Today is our 5 year anniversary!!
And i'm 3 days late..
I'm currently CD29 and 11DPO..
My temp rose again this morning from 36.68 to 36.97!!
Being the eternal pessimist when it comes to my own fertility (nearly 2 years of unsuccessfulness will do that to you), I'm still not convinced i'm pregnant..
BUT, I decided to test anyway!
And so I did - twice...
And I got 2 beautifully clear lines! One on each test...
And that was it..
My very faint hint of hope was gone..
But, I actually wasn't that disappointed. I guess because I wasn't really expecting to see 2 lines.. Even if I did, I think I would probably try to talk myself out of believing it! I was more upset at letting myself get my hopes up and for telling Mr Man and getting his hopes up too..
So i'm interpreting my temp rise to be because I tested at a different time, and I'm interpreting my late AF to be because the herbs and acupuncture have helped to stabilise my LP.
So if i'm still missing AF when im 14DPO, I'll let myself test again.
Until then, I'm just happy the herbs are working!!!
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Sunday 11 December 2011
another spike?
So after having such a beautiful spike for O this month, and then stable temps for 5 days, my temps have started to rise again....??
Today is the 3rd rise in a row - each time only by a 0.0something of a degree but still a rise..
Apparently this is called a tri-phasic chart and can be considered an early pregnancy sign, although it doesn't only happen during pregnancy!?!
AF was due today (CD26), and instead I had another temp rise...
I've been hopeful for that BFP for so long that I really don't want to get my hopes up..
I DO feel premenstrual but in a different way to normal, and I have felt similarly premenstrual since I ovulated.
But then again, this lack of premenstrual pain could also just be the herbs helping?
My periods not arriving today could also just be them getting back on track for a 28 day cycle.
The slight rise in temp could be because I took my temp an hour later both yesterday and today then I normally do, but then again, they still rose from the same time it was taken yesterday...
I am NOT going to get excited, not atleast until CD 29 which just happens to be our 5 year anniversary!! I honestly cannot think of a better anniversary present.
Fingers crossed!!
But then again, to be completely honest, I am just soooo happy to see the change in my temps and how stable they are, and it's just soo nice to feel confident with my doctor and with my path of treatment, so either way, i'm just happy I have found Dr Sun!!
Xiexie ni Dr Sun!
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/387c91
my beautiful chart!
Today is the 3rd rise in a row - each time only by a 0.0something of a degree but still a rise..
Apparently this is called a tri-phasic chart and can be considered an early pregnancy sign, although it doesn't only happen during pregnancy!?!
AF was due today (CD26), and instead I had another temp rise...
I've been hopeful for that BFP for so long that I really don't want to get my hopes up..
I DO feel premenstrual but in a different way to normal, and I have felt similarly premenstrual since I ovulated.
But then again, this lack of premenstrual pain could also just be the herbs helping?
My periods not arriving today could also just be them getting back on track for a 28 day cycle.
The slight rise in temp could be because I took my temp an hour later both yesterday and today then I normally do, but then again, they still rose from the same time it was taken yesterday...
I am NOT going to get excited, not atleast until CD 29 which just happens to be our 5 year anniversary!! I honestly cannot think of a better anniversary present.
Fingers crossed!!
But then again, to be completely honest, I am just soooo happy to see the change in my temps and how stable they are, and it's just soo nice to feel confident with my doctor and with my path of treatment, so either way, i'm just happy I have found Dr Sun!!
Xiexie ni Dr Sun!
http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/387c91
my beautiful chart!
Dr Sun Fun - Parts 4 & 5
Sorry for the lack of blogging.
I have started an extra job and have had friends visiting, and well just haven't had the time!
But anyway, onto Dr Sun Fun!
According to my usual cycle, I have a rather short Luteal phase of between 9 and 13days so I was really curious to see what would happen with this cycle. I started seeing Dr Sun just before my AF came the month before, so technically this is cycle one.
From the start of the cycle I noticed a very dramatic change - my temps were just sooooo stable! They are usually pretty erratic (although I thought this was normal) although I am able to notice a difference between my low temp phase and post-O, high temp phase.
This month my temps have been virtually the same temperature EVERYDAY! with the occasional day when it is 0.01C lower or higher!!
Obviously I was extremely excited and I was really hoping I would O at a normal time and have a normal LP for a change!
Mr Man and I tried our absolute hardest in the babymaking department, however, the more we tried, the more I didn't O... and didn't O.. to the point where I started questioning whether the herbs were making me have an annovulatory cycle.
I went back to Dr Sun (visit 4) and he was pretty disappointed to hear that I hadn't O'ed yet either. So he changed my herbs again, and changed my acupuncture again, and I literally O'ed the next day CD18!! (I don't know whether I would have O'ed then normally but anyway..)
O pains this month were weird. I felt like I was getting AF.. And that feeling hasn't gone away.
My temps post O were also amazingly stable, and I was pretty proud to show Dr Sun my chart on Friday (visit 5). He was pretty impressed (he is becoming as obsessed with my chart as I am!) and high-fived me!! lol
Even if this isn't my cycle this month, I'm just SOOO proud of my temps!!
They are beautiful!
I can just see how much healthier my body had become with just 5 weeks of herbs and acupuncture and it's really given me the confidence to keep going and not give up hope of that BFP!!
Total costs for visit 4 & 5 = 190NT each (AU$6.10)
Total so far: 910NT (AU$30)
I have started an extra job and have had friends visiting, and well just haven't had the time!
But anyway, onto Dr Sun Fun!
According to my usual cycle, I have a rather short Luteal phase of between 9 and 13days so I was really curious to see what would happen with this cycle. I started seeing Dr Sun just before my AF came the month before, so technically this is cycle one.
From the start of the cycle I noticed a very dramatic change - my temps were just sooooo stable! They are usually pretty erratic (although I thought this was normal) although I am able to notice a difference between my low temp phase and post-O, high temp phase.
This month my temps have been virtually the same temperature EVERYDAY! with the occasional day when it is 0.01C lower or higher!!
Obviously I was extremely excited and I was really hoping I would O at a normal time and have a normal LP for a change!
Mr Man and I tried our absolute hardest in the babymaking department, however, the more we tried, the more I didn't O... and didn't O.. to the point where I started questioning whether the herbs were making me have an annovulatory cycle.
