TCM and Acupuncture

Well, I visited another TCM practitioner today.  I specifically wanted to check about traditional chinese medical herbs.  Let me back up a bit to fill in some things that have happened in the last month or so. 

First of all, I met my new baby niece for the first time.  The visit actually went pretty well.  I didn't have any major meltdowns like I expected.  She was sweet but still a bit too little to have much personality, so I didn't feel like I bonded terribly to her (which was just fine).  The hardest part about the visit was being around my parents.  I don't know why, but it just made me incredibly mad seeing them act as grandparents.  I felt like my dad wasn't being authentic and was just saying things that he thought he should say - cheesy jokes about being a grandfather and how his granddaughter was the best thing ever.  It just annoyed me.  Anyways, got through that and started the new job and have been spending time adjusting to it all.

In other news, did I mention about DH's cousin?  I recently found out that she has been struggling with infertility as well.  And then she heard about this TCM doctor in Oregon who specializes with infertility and who actually offers a money back guarantee if you don't get pregnant within the year.  She went to see him and was diagnosed with a cold uterus.  She started on some chinese herbs and actually became pregnant right away.  However, she had a miscarriage and lost the baby before she was very far.  DH's mom had offered to take me to see this doctor, but after we found out about the miscarriage we weren't sure what to think.  I decided that I still would like to pursue the route of TCM because I've heard of a lot of success with it.  So today I went to talk to a doctor here in town to see if she could help.  She asked me a lot of questions and then did an acupuncture treatment and massage.  She said that my case was hard to diagnose (mainly because nothing really seems wrong), but during acupuncture she talked about spleen qi blockage and too much heat in my abdomen.  My stomach is pretty sensitive and ticklish (isn't everyone's?) and she said that means that the energy was blocked and not getting through there.  I really don't know.  I'm still not sure I fully buy everything she said, but the acupuncture was kind of nice.  She did way more needles than the ND usually does.  I started to get a bit anxious part-way through and told her, and then as I was talking about it I started crying.  She said it was good because I was releasing emotion.  After the treatment she did a massage on my abdomen.  I felt really good after, like I had a huge emotional release.   And I was really tired too.  She said I should come back next week and that she did have a formulation that would help to release the energy in my abdomen.  I just don't know.  I never like acupuncture while it is happening, and I don't know if I feel way different after, but I feel like I am doing SOMETHING!  I'm sure that energy release is never a bad thing (if in fact it is working).  I don't know.  Has anyone had experience with acupuncture and found it helpful? 

Blogging

I am still what would be considered "new" to blogging and, as you can tell, still do not blog on a regular basis. But what I am stuck up on is how to "get followers" for my blog? And let me say right away that it is not that I want the fame or fortune that comes with having followers (which is something I don't get to tell you the truth). What I am looking for is meaningful exchange of ideas and support through this medium. I'm just not quite sure how to find it. I think I will try to expand my blog a bit and work on attracting other audiences too. I probably should check back on things a bit more often too... But if anyone has any tips, I would be very glad to hear them! Maybe I will start to advertise my blog with some friends and that too... I just should read through and make sure that there is nothing I don't want others to come across (esp. about DH for his own privacy too).

Anyways, things on this front have been in transition yet going well. I have started my new job (almost a month there now), and found the adjustment was actually quite tough. I was working both jobs for a while, and then trying to get used to the extra time off (which I promptly filled with all sorts of projects and things to the point that Thanksgiving weekend was actually exhausting!). I am finally now getting into a better schedule of things. And now I'm trying to decide if I should take on a bit more work that has been offered to me (an awesome opportunity) or if that will get in the way of other things that are more important too. I hope the next month will be really settling into the routine of things. I'll try to post a few pics at the end of this post, just to update you on what I've been up to.

This is a shot of our recent time at Long Beach, Tofino. If you've never been, you just have to go!

And here is a picture of our dog and my baby niece I just met recently:

And a project I took up this weekend - picking and dealing with the apples from our tree. Made a dozen litres of applesauce and apple cider. Yum!

Guilty as charged...

