Called up my regular OB today, Dr. S. to see if they could perform my Follicle ultrasound study and the different lab work that NaPro doc (Dr. C) wants done.
Receptionist has no clue if they can do it...."we have an ultrasound machine." (Yes, I'm well aware of that; it's a Level II...that's how we found out about Mary Grace.) I say nothing. She patches me through to the nurse answering machine.
I leave a very detailed message including every type of blood test listed on my order sheet.
Nurse calls back and asks why I am seeing a doctor that is 3 hours away. I ask if she's ever heard of NaPro Technology. She hasn't. I explain that Dr. C is a specialist in this area of fertility care and that is why. Nurse wants Dr. S to call me back and speak with me personally.
2 hours later phone goes straight to voicemail!? It is Dr. S. I listen to his message and call him back.
He answers immediately and wants me to explain what is going on. I tell him that I'm seeing a new OB who specializes in NaPro...ask him if he's ever heard of it. He has not.
He immediately starts in on me asking why my new doc thinks it's necessary to do a follicle study considering my history. Especially, he adds, when there is no research to back up doing a follicle study or assessing hormonal events throughout my cycle.
What?? I'm thinking in my head about the 30+ years of research that NaPro is based on, but I can't really interject anything because he is continuing on in a diatribe about me being better off using techniques that insurance will cover that have had many years of research, and that he wants to make sure that I'm not having tests done unnecessarily, and why don't you just go here (a fertility clinic) because they helped him 10 years ago, and it's going to get really expensive really fast if your insurance doesn't cover this. Well he knows darn well that we won't go certain routes because we've had that discussion in his office many times before.
He must have asked me 8-10 different times (I thought at one point about starting a tally to keep track) if I was sure I wanted to continue with this other doctor and aren't I sure I wouldn't rather start with injectible meds and give that a try first?
Whew! To say I was flustered and upset at the onslaught is understating it! About the only thing I was able to affirm several times was that NaPro was the route that DH and I were now pursuing at this time and I trusted the judgement of my NaPro doc about which tests she thought we should undergo.
Now...I don't want you to misunderstand. I believe my OB (Dr. S) absolutely said all these things believing that he has my best interests in mind. I think he honestly believes that I am about to get "taken" by some quack doctor who is going to take advantage of my infertile position and run all kinds of useless and expensive tests on me just to make a dime. So I'm not mad at the way he reacted when I told him about new doc.
I am however, frustrated by the fact that he has never heard of NaPro and therefore knows nothing of what it might be able to do for me! I pointed him to www.naprotechnology.com and I have to say that I am hopeful about what he might think once he looks into it....and oh boy, he will! After my ectopic pregnancy we got into a discussion about the ethics of it all and once I explained my views as a Catholic (he is Jewish, I believe), he went and did his own research about what Catholics believe on this issue because he wanted to have an informed opinion to be able to better serve people like me. Which I thought was really awesome!
I just know he will come away with some insight after reading that website and getting linked to Pope Paul VI Institute's website! So I am asking you to say a quick prayer for him right now! And prayer buddy if you are reading this, please say a prayer for him that his heart would be open to learning about this technology!
All we can do is tell others, right? God has to do the rest.
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9 comments:
I know, it's super frustrating how the mainstream docs either don't know about, don't understand, or are so against Napro. I mean, if they just studied the research and teachings for FIVE MINUTES they would see how valuable it is!! Sorry you are having to struggle through this. :-(
That's awesome that you stood your ground Angela! You'll have to keep an eye out for him in the future and see if he pursues NaPro thanks to our answered prayers.
That's VERY awesome! Way to hang in there and minister despite your frustration. Praying for your doc!!!
Good for you standing your ground! It's so hard with mainstream obs. I've been to like 5 since beginning with Napro. I've actually had a few refuse to keep me as a patient as long as I continue treatment with Napro. It's sad. I really pray that your doctor has his eyes opened to the beauty that is Napro.
I am sorry it was a frustrating experience. We should have warned you-though well-meaning, most docs like to do what is comfortable and proven; I personally work in research and like to go with what is considered research to practice docs that are using the latest and greatest even if it still requires tweaking. I always say it won't be mainstream in my lifetime, so there is no time to wait. I trust the basis for it all and believe Dr. H is open to God working through him. That is what I needed to be convinced. I am glad your doc is truely concerned v. my old ob that had a major ego issue about being second guessed by another doc (as he saw it) and I got caught in the middle, literally backed against a wall to explain why I wouldn't kill my dying baby. I shudder to even think back to that time. I am def proud of you for standing firm in your beliefs and who knows, maybe your ob will even get trained! I will def pray for the Holy Spirit to guide him as he (hopefully) does his homework.
Oh I know only too well about having to defend NaPro (and not just NaPro, but any "out of the box" thinker Drs I've seen). At this point I just open my mouth and the Holy Spirit comes right out for me. I have never been as well-spoken in my life as when I defend my NaPro ovarian wedge resection :)
I have a very religious Jewish hematologist and he has been so awesome in respecting my values and commending me on adhering to them. I pray this Dr will do the same after his research.
Somebody around here has a headline story at Catholic Online tonight! Wonder who that could be?? Hmmmmm...
Bless you, Angela!
www.catholic.org
I think that is a lot to ask of a mainstream OB running the labwork. Please don't take that to sound the way it came out, it's not my intention.
What I don't understand, is why you can't get orders to go to a local labcorp form bw and maybe have the mainstream ob do the ultrasound series. Or find a diagnostic lab to do the ultrasound series? Just wondering?
That is tackling a monster and him being Jewish he might be more open. ;) But I can tell you down here the Baptist are not. ;) I wouldn't even bring it up. But then I haven't found any doctor open to it like yours sounds...I'm thinking they are going to get the bw and not even understand it.....
My baby catcher said I could come off progesterone after the 1st trimester and it was the law. It hasn't been brought up since. I will say I'm off all meds if he asks. :)
Oh and I also haven't met a doctor like yours who didn't push me to the fertility clinic. ;)
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