I went back to Dr Sun (visit 4) and he was pretty disappointed to hear that I hadn't O'ed yet either. So he changed my herbs again, and changed my acupuncture again, and I literally O'ed the next day CD18!! (I don't know whether I would have O'ed then normally but anyway..)
O pains this month were weird. I felt like I was getting AF.. And that feeling hasn't gone away.
My temps post O were also amazingly stable, and I was pretty proud to show Dr Sun my chart on Friday (visit 5). He was pretty impressed (he is becoming as obsessed with my chart as I am!) and high-fived me!! lol
Even if this isn't my cycle this month, I'm just SOOO proud of my temps!!
They are beautiful!
I can just see how much healthier my body had become with just 5 weeks of herbs and acupuncture and it's really given me the confidence to keep going and not give up hope of that BFP!!
Total costs for visit 4 & 5 = 190NT each (AU$6.10)
Total so far: 910NT (AU$30)
Wednesday 30 November 2011
Friday 25 November 2011
Funny Taiwanese products - part 1
Like promised here is a photo of a random product I found at the chemist here:
For those ladies who aspire to be more of a douche-bag! Now you can be a "Fresh scented douche"!
For those ladies who aspire to be more of a douche-bag! Now you can be a "Fresh scented douche"!
Dr Sun Fun - Part 3
I realised on Wednesday night that Dr Sun had only given me enough herbs for 6 days, so unsure whether I was just meant to miss a day, or I was meant to visit him every 6 days, I decided to go on Thursday instead of Friday, just in case.
He wasn't expecting me, but seems to have been studying his English Fertility terms as he was able to chatter away with me about my cycle without use of any translated terms at all!
I am still in awe of his dedication!
Anyway, good news is he is happy with my progress although he did remind me that Chinese medicine ISN'T a quick fix and it will take a couple of cycles for everything to be back the way it should be. But that being said, he was very happy that my period was pain free this time, and he has changed my herbs again this week to boost CM and my fertility as I head into O week from tomorrow.
He gave me acupuncture again - in different parts of my body again - this week focusing on my ankles and wrists, as well as my neck and shoulders, put me on the TEMS machine for my shoulders (which feel SOOO much better by the way!), gave me a heat pack and then put a herbal patch on back (about where my heart chakra is) that was made from fresh herbs that he mixed up in front of me.
After 3 visits it is interesting to see how although the basic treatment is the same, it is also slightly adapted each time for the different phases of my cycle.
So how do I feel?
Well, apart from still being in shock about having no period pains at all, I feel great! I feel slightly more energetic overall, my BBT is VERY stable (it has been the exact same temperature 36.28 for the last 5 days!!) and today I noticed my first ever CM! I really do feel like the herbs are helping with my metabolism aswell. I never usually get hungry, and when I do eat I usually feel bloated and heavy, but lately I actually feel like the food is being turned into energy and I no longer feel bloated or sick after eating.
All good signs in my opinion!
Today's trip cost:
Consultation 100NT ($3.30)
Acupuncture 50Nt ($1.80)
Herbs 40NT ($1.30)
Total: 190Nt ($6.30)
Total spent so far: 530Nt ($17.60)
He wasn't expecting me, but seems to have been studying his English Fertility terms as he was able to chatter away with me about my cycle without use of any translated terms at all!
I am still in awe of his dedication!
Anyway, good news is he is happy with my progress although he did remind me that Chinese medicine ISN'T a quick fix and it will take a couple of cycles for everything to be back the way it should be. But that being said, he was very happy that my period was pain free this time, and he has changed my herbs again this week to boost CM and my fertility as I head into O week from tomorrow.
He gave me acupuncture again - in different parts of my body again - this week focusing on my ankles and wrists, as well as my neck and shoulders, put me on the TEMS machine for my shoulders (which feel SOOO much better by the way!), gave me a heat pack and then put a herbal patch on back (about where my heart chakra is) that was made from fresh herbs that he mixed up in front of me.
After 3 visits it is interesting to see how although the basic treatment is the same, it is also slightly adapted each time for the different phases of my cycle.
So how do I feel?
Well, apart from still being in shock about having no period pains at all, I feel great! I feel slightly more energetic overall, my BBT is VERY stable (it has been the exact same temperature 36.28 for the last 5 days!!) and today I noticed my first ever CM! I really do feel like the herbs are helping with my metabolism aswell. I never usually get hungry, and when I do eat I usually feel bloated and heavy, but lately I actually feel like the food is being turned into energy and I no longer feel bloated or sick after eating.
All good signs in my opinion!
Today's trip cost:
Consultation 100NT ($3.30)
Acupuncture 50Nt ($1.80)
Herbs 40NT ($1.30)
Total: 190Nt ($6.30)
Total spent so far: 530Nt ($17.60)
Saturday 19 November 2011
Dr Sun Fun - part 2
Yesterday was my second visit to Dr Sun.
Whilst I do feel that the herbs have helped with my period pain, I still wasn't overly convinced that his goal was to get me pregnant, the lack of questions about my cycle last time made me felt he was more interested in my period pain - which, granted, are related, but my goal, afterall is to have no periods for 9 months!
Yesterday, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was expecting me!
After no doubt being surprised and a little taken aback by a minimal-Chinese speaking foreigner walking into his clinic last week and pouncing on him with lots of complicated English terms, this time he was prepared with a whole A4 page of translated terms explaining why he believed I was having trouble conceiving and how Chinese Medicine was going to help me to overcome them and get pregnant in 2-3 cycles.
I was impressed to say the least!
He did care!
He cared so much that he spent his own personal time to translate terms into English for me!! Personally, I don't know of too many doctors in Australia that would go to that extreme to translate things into a different language for their immigrant clients!
I suddenly felt sooo guilty for not being confident with his treatment last week and resolved myself to let him work his magic on me.
According to the A4 page of translated information, apparently the reason behind my fertility problems stem from my kidney.
I apparently have low kidney function, or a lack of chi in my kidneys. Because the kidney is the chief of the Endocrine system and is responsible for hormone secretion, I guess it makes sense! That is what he meant by "my body is cold" - in actual fact what he meant to say was "we need to warm your kidney up so it secrete hormones correctly." Apparently if we warm my kidney and rebalance it's chi, my luteal phase with lengthen and my hormones will secrete correctly.
Well that makes more sense now!
