Ep. 78: Client Story - Carolyn (Single, Endo)
Caitlin:
Welcome to the Woven Well Podcast. I'm your host, Caitlin Estes. I'm a certified fertility care practitioner with a master of divinity degree. Each episode will cover a topic that helps educate and empower you and your fertility while honoring the deep connection your fertility has with your faith. Let's get started.
Caitlin:
I believe that a part of empowering and educating women is connecting them with other women on the same journey. That's why we have episodes devoted to hearing the fertility journey of a woman who is a part of Woven. Whatever your situation or fertility goal, the fertility journey can definitely feel isolating at times, but I really want to assure you that there is a whole community of women out there asking the same questions you are. Carolyn is one of those women asking good questions. She works for a large hospital system in Atlanta, Georgia, and she was plagued by extremely painful periods for most of her life. She tried to get help and was frustrated by years of being told her pain was normal or unavoidable. Finally, in the last several years, she's received the care that she deserves, and it's been such a pleasure to be a part of that journey with her. Now I'm excited for you to get to hear a little bit of her story. Carolyn, thanks so much for being on with us today.
Carolyn:
Thank you. Glad to be here.
Caitlin:
I am glad to. And why don't we start off by you sharing how you initially got connected with Creighton.
Carolyn:
I was initially diagnosed with endometriosis at age 14, which I will talk about more in a minute. But I happened to be out of town visiting my brother and went to grab lunch with a good friend from college who knew at the time I was recovering from my second excision surgery for that endometriosis. And just happened to mention to me she, she herself had struggled with endometriosis for years and we knew that about each other. And she just happened to mention to me Creighton and NaPro technology and asked if I was familiar with it. And it did take me some time from there to do my own research to learn a little more. But really that was what set the stage for starting on this road that I'm on right now.
Caitlin:
Yes, I love that because so often it is friends telling other friends and being open about this. It really is knowing that we're not alone and there are other people going through a similar journey. And so if we can share that information and that encouragement and that information with friends, then the world's gonna be a better place for it. So that's great. So why don't you share what your reproductive health journey has been like?
Carolyn:
Sure. So like I said, I got the endometriosis diagnosis at age 14, which I've since learned is very early to have a confirmed diagnosis.
Caitlin:
It absolutely is.
Carolyn:
So I do consider this a gift to have not been wondering what was causing the pain having an answer of sorts. But really from then on, there was a lot that weighed on me because understanding the disease, knowing the potential long-term concerns with it, and finding treatment options that I was comfortable with really was a lot on my teenage mind. It had its challenges. One of those long-term concerns that comes with it is infertility. And you're told that very early in these conversations when you get that diagnosis. There's no missing that. And for me, I've always known that I want to have a family, and so knowing that that could be out of the cards or challenging is a lot to process. So at the time they, they offer hormonal therapy, sometimes surgical options, and ultimately, a lot of times they let you know that a hysterectomy is another option. But again, not something I really wanted to consider at, at that point, or really at any point down the road as far as I knew.
Caitlin:
Absolutely. I'm trying to imagine age of 14 being told that hysterectomy is an option for you.
Carolyn:
Right, right. So for a while, I accepted that. I accepted that those were the options and pretty much was told, these are your options until you're ready to have a child, and then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. So I accepted that, but in the back of my mind, I was always wondering why does for such a large scale problem and illness have to be such a band-aid approach, until I'm looking for a particular outcome. And when I was 18, so four years later, that led me to seeking out an excision specialist that only focused on endometriosis and having surgery with him. And eight years later because of a recurrence of symptoms, seeking out another specialist to do the same thing. And the conversations with these two specialists were a big deal for me because for the first time, I was being offered relief of symptoms sooner rather than later, and I was being offered a chance to have better fertility outcomes down the road.
