A Different Approach.

As mentioned in the previous blog, I decided to take a stab, as it were, at acupuncture. At my midwife’s recommendation, I called. Given all the health problems I’ve had in my life – fibromyalgia, migraines, anemia, female issues, etc – I can honestly look back and say that calling him was a pivotal moment in my life.

Eddie and I first met Bryon on a Saturday morning in March of 2006 at his clinic, which would rapidly become a very familiar place. He took my medical history, looked at my tongue (tongue appearance is very important in Eastern medicine), and we discussed treatments. As it turned out, my fear of the needles was not warranted: though they occasionally sting, I don’t even feel most of them.

It turns out that my heavy, painful periods were a symptom of endometriosis. While going on the pill was a great temporary reliever of the pain, it was not a good longterm solution, and likely contributed GREATLY to my problems. Ironically, not ONE doctor had EVER given more than a moment’s consideration to endometriosis, in spite of the fact that I had CLASSIC symptoms of moderate-severe endometriosis. I was never checked, never tested, it was simply never considered. SIGH.

Fortunately, this was something Bryon could help me with. Over the next few months, my periods started to regulate. They were still painful, but nothing like before. He gave me herbs, acupuncture, and nutritional advice. Late that summer, I noticed I was feeling really good, and actually had for some time. My back wasn’t hurting as much, my joints weren’t sore, my knee was being cooperative. Come to think of it, I didn’t feel like I had fibromyalgia anymore. I mentioned this to Bryon, and he said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world, “that’s because you don’t HAVE fibromyalgia anymore”. 12+ years of chronic pain? GONE. HOORAY!

But the celebration wasn’t over yet! In September, my period went MIA again. Oh well, nothing new. 2 more weeks went by, still nothing. So, I bought my 4,000th (or so) home pregnancy test.

It was positive.

Holy. Shit.

After trying for three years, getting pregnant has become a distant, abstract concept. Something I was pursuing, but couldn’t imagine actually catching. For a fleeting moment, I felt nothing but complete and utter panic. Who wouldn’t? But that rapidly gave way to elation (and a brief thought of “oh shit…I got it in, now I have to get it OUT…”). After trying for so long, the requisite 12 week waiting period before telling friends and family went out the window.

A week later, the bleeding started. I spent 3 days on total bedrest at the recommendation of my midwife and acupuncturist after visiting both of them. Some say I should have gone to the ER, but really, there wasn’t anything they could do either. I will say this about both the midwife and acupuncturist: Without them, my sanity would have been toast at that point. Eddie was at sea for the first time in 3 years, and I was panicking. Bryon was especially a life saver. I will never, as long as I live, forget him sitting and just talking with me…not as my care provider, but as another human being empathizing with me and trying to ease my fears.

Eddie came home on the 13th. On the 14th, I did go to the ER because the bleeding had not subsided. It was a terrible experience and just cemented my decision not to go there previously.

I miscarried on October 15th, 2006. We were devastated. Friends, family (well, MY family, anyway…), and co-workers were exceptionally supportive, and when I returned to work on the 19th, I was met with hugs and encouragement. The 20th was my birthday, and also the day Eddie went back to sea for another 3 weeks. Happy birthday to me. Blech.

Eddie was gone for 3 weeks, then back just before Thanksgiving until the first week of January. He left for a 6 month deployment. Obviously our attempts to conceive were on hold for a while.

My periods went haywire again, and when I started a high-intensity exercise program, that didn’t help. But I was hellbent on getting healthier, so I continued exercising and continued my acupuncture.

That brings us to the present.

Now that I’ve briefed (ha!) you on the facts, the blog will probably move forward focusing more on the emotional aspects of all of this.

Hopefully, 2008 will be The Year of the Baby.