He gave me acupuncture again (in different parts of my body this time - but still concentrated around my neck and shoulders), put me on the TEMS machine again, put a heat pack on at the end, and then finished with herbal patches on my shoulders before I left with another bag of herbs.
This time, I left feeling ALOT more confident and happy with the treatment. I googled kidney function and chinese herbs when I got home and found countless TCM sites that say that the problems with the kidney are the leading cause of infertility according to Chinese medicine and can be quite easily cured.
So yay! Here's hoping all of the treatments help to make my body clean and pure and ready to support a baby.
Today's treatments:
Consultation: 100Nt
Herbs: 20Nt
Acupuncture/TEMS machine/heat pack/herbal patches: 50Nt
Total: 170Nt (AU$5.80)
Whilst I do feel that the herbs have helped with my period pain, I still wasn't overly convinced that his goal was to get me pregnant, the lack of questions about my cycle last time made me felt he was more interested in my period pain - which, granted, are related, but my goal, afterall is to have no periods for 9 months!
Yesterday, however, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was expecting me!
After no doubt being surprised and a little taken aback by a minimal-Chinese speaking foreigner walking into his clinic last week and pouncing on him with lots of complicated English terms, this time he was prepared with a whole A4 page of translated terms explaining why he believed I was having trouble conceiving and how Chinese Medicine was going to help me to overcome them and get pregnant in 2-3 cycles.
I was impressed to say the least!
He did care!
He cared so much that he spent his own personal time to translate terms into English for me!! Personally, I don't know of too many doctors in Australia that would go to that extreme to translate things into a different language for their immigrant clients!
I suddenly felt sooo guilty for not being confident with his treatment last week and resolved myself to let him work his magic on me.
According to the A4 page of translated information, apparently the reason behind my fertility problems stem from my kidney.
I apparently have low kidney function, or a lack of chi in my kidneys. Because the kidney is the chief of the Endocrine system and is responsible for hormone secretion, I guess it makes sense! That is what he meant by "my body is cold" - in actual fact what he meant to say was "we need to warm your kidney up so it secrete hormones correctly." Apparently if we warm my kidney and rebalance it's chi, my luteal phase with lengthen and my hormones will secrete correctly.
Well that makes more sense now!
He gave me acupuncture again (in different parts of my body this time - but still concentrated around my neck and shoulders), put me on the TEMS machine again, put a heat pack on at the end, and then finished with herbal patches on my shoulders before I left with another bag of herbs.
This time, I left feeling ALOT more confident and happy with the treatment. I googled kidney function and chinese herbs when I got home and found countless TCM sites that say that the problems with the kidney are the leading cause of infertility according to Chinese medicine and can be quite easily cured.
So yay! Here's hoping all of the treatments help to make my body clean and pure and ready to support a baby.
Today's treatments:
Consultation: 100Nt
Herbs: 20Nt
Acupuncture/TEMS machine/heat pack/herbal patches: 50Nt
Total: 170Nt (AU$5.80)
Herbal healing
I know it's still very early to say that the herbs are working - it has only been a week after all, but I really feel alot better.
Normally my periods signal their imminent arrival with about 3 days of cramping, back pain and nausea for me. This is VASTLY better than it used to be, but still annoying, painful, and just not fun. When AF does arrive, she usually kicks all of those other nasties out in an hour or two and settles in to make herself comfortable for 3 or 4 days. And then she's off again, without hardly a goodbye.
This cycle, AF arrived after 6 days of herbs and one acupuncture session, and to be 100% honest, I barely felt her coming!
If it wasn't for me knowing when to expect her, I probably would have had a surprise when I went to the bathroom.
And I haven't had even a twinge of pain at all!
Which for me, is nothing to sneeze at.
My cycle has also been pretty irregular - anywhere from 23-30 days but usually 26-28. She came in the morning of day 27 this cycle which was a nice change!
So, although I do feel it is still too soon to say how much of an affect the herbs are having on my body, I'm quite happy with how I feel from taking them so far!
Yay!
Normally my periods signal their imminent arrival with about 3 days of cramping, back pain and nausea for me. This is VASTLY better than it used to be, but still annoying, painful, and just not fun. When AF does arrive, she usually kicks all of those other nasties out in an hour or two and settles in to make herself comfortable for 3 or 4 days. And then she's off again, without hardly a goodbye.
This cycle, AF arrived after 6 days of herbs and one acupuncture session, and to be 100% honest, I barely felt her coming!
If it wasn't for me knowing when to expect her, I probably would have had a surprise when I went to the bathroom.
And I haven't had even a twinge of pain at all!
Which for me, is nothing to sneeze at.
My cycle has also been pretty irregular - anywhere from 23-30 days but usually 26-28. She came in the morning of day 27 this cycle which was a nice change!
So, although I do feel it is still too soon to say how much of an affect the herbs are having on my body, I'm quite happy with how I feel from taking them so far!
Yay!
Friday 11 November 2011
Dr Sun
So after a month of distractions, procrastinations and excuses, I finally had my first Chinese Medicine visit this morning.
Much to my relief, Dr Sun spoke pretty good English although I am glad I took along a list of translated terms such as "Luteal Phase".
He did lots of tests - he looked at my eyes, my tongue, took my pulse in several places of my body, looked at my skin etc, although, surprisingly he didn't ask too many questions about my cycle. I told him about it anyway, and he pretty much shrugged my 26-28 day cycle, and my with 11-14 day Luteal Phase off as "normal."
Sure, it's not terrible, but it's not stable.
According to him, the reason we haven't fallen pregnant is because I am "internally cold."
(Although I am very "warm hearted" lol)
My body temperature is fine and normal, but he believes I have too much cold in me which is making it hard for the egg to implant/grow.
He prescribed a vast array of treatments - from herbs 3 times a day, to acupuncture every week, he put me on a TEMS machine to relax my "frozen" muscles, and gave me herb patches to wear.
I have to take herbs with hot water 3 times a day, see him once a week, and I need to exercise - ALOT!
The exercise part was a bit of a surprise.. I am by no means obese (168cm and 53kg - which makes me underweight on a BMI chart) and being a teacher, I am literally on my feet and running around a room for 5 hours everyday. But that is apparently not enough.
So it's back to daily yoga for me (which I really should be doing anyway! Maybe this will give me the kick up the bum to actually get out of bed and do it!!)
He was also very concerned about my tense shoulders and neck and believes that the tension there, combined with my lack of heat is preventing the chi from flowing through my body correctly.
