outside of the marital act. It teaches couples to love with their brains.. like a love boot camp, if you will.
Before learning Creighton, I had no idea how to love my husband. Nobody had given me a "How to Love Your Husband for Dummies" book or anything like it. Matter of fact, I thought I had the love thing all figured out -- imagine that.
I quickly learned that love takes time, patience, work.... Creighton gave me a place to start and I offer that to you this morning. A place to start loving your spouse better.
Have you recently loved your spouse.......
Spiritually? This can include praying with your spouse or maybe praying for him/her. Some ideas: try to go to daily mass twice a month together, commit to praying a novena (nine day prayer for a specific intention), pick a religious text to read together, meditate on one Scripture verse together before bed, bless your home together, give glory to God for the blessings in your life, invite God into your marriage and family vocally together... I love this area of love! Ask God to help love each other better spiritually... He's always knows what is needed.
Physically? Hold hands during a movie. Hug and kiss more frequently throughout the day. Cuddle. Play footsie under the table at the in-laws. Dance (dancing in the kitchen is MUH thing). Affection is the key here. It's important to practice affirming touch.
Intellectually? Being a stay home Mom I sometimes have the hardest time with this category because I talk to an infant all day, we don't have television, and I sometimes never get the chance to check the news to see what's going on in the world... I have to challenge myself to read articles or blogs so that I can bring something to a conversation other than "your daughter had five messy diapers today....". It's important to bring something to the table -- even if you know it will spark a debate. :)
Creatively? I remember when my husband and I were engaged and just learning about The Five Love Languages; I figured out that my love language was gift giving and my husband's was not. But he wanted to step out of his comfort zone and love me creatively with a gift. SOOO, he gave me a dozen Gerbera daisies stuck in a four-pack of Red Bulls (at the time I was addicted to those things... gross) and I love those BIG daisies. It was perfect! Loving creatively breeds delightful memories, and we all want more of those, so go crazy with this one!
We just recently celebrated our four-year anniversary and while I was away picking up Cheesecake Factory curbside to-go, he was at home decorating our house to look like our wedding reception. He found the glasses we used with our first toast, he had a slideshow playing in the background, and he even picked up our remaining centerpieces from my Mom's and decorated the dining room table with them. Then, after enjoying our dinner, he proceeded to have me sit on the sofa to watch our wedding ceremony and renew our vows.... sheesh, that man... creative. He's come a long way from daisies and red bulls, eh?
Ok, enough 'I have the best husband in the world' mush...
Emotionally? This area has been so important in our marriage. I think the key here is attentiveness. Are you aware of your spouse's emotional state? Sometimes it takes a little more effort to 'see' what's going on with him/her.
Truthfully, abstinence is a beautiful gift in marriage, and I am thankful for it because every cycle I can consciously evaluate areas of my relationship I think I would otherwise glance over. It's one thing to just not make love, and it's another to choose as a couple the same thing. Abstinence is a choice that the couple makes together and that's the difference. In choosing to abstain, the couple practices self control in their sexual relationship and agrees to love each other differently.
Is it easy? Nope.
Is it worth it? Absolutely.
7/2/13
Marriage... This Is What I Know.
A friend recently asked me for marriage advice. As I began to write down my thoughts, I realized I wasn't doing a very good job at following the advice I was giving her. It was a beautiful reality check. It gave me a moment to reflect on my marriage and challenge myself to love him better.
I need to love him better.
I've been married for four years and this is what I know... Here was my advice to her.
Pray. My husband and I go to confession every two weeks with each other. After confession we kneel and ask each other for forgiveness for those times we've failed to love each other better. It keeps us from divorce. Pray a daily rosary for your marriage and for peace to remain in it. Mother Mary is a powerful intercessor. Hold each other accountable for daily personal prayer and ask each other frequently what the other needs prayers for. Read scripture, share scripture, and study it together. Nothing has been more rewarding and intimate than allowing God to transform our hearts through His Word.
Fun. Play battleship! Eat ice cream. Laugh at when you shrink clothes in the dryer... Or throw a nipple brush into a micro steam bag that ends up destroying two bottles...
Call each other out. Gently of course, but keep each other in check and communicate when something upsets you or hurts you.
Always be the first to say you're sorry. In every fight, you always have something to apologize for whether it be a raised voice or because you cut off your spouse mid-sentence to prove your point. Apologize and own those mistakes.
Love him in his love language. It's easy to forget this because it's easier to love in your own language. Step out of your comfort zone and don't be afraid to ask him how his love tank is doing. Is it full? How can you love him better? Have you heard of The Five Love Languages? Check it out here. You can check out The Five Apology Languages, too.
Play. Chase him around the house with a glass of water... or squirt gun. You choose.
Make love. Truly. Making love is a sacred moment of renewing your wedding vows and will bring you closer to your spouse. Have you tried saying a prayer before making love and inviting God into your bedroom? The fruits of this are beautiful. Try it.
