I wanted to post a testimonial from a client. He volunteered to do this, I did not ask him for it. My sincere hope, in training inCYST professionals, is that this is the experience each and every woman has when reaching out and asking for help. We understand that you are not just patients or lab values, but rather individuals with your own sets of experiences, anxieties, and hopes, that must be respected and accommodated in our work together. The photo is of me at this baby's baptism.
B, thank you for the testimonial. I am not sure who benefitted most from our time together, as I learned an incredible amount from this collaboration! Being asked to come to the hospital to see baby Brianna, and to attend her baptism, was such an honor. I will never forget how it felt to look at her, and hold her, and tangibly experience the value of this work.
I have asked the other members of inCYST's network to share testimonials as well. They do wonderful work, and I want to use this forum to share their passions and how they benefit those who work with them for better health. I look forward to sharing their stories!
Monika
It was two years ago when we first met Monika. I remember it like yesterday. We were desperate but also tired of the empty promises.
In the previous 18 months, my wife and I had been on an emotional rollercoaster. My wife had been tested for thyroid issues, infertility, hormone imbalances. Each doctor was confident they knew what was wrong and it was a simple fix. Take this prescription and diet. When that did not work it was go to this specialist or that one. Even at the mighty Mayo Clinic we were disappointed. During this time we had our first miscarriage. I remember the night vividly. We went to the emergency room knowing something was wrong. We were first triaged by an RN, she ordered a pregnancy test, a UA, ultrasound and every blood test she could think of. After six hours we were scared to death and still had not seen the ER physician. My wife’s pain was increasing. My wife started to bleed. We were reassured the doctor would be with us soon. She ended up miscarrying in the restroom of the ER. We finally had the ultrasound. We finally saw that doctor; he was abrupt and in a hurry. He spent five minutes with us explaining that we had miscarried and gave us a booklet for grieving. We were also to follow up with our OB/gyn for a D&C. In addition to a 3,000 dollar bill.
It took a few days for my wife’s physical pains to subside, but the emotional ones were just beginning. It almost tore us apart. She had the feeling that she was broken and tried to push me away. Everything reminded us of our loss. It is amazing how many sad stories you see about abused or abandoned children when you can not have one. Several months had passed and our OB diagnosed my wife with PCOS. Though the ultrasound showed no cysts, all the other symptoms were there. My wife was placed on metformin. This was to stabilize her insulin. She started the medication but her mood swings and frustration increased. She exercised two to four hours every day for four months. She was obsessed with losing weight and returning to “normal”. The weight did not come off and she was giving up. I decided to spend my spare time researching PCOS. The research was inconclusive as to the correct treatment course. Most suggested controlling insulin through diet and medication. There were several online programs and institutes which promised to have the answer. We were sucked in and for another few months we tried some different approaches. None seemed to be very effective. We had given up on the idea of having children and I just wanted my wife back. With every new promise was a disappointment. Unfortunately my wife was becoming frustrated with herself. We stopped spending time with friends and calling family. The thing most people do not understand is that it is not just your disappointment as a couple, but explaining to your friends and families that is devastating. I decided to continue my diligence with my research and found several dieticians and nutritionists who were publishing and focusing on PCOS. This is how we came to know Monika Woolsey. I did not even tell my wife about Monika at first. I did not want another false hope. Once I hung up the phone with Monika, I felt that she might be able to help. She did not promise results of pregnancy or a magic pill to fix everything. She said simply that every woman is different as is the approach. She continued to ask question after question. Throughout this entire rollercoaster I finally felt we found someone who is sincerely interested in helping us. We were not just another case. I did not know Monika’s intentions or if her ideas would work but we had a glimmer of hope. Monika surprised us a little when she wanted to visit our home. I did not understand but we agreed. When Monika arrived she was not what I expected she was “down to earth” and seemed very easy to talk with. She also was very knowledgeable about the disease process. I found her caring and very sensitive to what we have gone through. Though she was very nice I was not looking for a friend but a knowledgeable professional. I was put in my place very quickly after challenging her on a few topics. She had read all that I have and more. She has done her homework. She described this as a journey of trials and seeing what works because each woman is different and has different symptoms. Though our time was up she was truly invested and stayed an additional two hours. Till the time our questions were answered.
My wife started with fish oil and flaxseed oil in addition to a session of acupuncture. We also were educated on reading labels and identifying pure foods. I am in the medical field and did not put much stock in this approach. To put it mildly I was a skeptic. However after spending two months on the program my wife was getting back to her typical self and feeling much better. Some evenings we would call or e-mail Monika with questions. She was never to busy to take time for us. We were perfectly content with our changes. My wife’s moods were stabilizing and her menstruations were becoming more regular. Out of the blue we found out that we were pregnant. This was not expected or planned. Monika never promised or led us to believe that pregnancy would be the result. Her plan was simple. Make my wife feel better and regain control.
When Monika found out she was very happy for us but she did not seem to be surprised. She mentioned that this has happened with several couples that were told they would never have children. I can say that my wife will always have PCOS but at least we have the knowledge to control it. We had our beautiful daughter on July 21 2009. It was an amazing day. We have included a picture of Monika and our daughter Brianna. God gives us trials in life and we have had our fair share. In saying that I would not change a thing.
Monika, thank you for all you have done for us
Sincerely B & I.