He thinks it should only take 2-3 cycles to conceive so we will see!!
Fingers and toes crossed!
On the way back I popped into the chemist to buy some more Folic acid and spoke to the lovely chemist. She strongly recommended I upgrade from a normal thermometer to a BBT one - which I did, then she gave me a blank chart and explained how to chart, when to chart, how to interpret the chart etc (all of which I already knew but it was really lovely of her to care enough to take the time and to use simple Chinese to make sure I really understood it!) She also recommended I chart for 1 month then take it to a doctor for analysis. When I told her I had just been to see Dr Sun and he didn't want to see the chart I have on my I-phone she was a little baffled. She kept saying, "but the chart is the most important piece of information!? Why didnt he want to see it!?"
So, now I'm not too sure about Dr Sun.
I am due for my "friends" in the next 3 days, so I think I will stick with Dr Sun for 1 cycle and see how I am feeling. A friend has also recommended another English speaking doctor in Hsinchu, so I might give her a go after a month.
Either way, the acupuncture felt nice, my shoulders feel 100 times better, and it's just nice to know I have finally taken the first step!
And the total cost for today's visit?
Consultation : 100Nt (AU$3.30)
Acupuncture/Tems machine/herb patches: 50NT (AU$1.80)
1 weeks supply of herbs: 20NT (AU$0.80)
Total of 170NT (AU$5.90)
Even if it takes 6 months, it's not exactly going to break the bank!!
Much to my relief, Dr Sun spoke pretty good English although I am glad I took along a list of translated terms such as "Luteal Phase".
He did lots of tests - he looked at my eyes, my tongue, took my pulse in several places of my body, looked at my skin etc, although, surprisingly he didn't ask too many questions about my cycle. I told him about it anyway, and he pretty much shrugged my 26-28 day cycle, and my with 11-14 day Luteal Phase off as "normal."
Sure, it's not terrible, but it's not stable.
According to him, the reason we haven't fallen pregnant is because I am "internally cold."
(Although I am very "warm hearted" lol)
My body temperature is fine and normal, but he believes I have too much cold in me which is making it hard for the egg to implant/grow.
He prescribed a vast array of treatments - from herbs 3 times a day, to acupuncture every week, he put me on a TEMS machine to relax my "frozen" muscles, and gave me herb patches to wear.
I have to take herbs with hot water 3 times a day, see him once a week, and I need to exercise - ALOT!
The exercise part was a bit of a surprise.. I am by no means obese (168cm and 53kg - which makes me underweight on a BMI chart) and being a teacher, I am literally on my feet and running around a room for 5 hours everyday. But that is apparently not enough.
So it's back to daily yoga for me (which I really should be doing anyway! Maybe this will give me the kick up the bum to actually get out of bed and do it!!)
He was also very concerned about my tense shoulders and neck and believes that the tension there, combined with my lack of heat is preventing the chi from flowing through my body correctly.
He thinks it should only take 2-3 cycles to conceive so we will see!!
Fingers and toes crossed!
On the way back I popped into the chemist to buy some more Folic acid and spoke to the lovely chemist. She strongly recommended I upgrade from a normal thermometer to a BBT one - which I did, then she gave me a blank chart and explained how to chart, when to chart, how to interpret the chart etc (all of which I already knew but it was really lovely of her to care enough to take the time and to use simple Chinese to make sure I really understood it!) She also recommended I chart for 1 month then take it to a doctor for analysis. When I told her I had just been to see Dr Sun and he didn't want to see the chart I have on my I-phone she was a little baffled. She kept saying, "but the chart is the most important piece of information!? Why didnt he want to see it!?"
So, now I'm not too sure about Dr Sun.
I am due for my "friends" in the next 3 days, so I think I will stick with Dr Sun for 1 cycle and see how I am feeling. A friend has also recommended another English speaking doctor in Hsinchu, so I might give her a go after a month.
Either way, the acupuncture felt nice, my shoulders feel 100 times better, and it's just nice to know I have finally taken the first step!
And the total cost for today's visit?
Consultation : 100Nt (AU$3.30)
Acupuncture/Tems machine/herb patches: 50NT (AU$1.80)
1 weeks supply of herbs: 20NT (AU$0.80)
Total of 170NT (AU$5.90)
Even if it takes 6 months, it's not exactly going to break the bank!!
Thursday 10 November 2011
A visit from Mum
My mum has never travelled. She grew up in a single-parent household, had to drop out of school young and worked her entire working life in a factory.
After marrying dad, they both sacrificed everything for my brother and I.
Her upbringing, could not have been further from mine.
As a massive traveller since the age of 17, I have wanted nothing more than to show both my mum and my dad the world. Whilst I was living in Japan for 13 years, I offered on several occasions to pay for them to both come and visit me but there was always a reason why they couldn't.
It wasn't until about 3 years ago, after dad semi-retired that they actually started to look, research, save for and plan their first overseas trip - to Europe.
Then dad got cancer.
On his deathbed he insisted that he still wanted mum to go. He wanted her to see all the things she has always wanted to see, and he wanted her to see them for both of them.
And so, shortly after dad passed away, I took mum off to flightcentre and we started to plan. And plan. And plan!
With some of dad's ashes in a locket around her neck, on September 29 this year, mum and her best friend (who also lost her husband - my dad's best friend - to cancer 3 years ago) boarded their first international flight and headed overseas!
Proud doesn't even begin to describe how I felt.
In a way I felt like I was the mum, watching my daughter go overseas for the first time. I was just sooooo happy for her! But a little scared that something bad would happen aswell.
Anyway, after 9 weeks, 3 bus tours, and a 10kg box of fridge magnets later, mum and my aunt arrived safely here in Taiwan to stay with us.
After living mostly overseas for the last 18 years, this was the first time my family had come to visit me so I wanted everything to be perfect.
We planned and we organised.
Then of course we got stuck in traffic and were late to the airport.
Then of course the bus back to town never showed so we had to take a crazily expensive taxi.
Then of course the "twin room" that we booked was actually a "double room".
Then of course I got sick and came down with a whopping fever....
Yep, glad that everything went just to plan.
But all of those minor hiccups aside, we were able to show them alot and they seem to have enjoyed it. They even managed to get on the back of our scooter for a bit of a burl through the crazy Taiwanese traffic, and the beautiful Taiwanese countryside!
Mum says she wants to come back to visit - and that was so nice to hear.