Guilt. I recently realized that this is something that I am carrying with me on this journey of infertility. Not a guilt that I have done something wrong. And not a guilt that I am somehow inferior. But a guilt and shame that cannot be easily described. This is why we have not told many people about our struggles. I feel like naming it implies somehow that we are not _____(fill in the blank) enough. Not good enough. Not trying enough. Not well enough. Not stress-free enough. Not enough.

I hate this disease. I hate that we have to grieve in secrecy. I hate all the stupid comments insensitive people make. I hate not knowing how to deal with the emotional consequences, and not even know where to go or who to go to...

I just found a site and read an article on unexplained infertility that I really appreciated. It described me. Maybe this will be of some hope to someone else too.

http://www.resolve.org/diagnosis-management/infertility-diagnosis/unexplained-infertility.html

Ferritin up = good!

I guess a lot has happened since I last posted. I've been wanting to post for a while, but not felt like I had too much to say... and I was feeling lazy about posting and more like I would rather spend time on other areas of my life. Here's the scoop. I got the job! Starting Sept. 14th, I will be working as a therapist on a maternity leave position. It is a great job, great experience, and great timing. I am ready to be done my current job. The people are great, but the job is sometimes boring. This new job is only 3 days per week, and yet I'll be making double what I was making before. That is pretty good to me. Gives me more time to focus on other priorities in life too (which I really need to do right now).

So, DH is away right now on a week-long camping/hiking (intense trail hiking) trip. I really didn't want him to go. I didn't know how I would make it through this week without him. However, I seem to be doing pretty well so far. I actually found that when he left, I felt like a weight lifted and I became SUPER excited about some time alone! I feel like I just haven't had time alone at our house for a long time. We came back from holidays, which were pretty "people" full, I work with people, and when I come home, DH is always there (which is great, but sometimes I just need some time alone). So, I've taken on crazy amounts of projects and organizing getting "ready" for fall and the coming of a student, and visiting bro and sis-in-law (and new baby niece). I am actually crazy excited to meet my (first) baby niece in a few days. Somehow, I just feel like it will be a therapeutic time. I am pretty sure I will bawl my eyes out when I meet her (and maybe other times after that), but I already know there will be a connection and I cannot wait to see her, and hold her, and cuddle her!

Now, as for me... 2nd round of clomid did not seem as bad. Actually, I did not feel nearly as "crazy" as the first time around. Maybe holidays and everything helped with that. And now I'm in "new job mode" so that is driving my mood a bit more. The last few days is when I felt the most moody and emotional. Other than that, it's been pretty smooth sailing. Even ovulation was not as bad as last time. Now I am at day 29 and no AF yet, but I am pretty sure it's coming. My temp dropped .2 this morning (it is still high though - this whole time since ovulation has been higher than normal) and I had very light spotting 2 days ago (normally comes 2 days before AF). So, we'll see what the rest of today and tomorrow brings. At this point, I think we really need to focus on the general health/wellbeing of DH. He is more stressed than I. He needs to lose more weight than I. His "optimal health" probably needs the most work. Even though his tests were all fine, I feel this might be a big part of things. I also got my blood work done again. My ferritin is up! Hooray! That is probably why I am feeling better about life and things too. I still feel quite tired and a bit burnt out. I'm not just where I'd like to be with energy, but that's okay. So, that's a bit of an update. The latter part of this week is dragging on... and I am now ready for DH to be back (and there are still 3-4 days to go). I'm lonely, but don't feel like reaching out to people. I am tired but don't want to rest. I want to organize and nest, and spend time with my puppy (whom I really love and has truly become my baby). If I love her this much, I can only imagine what it will be like to have an actual baby to love. There you have it!

Rough day

I don't even know what to say. I am tired. Exhausted, really. I've had a bad day. Even though there are lots of good things happening, underlying everything is this constant struggle and recognition that things ARE NOT OKAY. And every now and then it hits me hard. And it's like I can't control it. I melt down in some way or other. The thing is... I don't mind. I don't mind having little meltdowns here and there. I actually find it therapeutic not to have to pretend everything is okay all the time. Sometimes I just want to yell at the top of my lungs: "NO I AM NOT OKAY!" I give myself grace. I know my limits and I am pretty good at doing what I can handle. This time, though, it is DH who does not seem to get it. I know he doesn't want me to pretend, but he just wants me to be okay. And I'm not okay all the time. Most of the time I am... but when I'm not, he just doesn't seem to be able to handle it. So I feel even more alone.

