The Dog Days of Summer

August is known for the “dog days of Summer”. There is a great misconception about these days. Some think that is so hot that the dogs can only laze around. Actually, they are called the dog days of Summer due to an ancient Greek belief about the brightest star in the sky, Sirius (known as the dog star) rising alongside the sun. They believed that the combined heat from both caused the oppressive heat that is experienced in August. It is strange how time can bring different meanings to different situations.

This kind of misunderstanding is also present in what we offer in the Creighton Model. It is true that we are teaching about the woman’s reproductive health and fertility cycles; however, this has somehow evolved into a misunderstanding that what we do is not for men. This is far from actual fact.

When I am instructing a woman who is married or engaged or, for that matter, in a relationship, I do my best to help the man to become involved. The information that is taught is not selective to the woman only. We work with helping the couple to learn the new language of the woman’s fertility and it is beautiful and should be spoken by both the man and the woman.

The men “get” the technology and the women understand the truth that this method offers. What a fantastic thing to have both truth and technology in one educational program! The men actually enjoy being a part of this journey.

One couple came for this education simply because she was in the military and was about to be deployed to Afghanistan. The military told her that she would have to take the birth control pill since she was married and they did not want to take a chance that she might get pregnant before deployment. She objected but was threatened with being discharged. She and her husband found us and were able to convince the military that they would and could use this method to successfully avoid a pregnancy. It was my understanding that once she was deployed this couple would no longer be charting – that they would begin again when she returned.

Much to my surprise and delight, the husband attended every followup while she was gone! They were able to communicate daily via Skype. He would ask her the questions and then chart what she had seen on that day. He faithfully showed up with the completed chart at every followup. He said that they loved the communication that the Creighton Model encouraged and they loved discovering all about their combined fertility. Once her tour of duty was complete and she returned to the States, one of their first stops was this office! She told me that it was her intent to stop the charting once she deployed but her husband said that he really wanted to continue. So now, it was their intention to continue to chart with the purpose of avoiding a pregnancy until she “retired” from the military. She was planning to leave the military in less than a year. Once she completed her service, they would be using the method to achieve a pregnancy. That is what they did! It did take a little longer than they anticipated to achieve that pregnancy due to some hormonal issues which our medical consultant was able to help them to solve and they became the parents of a perfect baby boy! If the dad had not encouraged continued charting, who knows if this would have been their happy conclusion?

Indeed, the men are an invaluable part of this wondrous Creighton Model system. It is the couple that uses the method.

Each and all of you are invaluable to our ability to continue to offer our abundance of information to all who seek it, regardless of their ability to pay. Praying that you can feel the embrace of our gratitude for helping to make all of this possible.

Enjoy the remaining days of the Summer; including those “dog days of Summer!”