This is our home for the moment and I'm glad she got to see where we live and how we live, and, why we chose to live here.
Now, I'm just looking forward to getting myself pregnant so I can give mum a reason to go out and book those tickets back over here again!
After marrying dad, they both sacrificed everything for my brother and I.
Her upbringing, could not have been further from mine.
As a massive traveller since the age of 17, I have wanted nothing more than to show both my mum and my dad the world. Whilst I was living in Japan for 13 years, I offered on several occasions to pay for them to both come and visit me but there was always a reason why they couldn't.
It wasn't until about 3 years ago, after dad semi-retired that they actually started to look, research, save for and plan their first overseas trip - to Europe.
Then dad got cancer.
On his deathbed he insisted that he still wanted mum to go. He wanted her to see all the things she has always wanted to see, and he wanted her to see them for both of them.
And so, shortly after dad passed away, I took mum off to flightcentre and we started to plan. And plan. And plan!
With some of dad's ashes in a locket around her neck, on September 29 this year, mum and her best friend (who also lost her husband - my dad's best friend - to cancer 3 years ago) boarded their first international flight and headed overseas!
Proud doesn't even begin to describe how I felt.
In a way I felt like I was the mum, watching my daughter go overseas for the first time. I was just sooooo happy for her! But a little scared that something bad would happen aswell.
Anyway, after 9 weeks, 3 bus tours, and a 10kg box of fridge magnets later, mum and my aunt arrived safely here in Taiwan to stay with us.
After living mostly overseas for the last 18 years, this was the first time my family had come to visit me so I wanted everything to be perfect.
We planned and we organised.
Then of course we got stuck in traffic and were late to the airport.
Then of course the bus back to town never showed so we had to take a crazily expensive taxi.
Then of course the "twin room" that we booked was actually a "double room".
Then of course I got sick and came down with a whopping fever....
Yep, glad that everything went just to plan.
But all of those minor hiccups aside, we were able to show them alot and they seem to have enjoyed it. They even managed to get on the back of our scooter for a bit of a burl through the crazy Taiwanese traffic, and the beautiful Taiwanese countryside!
Mum says she wants to come back to visit - and that was so nice to hear.
This is our home for the moment and I'm glad she got to see where we live and how we live, and, why we chose to live here.
Now, I'm just looking forward to getting myself pregnant so I can give mum a reason to go out and book those tickets back over here again!
Friday 28 October 2011
Being a Pixie
I am a Pixie.
I have Psuedo Xanthoma Elasticum or PXE for short (www.pxe.org). We are known as Pixies. I like it. And, I like being a Pixie.
PXE is a very rare genetic condition that effects all of the elastin tissue in the body. Because it is so rare, it, for the most part, is still not fully understood but it appears that there are different severities. It also seems that not all pixies will develop all of the characteristics.
I, for example, do not experience Gastro Intestinal bleeds, nor have I (knock on wood) had an eye bleed yet (although this could also be attributed to my early diagnosis.)
I was flookishly diagnosed at age 2, by a random doctor at the RBCH when mum had me there for a fever. I had a "flare-up" on my neck that we had been told was excema but just wouldn't go away. The doctor noticed it and referred mum onto a dermatologist, Dr Casey, my first specialist (of close to 60 now) who confirmed that I was indeed a Pixie. At that stage, I was only 1 of 10 known pixies in Australia!!
I was special, just not in the way mum and dad had hoped.
Over the years and the hundreds of doctors appointments later, along with alot of wrong information, my PXE developed, and as it did, it also developed me.
We were told I wouldn't live past 15. That I would be blind by 20. I would be in a wheelchair by 25. A am 34.5 now, and whilst I do have vascular claudication in my legs, peau de orange and 3 angoid streaks in my eyes, and the typical pixie "chicken skin", I live a perfectly normal life. I don't blame the doctors for telling us this mis-information, there simply was not enough research to know any better.
For me, the hardest part of being a pixie was watching my mum battle with guilt at every doctors appointment. It got to the point, when from about the age of 12, I refused to let her come in with me. I would go in, speak to the doctor, then filter the information to her. It wasn't her fault and I felt so guilty that my disease, that my existence made her feel so bad. I really wouldn't wish that guilty feeling on any parent, or any child for that matter.
To be 100% honest, I am proud to be a Pixie.
Unless you are told from a very early age that you will not live, I don't really think you can fully understand how happy I am when I wake up every morning.
How happy I am that I can see my family and friend's smiles.
How happy I am that I can walk.
How happy I am to be me.
PXE really has shaped who I am in every aspect, even though I now know that my life expectancy is the same as everyone else's - ie, not-guaranteed. I do not put anything off to tomorrow that can be done today. I guess this is why I travel so much. I may very well go blind tomorrow, well I'm going to damn well see as much of the world as I can before that!
I guess that's also why I have never really been very career- driven. I was lucky enough to be a pretty smart child, but not knowing how much longer I have on this planet, makes me value each and every day. I refuse to be locked away in an office for 51 weeks a year. No thank you.
But so many people are and this baffles me?
Yes, I know my heart may stop tomorrow, but nobody has a guarantee their's won't either? I might be hit by a bus and die a completely non-PXE death!? Who knows!?!?
I guess I am just more aware of my own mortality and that has made me who I am. I am more in control of my life and how I want to live it.
Granted, there are alot of Pixies in far worse condition than me. People who weren't lucky enough to be diagnosed early enough to take preventative action so they didn't end up suffering from GI bleeds, or they didn't get a bump to the head that sent them blind.
I am very blessed.
But, if there was a magical drug available tomorrow to cure my PXE, I would not take it. I feel I would be robbing myself of myself, if you know what I mean. Yes, I guess my life is slightly different to other's but on a subconscious level. But it is still my life.
The real question is - to reproduce or not.
I am a firm believer in "natural selection." I believe that humans have evolved because only the strongest survived.
Do I think of myself as strong, well not necessarily.
In this day of ante-natal testing and IVF testing, I have many times wondered, if these technologies were around when my mum and dad conceived me, if I would be here now.
Would the doctors have recommended an abortion to my mother because their daughter was going to be born with a faulty ABCC66 gene, and they had no idea what that meant. She might end up blind and with a whole barrage or problems, but then again, she might not? What would my parents have chosen to do?
I am sooooo thankful they never had to make that decision.