Sigh. I'm sure tomorrow will be better. Today was hard. I interviewed for a maternity leave position. I do hope I get the job. But I wanted to be the girl going on maternity leave, and not the "fill in." My friend showed me the updates in their nursery for their baby that's due in January. I didn't even care, but pretended to. There were a few jokes about adopting kids (joking about naming kids of different nationalities by names that did not match) and they just made me angry. And yet, I had to smile and pretend I was having a good time all evening. Well, shit, I am done. I am through. And I don't care if I am grumpy at DH and if we don't talk the rest of the night (even though I am ovulating and we should be doing more than ignoring one another). It's been a rough day. And that is okay with me.

It came

Well, my old friend AF came to stay. :( Not much more to say about that. Right after I finished ranting the other day she showed up. I hoped it was maybe just light bleeding (maybe implantation?), but it was not. Sigh. I'm not overly heartbroken, just feeling like if this does not work, I don't know what will. The doctors say everything should be fine. I am in prime health condition. So why does it not work?

I don't want to be bitter, but I don't want to have to act like everything is okay when it's not. We're leaving on holidays tomorrow. We're visiting DH's parents and the place we used to live. I don't want to see any of my old friends. I don't want to pretend like it all is good. Even the ones that I can be honest with - I just don't want to. And I don't want any damn person asking me when we're going to start a family. I might just punch out the next person who says that. I just want to be left alone. Or possibly consoled by someone who understands. I'm very excited that the first 4 nights of our vacation are just hubby and me. I don't want to do anything. Don't want to talk if I don't feel like it. Want to sleep whenever I want. I just want to be.

We just found out that DH may be taking more responsibility with his job soon as his "boss" is taking a leave of absence. This is good, but I don't want it to cause him more stress. I just hoped we would have all "this" figured out before he took on more. Oh well. Trust the process. Maybe somewhere in the midst of this all, God has a plan? That's definitely more of a question than a statement.

So I will be out of touch for a few days here, relaxing, refreshing, and hopefully enjoying life a bit more.

Get 'er done

Once again, just checking in… I think this has been the worst TWW ever! I just am so conscious of every little symptom, and want to get excited, but don’t want to get my hopes up. Dealing with IF certainly ruins you for any “fun” in finding out you are PG. Today is day 28. No AF – not even any spotting! Certainly have been feeling “action” deep in the belly area. Kind of crampy, but not painful. DH described it as sounding like a coffee purculator. I thought that was a perfect description! I’ve had a super stuffy nose the last few weeks, especially at night. I have not been sleeping through the night, but have been up with insomnia. I have had this terrible pinched nerve in my neck that has come and gone the past 2 weeks. And this morning I felt nausea and a bit of heartburn as I lay in bed trying to get up.  Never have I been so excited to feel that. However, I had a major meltdown cry day yesterday, and I feel strikingly similar to how I normally do right before my AF. The only difference is the constant “percolating” happening. I figured that I ovulated a bit late (day 16?) based on my BBT, so I shouldn’t actually expect AF till day 30. But then we leave on holidays for a week so I won’t be able to have a blood test (if need be) until WAY later! And it would just suck for AF to show up right when my holidays start, especially when we’re camping. Oh, so much uncertainty and waiting right now! DH keeps saying he thinks that when we finally are PG, it is going to catch me off guard. I just don’t know how it could with all the many symptoms that I am keeping track of! Oh my!

I have to settle in the words that a good friend (mentor) passed on yesterday. She encouraged me to trust God in the process, meaning that we don’t see the whole picture. But how much do you rest and relax in the process, and when do you need to be active and “get ‘er done”? Anyways, only 3 more days till holiday. Holiday. Holiday. Holiday. I hope this is just what we need.