Points of Needles

Aaaargh!  I am angry.  Looking at me you probably couldn't tell.  I am not storming around, I am not cursing, I am not even frowning but inside I am very very angry and I don't quite know what to do about it.  Before we get to that (yes I know way to leave a cliff hanger) let me tell you about my time at ilumina healing sanctuary. 

This was an entirely new experience for me as I have always pretty much just followed conventional western medicine; I don't even go to a chiropractor.  So when I showed up for my appointment I spoke to Dana Price and she zeroed in on my main reason for coming - trying to conceive, and she was quite knowledgeable about PCOS, fertility and FET cycles (as well as IVF and IUI).  I was nervous but had decided to see this all the way through.  I went into a small room similar to a room at a spa - even the same kind of music - and she told me to take off my shoes socks and pants but I could leave my underwear and shirt on.  She left the room and I undressed and laid down on the table.  When she came back she felt my pulse and asked to see my tongue, apparently in Chinese medicine they use the tongue to diagnose issues.  All I could think was.. I just ate lunch 20 minutes ago and some of that was sharp cheese - I mean I chewed gum but I found it vaguely intimate and embarrassing to show her my tongue.

She started putting in the needles and I have to say that except for two of them I could barely feel them if at all.  I could feel the ones that went near my baby toes but don't know if this is because they were fixing something or the fact that I have sensitive feet and toes and you have to touch them just right or my OCD kicks in... its hard to explain, just ask my parents about me and socks and shoes someday :D  As far as I could tell there were needles on the top my feet near my baby toes, in my shin near the knee, an extra one above my knee on my left side (more about that later), in my forearms near my wrist, my stomach (couldn't feel those at all), one in my forehead and one on the top of my head.  Then she left me to rest for 30 minutes.

I did ask if I could read but she wanted me to "relax my mind".  She said to try it this way this time and if I felt I couldn't relax I could read next time.  I actually found that i was able to relax - not quite falling asleep but existing in that stream of consciousness type of thing.  She said I might feel tingling, heaviness, lightness - all kinds of things.  The extra needle in my left leg was because for the past 4 - 5 months I have had a numb spot on the outside of my upper thigh on the left side.  I only noticed it during the progesterone in oil shots but can't say for certain if that is when it started, that's only when I noticed it.  During my half hour I felt a warm pressure across my brow and my cheekbones close to my nose, I felt some heaviness in my arms and hands and the most surprising to me was that I felt a warm tingling in my upper thigh on the left side.  I would like to say that the numbness was miraculously cured but I can't however it does feel as though it is "waking up" and I can feel more that I could before.  When she came back in she took out the needles and gave me an abdominal massage.

She recommends that I come in once a week until the week before my transfer and then twice a week the week before.  She can go to my transfer procedure to do acupuncture there and then she recommends once a week for 12 weeks after I get pregnant.  She gave me lots of literature on the benefits of acupuncture, infertility, Chinese medicine and nutrition.  I was surprised and gratified to see that two studies had show an increase in pregnancy for groups undergoing acupuncture compared to the control group; and not insignificant!  I showed all this to Handsome and told him about my leg.  He started to make jokes but when he realized I wasn't laughing he told me he supported me and that over time it would probably help the numbness and the studies looked good for the FET.

She asked me to send her my FET protocol when I get it so she can time my treatments better.  And now we get to why I am so angry...  I was told on Friday to send the nurse at ARMS my left over medication and she would get the timing to me on Monday (remember I said I would let you know as soon as I knew?).  Well FINALLY at 4:48pm yesterday I get an email from her, but when I open the email it says she will get it to me by tomorrow (meaning today, Tuesday).  Le sigh.  Ok, I understand, things can get busy...  But it is now 9:21pm and I have NO messages from her, no timing, no protocol, no sorry for the delay, no nothing.  I am ANGRY.  Maybe this doesn't seem like a big thing, perhaps I don't have to worry about anything for a week or more but I don't know that until I get this info!  (ok Andrea, calm down... hitting the keyboard keys harder and harder isn't going to change anything...)  The worst thing is I don't know what to do, do I send an email asking when I get the info, do I send her an email reaming her out, do I call her in the morning, do I call and make a complaint?  I mean I want the info ASAP, and part of me wants then to understand and acknowledge my anger and frustration - I mean this only my fertility we are talking about!  BUT!  And there is a big but - no not mine :D   But, I don't want to piss off or alienate those who are involved in my care.  What do you guys think?  I was thinking perhaps that I could send an email containing the following:

"When I might get the timing protocol.  I understand that y'all get busy and that you have to make sure the scheduling and medication is correct, but I am reasonably anxious to get this show on the road and know what I will be looking forward to."

Does that seem too patronizing, too nice, too pansy ass, to indirect?  Should I send this email or should I call.  Well when I know more I'll let you guys know.  ttyl

The Little Mermaid
Every step she took was as the witch had said it would be, she felt as if treading upon the points of needles or sharp knives; but she bore it willingly, and stepped as lightly by the prince's side as a soap-bubble, so that he and all who saw her wondered at her graceful-swaying movements.
Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian) (2009-10-04). Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (Kindle Locations 5248-5250). Public Domain Books. Kindle Edition.