Talk about the little things. What did you have for breakfast that day? How was traffic? Nothing is too minor to share with him. Tell him you haven't shaved in a week... The more you discuss the everyday things, the easier it is to tackle the big things.
Tithe. God will take care of you. Be frugal. Be smart. It's fruitless to argue about money. When you don't have any, give more. When you have a lot, give more. Remember money is not yours and if God's in control of your finances, you will always have what you need and more.
Agree to keep fighting and arguing behind close doors. Fighting is personal and should remain between you and your spouse. Also, gossiping and speaking poorly about your spouse to someone else is hurtful especially when you do it out of anger. Always remain on the same team in front of family.. You can disagree later.
Voice expectations. Don't try to interpret his manual. It's much easier to let him explain it to you. Same for your manual. Explain it to him.
Have a baby! The best gift to give a spouse is the gift of fatherhood or motherhood.. It's beautiful.
Ask for clarification before reacting. 99% of the time, that look or comment he gave you didn't mean what you thought it did. Give him a chance to clarify and don't assume. This will save you from arguing majority of the time.
Maintain a Brotherhood and Sisterhood because these are an essential part of a well-balanced marriage. Continue to be fed from women in your life. That margarita with the ladies will make you a better wife. Truly. He needs to shoot something and drink a beer and laugh at a fart with the guys. Know that this is important, and push him to hang out with his friends every now and then.
Lay on the bed in silence and look at each other. Silence is rewarding and so is just being. I have the hardest time with this. Hugging your husband for a few seconds is more important than checking on the chicken in the oven... Sometimes. ;)
Sacrifice goes a long way. It is doable to give up your iced chai to buy him toothpicks that he needs to have after every meal... Even though you can't stand them. You can sacrifice blog time to engage in conversation with your spouse because he is more important than writing. Always.
Don't compare notes. It doesn't matter if you do the dishes five times in a week and the laundry and he only made the bed once. Because the next week, you may only get to the bathroom and he ends up vacuuming, doing the laundry, and cleaning the entire kitchen. Service without expectation is best.
Most importantly, use NFP. I've shared already some of the ways using a natural system has strengthened my marriage and allowed us to get through some tough times. It's a beautiful gift to give your spouse. Try it. (I happen to be an NFP teacher if you want more info).
Marriage is a lot of work, but very rewarding. Have a glass of wine with your spouse tonight and celebrate your love!
What about you? Have anything I should add to this list?
6/26/13
True Mission
This article (Teaching NFP is a True Mission) is a gem of a find and is exactly what I needed to hear this morning.
Pope John Paul II addressed participants of an NFP Teacher Education Program in December 1994 affirming our mission. He states that our work is a service to the family and a labor of life and love.
I needed to hear this today.
Recently I began teaching again after a short 'maternity leave', and ever since then, the Devil has been relentless on spiritual and emotional attacks. I've been pretty tired lately and the Devil is great at kicking me while I'm down. It's hard to fight back when I'm physically exhausted, and he knows that. It's been rough especially when I'm teaching...
BUT.... that's okay because... JPII acknowledges this and says:
"You are well aware that the affirmation of these personalist values demand the courage to swim 'against the tide'."
NFP goes against all that society says is normal and easy and forces people to step out of their comfort zone. And believe me, it's really hard to teach something that is generally unaccepted because of the misconception that it's 'Grandma's rhythm method,' or because its ineffective, too difficult, or a just some other Catholic thing.
I get that all the time.
But as JPII says, this work demands courage especially in the midst of societal uncertainty.
Thank you, God, for allowing me to stumble upon this article this morning. JPII's inspired words lifted my spirits and reminded me that this ministry is good, true and holistic and a true mission... and even though it will be difficult at times, I must "persevere in this task with renewed commitment (JPII)."
So, here it is, folks.
My task, my mission is simply this:
I may not change your thinking on this matter, but I am sure going to challenge it, and pray for the courage to do so.
Pope John Paul II addressed participants of an NFP Teacher Education Program in December 1994 affirming our mission. He states that our work is a service to the family and a labor of life and love.
I needed to hear this today.
Recently I began teaching again after a short 'maternity leave', and ever since then, the Devil has been relentless on spiritual and emotional attacks. I've been pretty tired lately and the Devil is great at kicking me while I'm down. It's hard to fight back when I'm physically exhausted, and he knows that. It's been rough especially when I'm teaching...
BUT.... that's okay because... JPII acknowledges this and says:
"You are well aware that the affirmation of these personalist values demand the courage to swim 'against the tide'."
NFP goes against all that society says is normal and easy and forces people to step out of their comfort zone. And believe me, it's really hard to teach something that is generally unaccepted because of the misconception that it's 'Grandma's rhythm method,' or because its ineffective, too difficult, or a just some other Catholic thing.
I get that all the time.
