1000 reasons why I love and adore being a Fertility Care Practioner

Okay, so I know I won't list them all in this post, but there are easily that many reasons I am so blessed to have been called to this ministry.

First, for those that may be unfamiliar, Fertility Care is a system of charting your naturally occurring signs (i.e. cervical mucus) and biomarkers to determine times of fertility and infertility.  I teach women to chart and interpret these signs.  The best thing is that Physicians trained in NaPro Technology can READ A WOMAN'S CHART and use it to WORK WITH HER CYCLE.  This is phenomenal.  In our culture, physicians treat fertility as if it were a disease and infertility as a opportunity to play God.  God has given us the ability to read and interpret a woman's cycles and when a doctor can utilize that information, they can treat PMS, post postpartum depression, infertility, frequent miscarriage, and on and on.  They allow God to be God and the couple to achieve pregnancy naturally.  Testing and treatment is two to three times more effective than artificial reproductive options.

So, I am about to write an essay about 1000 reasons why I love NaPro Technology.  I will sum those 1000 reasons into one.  My daughter.  Rosie is the miracle that God blessed us with thanks to the help of NaPro Technology (she is pictured on the top of this website with Dr Hilgers).  My experiences with NaPro Technology paved the way to my path towards becoming an FCP.

This is my fifth year of blessing other couples with the gift of understanding their fertility.  I teach teenage girls with painful or irregular cycles through to pre-menopausal women seeking help with PMS.  I teach single women, engaged couples, married couples.  I walk with couples through their first pregnancy, through struggles with frequent miscarriages or infertility.  I teach friends.  I teach strangers.  I teach people that live down the road and people that live across the country (skype!).

By far, the most rewarding part of my work is teaching couples about SPICE.  SPICE stands for Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Creative/Communicative and Emotional needs of your spouse.  I am not a marriage counselor but I have the opportunity to challenge couples to grow in their love and understanding of one another.  I am able to turn couples towards one another and get them talking.  When necessary, I refer to counselors or priests.  I listen to their hopes and dreams; their fears and frustrations.  I walk with them through the struggles and challenges of using a natural system.  I help them process the fears of achieving pregnancy and encourage them through the despair of bareness.

They are coming off the pill for reasons of faith or to avoid side effects (they all have side effects from the pill!).  They are coming from the IVF doctor, looking for another chance at conception.  They are coming from every faith and no faith.  All the while, I am connecting with them and teaching them about God (whether they know it or not).  I am reiterating their wedding vows and teaching the truths as taught in Theology of the Body.  

I never aspired to this work.  God paved the way.  He wants to bless these couples and I have the opportunity to help Him do that. 

My greatest hope is that more doctors embrace the gift of Creighton & NaPro Technology.  I have asked it a thousand times, my clients ask it again and again...."why don't more doctors know this?".  I probably refer 75% (or more) of my clients for NaPro care.  Dr Stegman and Dr Hilgers both work with couples from around the country (and around the world). 

I remember at one point my mother was concerned that I was going to a "Catholic" doctor for my infertility.  She has come around.  It saddens me that this is a stigma.  As it turns out, a physician with a relationship with God that is willing to follow the teachings of the Church is able to be an instrument for God.  And we all know that all blessings, miracles, gifts and graces ultimately come through Him.  He is the ultimate healer.



This said, while not every couple will conceive, there is so much more to Creighton and NaPro than "an opportunity to conceive".  So many infertility bloggers so gracefully reflect on this again and again.  My heart aches for these couples.  God has a special place in His heart for you.  God does hear your prayers.  God does know your pain.  God loves you more than you know. 


PS- 
If you feel like you might be interested in pursing FCP or Medical Consultant training, I would be happy to offer direction or answer questions.  You can look for training near you on this site.

My Stock Photo Baby

Being new to blog-networking, I thought I would share an old photo. I know many blogger girls are in NaPro care. If you ever see this photo of Dr Hilgers with baby...she is mine! This is my NaPro miracle. She can be found at the top of Dr Hilger's blog as well as recent PPVI mailings.