Yes, I AM faulty, by "normal" standards. But what is normal?
I feel I have contributed to society, but is that enough to make me normal? One look at my medical history is enough to make most doctors cringe. In actual fact, most doctors have never heard of PXE.
My Cardiovascular specialist told me that I was eligible for "genetic testing" and that he recommended Mr Man and I undergo this before we considered starting a family so we knew what the possibilities of having a pixie child were.
PXE research shows that there really isn't that much of a risk of passing it on. Even though I am a recipient of the gene, it doesn't necessarily mean I am a carrier of it as it is a recessive condition.
Still, we thought about it long and hard. Mr man originally wanted to test simply because that's what society told him to do - avoid "faulty" children at all costs.
I didn't want to.
I guess it is me being a chicken, or maybe even selfish, but I really did not want to have to make a decision about an unborn child's life.
I believe I was born for a reason, like every child is. I believe natural selection allowed me to be here, and if nature says I can reproduce, then I will.
That being said, if nature decides that my genes shouldn't be passed on, then so be it. We will adopt a child.
I am a product of natural selection, and I am proud to be a faulty one at that.
So, even though Mr Man and I have been on this TTC journey for 19 months now, we will not be going down the IVF path. Who knows, maybe nature already has made her decision? Maybe I am not meant to pass my genes on? Who knows, but atleast we have had fun trying! Afterall, that's what life is all about - having fun and sharing love.
Love from a Pixie.
I have Psuedo Xanthoma Elasticum or PXE for short (www.pxe.org). We are known as Pixies. I like it. And, I like being a Pixie.
PXE is a very rare genetic condition that effects all of the elastin tissue in the body. Because it is so rare, it, for the most part, is still not fully understood but it appears that there are different severities. It also seems that not all pixies will develop all of the characteristics.
I, for example, do not experience Gastro Intestinal bleeds, nor have I (knock on wood) had an eye bleed yet (although this could also be attributed to my early diagnosis.)
I was flookishly diagnosed at age 2, by a random doctor at the RBCH when mum had me there for a fever. I had a "flare-up" on my neck that we had been told was excema but just wouldn't go away. The doctor noticed it and referred mum onto a dermatologist, Dr Casey, my first specialist (of close to 60 now) who confirmed that I was indeed a Pixie. At that stage, I was only 1 of 10 known pixies in Australia!!
I was special, just not in the way mum and dad had hoped.
Over the years and the hundreds of doctors appointments later, along with alot of wrong information, my PXE developed, and as it did, it also developed me.
We were told I wouldn't live past 15. That I would be blind by 20. I would be in a wheelchair by 25. A am 34.5 now, and whilst I do have vascular claudication in my legs, peau de orange and 3 angoid streaks in my eyes, and the typical pixie "chicken skin", I live a perfectly normal life. I don't blame the doctors for telling us this mis-information, there simply was not enough research to know any better.
For me, the hardest part of being a pixie was watching my mum battle with guilt at every doctors appointment. It got to the point, when from about the age of 12, I refused to let her come in with me. I would go in, speak to the doctor, then filter the information to her. It wasn't her fault and I felt so guilty that my disease, that my existence made her feel so bad. I really wouldn't wish that guilty feeling on any parent, or any child for that matter.
To be 100% honest, I am proud to be a Pixie.
Unless you are told from a very early age that you will not live, I don't really think you can fully understand how happy I am when I wake up every morning.
How happy I am that I can see my family and friend's smiles.
How happy I am that I can walk.
How happy I am to be me.
PXE really has shaped who I am in every aspect, even though I now know that my life expectancy is the same as everyone else's - ie, not-guaranteed. I do not put anything off to tomorrow that can be done today. I guess this is why I travel so much. I may very well go blind tomorrow, well I'm going to damn well see as much of the world as I can before that!
I guess that's also why I have never really been very career- driven. I was lucky enough to be a pretty smart child, but not knowing how much longer I have on this planet, makes me value each and every day. I refuse to be locked away in an office for 51 weeks a year. No thank you.
But so many people are and this baffles me?
Yes, I know my heart may stop tomorrow, but nobody has a guarantee their's won't either? I might be hit by a bus and die a completely non-PXE death!? Who knows!?!?
I guess I am just more aware of my own mortality and that has made me who I am. I am more in control of my life and how I want to live it.
Granted, there are alot of Pixies in far worse condition than me. People who weren't lucky enough to be diagnosed early enough to take preventative action so they didn't end up suffering from GI bleeds, or they didn't get a bump to the head that sent them blind.
I am very blessed.
But, if there was a magical drug available tomorrow to cure my PXE, I would not take it. I feel I would be robbing myself of myself, if you know what I mean. Yes, I guess my life is slightly different to other's but on a subconscious level. But it is still my life.
The real question is - to reproduce or not.
I am a firm believer in "natural selection." I believe that humans have evolved because only the strongest survived.
Do I think of myself as strong, well not necessarily.
In this day of ante-natal testing and IVF testing, I have many times wondered, if these technologies were around when my mum and dad conceived me, if I would be here now.
Would the doctors have recommended an abortion to my mother because their daughter was going to be born with a faulty ABCC66 gene, and they had no idea what that meant. She might end up blind and with a whole barrage or problems, but then again, she might not? What would my parents have chosen to do?
I am sooooo thankful they never had to make that decision.
Yes, I AM faulty, by "normal" standards. But what is normal?
I feel I have contributed to society, but is that enough to make me normal? One look at my medical history is enough to make most doctors cringe. In actual fact, most doctors have never heard of PXE.
My Cardiovascular specialist told me that I was eligible for "genetic testing" and that he recommended Mr Man and I undergo this before we considered starting a family so we knew what the possibilities of having a pixie child were.
PXE research shows that there really isn't that much of a risk of passing it on. Even though I am a recipient of the gene, it doesn't necessarily mean I am a carrier of it as it is a recessive condition.
Still, we thought about it long and hard. Mr man originally wanted to test simply because that's what society told him to do - avoid "faulty" children at all costs.
I didn't want to.
I guess it is me being a chicken, or maybe even selfish, but I really did not want to have to make a decision about an unborn child's life.
I believe I was born for a reason, like every child is. I believe natural selection allowed me to be here, and if nature says I can reproduce, then I will.
That being said, if nature decides that my genes shouldn't be passed on, then so be it. We will adopt a child.
I am a product of natural selection, and I am proud to be a faulty one at that.
