After losing 75% of my blood volume,
I dedicate everything I put in my mouth to deep nourishment.
Every meal for 40 days, I’m eating iron rich foods:
Beef liver, goat liver, chicken liver, beets + beet juice, dried apricots, pepitas, cherries, lentils, frijoles con arroz, and mostly soups and porridge.
No dairy, Nothing cold, nothing too spicy, no plain water- only tea, juices, and mineral and electrolyte rich drinks.
Friends and family are sending food every single week.
My family of 5 eats strategically so nothing goes to waste.
Being fed is a lifesaver while I’m drowning.
Despite getting 3 ccs of blood and having the privilege of taking time off work, I’m still depleted.
Dizzy. Fggy headed.
On the phone in ER with my dear friend, Dr. Adam, he told me I’d feel like a million bucks after my blood transfusion.
He stood on the phone with me the whole time, even though it was 1am in Chicago.
I’m still waiting to feel like a million bucks…
I feel more like a squished penny at the LA Zoo.
Though my body is weak, my spirit is lifted with each bite.
I can’t believe folks went out of their way to do all of this for us.
They could have made any excuse not to, and it would’ve been valid.
Instead, I inhale love from Kat, Karissa, Kareem, Laura, Dane, Ahuachcoah- taste the delicious years of friendship in my mouth with the help of Vanessa, Laura, Mark, Nelly, Nat, and Nisa.
Drinks, snacks and soups from my mom, my tias, MY COUSINS — This is a fall apart in gratitude moment.
If I didn’t know how to receive before, then this is my intensive.
Attuning myself to gratitude helps me feel less like a ghost.
I’m more earthside with each passing day.
I begin chinese herbs and acupuncture from my local Traditional Medicine Doctors.
Dane picks up my herbs and cooks them for me.
They look nothing like the Mexican yerbas I was taking for fibroids.
And way more expensive.
I’m spending $100 a week on TCM herbs alone.
Every week, they modify my blend depending on how I feel and where I am in my cycle.
I’m starting to feel better, then – BAM.
My period comes.
Another banger haw haw haw blood everywhere.
I shouldn’t be shocked considering last period almost took me out, but like – I don’t think heavy periods are really my thing, you know?
Like, when can I go back to the days when my blood trickled painlessly in crimson red – the prettiest color on the wheel??
Now that was my thing.
Skin glowing, Womb Thriiving…
Today, I take TXA / Lysteda, a med my doctor gave me to stall bleeding.
It helped a little and caused a bunch of huge painful clots.
I’ve given birth unmedicated to 4 babies – no, not babies- GIANTS all weighing between 8-10 pounds.
If I tell you it hurts, then MF IT HURTS!
I do Moxa on myself, take my herbs, and my bestie, Timi, ships me Yunuen Baiao overnight to help control the heavy bleeding.
She’s the one who found me Dr. Melissa, TCM.
I didn’t have to do any research or read reviews about the TCM practice.
Timi is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine in Colorado and I fully trust her because she’s a bruja poderosa who knows her shit.
It’s so sweet to have a friend hook you up with research and resources.
This is an undervalued character trait that literally saved me.
I hope that you find a bestie as boisterous as Timi. <3
I take a pinch of Yunuen Bayao as soon as it gets here.
I hold the bitter powder in my mouth for a minute before chasing it with diluted tea.
The chinese herbs worked more than the pills.
I stop the pills and start taking the yerbas.
My Doctor wasn’t surprised when I told her that the TXA didn’t work.
She doesn’t prescribe anything else and said if the herbs are working, then stick with that.
She orders an MRI so that we can track the fibroids over time.