Carolyn:
I didn't have to wait to think about those things. And the tactics they use really did a good job of treating the endometriosis at the source. There was no bandaid approach. It was the first set of conversations I had where I felt like I was at the table, I was being brought to the conversation to be the expert in my body and to make decisions based on my desires. And hysterectomy was never mentioned in those conversations. So that spoke volumes to me as well. Then having heard about Creighton and NaPro from my good friend that I mentioned I actually learned down the road that there was a partner physician of the excision specialist that I had used who was training in NaPro and would be starting his own practice locally. So it would be easy access to a provider that had this training to not just focus on the surgical component, but to look at ongoing hormonal health and maintenance. And really it offers a better understanding of what all was going on. And for me, this was the next right step to not just think about surgery, which is scary. I had done that. But then to think about what am I with, along with the healthcare team gonna be doing to think about my overall help on an ongoing basis.
Caitlin:
And I want to talk more about that, but first I want to go back for just a second. And just applaud you as a young 18 year old, seeking out a medical professional who is going to listen to you and give you other options. And like you just described, someone who is going to take care of the problem at the root source. I love that at that young teenage age, you were already thinking about, or maybe you had a support system who was pointing these things out to you, but either way, you were aware that hormonal contraception was not the answer for you, and that you deserved an actual diagnosis and treatment, and you just pursued that wholeheartedly at that young age. And I'm imagining you had many years of not having that crippling pain until you finally had the recurrence of it and needing the surgery. But that is just amazing. And so I just want to call that out and applaud you on that.
New Speaker:
I wonder if something that contributed to that is the fact that you were diagnosed at such a young age, given that insight, because I feel like it maybe it feels a little bit different to be told that at 14 than it is to be told at 24 or 34. And as you said, it's a lot to process as a teenager, but it also puts it in the rest of your life in front of you. Well, can I live with this pain for the rest of my life until I'm ready to have a child? Uh, no. I don't think I need to wait until that point, which is a big difference. Okay. You talked about after you had the surgery and you were thinking about your overall health, you found out that there was a NaPro trained doctor and also he was a surgeon that was gonna be local in your area. So what has it been like using Creighton, working with a NaPro provider and understanding your body and fertility?
Carolyn:
I think about this, and I think we all like to think we have a really thorough understanding of what goes on in our bodies. We've certainly heard about it for years, but I, I came to find out that my understanding was just very general. And I think a lot of my peers I've learned in this regard, when we think of our cycle, which we are looking at through Creighton and NaPro, we think of our period. And there are so many phases and so many things that add up to what a full cycle looks like. There are patterns that are recognized throughout it. There are numerous phases. There are all kinds of things that really add up to what your reproductive health looks like. So for me, it's given me a better understanding of my own body as an individual. And through this understanding, it's allowed in turn my provider to pinpoint where there are, I don't want to call them problems, but maybe discrepancies in the patterns that could be keeping me from optimal reproductive health.
Carolyn:
And not only that, they can focus on them. They can do something about 'em, and they can offer a solution. So there's been a lot of comfort in knowing that I'm being looked at as an individual. My body's processes are being seen as an individual, and we're focusing on how to best address that. And again, I'm part of the team, I'm part of the conversation, and I also take a lot of comfort in knowing that any treatment recommendations go right back to my personal goals for my health, and that they'll all ultimately be supporting reproductive health now and down the road. So I appreciate that they call it restorative reproductive healthcare. It's not just focused on fertility. It's not just focused on any one aspect of your cycle. It's looking at it thoroughly, and it's looking at it now and down the road what that means for you.
Caitlin:
Absolutely. Your health matters right now. Regardless of what your goals are with reproduction, the goal is health and I really appreciate that you said, even as things may pop up, it's not so much that they're problems, it's that you want to optimize, you want to be at optimal health that you can be. You want to be thriving, not just surviving, not just getting through. And that's the process that you're going on now. And I personally think that that can't happen without the patient having a seat at the table. Like you said. You are the best expert on your own body's experience, so you know what it's like to be Carolyn. Nobody else does. And so the fact that they make sure to hear your voice and include that in the process is so good and so important. And I'm glad that you have felt that from it.