NaPro Surgery #3

Just a quick update,
surgery lasted 4.5 hours. Grade 2 endo, adhesions, some kind of stem thing?? He removed 95% of it. Recovery lasted 4 more hours than I was expecting (5 total hours) and they didn't do as good a job managing my anesthesia nausea - that I warned them about.

Dr Stegman is amazing. As a surgeon, I adore him. He prayed with me a quite extensive prayer before surgery, entrusting me to Mary, praying for St Gerard's intercession. Very moving. I also asked/begged him to please get whatever you can get as I don't think I could do the laparotomy again. I am grateful he did because it would be shear misery waking up after a 20 min surgery again.

Dr Hilgers had put a gortex sheath on my uterus which didn't stay in place to do it's job. Therefore I have a crumpled piece of gortex that remains around the bottom of my uterus (Dr S couln't do anything laprascopically about it).

Recovery is much rougher than I was expecting. I am so grateful for friends that have stepped in (with no warning) to watch H and provide meals. I was not anticipating being "under the knife" again so soon (3 years). I will try to provide more thoughts at a future (non drug induced) blog. :)

Miracle Baby...meet Miracle Worker!

We had the chance to see Dr. Hilgers last weekend and snap these priceless pictures. For those of you who don't remember, Dr. Hilgers is the founder of Creighton Model Fertility Care and NaPro (Natural Procreative) technology. He also preformed two of my surgeries, which led to the conception of our miracle babe. Thank you Dr. Hilgers (sniff sniff) - you are truly doing God's work!!

another update :)

It has been awhile, and I appologize for the delay in this update. We had several conversations before we decided to put this update online.

Paul and I recieved very good news. Before we say just what that is....here is the prelude. Our cousin's came over recently and delivered this very special toast. "And they went to visit their cousin, Elisabeth, who was found to be in her 6th week. She who was thought barren. For they know, all things are possible with God."

Reflecting on the scriptural meaning of my name, Elisabeth. Reflecting on the meditations of barren women in the bible - we were so blessed to recieve this toast. And we truly TRULY are blessed.

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So, certainly, this is the biggest surprsie of our married life. We are THRILLED. We don't know yet what it means for the adoption - and will continue to keep you posted via this blog. For now, I am under the care of Dr. Hilgers through the PPVI Institute for hormonal support. Thank you for all of you that have prayed us to this point!!! Please continue to pray for the Blessed Mother and St. Gerard's intercession for this new life inside of me! With all our love!

Set your DVD to Record...or Watch Dr Hilgers this Friday night!

From an Email:
"I am so pleased to announce to you that Dr. Hilgers will be the feature of a one hour interview on national television beginning Friday, December 8, 2006 at 7 p.m.CST. This interview was taped about two weeks ago with Raymond Arroyo of EWTN at Christendom College at Front Royal, Virginia. It was taped in their library with a student body live audience.

I hope that you will put this on your calendar or set your Tivo so that you don't miss this important interview. Please also let everyone associated with your center know and your clients as well. It helps spread the message of our work."

Reproductive Medicine & Catholicism

Yesterday there was an article published in the Washington Post about NaPro Technology and Dr. Hilger's work with the Pope Paul VI Institute. Read the article by clicking here. The only argument from the Institute was that it was published in the religion section rather than the health & medicine section. While we were pursuing treatment with Dr. Hilgers there were concerns because we were pursuing "catholic" treatment. No, we were pursuing morally acceptable treatment.

Overall, the article is pretty balanced. Of course there are some ridiculous comments: "They might as well be advocating prayer for infertility," said Richard Paul, a fertility expert at the University of Southern California. "The reason that this is dangerous is because women have a biological clock, and while they are using up time with less effective therapies, time may run out." Though we are not (yet) in the statistical success rating, I think it would be quite difficult to find a woman who considers her treatment a waste of time.

I am glad to know that it is causing a little controversy out there. For two reasons, 1) if there is controversy others will know about it. 2) I would love to have other people studying & challenging the research. Really, their success and patient load should be saying something to mainstream docs. Please spread word of this article!