So, even though Mr Man and I have been on this TTC journey for 19 months now, we will not be going down the IVF path. Who knows, maybe nature already has made her decision? Maybe I am not meant to pass my genes on? Who knows, but atleast we have had fun trying! Afterall, that's what life is all about - having fun and sharing love.
Love from a Pixie.
Saturday 22 October 2011
Finding an English speaking Chinese medicine doctor in rural Hsinchu
So, after we both thought this was our month, only to have "my friends" turn up yesterday, Mr Man and I finally decided to go and do the rounds of the Chinese medicine doctors in the hope of finding one that spoke English.
After bidding a sad yet happy farewell to Cocoa and Charcoal (they moved to their new fur-ever homes today) we put poppy on her lead and walked all over town.
So far we have found 4 chinese medical clinics here in our small town.
The first clinic spoke no English AT ALL but with my limited Chinese I managed to convey that we were trying to have a baby. The doctor recommended herbs (5000NT = AU$180 for a months supply). Being a little more expensive that we had hoped, and also not being asked any questions at all about my cycle or anything, we decided to keep walking.
Clinic number 2 had a doctor who spoke okay English - certainly enough to get by on. He also recommended herbs and said that he wasnt an acupuncturist so didnt know how helpful it would be. He gave me his card and the card of the acupuncturist at the same clinic and said to come back on a weekday. He said that he would most likely prescribe me a mixture of herbs (all vegetarian) for 7 weeks, which should be enough to completely balance my cycle and help us to conceive although I would have to abstain from alcohol and a couple of other foods for that time. It would cost 500NT a week ($18), much cheaper than the first clinic.
Both the doctor and nurse completely ignored me at the third clinic so I turned around and walked out.
The 4th clinic is one I stumbled upon last week. The nurse spoke excellent english (although she has since changed jobs) and said that the doctor also spoke some English. The doctor was an acupuncturist who did basic herbs. One acupuncture treatment is 100NT ($3.30) with medicare or 300NT ($10) without. I haven't received my medicare card yet so it would be at the higher rate.
So we are thinking to either try the 4th clinic, or the 2nd clinic.... It's a difficult decision... I might go to each clinic for treatment once and see which one I like better.
But, atleast we have actually started on the path!
After bidding a sad yet happy farewell to Cocoa and Charcoal (they moved to their new fur-ever homes today) we put poppy on her lead and walked all over town.
So far we have found 4 chinese medical clinics here in our small town.
The first clinic spoke no English AT ALL but with my limited Chinese I managed to convey that we were trying to have a baby. The doctor recommended herbs (5000NT = AU$180 for a months supply). Being a little more expensive that we had hoped, and also not being asked any questions at all about my cycle or anything, we decided to keep walking.
Clinic number 2 had a doctor who spoke okay English - certainly enough to get by on. He also recommended herbs and said that he wasnt an acupuncturist so didnt know how helpful it would be. He gave me his card and the card of the acupuncturist at the same clinic and said to come back on a weekday. He said that he would most likely prescribe me a mixture of herbs (all vegetarian) for 7 weeks, which should be enough to completely balance my cycle and help us to conceive although I would have to abstain from alcohol and a couple of other foods for that time. It would cost 500NT a week ($18), much cheaper than the first clinic.
Both the doctor and nurse completely ignored me at the third clinic so I turned around and walked out.
The 4th clinic is one I stumbled upon last week. The nurse spoke excellent english (although she has since changed jobs) and said that the doctor also spoke some English. The doctor was an acupuncturist who did basic herbs. One acupuncture treatment is 100NT ($3.30) with medicare or 300NT ($10) without. I haven't received my medicare card yet so it would be at the higher rate.
So we are thinking to either try the 4th clinic, or the 2nd clinic.... It's a difficult decision... I might go to each clinic for treatment once and see which one I like better.
But, atleast we have actually started on the path!
Friday 21 October 2011
Our foster fur babies
About a week after we arrived one of my colleagues, Dan, invited us around for drinks one Saturday night.
Dan replaced me when I suddenly quit and went home for Dad, so he has been here just over a year and is quite settled. So settled in fact that he even has a dog with his partner!! His partner saw little Grady on the road and couldn't resist bringing him home.
Dan has also been quite active in MANA (Many Animals Need Assistance) an NGO based in Hsinchu that work with stray and abandoned dogs and cats.
Dan was asked to temporarily foster Patat, a 6 month old Schnauzer mix until they could find her a new foster/adoptive home as she was dumped at a shelter but was too young to be locked inside with the other dogs.
He had had Patat for 2 weeks when we went to his house, and within 20 mins Mr Man was in love. So was Patat. Okay, so was I!!
So we decided to foster her, (Dan already had his hands full with Grady) until we/MANA could find her a fur-ever home.
We renamed her Poppy and fell madly in love with her.
The next Friday Mr Man was late home from work. I wondered why but didnt think too much of it. About an hour after he was due home he arrived, soaking wet and with a huge bulging jacket! Apparently he had noticed 2 puppies on the side of the highway he drives on to get to work for the last couple of days but had hoped they were owned and were just out playing. But, it had become apparent that they werent. He found them huddled together in the bus shelter for warmth and just had to bring them home...
And so there were 3...
We named them Cocoa and Charcoal, gave them baths, watched them devour 4 bowls of dog food, and then piss in the middle of both yoga mats. Simultaneously, one on each mat....
And so the wonderful, sleepless, frustrating, puppy-training days began..
It has been a week today since Mr Man brought them home, and wow, have they grown!
Then are probably grown the size of their heads? They have also really started to develop personalities.
Charcoal is a huge sook. She loves a cuddle and is always the first to climb onto your lap. She also whimpers occasionally during the night or if her or one of the other dogs are put into time out...
Cocoa is very independent.. She is more than happy to play on her own, sleep on her own, eat on her own... Although, she also does like cuddles if she ever gets a chance with Charcoal and Poppy always occupying poll position!
With only a 2 bedroom apartment, 3 puppies, really has pushed the boundaries of space and sanity.
Luckily, we have very understanding bosses who allowed us to put up a sign advertising the pups. We put the sign up yesterday and yesterday Cocoa had already found a new home! She will (probably tomorrow) move to one of Mr Man's colleagues house. Her son (one of Mr Man's students) has promised to take good care of her.