But as JPII says, this work demands courage especially in the midst of societal uncertainty.
Thank you, God, for allowing me to stumble upon this article this morning. JPII's inspired words lifted my spirits and reminded me that this ministry is good, true and holistic and a true mission... and even though it will be difficult at times, I must "persevere in this task with renewed commitment (JPII)."
So, here it is, folks.
My task, my mission is simply this:
I may not change your thinking on this matter, but I am sure going to challenge it, and pray for the courage to do so.
6/19/13
The Infertility Companion for Catholics: Great Resource
"One in every six United States couples experiences infertility but Catholic
couples face additional confusion, worry, and frustration as they explore the
medical options available to them. Filling a major void in Catholic resources,
The Infertility Companion for Catholics describes the Church's teaching
on reproductive technologies and provides a rich spiritual perspective on the
emotions and faith involved in embracing the cross of infertility. The authors
both experienced periods of being unable to conceive and they walk in solidarity
with readers, compassionately coaching them through the challenging landscape of
infertility. "
- Includes a variety of spiritual resources: prayers, devotions, wisdom of the
saints
Appendixes include suggested further reading, reference materials, Catholic documents, and Catholic blogs about infertility
This is a great resource. I encourage you to check it out.
6/17/13
Mucus Teaching Mom (MTM)
Every girl remembers the day she is welcomed into womanhood when her first period arrives. For some it's filled with anticipation and excitement, but for me it was filled with tears (probably due to the raging hormones) and traumatic because it came out of nowhere, it was the first day of 8th grade in a new school, and my Mom was thousands of miles away visiting Grandma...
"Welcome to womanhood," my Mom said.
"Thanks," I said, sobbing.
"Everything will be okay," she said as she tried to comfort me, "the stuff is in my bathroom."
Stuff? That's an entire post of its own... and one I will probably never share, but I digress...
After the shock wore off and the hormones calmed down a bit, I loved that I was finally a woman.
***
Last year, I received a call from a friend asking if I would be interested in presenting the Creighton Introductory PowerPoint to a group of senior girls that she had had the pleasure of mentoring through a Bible Study.
YES!
I jumped at the opportunity because interestingly (but not surprisingly), the desire to teach young girls about their fertility had recently surfaced in my heart; I couldn't wait to meet with these young women and teach them about their fertility.
I prayed the information would be armor for them as they ventured into the college world.
The young women were fascinated as I gently made my way through the Introductory slides; had God really created them that way? Could they really predict their fertility based on mucus? It felt great to tell them, YES!
But why were these young women just now hearing this information?
I left wondering.... what if we taught young girls about their fertility BEFORE their first period? What if when girls became seniors in high school, they had already been charting for a few years? How early is too early to learn this stuff? Is this information too risky to give to young girls?
I don't think it's ever too early to share this beautiful truth. Do you agree?
Is it weird that I want to be the Mom who talks to her daughter about mucus as though it were conversation about the weather? Is it wrong for me to want Zoey to feel comfortable with the changes happening in her body before she hits puberty so if I'm thousands of miles away when her first period arrives, she can say calmly and collectively on the phone:
"I knew this was going to happen, Mom; I saw it on my chart."??
***
It's a little scary though, right? If my daughter learns her days of fertility and infertility at such a young age, she might use that information in the wrong way (whatever that means), and that I would feel guilty forever because of it...
...but God says, "DO NOT BE AFRAID."
I can't be afraid; I have to trust that if God allows me to plant seeds that He will cause them to grow.
I have to trust that if I plant seeds about the truth of her fertility, that God will allow those seeds to have deep roots and produce many fruits.
I have to trust that if I plant seeds about the truth of God's design for her, God will give her the strength to fight the Devil's lies that try to convince her that she isn't beautifully made.
That said, I have to put my fears aside and trust that God is calling me to be a mucus teaching Mom.
Who's with me? Any Moms out there who want to be a MTM, too?
We could start a group... or something?
"Welcome to womanhood," my Mom said.
"Thanks," I said, sobbing.
"Everything will be okay," she said as she tried to comfort me, "the stuff is in my bathroom."
Stuff? That's an entire post of its own... and one I will probably never share, but I digress...
After the shock wore off and the hormones calmed down a bit, I loved that I was finally a woman.
***
Last year, I received a call from a friend asking if I would be interested in presenting the Creighton Introductory PowerPoint to a group of senior girls that she had had the pleasure of mentoring through a Bible Study.
YES!
I jumped at the opportunity because interestingly (but not surprisingly), the desire to teach young girls about their fertility had recently surfaced in my heart; I couldn't wait to meet with these young women and teach them about their fertility.
I prayed the information would be armor for them as they ventured into the college world.
The young women were fascinated as I gently made my way through the Introductory slides; had God really created them that way? Could they really predict their fertility based on mucus? It felt great to tell them, YES!
But why were these young women just now hearing this information?
