The Acupuncturist
I thought the ‘two week wait‘ was bad enough……but my nightmare was to continue.
It had been a month and I still hadn’t started my period.
The doctors and nurses at the public clinic offered no solutions; they just shrugged in confusion and called me “unusual”, which only deepened my grieving.
Each week that I didn’t start my period, I would present to the clinic again for ANOTHER pregnancy test and scan. I felt like I was being tortured; I didn’t even have the luxury of radical acceptance so I could move on with my life. Talk about adding insult to injury.
“What’s wrong with me?” I would plead.
The doctor shrugged.
“Why won’t I start my period? What’s wrong with my hormones?” I begged for answers.
She shrugged again. “I don’t know,” she admitted, “your progesterone levels are really high, as if your body thinks its pregnant. Have you stopped using the progesterone gel?”
I blinked in surprise; of course I have. Who in their right mind would continue putting that depression-inducing gook up their ba-jay-jay?
“There’s nothing we can do for you,” she continued, “you’ll just have to wait for your progesterone levels to drop.”
DISHEARTENED would be an understatement; I was devastated.
Needing IVF already makes one unusual, but being labeled “unusual” amongst the unusual does not instil any feelings of confidence.
I had an appointment scheduled with my acupuncturist immediately afterwards, so I drove over hoping for some Aurelia Magic (as I call it). I’m not sure exactly what she does, but I often leave her sessions feeling like I’ve had a ‘valium-trip’.
As I walked into her office I plopped down onto the chair and despairingly regaled my tale of disappointment. Aurelia listened patiently.
“Would you like me to bring on your period?” She asked casually.
I almost laughed.
“Can you do that?” I scrunched my nose in disbelief.
“I can try.” Her nod was strong and solid, as though she was accepting a challenge.
I shrugged. I was skeptical, but it wouldn’t hurt to try.
Aurelia looked determined as she strategically placed the needles throughout my body. She did some ‘blood moving’ points and also put a needle in my forehead to help me “get out of my head”. That seemed appropriate.
At the end of the session she mixed up an aromatic blend of essential oils specifically ‘prescribed’ to my needs that day and finished the session with a deeply relaxing massage.
I drove home enveloped in a blanket of tranquility and crawled straight into bed: a guilt-free acceptance of much-needed rest.
The next day I woke up to a menstrual migraine.
I called Aurelia in complete shock.
I had started my period.
