Rosina’s Story
At age 26, my second ovary was surgically removed due to it being gangrened, so my body was in a menopausal state. Not thinking much about that at the time and not even being able to have children, my life went on and I found myself with a host of health problems as I aged. I am now 43 years old and my internal hormone system thinks it is 65 years old. The way that I figured this is, most women go through menopause between 40 and 50 years of age. I have been postmenopausal for 17 years starting at age 26, anyway you get the point. Now that I have explained that, I can tell my story and you will believe that the Hotze Health and Wellness Center gave me my life back!
Let me back up in time for a moment. My husband and I wanted to have children and took the emotional roller coaster ride of many InVitro Fertilization cycles with the help of my younger sister as an egg donor. These attempts ended with disappointments, so we sold our four-bedroom home in the country that we were going to fill with children and moved to a smaller house in the city. I went back to school to obtain a teaching certificate and resigned myself to not having our own children and my children would be the twenty-two little ones I was going to teach.
Then, after thirteen years of marriage, we received a call from out of state. A seventeen-year old girl was pregnant and our friends asked us if we were interested in becoming parents. We quickly responded “yes” and we welcomed home our beautiful newborn child; however, we had some post adoption agency requirements to meet. As we were meeting these requirements, we were asked to foster care a child whose mother lived a compromised lifestyle while she was pregnant. We agreed to foster care and adopted our second child. We continued to foster care and the Lord presented us with a sibling group that needed a home. This birthmother also had a compromised lifestyle while pregnant with these children. We still have our small house in the city but now it is filled with four beautiful healthy children born between the years 2000 and 2003. May I do the math for you? As of December 2005, we have a five year old and a four year old; they are twenty-one months apart, a three year old and a two year old, with the last three children being 11 ½ months apart. And, we thought the roller coaster ride was over. The Lord does not give you anymore than you can handle.
Now, I needed to step up to the plate and give our children and my husband my best, but my health was compromised. Although, I did not realize it, it was a struggle every day from my emotions to my physical strength; I was not making it. Over the years, I had visited many doctors and have run the gamut of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) from different pills to patches. As I complained of hot flashes, (and I am not talking just feeling a little hot at times. I am talking sweating off my make-up HOT), low libido, weight gain, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), joint pain and a host of problems related to post menopausal symptoms. The doctors all but said, “just live with them”. So, I took my pills and went on my way year after year, in fact, for 17 long years. Can I talk libido or the lack thereof? When I asked my last doctor about that, she explained, “Well, I can give you something if you want hair on your chest and chin.” I thought to myself, my husband would NOT enjoy that at all! I started to deteriorate, thinking that being tired, run down and frustrated was the way it was meant to be, because I had so much on my plate. I could not make it through the day without taking a nap with the children. Even with the nap, the afternoons took all I had to keep my nose above water and getting what I needed done, done! Everything stressed me out, even the littlest tasks. I am a stay at home mom. Not to mention, my husband and I are doing this together with very little outside help. However, as I looked around and saw others with four, six and even eight children, I definitely saw something was wrong with me. As I was losing my battle with fatigue, weight loss, memory loss, I was just letting life pass me by. My loving husband was listening to a daily radio show one day and told me, “They are describing you to a T.” As I slipped away, I was doing an injustice to my family and myself. I researched the information my husband gave me and called Dr Hotze’s office and received the information that I needed to schedule an appointment. Although the cost of the treatment was not in our budget, we were determined that we would find the money to obtain high-quality health and happiness. We were so excited that I might finally get some help. We were counting down the days until my July 2005 appointment.
After I started taking the medications, as soon as the first week, the days started to become mine again! I was finally freed from the incarceration of the symptoms I had been experiencing, not to mention the low thyroid that was never discussed by any of my previous doctors! I truly got my life back. Just to describe one of many occurrences: My twenty-month-old child came to me without a diaper with poop-poop on her backside. As I looked for the diaper I came across the poop-poop on the hallway carpet and then found the diaper next to our other child’s bed with more poop-poop on the bedroom carpet. What otherwise would have put me into a tailspin; I just calmly cleaned everything and went on with my day. At this point I had just started taking the thyroid medication and progesterone. I was seeing things more clearly as if the leaves were greener and the flowers were brighter colors.
It does sound a little unreal. My husband and I are enjoying our new found relationship along with my ability to rationally have a discussion. Before, my frustration level was so high that I was unable to discuss anything with any clarity. Presently, I have lost over 20 pounds in five months and still counting. The yeast free eating program taught me how to combine my food groups to maximize my energy levels. I am now able to walk 12 to 15 miles a week and have started my Pilates training again. Along with raising my four children, managing the household and budget, planning parties, and holiday events, I am enjoying my new found energy. There is still not enough time in the day to get everything done. My approach to each day is calmer and less stressful.
Now that almost five months have passed, and as I look back, I was not aware of how devastatingly sick I really was. The days took everything I had, and more, to make the day-to-day life work. If there was an award I could present to my husband for taking on all that he did to run the household and continue to excel at his paid job, I would present this award to him at a gala celebrating him and his devotion to the children and me. We are still adjusting my medications. Along with the Armor Thyroid and progesterone, I am taking estrogen, testosterone, cortisol and some other supplements. I am confident that with the perfection of my natural hormone replacements, I will continue to get my life back and more. I have regained my love for life. My husband said it best, in “I have my old Rosina back”. A heartfelt thank you and gratitude for Dr. Hotze’s pursuit of his studies in developing this treatment plan so many, like me, can benefit from the joys of family and friends.
Can you relate to Rosina's story? Contact us today and let us help you get your life back!
