Testimonials

THE BIRTH STORY

On January 25, 2001 my mother passed away. So many things were happening so fast. I had gotten married in October the previous year, purchased a condo and was on the fast track at work. That day, January 25th, is still very vivid in my mind.  It was like a whirlwind, but surreal.

Physically I felt fine, but I was tearing apart inside. I had not begun to deal with my Mother's death. In mid-February of that year, my husband gave a fund raiser in Beverly Hills for one of his documentaries that he produced.  I planned the event and was really running on adrenalin. I had no idea I was pregnant at the time. We were trying to have children and figured that since we had not used any protection in a while, it could happen at any given moment.

At the beginning of April, I felt sick. As a pretty healthy person, it was abnormal for me to feel bad all over. I went to the gynecologist for a check up and that's when I found out. It kind of freaked me out, since I just knew that when I got pregnant, I would feel my child. I felt nothing. As I sat in the doctor's office, it just did not feel right. I thought it was because they rushed me to take a blood sample, rushed a pap smear and rushed taking my blood pressure. In my Beverly Hill's doctor's office, I felt like I was on an assembly line in a county facility.

Within two days I miscarried. It was the beginning of Easter weekend. My doctor told me to just rest. I could get pregnant again she said. Right away. This was not my fault, she said. We decided to keep this event quiet. The only people who knew were my in-laws, whom we felt got the pregnancy news too early and my brother, Dr. Jenkins. They were all supportive. I attributed the event to the stress that I never dealt with………

That was April 2001.

Being part of a family that truly believes in holistic health I began going to my acupuncturist once a week. The treatments, along with the Chinese herbs, gave me a great deal of strength. Within a couple of months I felt fine. My Western doctor told me again, I could get pregnant right away; I listened to the Eastern practitioner instead. I allowed my body to heal.

I believe there are good things in all kinds of medicine, so my husband and I decided we would continue to try again. I went and got a full physical exam and my family doctor suggested that at my age, 40, I may want to see why I was not getting pregnant. She recommended a fertility specialist. I ignored it, but kept the number.

I went back to my gynecologist and went in for a follow up exam a few months after my miscarriage. She knew I wanted a baby really badly. We had a five minute conversation and she handed me a prescription of clomid (fertility pills), warning me that they would work and I would be pregnant after my next cycle. No blood tests, no checking my spouse, just this drug.

Before I filled the prescription, I went on the internet to see what this drug was. The side effects alone scared me. The prescription was never filled. I then decided to call the fertility specialist almost a year later.

We went and got the consultation and the blood work began. It was determined by the doctors that the reason I was not getting pregnant was because my husband's sperm count was low. Before I could begin any fertility work, however, as a result of the blood work, my doctor found out I was not vaccinated for chicken pox. Imagine if I had taken the clomid, hung around a six year old with chicken pox and caught the disease at the age of 40. Not good. The moral of that episode, do not take any medication without investigation and have the doctors do blood work. I had to wait 30 days after the vaccination to start the treatments.

We decided on artificial insemination. It was much cheaper than in-vitro and since I had no physical problems, it should work. It did work…………………..well not exactly. I got pregnant, but it was an ectopic pregnancy. That was the most pain I have ever felt in my life. Instead of surgery that could possibly damage my Fallopian tubes, I opted to take the drug methotrexate that is used to stop the growth of an early ectopic pregnancy. That was Christmas 2002. We missed going to Vegas that New Year!

I loved my fertility doctor and really believed in her. Even after my brother, Dr. Jenkins and my acupuncturist told me not to continue with any fertility treatments, I was not giving up. It is kind of sick how we think we can create life ourselves and it is really God doing the work! I ignored the fact that only 30% of these treatments actually work. I ignored the fact that I was putting hormonal drugs in my body that were not good for me. In-vitro in the new millennium was easy like having an abortion in the 80's. What a sick life we lead!

We decided to go full force and get the in-vitro. Mysteriously, my husband's sperm count was no longer low. The doctor was amazed! Mysteriously my egg production was "high for a woman my age"; I was now 41 going on 42. After many injections, weight gain and high hopes, we produced five healthy embryos that were implanted in me one quiet Sunday morning. After two weeks and $12,000 later, I was still not pregnant. The feeling that women say you know you are pregnant, I once again did not have.

I had had enough. We had had enough. I called my brother and the acupuncturist. I decided to listen.

The first thing I needed to do, they both said, was to cleanse. I committed to getting pregnant the old fashioned way and this time nothing was going to stop me. That March, I threw away all the drugs. I went back to my yoga practice. I started doing weekly acupuncture treatments and Dr. Jenkins taught me about balancing the acids and alkaline substances in my body. He suggested I read the "Ph Miracle" and just try the diet change. I learned about acidic vs. alkaline foods and what was good for me. It was an easy adjustment. Initially I went on the ten day "Tiao-He" cleanse program. He also put me on a plan of the Amazon herbs and the NSP natural pre-natal vitamins. I learned about hormonal imbalances. Once again I felt great. My husband also took the Amazon herbs and the Men's formula herbs. There was really nothing physically wrong with us; we had not properly prepared our bodies.

My body began to feel younger. I did not allow work to stress me out and we were enjoying our lives. Then one day, my cousin came to my home. She is a Reiki master. I had finally begun to speak out about all the things I had gone through. She told me that I was spiritually blocked. I was very curious about Reiki, so under her guidance, I began to study Reiki. I felt so powerful. Inside & out. I had full chakra cleansing treatments.

Every year in June, my girlfriends & I take a trip. This year we were going to the island of St. Marten 's for the second time. When I came back from the island, I felt like a new person. I was not thinking about getting pregnant. It was in God's hands. I had just committed to changing my diet, my exercise plan and I took the time to be still and meditate.

That June the tests were positive. No drugs! We got pregnant the old fashioned way……….we earned it!

During my pregnancy, I continued my regiment. Following the ph plan; taking my Nature's prenatal and coral calcium; visiting the acupuncturist every Friday or Saturday morning; practicing yoga and being calm. I felt great. Pregnancy was wonderful! I cannot think of one thing to complain about during that time. We even took classes in transcendental meditation and I was meditating daily. Early Saturday morning on March 12, 2004 my water broke……………we calmly went to the hospital.

I gave birth right after midnight March 14, 2004 to a healthy baby boy. Brandon Ellington Berry . He was full term. 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Imagine I worked at the office until the Friday before. I was going to be 43 in little over a month.

I am an advocate of natural healing and when I can, I tell my story to any woman who is going through the same thing. Fertility treatments are necessary for some, but I would suggest trying to prepare your body for pregnancy by going the natural route, prior to going down the "drug journey". It takes commitment, prayer and proper guidance and fortunately I had all of that………………….

In December of 2005 at the age of 44, I found out again that I was pregnant! Brandon just turned two on March 14, 2006 and in August of 2006 we expect the arrival of his little brother. I will be a "young mother" of 45. No drugs, just the change in lifestyle attributed to this second pregnancy. I am still doing yoga, weekly acupuncture treatments and Nature's Sunshine Nature's pre-natal vitamins, Ultimate Green zone, liquid calcium, raspberry & nettle tea and a good diet. At almost 5 months pregnant, we are all doing fine!

Andrea L. (Jenkins) Berry

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