Our Journey... Part Two.

Even with all of those feelings I was having, I was also determined to follow my heart.  I was determined to get myself well and find out what was really going on in my body.  I felt that the road we were on was not working and there had to be a better way...  A better journey...

Determined... that is exactly what I was.  I was not going to lie down and give up, nor was I going to sit back and ride the ride.  I needed to feel like I was in control and that my doctor wanted to figure out the cause of my concerns as much as I did.  

After our miscarriage, we had a follow-up with our OB.  We were very devastated and at a complete loss for where to go next.  We felt as though this was an everyday occurrence to him.  I do not say that to sound angry with him, but I do say it because I feel that this IS something our doctors are seeing so often that they start to also become numb to the pain of what their patients are feeling.  He basically said he was sorry, we should return for a follow-up in a month or so, and that they would call me with my lab results (I requested to have a full thyroid panel performed as well as a full hormone panel run).  He also told us that we had two options to think about, we could go back on the Clomid or we could get a referral for a Reproductive Endocrinologist...  Seriously?  Those are our only options?  Clomid... the drug that made me a crazy person and did NOT help us get pregnant.  Or a referral to a doctor that was likely going to discuss IVF as the next option even though we had just recently gotten pregnant on our own?  

I was confused, my husband was frustrated, and we were both done... There had to be something better.  There had to be some kind of reason for what was going on and someone willing to help us figure it out.  We both knew that even if we did get pregnant and have a healthy child, my cycles and body were still a far cry from normal.  We decided to find another option... I scoured journal articles, blogs, websites, threads, and anything I could find.  I was looking at local hospitals that had OB care and came across one not far from us.  Orange City Area Health System.  They had a phenomenal OB wing of their hospital and I had many recommendations to see them.  I just wasn't sure they were going to be any different.  Then I found it.  I found Orange City FertilityCare Center.  I started looking through their facebook posts and read about NaPro Technology,  all this time I just felt that this was it! This is what we have been looking for!   "Treating underlying conditions to help naturally enhance a woman's fertility."  I told my husband about it and he said to make an appointment, let's do this.  We were feeling a glimmer of hope before we even made the appointment.  I messaged them and made an appointment for the next month.

I didn't really know what to expect, but I was hopeful.  We met with our Creighton Model Practitioner and learned everything that you should ever need to know about the female and male reproductive system.  The hubby was thrilled haha!  But you know me, that kind of stuff doesn't phase me in the least.  We did both comment that it is something they should be teaching in schools for Sex Ed instead of teaching about Birth Control and Condoms.  There were so many things that I didn't even know about as an adult, and had I known these things when I was 12 years old I truly believe I would be on a whole different journey today!  We learned about how the birth control pill actually works... let me tell you, NEVER AGAIN.  Morally, ethically, NO, it is definitely not for us.  After our introductory class we were given homework to read before our next visit.  This was homework to help teach us how to chart our cycles.  You heard that right, OUR CYCLES.  Something that really resonated with me and I remember very vividly is when she talked about how this is OUR FERTILITY, not mine, not his. OURS.  Without my husband I am infertile, without me he is infertile, we are only able to be fertile when joined together.  We were in this together and both carry the responsibilities on this journey.  I stinking LOVE THAT!  Seriously!  I mean how true is that?!  

At our first class after the intro session, we met with Kari.  She has been our lifesaver on this journey.  We are so incredibly lucky to have met her and have her teaching us.  This is when we starting learning to chart our cycle.  Now, this is going to sound a little scary to some of you, but I was ready, whatever I have to do I am in!  With the Creighton Model you learn to chart your cervical mucus.  Yep, you read that right, say it with me... cervical mucus... it isn't really as scary as it sounds.  I mean come on ladies, every time you go to the bathroom you wipe, now you just have to wipe before AND after as well as look at the tissue to determine what it looks like.  They teach you what each thing you see means and how to chart it.  It is a lot to learn at first, but it has become habit and I don't often have to even think about it.  We were told that after a few cycles of charting we would be able to get an idea of what was going on inside my body.  Not only will we learn that, but we will also know when is the best and worst times to get pregnant based on your chart.  This can also be used when trying to NOT achieve pregnancy!  Also, guess what?  ZERO SIDE EFFECTS of this form of "birth control."  I hate to call it that, because it really is not that, but it an essence it is!  When done correctly it has over 99% success rates!  I was shocked that I didn't even know about this!  Why are they not teaching this to young women?!  The pill teaches us nothing, but gives us a "sense" of security.  With Creighton Model, you are in control of your reproductive health!  Not only that, you are able to see so much more information about your body than you would normally see!  

OK OK, I promise to do a post about charting and what it is, and all that jazz, but back to our journey!

We charted for I believe 2 months and had a referral to see a Napro Certified Physician at Orange City Hospital.  This is it, this is what we have been waiting for... I was so nervous that day we walked into the room.  What is he going to say?  What does my chart say?  What does it all mean?  John, my husband, was there with me, but I could tell he was also nervous.  Dr. Hanson had a copy of my chart and all of my health history information.  He came in and I was immediately at ease.  He was so incredibly caring, we need more physicians like him!  We honestly thought that we were going to start progesterone testing because from what we saw on the chart, I had low progesterone.  This would be an "easy fix", take progesterone to get your levels up, will help regulate your cycles and also help decrease chances of miscarriage.  The wind came out of our sails rather quickly when Dr. Hanson uttered three words... Endometriosis and Surgical Referral...  I didn't know what to say... He said based on my charting and my symptoms he is sure that I have endometriosis and possibly PCOS. 

Now what?  

Well... then came the rest of it... 6 month wait for surgery...

Can we go anywhere else sooner? We will drop everything and just go!  But his answer was real and honest.  No.  Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha is the best of the best and there is nowhere else he would recommend.  If I was his wife or daughter he would say the same thing... ok, Omaha it is.  I sat there with tears in my eyes and the rest of the appt was much a blur.  He talked to me about things I needed to do prior to surgery to help.  He talked about diet changes to help with the inflammation, don't gain weight or it will get worse, but losing weight could help the symptoms... He gave us hope amidst my sadness.  I mean come on people, I KNEW that thinking progesterone was the only problem was a shot in the dark.  I knew that there was more to it.  And I also wasn't that surprised when he said endometriosis.  I knew, I had asked my doctors for YEARS if that is what it could be and they all gave me the same answer... No Way.  Just stay on the pill, it'll fix your problem... mmhmm... yep... I just did what they said, like I was a puppet on a string.   

I knew...  Dang It... (to be continued... again...)