IVF #1 : East Meets West

I went in for my first ever acupuncture session yesterday. Apparently, IVF and acupuncture goes hand in hand. Studies from IVF experts from many clinics has shown that it will increase the success rate of IVF. I have been reading about acupuncture and IVF in these past few weeks, and in fact most of western IVF clinics recommend IVFers to try it. Funny how our own Malaysian clinics do not have any affiliation with any acupuncture centres.

Basically what acupuncture does is to help balance the "yin" and "yang" of the body. While a person is going through IVF, many tend to have emotional stress and whatnot, therefore it will throw of the "chi". Apart from helping to relax the body, acupuncture also helps to make to womb/uterus stronger and increase blood circulation.

I spoke to Dr. D about acupuncture and surprisingly he agrees with putting both east and west treatment together. But unfortunately, I would have to find my own acupuncturist.

It was funny how I came to know my acupuncturist. My mom does meditation and attends dhamma classes at her meditationg center Bodhi Heart , and in this center, there have many passing monks  around Asia and they would stay in the sanctuary and give dhamma talks and so on. Sometimes, there would have wellness sessions, and this month they happen to have 2 acupuncturist visiting and a medical monk (Ajahn) from Chiang Mai passing through.

I went in yesterday to see the acupuncturist and was told that my "yin" and "yang" is off. So what they were gonna do to me is to balance my "chi" and to make my uterus stronger. You would think that I am ok with the needles, afterall there are super fine! But boy was I wrong! It hurts, I would guess it hit the nerves or point but while he twist the needle in, it hurts. And when the needle was inside, nothing, I feel nothing afterwards.

So while he was putting needles on me, I started crying, not because of the pain but more like "why am I putting myself through all this for??!!!!" (Emo Breakdown #2 ) So I started tearing, the Ajahn ( monk) came over and sat next to me. He told me, that he know I am not in pain outside but inside. And that basically open the water gates. I was sobbing like a baby with needles in me in front of 20 strangers and a monk sitting next to me. Now that is something I would not ever expect to happen to me. Ajahn read me like an open book, he told me to let out all my fears, concerns and not to have hope and expectations that will lead to my misery. He basically sat with me for a whole good 30 minutes.

After my acupuncture session, I met with Ajahn again, and he did Pranic healing for my soul. It did help calm me down and then he went on to teach me some acupressure techniques that will help strenghten my uterus and teach me about holistic medicine to help me on my IVF journey. From there, I learnt that Ajahn has been practicing holistic medicine for 25 years and has been going around rural areas in South East Asia helping the poor.

I was told by Ajahn to do my acupressure treatment every night and to practice eating more alkaline based food and to boil pandanus leave with lotus root and lotus seed to drink everyday to help improve my circulation.

So there, I was in a mess yesterday but it felt good afterwards. I guess I needed to let everything out and  I needed some words of wisdom and spritual guidance.

Sadhu.