Tag: September

More on Follow Through

Posted on by Evangeline

Follow thru rockEarlier this month, I shared that I want to follow through on the things I need to do, for myself, my family and for you. This is a component of my effort to finish strong in 2014.

September is more than half over so I thought I’d let you know how things are going for me.

 

follow through- Falcon CrestI followed through on surprising my husband for his birthday with a trip to the cool pines of Payson, AZ for a weekend. He loved it! It was worth the torment of wanting to tell him all about the plans I was making but not being able to so that I could wake him up and say, “Pack a bag! I’m taking you away for the weekend.” It was our first time staying at a Bed & Breakfast. The Falcon Crest B&B was wonderful and the owners, Al and Linda, made it a very special time for us with their hospitality. As you can see, Linda baked a birthday cake for him!

 

Another big item that I needed to get done in September was my iHope Fertility Game Plan Teleseminar. I hosted the call on last Saturday. It was thrilling that over 35 people signed up for the call! If you were one of those ladies, I hope you got lots of encouragement.

On that call, I invited everyone to checkout my new online course, 50 Days of Unleashing Fertility Hope. To get the details about your opportunity to decrease the stress of infertility and increase your hope, click HERE.

Planning this course has been a joy for me because I know that it will help those who choose to use it.

50 Days of Unleashing Fertility Hope

I hope that you’ll see the benefit of taking advantage of this opportunity to:

  • Decrease the level of stress you experience everyday using specific tools I’ll share
  • Incorporate a daily strategy that can help you put worry on the run
  • Remove doubt caused by infertility’s mind-chatter
  • Anchor yourself in hope so you don’t give up
  • Focus on receiving the promised benefits of God

I’m SO glad I followed through on this desire to bring a course to you that you can access 24/7 AND have the opportunity to have weekly coaching calls.

Check it out. 

 

Right now, I’m about to follow through on getting a few smaller things checked off of my To Do list (like washing the dishes). 🙂

Praying that you’ve been able to do some follow through, especially on things that are important to you.

On what one thing that you still need to follow through?

Follow Through–My F-Word for September

Posted on by Evangeline

Two months ago, I shared with you that there were certain F-words that I would use to help me finish strong in 2014.

In July, my F-word was Fellowship. My goal was to increase my commitment to fellowship and communicate with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to influence my life on a daily basis. I wanted to build upon my relationship with Him and enjoy Him more.

In August, my F-word was Focus. My goal was to decrease the level of attention I gave to the distractions of life and to increase my attention to the benefits that come as a result of “looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2). Distractions serve one purpose —  to divert your attention from what and who you really need.

Now that it’s September,  my F-Word will be Follow Through. My intention is to follow through on the goals I’ve set. I’ve decided to look at my goals as promises I’ve made to myself  rather than just a wish on paper. I don’t like to break a promise so this little tweak should help me get the follow through done. I also want to follow through on whatever Holy Spirit gently whispers to me to do each day, trusting that His way is the best way.

Follow Through - F-word
My F-word card for September

I write these F-word cards and keep the current month’s card on my desk so that I’ll remember what the target is. This also helps me to remain committed to the process!

My two key scriptures for this month are:

 “ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. Think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.”

Proverbs 3:5,6 RSV and HCSB

AND

“Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 NLT

What are some things you do that help you follow through and live with integrity? How does trusting God play a role in your follow through?

Sharing my F-word journey/experiment with you really gives me a sense of accountability, which most times, spurs me on to action. So thanks for holding me accountable to “follow through” this month!

Some of you found it helpful to join me in August and challenged yourself to FOCUS. It would be much appreciated (and motivating to me) if you’d leave a comment about how that went for you.

If you haven’t already, I’d love it if you would  join me in this challenge of following through on what you’ve committed to do or on what would bring about a blessing in your life. Just make a decision to do so (which means cutting off all other options and excuses). Then, let me know you’ve joined the movement (below).

Yes, I’m joining the F-word movement!

September is PCOS Awareness Month

Posted on by Evangeline

Here’s an article from RESOLVE that gives some good insights about PCOS–Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Causes, Diagnosis

and Treatment

By Jennifer Kulp Makarov, MD
Published in Resolve for the journey and beyond, Winter 2011

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common disorder that many women first learn about while seeking the cause of their infertility. PCOS affects 5-10% of women of reproductive age, making it one of the most common hormonal disorders in this age group. The exact cause of PCOS is not known. It is likely that a combination of factors leads to the development of PCOS. PCOS is thought to be a genetic trait and may run in families. Environmental factors such as the diet that one consumes are also thought to play a role in the development of PCOS.

