Acupuncture Consultation, Congee and Piranhas???

This past week went by quickly and slowly.....kinda weird? Yes, but it really did.

Last Monday Matt and I went to visit The Texas Center for Reproductive Acupuncture (www.texasfertilityacupuncture.com) for our consultation with Kirsten Karchmer, who is co-founder of this place and a board certified reproductive acupuncturist. I admit that while we were driving to the appointment I was a little scared. First of all, they make you fill out this 5 page health history questionnaire which comes in very handy when Kirsten makes her "diagnosis" and prescribes her plan for you. Secondly, I was scared because I had so many questions "What if she can't help me?", "Am I really infertile?", "Are we doing the right thing, is this what God is leading us to do?".....you know, stuff like that! But we entered the doors and walked down the hallway of the fertility clinic that her practice is in. Funnily we were led down the hall paved with a sperm walk/swim way. LOL!!! That sight totally put me at ease.

We were welcomed by Kirsten and proceeded on into her room and sat down. Can I say that I am so glad that Matt was there even though he was groggy and probably not that excited to be there? I really am thankful for him, he puts up with a lot! (I mean a lot!) She took my paperwork, examined it for a bit and began to half ask questions and the other half tell me what was going wrong with me. It's like she's seen me before because she knew what she would see on my following pages just by glancing at my PMS symptoms and menstrual cycle information. (sorry if this is TMI, but I am an honest and open person, deal with it) She asked me so many other things and it went by so quickly that I can't remember all of them, but the next step came....my homework! She started off by giving me a "Basal Body Temperature for Dummies" run-down...my mom had told me sooo many times that I needed to track it, she even went as far as to buy me not only one, but two different digital basal thermometers! (that I haven't used since this week, sorry mom) Anyway, she told me to start tracking it daily and the path that she wanted my cycle/temperature to be at the end of 3 months. She told me that mine, based on my current health and cycle, would be pretty erratic, but it would eventually smooth out over time. After that she told me about eating for my cycle to promote this proper blood flow and to make for healthier blood. Apparently in chinese medicine, blood and it's flow is everything to maintain ideal health and wellness. My blood flow is not as good as it should be based on my symptoms. So she then prescribed "congee" for me to eat for breakfast every day!

Congee consists of one cup of organic brown rice, water and 6-7 dried apricots left in the crock pot to stew overnight on low heat. Random? Yup! It is a body/blood warming sort of oatmeal type food that I am to enjoy with a little cinnamon and granola if I'd like.....adding those things makes all the difference in the world, lemme tell ya! So, I started eating that this week instead of my usual Fage Greek Yogurt and Kashi cereal bar in the morning.

That was basically it. I needed to eat "congee" and take/track my BBT every morning and then set a follow-up appointment so she could see my progress.

Well, my progress is this......yes, my BBT is very, very, very erratic and I am still "cold" than average people in the morning (avg 97.4 in the past week). I have been enjoying my congee and eating A LOT HEALTHIER!!!! I'm talkin' I don't eat out for lunch, I stick with whole grains and organic foods, and I can still enjoy foods that I normally eat! I've never really been a junk-food-junkie and eating like this isn't that hard to do. Hooray! But basically what we're trying to do is get my cycle to become 28 days every time, where I ovulate precisely on day 14, where I have a beautiful tidal wave-like BBT chart and a period without the following: cramps, clots, pms, etc. (need I say more? you ladies know what I'm talkin' about) Did I leave anything out? I might have, but I'm trying to remember everything, ok???

I am going to be starting yoga classes this week and returning to ballet a week from tomorrow because they had a holiday....I can't wait! Yoga will increase blood flow and promote a stress-less lifestyle, so looking forward to that as well! I am enjoying being at home with Matt every night rather than seeing him for maybe a half hour before I headed off to teach dance in the evenings. Being a wife is what I'm meant to do....being a mother is the next step! We are on our way to a healthier life and then potentially a healthy, robust newborn! (and two silly dachshunds!)

Anyway, back to Kirsten, I made my follow-up appointment for a week from Labor Day (tomorrow) so I can proudly show her my odd looking (but predictable to her) BBT chart with Congee dripping off my chin! Ha! Oh ya! She also gave me a bottle of "Floradix" which is an iron supplement....google it, it's quite the stuff! After this appointment she will probably prescribe an acupuncture action plan. She did want me to get the HSG test which will have to wait until I start my period (unless I'm pregnant) just so we make sure that I'm not blocking any eggs from getting to where they need to be. The Dr. that she shares a practice with is Dr. Arredondo, reproductive endocrinologist....he came highly recommended, BUT they don't take my stupid insurance!!!!!! If I want to be seen with this guy it's either $325 for the initial consultation or I have to wait until January when our insurance changes to Blue Cross Blue Shield (which they DO take). Meh! I've waited this long, what's another 3 months, right?

Well, I am very hopeful that this is the right path for us! I know that God is at work and He is always directing our steps to what He wants for us and our family. I cannot wait to see what He has in store for us next!

Oh ya, the piranhas? Ya, we were watching Animal Planet's show "River Monsters" and that was the episode that was on while I was blogging it out on the 'puter.

G'night y'all!

SJR