PCOS Gratitude Journal

I was reading this article ((Can you tell I LOVE the inCyst blog?)) and I especially liked the point made below:

PCOS has made me assert my health as a priority. If I didn’t have PCOS, it’s unlikely that I would be practicing this level of self-care – and I know that what I do is only going to benefit my PCOS in the long run.

I can't help but AGREE with this statement. I'm the type of person where if there is a problem, I solve it. I do my best to solve it. I work as hard as I can until it the problem has some sort of resolution. I don't just "deal" and if you tell me the word "can't" I'll reply with something my mother tends to say: "CAN'T MEANS YOU WON'T TRY."

For years I knew something wasn't right with my body. I couldn't figure out why my experiences in puberty were different from my friends. If you scroll back in some of these entries I'm sure I've written about it. Any doctor I saw told me to just lose weight and my periods would be better or here's a Rx for the pill... they never really investigated. Thanks to the power of social networking and the Internet I began researching my symptoms and struggles and PCOS kept coming up. To save your eyeballs from boredom... it took me SEVERAL doctors and MANY appointments to get to where I am now because I'm sorry, but I just won't take no for an answer.

I finally found a doctor who took me seriously, assessed me properly, and got me HERE. HERE. HEEEEERRRREEEEE. I'm typing this entry and I'm SIX MONTHS PREGNANT something I was told would probably never happen for us.

So here are just a few reasons as to why I'm thankful for PCOS:

1. Figuring out I had PCOS did make me take my health seriously. Just the other day at my OB appointment I was praised for excellent PCOS management pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy.
2. I've proven that you should never take "NO" for an answer and that even though doctors are quite knowledgeable ... you need to trust you and know your body.
3. I've discovered that a firm stance and a strong faith go a long way.
4. I've proven my mother's saying right - telling me "can't" means you won't try to help me which means you're a waste of my time and I'm moving on.
5. I went from hating my body to learning to understanding my body and appreciating my body.
6. I'm incredibly knowledgeable on all things pcos and infertility and it helps me help other women.
7. I've met so many wonderful "cysters" and have been helped by them and also have helped them in return.
8. I've got something to be truly passionate about. I'm passionate about several topics such as literacy, education, equality, etc... but PCOS has its own category.
9. I've proven the doctor who said "You're too fat to ever have kids" wrong... this same doctor will be getting a picture of my son in the mail.
10. I've proven that pill pushing isn't always the best medical practice.
11. I've inspired other women and have given them hope.
    
12. I've discovered that the fight really is worth it and I refused to be reduced by the process it took to get here.

I'm sure I could come up with more reasons to be grateful for PCOS but truly it has taught me a lot. As I look back on our journey with infertility I know I'm not cured. I'll always have PCOS. But I truly have proven that I have PCOS - it does not have me. And that, is important.