My story is no different from anyone else who has IC except for maybe the minor details. When asked to write my story, I said that I had no story to write as yet. I have only been in treatment for 2 months, so I decided to write a message of hope and encouragement instead. 

Mine has been a battle of necessity. Quite frankly, we either live with this disease or - well, I don't like the alternative. I have been through quite a lot over the past 30 plus years of living with this ailment. Sometimes I thought I couldn't hang on. I'm not sure what kept me going - maybe the fact that I had two little boys to raise. I have a great husband who has always been supportive even when no one knew what was wrong with me. My IC went undiagnosed for many years.

My love for the arts helps give me a reason to go on as well. Music, dance, literature, art, etc. are good for the soul. Mythology helps me immensely. I believe it helps us live in our world. Someone mentioned to me that they thought I had great courage to have gotten through all the years of this disease. We all have fears. Maybe courage is just facing the fears and not giving in to adversity.

I haven't been with Matia very long. I really don't know how this treatment will go with me. I do know, however, that I agree with her thinking. She has taken on an astronomical task in trying to help some very sick people get well again. I sincerely hope that I will be one of those people. My ability to hang on at this point is seeing the progress that others ahead of me are making. My husband said that he is impressed that Matia looks on each person as an individual and tailors the treatment to that individual.

Reading some of the success stories on the web site makes one realize that anyone with this disease has had an uphill battle. Some of these stories are amazing and an inspiration to anyone thinking of starting this treatment. 

Not everyone has the same ability to cope, some people are weaker in spirit than others, and everyone's pain threshold is different. We have to try to help others by being patient and not being judgmental. We don't know another person's personal battle or private fears. IC is a devastating disease. It touches every aspect of our lives. I pray that we all come through this ordeal with Matia's help and guidance. 

Our ultimate success with any given situation probably lies in our ability to make and accept changes in our lives. Making changes is sometimes frightening. Alternative medicine is about accepting responsibility for our lives and making changes when necessary. Conventional medicine does save lives, no doubt about it, but on the other hand it seems to offer "quick fixes" to long-term problems. Perhaps in giving up our current methods of treatment and going with the art of Chinese medicine, we are unmasking this disease in all its ugliness. In doing so, we allow these natural herbs to cleanse, nourish, and rebalance our bodies, eventually carrying us to a new level of health and well-being.

When we choose alternative thinking, we are going against the grain. Since alternative medicine is not widely accepted in our society, by choosing to use this method of treatment, we are opening ourselves to criticism. Ultimately, each person has to decide for himself which path best suits his needs, and not worry about what others think of that decision.

Even though we have no control over what IC does to our bodies, we do have control over our attitude toward the disease and life itself. Through the years of living with the pain and anguish of this disease called IC, I still choose to love, laugh, and try to find happiness. For myself - I choose life.