It will be sad to see her go, but it will also be amazing to have 1 dog worth of poo and pee less to clean up every couple of hours!!
Here are some pics!!
Dan replaced me when I suddenly quit and went home for Dad, so he has been here just over a year and is quite settled. So settled in fact that he even has a dog with his partner!! His partner saw little Grady on the road and couldn't resist bringing him home.
Dan has also been quite active in MANA (Many Animals Need Assistance) an NGO based in Hsinchu that work with stray and abandoned dogs and cats.
Dan was asked to temporarily foster Patat, a 6 month old Schnauzer mix until they could find her a new foster/adoptive home as she was dumped at a shelter but was too young to be locked inside with the other dogs.
He had had Patat for 2 weeks when we went to his house, and within 20 mins Mr Man was in love. So was Patat. Okay, so was I!!
So we decided to foster her, (Dan already had his hands full with Grady) until we/MANA could find her a fur-ever home.
We renamed her Poppy and fell madly in love with her.
The next Friday Mr Man was late home from work. I wondered why but didnt think too much of it. About an hour after he was due home he arrived, soaking wet and with a huge bulging jacket! Apparently he had noticed 2 puppies on the side of the highway he drives on to get to work for the last couple of days but had hoped they were owned and were just out playing. But, it had become apparent that they werent. He found them huddled together in the bus shelter for warmth and just had to bring them home...
And so there were 3...
We named them Cocoa and Charcoal, gave them baths, watched them devour 4 bowls of dog food, and then piss in the middle of both yoga mats. Simultaneously, one on each mat....
And so the wonderful, sleepless, frustrating, puppy-training days began..
It has been a week today since Mr Man brought them home, and wow, have they grown!
Then are probably grown the size of their heads? They have also really started to develop personalities.
Charcoal is a huge sook. She loves a cuddle and is always the first to climb onto your lap. She also whimpers occasionally during the night or if her or one of the other dogs are put into time out...
Cocoa is very independent.. She is more than happy to play on her own, sleep on her own, eat on her own... Although, she also does like cuddles if she ever gets a chance with Charcoal and Poppy always occupying poll position!
With only a 2 bedroom apartment, 3 puppies, really has pushed the boundaries of space and sanity.
Luckily, we have very understanding bosses who allowed us to put up a sign advertising the pups. We put the sign up yesterday and yesterday Cocoa had already found a new home! She will (probably tomorrow) move to one of Mr Man's colleagues house. Her son (one of Mr Man's students) has promised to take good care of her.
It will be sad to see her go, but it will also be amazing to have 1 dog worth of poo and pee less to clean up every couple of hours!!
Here are some pics!!
 |
| All three puppies causing havoc. |
 |
| Cocoa and Charcoal asleep in their carry bag at the vets. |
 |
| Poppy |
 |
| Charcoal |
 |
| Poppy and Charcoal - not playfighting for a change! |
 |
| Cocoa |
All about me
Welcome to my blog.
Mr Man and I are an Australian couple currently trying to get pregnant whilst working as Teachers in Taiwan, learning Chinese, raising 3 foster puppies and, all the time, trying to survive on the crazy Taiwanese roads!
If truth be told, this is our second attempt at life in Taiwan. We originally moved here in April 2010 after 20 months on the road, during which time we travelled through Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia.
It was during this time of "stability" (after we came to Taiwan) that we decided to officially start our TTC (trying to conceive) journey.
Unfortunately after only 4 months in Taiwan, and after just getting settled, we found out that my father had stage 4 lung cancer, and so within a week, we packed up and moved home.
Less than 4 months later we lost dad. But during this time we were able to spend alot of quality time with him and were able to help him tick off almost all of the items on his bucket list, but, we were unable to make him a granddad.
4 days before he died, I apologised to him and told him we had been trying. He smiled at me and simply said "thank you." He didn't even know we were trying, no one did. We wanted to surprise him and mum. But the universe didn't want it to happen that way.
Fast-forward 5 months and we decided it was time for us to leave the country again. It was time to pack the backpacks again and get back to our own lives.
As much as we love our families and friends, we just can't handle living in Australia. We are wanderers and the rules and restrictions and paranoia of society in Australia drive us crazy.
So we spent the next month in Borneo, and then 4 months diving our way around the Philippines.
And then, with bank balances well and truly depleted from all of the diving, we came back to Taiwan.
Exactly 14 months after we left..
Exactly 14 months of TTC later and we were still babyless..
With fertility specialists and tests soooo stupidly expensive in Australia, we figure, why not d it here? WHY NOT give Chinese medicine a go?
With this blog I hope to share some of the experiences we have trying to create a little person over here, aswell as some of the interesting and funny things we find along the way.
Mr Man and I are an Australian couple currently trying to get pregnant whilst working as Teachers in Taiwan, learning Chinese, raising 3 foster puppies and, all the time, trying to survive on the crazy Taiwanese roads!
If truth be told, this is our second attempt at life in Taiwan. We originally moved here in April 2010 after 20 months on the road, during which time we travelled through Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia.
It was during this time of "stability" (after we came to Taiwan) that we decided to officially start our TTC (trying to conceive) journey.
Unfortunately after only 4 months in Taiwan, and after just getting settled, we found out that my father had stage 4 lung cancer, and so within a week, we packed up and moved home.
Less than 4 months later we lost dad. But during this time we were able to spend alot of quality time with him and were able to help him tick off almost all of the items on his bucket list, but, we were unable to make him a granddad.
4 days before he died, I apologised to him and told him we had been trying. He smiled at me and simply said "thank you." He didn't even know we were trying, no one did. We wanted to surprise him and mum. But the universe didn't want it to happen that way.
Fast-forward 5 months and we decided it was time for us to leave the country again. It was time to pack the backpacks again and get back to our own lives.
As much as we love our families and friends, we just can't handle living in Australia. We are wanderers and the rules and restrictions and paranoia of society in Australia drive us crazy.
So we spent the next month in Borneo, and then 4 months diving our way around the Philippines.
And then, with bank balances well and truly depleted from all of the diving, we came back to Taiwan.
Exactly 14 months after we left..
Exactly 14 months of TTC later and we were still babyless..
With fertility specialists and tests soooo stupidly expensive in Australia, we figure, why not d it here? WHY NOT give Chinese medicine a go?
With this blog I hope to share some of the experiences we have trying to create a little person over here, aswell as some of the interesting and funny things we find along the way.
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