Women with PCOS have three characteristic symptoms. Women are diagnosed with PCOS when they have at least two of these three symptoms:

  1. Irregular periods
  2. Excess androgens — either measured in the blood or seen through symptoms such as acne or excess hair growth
  3. Polycystic ovaries — seen on ultrasound

Women with PCOS may have irregular periods. They may have only 6 to 8 periods per year. They may get their period every month for a few months and then skip a month or two or they may go many months without having a period. Many women with PCOS will have infertility associated with their irregular menses. Also, when women with PCOS do become pregnant, they have an increased rate of miscarriage.

Another common symptom of PCOS is acne or oily skin. Acne may occur over the face but may also be found over the back or chest. This is due to relatively higher levels of testosterone circulating in the bloodstream.  Testosterone is a hormone that is found in much higher levels in men. Women with PCOS do not have male levels of testosterone but the levels of testosterone may be higher than expected for females. These higher levels of circulating testosterone can also cause excess facial hair on the chin or upper lip or excess hair growth on the chest and abdomen. The hormone imbalances seen in PCOS can also cause a type of hair thinning which occurs at the front of the scalp. Sometimes blood tests can show excess levels of testosterone in women with PCOS but other times they do not.

The third common feature of PCOS is what is called polycystic ovaries. This can be seen on a transvaginal ultrasound. This is actually a misnomer as the ovaries of women are not really full of cysts but rather ovarian follicles that each contains an egg. All women have these follicles in their ovaries and each month a group of follicles start to develop, with one going on to be the dominant follicle that ovulates the egg. The ovaries of women with PCOS may contain many small follicles that do not go on to ovulate an egg each month. These follicles fail to develop normally because of the hormonal imbalances in PCOS. Because the ovaries do not grow and ovulate an egg each month, women with PCOS may also experience difficulty getting pregnant.

Obesity is also common in women with PCOS. Up to 50-60% of women with PCOS are obese. Symptoms of PCOS such as those described above can be worsened by obesity. The hormonal imbalances found in women with PCOS may cause them to be more likely to gain weight and become obese. Women with PCOS are also prone to developing insulin resistance in which the body produces excess amounts of insulin. This is thought to be a precursor to Type II diabetes. Women with PCOS are at greater risk of developing diabetes and therefore all women with PCOS should be screened for insulin resistance.

Treating the Symptom of  PCOS

There are treatments available for women with PCOS. These treatments do not cure the disease but rather help improve the symptoms of PCOS. For women with PCOS who are obese, diet and exercise to maintain a normal body weight may alleviate many of the symptoms of PCOS. In fact, for obese women, losing even 5-10% of body weight may help. Oral contraceptive pills are often given to correct some of the hormonal imbalances found in PCOS and can help decrease acne and excess hair growth as well as regulate menstrual cycles. Acne can also be treated with topical ointments or antibiotic creams. Women with excess hair growth often find laser electrolysis helpful. Metformin is an oral medication that may be prescribed to women with PCOS who are insulin resistant.

Women who are having difficulties conceiving may take a medication called clomiphene citrate or clomid to help them ovulate regularly. In women with PCOS who take clomid, about 80% will ovulate in response to the medication and 30-40% will become pregnant. About half of women will ovulate when taking one pill a day (50 mg) on cycle days five through nine. The other 50% of women do not ovulate on this dose of clomid and may need a higher dose or another medication. Using clomid increases your chances of having a multiple pregnancy to 8-13%, with twins being the most common. If pregnancy does not occur after six cycles of clomid use, further evaluation or a change in therapy is recommended.

If you think you may be experiencing any or all of the symptoms of PCOS, it is important to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Jennifer Kulp Makarov practices at Genesis Fertility & Reproductive Medicine, both at Genesis’ main office as well as their new office, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Makarov graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Biology, earning her medical degree from the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Makarov has a special interest in the care of patients with PCOS, those in need of PGD to prevent transmission of genetic disease and women desiring fertility preservation.

You might also want to take a look at this previous post that is written from a more personal view of experiencing PCOS.