I left wondering.... what if we taught young girls about their fertility BEFORE their first period? What if when girls became seniors in high school, they had already been charting for a few years? How early is too early to learn this stuff? Is this information too risky to give to young girls?
I don't think it's ever too early to share this beautiful truth. Do you agree?
Is it weird that I want to be the Mom who talks to her daughter about mucus as though it were conversation about the weather? Is it wrong for me to want Zoey to feel comfortable with the changes happening in her body before she hits puberty so if I'm thousands of miles away when her first period arrives, she can say calmly and collectively on the phone:
"I knew this was going to happen, Mom; I saw it on my chart."??
***
It's a little scary though, right? If my daughter learns her days of fertility and infertility at such a young age, she might use that information in the wrong way (whatever that means), and that I would feel guilty forever because of it...
...but God says, "DO NOT BE AFRAID."
I can't be afraid; I have to trust that if God allows me to plant seeds that He will cause them to grow.
I have to trust that if I plant seeds about the truth of her fertility, that God will allow those seeds to have deep roots and produce many fruits.
I have to trust that if I plant seeds about the truth of God's design for her, God will give her the strength to fight the Devil's lies that try to convince her that she isn't beautifully made.
That said, I have to put my fears aside and trust that God is calling me to be a mucus teaching Mom.
Who's with me? Any Moms out there who want to be a MTM, too?
We could start a group... or something?
6/14/13
Guest Post: "My Chart Knows Me Better"
Amanda is a beautiful woman of whom I have had the pleasure of working and getting to know. She just finished writing a book, and shares her insights on relationships and dating on her blog.
Check them out!
I am excited to share this post with you this morning because it shows how God can manifest Himself in the most unusual ways -- for Amanda, it was through a chart.
Here is her beautiful reflection on exactly that...
Check them out!
I am excited to share this post with you this morning because it shows how God can manifest Himself in the most unusual ways -- for Amanda, it was through a chart.
Here is her beautiful reflection on exactly that...
***
My Chart Knows Me Better
Amanda Mortus
Before I begin there are few things you should know about me:
1. I’m in my 20′s and I’ve been charting using the Creighton Model of Natural Family Planning (NFP) for nearly three years.
2. I’m not married.
3. I’m a perfectionist.
That being said, I love charting. There is something amazing about the natural rhythm that God has placed within my body. My practitioner has been known to marvel at my charts because my cycle is quite regular. Well, at least it is usually regular.
I’ve been charting long enough to know that the number one killer of my regular cycles is stress. Some cycles I’m amazed at how much I think I’m stressed, and yet my body does exactly what God intends it to do. In a normal cycle a woman goes through a fertile time when her mucus changes as her body prepares for and actually goes through ovulation. However, when a woman gets stressed, her body knows it, and changes accordingly. Her mucus may change, but she won’t actually ovulate until her stress level has calmed, at which point she will experience another change in mucus. When I first experienced this phenomenon I was awed at the wonder of my own body, awed by the fact that it knew, physically speaking, the best time to conceive a child would be when my stress levels were reduced.
I’m a perfectionist because I enjoy the fact that my cycles almost always follow the normal pattern. It makes me a bit proud of my own body and the wonder that God created in my fertility. This month, however, was different. I experienced the normal change in mucus, and I experienced the normal dry days that follow the change in mucus. Then my mucus changed again (normally dry days after the mucus change are followed by menstruation). As I looked over my charts from the last few years, I realized that when my cycle does this it is due to stress. The funny thing is, I didn’t realize I had been stressed.
As I lamented that my cycle for this month didn’t follow its usual pattern, I took to prayer. I asked God to show me the cause of my stress. Clearly, my body and my chart knew something that my head and my heart did not. In prayer I discovered that I had actually been avoiding God. Sure, I went through my usual prayers, but I had been avoiding really giving Him my heart. As I have been known to do, I was trying to take control over my own life, including certain aspects of my job, and a few projects I’ve been working outside of the office. When I finally relinquished control to His loving hands, my cycle returned to its normal pace.
God has created a wonder in women, of this I am certain. There is a beauty in the physical aspect of charting, in getting to know my body – and the God who created it – better. But there is also a beauty in the spiritual aspect of charting, and in realizing that God has written His love for us in every aspect of our lives. Thank God that, at least this cycle, my chart knows me better than I do. Had I not been charting I probably would have gone a lot longer before realizing that I was holding out on God. But more than that, thank God that He knows me better than I do. He has used my perfectionist ways to call me back to Himself.
Check out Amanda's website -- Worthy of Agape and have a great day!
***
Check out Amanda's website -- Worthy of Agape and have a great day!
6/12/13
His Will, His Time
God knows what you need even before you ask.
Let me explain.
I worked with this client couple who came to the Creighton Model because they were experiencing infertility and wanted to conceive naturally without any artificial help.