Carolyn:
And I don't think under other circumstances--it certainly hadn't been my experience prior to that--I would've been made aware that any of this was going on, the things that have been pinpointed and the things I now can be more mindful of.
Caitlin:
So we've talked a little about how it doesn't matter what your reproductive goals are in this moment in order for your health to matter. So why is it important for single women, for instance, to invest in their reproductive health?
Carolyn:
As a woman, your reproductive health is your health, regardless of having a partner, regardless of whether or not you choose to start a family. Hormones are in the driver's seat for so many functions in your body.
Caitlin:
Mm. Yes.
Carolyn:
They drive, I think more than people realize. And it's not just your reproductive health. And also when you think of your body in terms of being interconnected, prioritizing your hormonal health now and later, regardless of your goals, is prioritizing your overall health and wellbeing. And fertility, while it's important is one aspect of that, but even if a family is not your desire down the road, your reproductive health matters because your overall wellbeing does matter.
Caitlin:
Absolutely. Gosh, you said that so well, that hormones are in the driver's seat for so much of our bodies. You are exactly right. I think about our physical health, our mental health. There are some serious connections with our hormones. And a lot of times women will have that sense that something is off, but they can't put their finger on why, or they don't understand. They feel like, well, I'm healthy, everything comes back normal. But when you really start looking at the full picture, the reproductive health is a little bit off, or those hormones are a little bit imbalanced, and it really can change how that woman is living her life, the quality of that life. I of course, of course. I agree with you. I definitely believe that all women deserve access to this information. All women deserve to understand how their bodies work.
Caitlin:
All women deserve to know when they're fertile and infertile, regardless of whether or not they're using that right now. It's their body and their health, and they ought to have that information. So it's really exciting to hear your story and how you have had these opportunities to be at the table, to be a part of the conversation and see your health improve over these last several years, specifically. I know it's been a joy for me to walk with you through that and see that transformation as well. So what advice would you offer to other women who may be in a similar place?
Carolyn:
So, okay. I think I'd break that out into two pieces. One, I would say to anybody, consider giving this a try. At a minimum, at least in my case, I don't regret a minute of having a better understanding of how my body's working. In my case, it's also helped me really think about the questions I want to address when I do have time to talk to my provider and make the most of that time. Because time is valuable for both parties. And if there's a lot you want to discuss, it's really helped me tailor how I want to have these discussions, and understand that Creighton can be beneficial for anybody. There's, there's value in understanding you. Second part of that, I would say, if you, if you do go down this road and give it a try, give yourself time and patience and understanding to get your footing, because I felt like there was a lot to learn, but there was also a whole lot of support. And ultimately it came down to me, was deciding that I was worth the investment.
Caitlin:
Mm. Again, beautifully said. And that's great advice, listeners. That is absolutely great advice to give yourself patience and grace and time to learn it. And also feel free to make the decision. You get to decide if this is something worth your time and your investment. And it sounds like for you, Carolyn, you felt that it was. Yeah. That's great. Well, like I said, it has been so fun working with you and seeing all the things that you are doing to advocate for yourself and your health and get to be a small part of your health journey. So thank you so much for one, allowing me to be a part of that journey, but two, being on today and sharing your particular story with our listeners. Thank you.
Caitlin:
Our Woven community is made up of some pretty incredible people. We ask honest questions of our fertility and our faith. We believe that our bodies were made with beauty and purpose, and that we are intimately designed and loved by our creator, and that our fertility plays a meaningful role in our lives. We believe this matters for all of us, regardless of our marital status or pregnancy intentions or anything else. I'd love for you to be a part of that community. Our website at wovenfertility.com has tons of free resources and a way to sign up for our newsletter. That's a great way to hear from me and Woven once a month. But if you're feeling ready to get started and use Creighton for your health and wellbeing like Carolyn has, then I invite you to our next introductory session. It's the perfect way to learn more and get started with Creighton. You can register at wovenfertility.com/joinus, or click on the link in the show notes. We are so glad you joined us today. Thanks so much for listening, as we continue to explore together what it means to be Woven Well.