Having the Strength to Say "No"

I'd like to briefly discuss my love/hate relationship with Western medicine and my IC doctors. Let me just preface this with the fact that I have TONS of respect for all individuals in the medical field, and I'm in no way denouncing Western medicine as a whole.

HOWEVER... during my time battling IC, I have put a lot in the hands of urologists and gynecologists hoping that they would magically cure me over night.  Guess what guys? This is not the case.  Guess what else? You have the right to say NO to anything that you don't feel comfortable with.  I know, I know.. shocking right?! Often times, people put all of their faith in their doctors as if they are all-knowing, immortals who have all the answers. While I truly appreciate all of the medical professionals I have dealt with, I have learned the hard way that they in fact do not have all the answers, and they also certainly don't know my body as well as I do.

I woke up one morning with a sort of epiphany. I was set to head to the doctor later that day for another round of instillation treatments, and also to learn how to do them at home.  Sounds exciting, right?! Really, I was stoked to have vials of medication stored in my refrigerator next to the eggs and OJ, and even more thrilled to have catheters and needles lying around like any other average twenty-something.

I woke up and in my semi-conscious daze my mind said, "NO. I will not go to my appointment later."  I no longer wanted chemicals going into my body that I didn't believe were truly healing me.  I was no longer comfortable taking medications that medical professionals didn't know everything about..."it works for some patients, but we're not really sure exactly why.." That's real comforting, doc. I was sick of being a medical guinea pig regarding IC.  As a young, otherwise healthy, strong twenty-five year old, I was sick of masking my illness and not genuinely healing it.  I was sick of being told that this was my fate forever, by doctors who had never been in my shoes, in my body, in my brain.

That day, I made a promise to myself to love, respect and nourish my body from the inside out, and to do all things with healing in mind.  So, doctors everywhere: Don't tell me that my body is incapable of healing.  I know I can get better, even if it is a slow and tedious process. I have heard the stories and seen the proof that healing from IC is very possible, and it's usually not at the hand of medications.

So, friends, please do not ever feel pressured into doing something that you believe will cause your body more harm, even if your healthcare professional suggests it.  I'm not saying to refuse all Western medicine- there are plenty of amazing things about modern science, biotechnology and pharmacology.  Just do your research, and always love yourself enough to say no.

Happy healing! xx