During our second meeting they shared this with me:
After their initial appointment with one of our Creighton physicians, they were advised to start the charting process so this physician could better help them using the chart and NaproTECHNOLOGY. The physician handed them a list of practitioners in the Metro area so they could get started right away. Overwhelmed, they prayed and asked God to tell them which practitioner He wanted them to contact. After this prayer, my name jumped off the page. They trusted that God wanted them to work with me and called to schedule an appointment. They said they needed a teacher who had faith and was a Godly woman, and when they walked into our apartment and saw the really, really, really large crucifix hanging on the wall, they knew they were in the right place.
I thought to myself, wow, I am a woman of God and they are in the right place; I am going to do amazing things in their lives beyond teaching them how to chart.... I'm that good.
Wow, right? Sheesh. Stupid pride.
Anyway, that meeting continued and they shared their faith with me and how God was working in their lives despite their cross of infertility. They were joyful in trusting the Lord would bless them with a child -- they could feel it deeply in their hearts.
I heard them... kind of. Their testimony sounded so beautiful, but I couldn't relate at least not on the infertility side of things. My husband and I weren't having any issues getting pregnant --- (NOTE: I had not yet accepted the fact that we were struggling to get pregnant at this juncture. I was still in that uglydenialbitter place... you know, the one I mentioned earlier and it wasn't that I couldn't relate to their struggle -- I just didn't want to).
We continued to meet and after a few months I felt very close to them both emotionally and spiritually. So, it was easy for me to finally share with them that my husband and I were having a difficult time getting pregnant, too.
Upon hearing this and before I could ask for their prayers, she grabbed my hand, he bowed his head, and she began to pray. She quoted scripture and spoke with Divine eloquence -- it was as if I could taste her words...
...like warm buttermilk pancakes dripping with butter -- it was that good.
She asked God to bless us with a child according to His will and His time, and my heart softened at the sound of her request.
It was an incredible gift of grace. It's not grace if it's earned. I didn't earn this beautiful moment, He gave it to me because He knew I needed it. What an intuitive God.. eh? :)
In the midst of their pain, they prayed for mine as if they weren't suffering at all. I know that when they prayed for the practitioner God wanted them to work with, God chose them for me, not me for them. My name jumped off the page because I needed that prayer.
God knew what I needed before I had to ask and gently slapped me in the face for being prideful believing I was the reason He sent them to me.
Talk about a humbling moment... It's really never about me. I have the hardest time accepting that.
I am grateful God wove this couple into my life. Have you ever experienced a situation where everything is perfectly woven together -- people, places, events? Think about it, and please share those moments with me. We can never give God too much glory in the ways for which He works in our lives.
Can I get an Amen? Holla!
Will you join me in praying for them? Pray that God bless them with a child according to His will and His time. Let our prayers be like butter on pancakes for them, too, okay? :)
Let me explain.
I worked with this client couple who came to the Creighton Model because they were experiencing infertility and wanted to conceive naturally without any artificial help.
During our second meeting they shared this with me:
After their initial appointment with one of our Creighton physicians, they were advised to start the charting process so this physician could better help them using the chart and NaproTECHNOLOGY. The physician handed them a list of practitioners in the Metro area so they could get started right away. Overwhelmed, they prayed and asked God to tell them which practitioner He wanted them to contact. After this prayer, my name jumped off the page. They trusted that God wanted them to work with me and called to schedule an appointment. They said they needed a teacher who had faith and was a Godly woman, and when they walked into our apartment and saw the really, really, really large crucifix hanging on the wall, they knew they were in the right place.
I thought to myself, wow, I am a woman of God and they are in the right place; I am going to do amazing things in their lives beyond teaching them how to chart.... I'm that good.
Wow, right? Sheesh. Stupid pride.
Anyway, that meeting continued and they shared their faith with me and how God was working in their lives despite their cross of infertility. They were joyful in trusting the Lord would bless them with a child -- they could feel it deeply in their hearts.
I heard them... kind of. Their testimony sounded so beautiful, but I couldn't relate at least not on the infertility side of things. My husband and I weren't having any issues getting pregnant --- (NOTE: I had not yet accepted the fact that we were struggling to get pregnant at this juncture. I was still in that uglydenialbitter place... you know, the one I mentioned earlier and it wasn't that I couldn't relate to their struggle -- I just didn't want to).
We continued to meet and after a few months I felt very close to them both emotionally and spiritually. So, it was easy for me to finally share with them that my husband and I were having a difficult time getting pregnant, too.
Upon hearing this and before I could ask for their prayers, she grabbed my hand, he bowed his head, and she began to pray. She quoted scripture and spoke with Divine eloquence -- it was as if I could taste her words...
...like warm buttermilk pancakes dripping with butter -- it was that good.
She asked God to bless us with a child according to His will and His time, and my heart softened at the sound of her request.
