"Al Naturale"

"Eastern Medicine"
After some brainstorming, we decide to try some other more homeopathic methods before turning to western medicine. Next stop...acupuncture. Let me just say, I loved it! Super relaxing and the acupuncturist even reminded me of my Grandma. RIP G-Ma. So this was an added bonus being treated by my reincarnated granny. Did I mention they even had the same first name? I gave that a go for a few months until I couldn't afford it anymore. Granny #2 sucked me dry. She had me on a special diet and taking every herbal supplement under the sun. It was not cheap, I'll just say that. Next stop...Yoga. I was also a huge fan. I found myself morphing into a "Yogi Bear" until one day the instructor has the class hold some type of bionic seahorse position. Not even sure what it was until I feel a tweak in the knee. There goes my short stint in yoga. I was out of commission for a couple of months and on the DL list from the gym entirely. As far as the rest of the things I have tried, they were usually things I've heard from friends and family which brings me to my next rant.
"Words of Wisdom"
Over the years I would hear advice from friends and family in their attempt to help in some way. I think for the loved ones around you, they feel a sense of helplessness. This is there way of trying to contribute and solve whats bringing you so much pain and heartache. I always hear those stories like "my friends-friend did this and she got pregnant. Maybe you should try that". Or my favorite piece of advice is "just stop thinking about it and it will happen". Sure, coming from someone that has 4 kids. I HATE when people say that! Obviously they have no clue what it's like to NOT be able to get pregnant. If it were that easy, don't you think I would have done that by now? Geeeeeezzzzz!!!! Anyways, one piece of advice I did receive was a bit different from the others & definitely intrigued me...
"The Rub-Down"
A couple of friends had once mentioned something about a "uterus massage". It appears to be pretty popular within the Hispanic community. However it's hard to find someone that knows how to do it. They don't exactly advertise in the Yellow Pages if ya know what I'm sayin'. They're almost like witch doctors. It' s a trade that gets passed down through the family. One lucky day, my friend discovers that her neighbor's sister in fact knows how to perform this. So excited that I finally found someone, I set up an appointment asap. I show up to her house later that week feeling anxious and nervous. I was pleased to see the massage therapist was such a sweetheart. I felt at ease instantly. She proceeds to give me a fabulous full body massage for 1 hour. I was in a complete relaxed state of mind. I would soon find out there is a reason for this. The grand finale being...uterus time! To my surprise it was one of the most uncomfortable, unpleasant and painful procedures I have experienced. It feels as if your organs are being moved through your entire torso. My uterus might as well been in my throat. As uncomfortable as it was, I returned to "Sweetie" two more times as recommended. Still...negative sticks. I would like to throw this disclaimer out there. Yes, I did check with my doctor before hand. She gave me the green light & even herself told me of "success stories" from woman that have used this method. As disappointed as I was, I was still proud of myself for tackling another obstacle and giving it my all. My close friends and family were just as blue as I was but they were there to pick me up and encourage me to stay positive. Speaking of a positive support system...
"Quality over Quantity"
Going through this journey has taught me not only a lot about myself but also a lot about my "friends". I am proud to say I have a solid 3 friends that genuinely care about my well being and reach out to me whenever they can, despite their hectic lives. Through the past 5 years of struggling through infertility, I can't tell you how many baby showers and kid's birthday parties I've attended. As hard as it was for me (sometimes crying afterwards) I still went. I wanted to be a "good friend" and not be selfish. Out of all those friends I was there for over the years, can you guess how many of them have reached out to me to see how I'm doing? SLIM TO NONE! But that's okay! This chapter in my life has helped teach me what's truly important. It has also helped me better prioritize my time with the people that really bring something to the table AND that have helped me be that much better of a friend in return. Okay enough with the Linda Blair-vomiting pea soup rant. Moving on....