With Love, a Creighton Practitioner

I’ve had a lot of clients come to me for a number of reasons. Each with their own unique set of circumstances, each with their own unique story. Their circumstances and reasons for charting might change, but what stays the same is their use of the Creighton Model System.

"Would anyone like to give their personal testimony of using the Creighton Model System?"

This question was asked at our annual Groesbeck FertilityCare meeting in December 2022. I answered honestly: “no.”

…and yet, here you are reading a blog about my use of the Creighton Model System. So what changed? Based on the nature of my case (labs, actual charting, etc) I' have been asked both by public medical hospitals and by those involved with the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals to have my case researched and potentially presented on.

So what's different about my case that's so interesting that I've been asked to have my case further looked into, researched, and potentially presented on? Well, let's take a step back to answer that. When I began charting with the Creighton Model System I did so intending to learn more about my body, not discover a million health issues along the way. I really had nominal wishes for it to assist me apart from discovering the goodness of what God has made. What I've discovered along the way, however, is never something I realized we would discover.

The alternate title to this blog post was going to be “how messed up can a chart be?? A true story from a Creighton Practitioner.” Because that’s precisely what if feels like at times.

I've had 1.5-2 inch needles jabbed into my hips, tried every form of progesterone (one of which landed me a trip to the ER because I was allergic to something in it), had devastating effects from a supplement that nearly landed me yet another trip to the ER, among other things. I've suffered from nerve damage, discovered gene mutations that explain why every medication has bad side effects for me (if it says "common side effects" you can guarantee I end up with at least 3 of those, if not more), gone so far as to have temporarily done an "all meat diet" just to help my body.

On the flip side of it I've also discovered, at least in part, what's going on. A medical diagnosis landed by my NaPro doctor has given so much hope and a name to what's going on. However, if we didn't discover the more "minor" issues along the way, we wouldn't have gotten to the bottom of it. To add to it, I can't tell you how many people I have walked through progesterone protocols, identified abnormalities on charts, picked up on health conditions that were then able to be treated my a NaPro doctor. We've discovered parts of my chart that would inhibit fertility that are now treated. And I'm grateful.

So with diagnosis underway and testing that is well into the depths of discovering the source of many problems that I'm facing, I am immensely grateful to the Creighton Model System and for those in affiliation for helping me along the way. Diet changes, naturopath doctors, and other specialists have also played an important role in getting me to where I am today. And while my use of the Creighton Model System may (and probably does) look different from your use of it, don't be surprised by what you discover along the way.

Begin with where you are; you have no idea where it'll take you. Will you be frustrated along the way, and likely have an end result already in mind? Probably. But be open to the ways that "little" discoveries can help fulfill the bigger picture along the way. Surrender yourself and your plans (and your chart) to the Lord. Advocate for what you need. Do dietary changes if your doctor recommends it (I'm a year into following the AIP diet with some modifications). If all else fails, grab a big latte (with whatever kind of milk you can actually have) and some whipped cream, and trust in what the Lord has for you.

It will grow your capacity for love, your capacity to suffer (if you let it), and to be in whatever ways you're asked to. Your Creighton Practitioner will be there with you along the way to help you, too! Never hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can help you.

With love,

Anna