It was an incredible gift of grace. It's not grace if it's earned. I didn't earn this beautiful moment, He gave it to me because He knew I needed it. What an intuitive God.. eh? :)
In the midst of their pain, they prayed for mine as if they weren't suffering at all. I know that when they prayed for the practitioner God wanted them to work with, God chose them for me, not me for them. My name jumped off the page because I needed that prayer.
God knew what I needed before I had to ask and gently slapped me in the face for being prideful believing I was the reason He sent them to me.
Talk about a humbling moment... It's really never about me. I have the hardest time accepting that.
I am grateful God wove this couple into my life. Have you ever experienced a situation where everything is perfectly woven together -- people, places, events? Think about it, and please share those moments with me. We can never give God too much glory in the ways for which He works in our lives.
Can I get an Amen? Holla!
***
Will you join me in praying for them? Pray that God bless them with a child according to His will and His time. Let our prayers be like butter on pancakes for them, too, okay? :)
6/11/13
It's All About Creativity
A little Creighton humor for your Tuesday -- It's okay, go ahead and chuckle because you deserve it. :)
For this post you need to know two things:
#1 A woman is required to check for mucus at night if she gets up to use the restroom.
#2 White and green stamps with babies on them mean a woman is fertile.
Got it? Great! This post is dedicated to two very creative women for which I had the pleasure of working.
A shout out to you!
This client was a hoot. She wanted to come up with a creative way for her husband to know she was fertile without 'saying' it.
For this post you need to know two things:
#1 A woman is required to check for mucus at night if she gets up to use the restroom.
#2 White and green stamps with babies on them mean a woman is fertile.
Got it? Great! This post is dedicated to two very creative women for which I had the pleasure of working.
A shout out to you!
***
For this particular couple, the woman had the hardest time making her observations in the middle of the night; she simply didn't want to turn on the light.
We've allll been there, right?
For a couple trying to avoid a pregnancy (or breastfeeding mamas that are up at all hours of the night), these annoying middle of the night observations are critical for the success of the program in avoiding a pregnancy, so she needed a solution.
You'll never guess what she came up with...
She looked at me and said, "You need a Creighton headlamp specifically for nighttime observations."
For this particular couple, the woman had the hardest time making her observations in the middle of the night; she simply didn't want to turn on the light.
We've allll been there, right?
For a couple trying to avoid a pregnancy (or breastfeeding mamas that are up at all hours of the night), these annoying middle of the night observations are critical for the success of the program in avoiding a pregnancy, so she needed a solution.
You'll never guess what she came up with...
She looked at me and said, "You need a Creighton headlamp specifically for nighttime observations."
Ha. Can you imagine this hardware in your bathroom cabinet? Or simply hanging on a wall for easy access??
I can. I would buy one.
****
This client was a hoot. She wanted to come up with a creative way for her husband to know she was fertile without 'saying' it.
So she came up with...
"You should make nightgowns that look like the fertility stamps. That way, when I am fertile, I can just throw the nightgown on before my husband gets home, and then the rest is up to him."
How about it married ladies... She might be onto something here.....
 |
| Said green and white stamps of fertility |
What about you, do you have any creative ideas I should add to this list??
6/10/13
Praying for Zoey
Thank you all for taking the time to read Jacob's story. He touched our lives, and I hope he touched yours, too.
I am going to continue to peel the layers off of this Creighton onion and be vulnerable once more in sharing our story with infertility.
It was hard to make the decision to 'try again' after losing Jacob. It's wasn't easy trusting God. We feared that although an umbilical cord accident was rare, it could happen again.
Fear. Ugly fear.
Eventually, we put fear aside and moved forward. When we took that step, we didn't think we would encounter any problems because Jacob happened easily, but a few cycles went by, and when we hadn't conceived yet, we began to ask ourselves...
Why were we having such a problem getting pregnant again?
Month after month the physical reminder every cycle that we weren't pregnant began to hurt more and more. My husband couldn't grasp the weight of that pain, and understandably -- he's not a woman. Even talking to other women who were going through a similar trial, their pain was so different than mine, and understandably -- they weren't me.
After six months, I still had hope that things would eventually happen. They had to, right? Surely month 7 would be the month... how about month 8, month 9....? God?
By month 12, I was in a really ugly place. Why wasn't God answering our prayer? Hadn't we suffered enough? I mean He did allow our first born son to die. Why wasn't God giving us a break?
I told you it was an ugly place and ungrateful and selfish... ugh.
I had the most difficult time accepting we might need medical help. I was a Creighton practitioner; I analyzed charts on a weekly basis; I should know how to navigate my fertility, shouldn't I?
We should be pregnant by now.
I battled with the thought of seeing a doctor for another month before making an appointment to get things 'checked out'.
I felt nothing but bitterness scheduling it, too.
Before my appointment I went to the cemetery to visit Jacob and pray to calm my anxious heart and ask for his intercession for our family. I pulled up, parked, got out, walked to his headstone and sat down. I took a few deep breaths taking in the warmth of the sun and letting God speak to me for a moment before I began reciting the rosary.
It was in these few moments that God blessed me with the most incredible experience.
There was another woman at the cemetery that day. I didn't know she was there until she approached me.
"Excuse me, is this your baby?" She was pointing to a newly buried baby's temporary marker.
"No, Jacob, this one's mine," I said pointing to his marker.
She proceeded to sit down next to her son who was buried next to Jacob.
Remembering those next 45 minutes still gives me chills. In those minutes, two strangers, two moms who had lost babies too soon, sat there next to them and shared their sorrow, frustration, joy, hope, love, and prayer... she lost her son at nine months just nine weeks prior to our meeting. He too suffered an umbilical cord accident.
My heart felt for her. Her emotions were still so raw, and I remembered that place all too well even though it had been two years since losing Jacob. I began to recall all the moments of grace I had in those two years and they just started pouring out of my mouth with an eloquence that was certainly not mine...
I am going to continue to peel the layers off of this Creighton onion and be vulnerable once more in sharing our story with infertility.
***
It was hard to make the decision to 'try again' after losing Jacob. It's wasn't easy trusting God. We feared that although an umbilical cord accident was rare, it could happen again.
Fear. Ugly fear.
Eventually, we put fear aside and moved forward. When we took that step, we didn't think we would encounter any problems because Jacob happened easily, but a few cycles went by, and when we hadn't conceived yet, we began to ask ourselves...
Why were we having such a problem getting pregnant again?
Month after month the physical reminder every cycle that we weren't pregnant began to hurt more and more. My husband couldn't grasp the weight of that pain, and understandably -- he's not a woman. Even talking to other women who were going through a similar trial, their pain was so different than mine, and understandably -- they weren't me.
After six months, I still had hope that things would eventually happen. They had to, right? Surely month 7 would be the month... how about month 8, month 9....? God?
By month 12, I was in a really ugly place. Why wasn't God answering our prayer? Hadn't we suffered enough? I mean He did allow our first born son to die. Why wasn't God giving us a break?
I told you it was an ugly place and ungrateful and selfish... ugh.
I had the most difficult time accepting we might need medical help. I was a Creighton practitioner; I analyzed charts on a weekly basis; I should know how to navigate my fertility, shouldn't I?
We should be pregnant by now.
I battled with the thought of seeing a doctor for another month before making an appointment to get things 'checked out'.
I felt nothing but bitterness scheduling it, too.
Before my appointment I went to the cemetery to visit Jacob and pray to calm my anxious heart and ask for his intercession for our family. I pulled up, parked, got out, walked to his headstone and sat down. I took a few deep breaths taking in the warmth of the sun and letting God speak to me for a moment before I began reciting the rosary.
It was in these few moments that God blessed me with the most incredible experience.
There was another woman at the cemetery that day. I didn't know she was there until she approached me.
"Excuse me, is this your baby?" She was pointing to a newly buried baby's temporary marker.
"No, Jacob, this one's mine," I said pointing to his marker.
She proceeded to sit down next to her son who was buried next to Jacob.
Remembering those next 45 minutes still gives me chills. In those minutes, two strangers, two moms who had lost babies too soon, sat there next to them and shared their sorrow, frustration, joy, hope, love, and prayer... she lost her son at nine months just nine weeks prior to our meeting. He too suffered an umbilical cord accident.
My heart felt for her. Her emotions were still so raw, and I remembered that place all too well even though it had been two years since losing Jacob. I began to recall all the moments of grace I had in those two years and they just started pouring out of my mouth with an eloquence that was certainly not mine...
Talk about an amazing feeling of being used.... Come Holy Spirit!
I shared the times God pushed us to heal deeper and the times when His compassion and love comforted our weary hearts. I wanted her to know that He was grieving over the loss of her baby, too. I invited her to cry with God and not at Him.
I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to the sorrow in her heart through me while simultaneously gently slapping me in the face.
Before this meeting, I had a bitter and ugly heart, but during this beautiful exchange of words, God spoke to me, too. He reminded me of His love and that this cross was not a punishment, but an opportunity to grow closer to Him. He reassured me that everything would be okay according to His will and not mine; I needed to trust Him.
His will. Tough to swallow sometimes, huh? But I had to do just that... surrender it all to Him.
I didn't want our conversation to end, but time came for me to leave so we exchanged contact information, and I left for the appointment.
The drive there was full of tears. I was in awe at the beautiful encounter I had with the Living God through this stranger. She was there for me that day, and I was there for her. It was not a coincidence, and I left the cemetery refreshed and I knew He would carry me through whatever awaited me after the appointment.
I was overwhelmed after meeting with the doctor. He is a NaproTECHONOLGY trained physician and could interpret my charts and from them know what we needed to do to help figure out the underlying issues of my inability to conceive.
He wrote out a list of eight different things he wanted to rule out before diagnosing. It started with blood work on specific days of my cycle, and he wanted to test my thyroid, and when those results came back, he would then rule out endometriosis... so on and so forth. I don't even remember what else was on that list..
Without the grace from the moment in the cemetery prior to receiving this infertility checklist, I would have lost it right there in the doctor's office, but I kept it together long enough to lose it in front of my husband later. I was so angry that this was going to be hard -- that having another baby would require all this extra work. I wanted so desperately for it to be easy. Ugh.
I quickly calmed down; I just needed to get some emotion out.
We spent the next couple cycles doing blood work which concluded that I had an issue with my thyroid. I didn't have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, but instead I had a problem with my reverse T3.. meaning that there was a malfunction somewhere in the thyroid process. This is, to my knowledge, not something that many mainstream medical professionals have ever heard of before in their studies. That's partly because it's new research being done at the Pope Paul VI Institute. Mainstream physicians would not know to check these levels (from what I understand at least), and would stop at that. I am happy that wasn't the case for me.
Anyway, I began supplementing reverse T3. I was skeptical. I wanted it to work, but didn't think it would be such a simple fix. Hey, there was comfort in knowing that we were finally trying something.
Surprisingly, after taking the supplement for one cycle, God gave us another beautiful gift; we were pregnant.
I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to the sorrow in her heart through me while simultaneously gently slapping me in the face.
Before this meeting, I had a bitter and ugly heart, but during this beautiful exchange of words, God spoke to me, too. He reminded me of His love and that this cross was not a punishment, but an opportunity to grow closer to Him. He reassured me that everything would be okay according to His will and not mine; I needed to trust Him.
His will. Tough to swallow sometimes, huh? But I had to do just that... surrender it all to Him.
I didn't want our conversation to end, but time came for me to leave so we exchanged contact information, and I left for the appointment.
The drive there was full of tears. I was in awe at the beautiful encounter I had with the Living God through this stranger. She was there for me that day, and I was there for her. It was not a coincidence, and I left the cemetery refreshed and I knew He would carry me through whatever awaited me after the appointment.
I was overwhelmed after meeting with the doctor. He is a NaproTECHONOLGY trained physician and could interpret my charts and from them know what we needed to do to help figure out the underlying issues of my inability to conceive.
He wrote out a list of eight different things he wanted to rule out before diagnosing. It started with blood work on specific days of my cycle, and he wanted to test my thyroid, and when those results came back, he would then rule out endometriosis... so on and so forth. I don't even remember what else was on that list..
Without the grace from the moment in the cemetery prior to receiving this infertility checklist, I would have lost it right there in the doctor's office, but I kept it together long enough to lose it in front of my husband later. I was so angry that this was going to be hard -- that having another baby would require all this extra work. I wanted so desperately for it to be easy. Ugh.
I quickly calmed down; I just needed to get some emotion out.
We spent the next couple cycles doing blood work which concluded that I had an issue with my thyroid. I didn't have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, but instead I had a problem with my reverse T3.. meaning that there was a malfunction somewhere in the thyroid process. This is, to my knowledge, not something that many mainstream medical professionals have ever heard of before in their studies. That's partly because it's new research being done at the Pope Paul VI Institute. Mainstream physicians would not know to check these levels (from what I understand at least), and would stop at that. I am happy that wasn't the case for me.
Anyway, I began supplementing reverse T3. I was skeptical. I wanted it to work, but didn't think it would be such a simple fix. Hey, there was comfort in knowing that we were finally trying something.
Surprisingly, after taking the supplement for one cycle, God gave us another beautiful gift; we were pregnant.
Praise God. :)
***
Infertility can spawn many ugly emotions. It was a tough journey for my husband and me, but we remained faithful. If I have any advice for couples experiencing infertility, it is to continue to pray. God will give you what you need when you need it and will always answer your prayer with a 'yes', a 'no', or simply a 'not right now'. He'll surprise you and give you grace and strength when you least expect it, and whatever happens, it will be okay.
In a cemetery, really? I love how God thinks. Still blows my mind..
My husband and I had a devotion to Our Blessed Mother during our time of infertility. From the moment we began our journey, we asked Our Lady of the Milk Grotto to pray for us to have a baby. We were devoted to this prayer and our faith in her intercession and God's love, our beautiful baby girl, Zoey came into existence. Isn't she amazing?
Would you share your testimonies with me? I would love to hear them.
My husband and I had a devotion to Our Blessed Mother during our time of infertility. From the moment we began our journey, we asked Our Lady of the Milk Grotto to pray for us to have a baby. We were devoted to this prayer and our faith in her intercession and God's love, our beautiful baby girl, Zoey came into existence. Isn't she amazing?
 |
| Zoey Marie -- Finding Truth |
Would you share your testimonies with me? I would love to hear them.
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