Weschler - Taking charge of your fertility: the definitive guide to natural birth control, pregnancy achievement, and reproductive health

In loving memory of my mother,
Franzi Toch Weschler,
whose strength always amazed me.

Contents

They say women are blessed with the ability to forget the pain of childbirth so they will be able to have more children later. I often wonder whether the same principle applies to the challenges of writing a book of this magnitude. Had another author warned me about what a monumental task it would be, Im not sure I would have been so insane as to pursue the dream. And even now, revising the book for the third time since the book was first released 20 years ago, I am struck once again with the age-old question: What were you thinking?

But I suppose writers are a deluded bunch, or perhaps their memories are simply fried from their projects! Either way, Ive come away from writing both the original and revised editions having experienced the gamut of human emotion, from total frustration and burnout to incredible joy and pride. Along the way, as the following list will attest, Ive had the privilege of being supported by numerous people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude.

To my wonderful editor at HarperCollins, Emily Krump, for sticking with me during this arduous process and graciously advocating on my behalf. I hope that now that the revision is finally finished, youll be able to take pride in your involvement in this incredibly challenging project. And to the wizards in the production department, Heather Finn and Susan Kosko, for putting up with all of my crazy-making instructions to assure that this book is once again as appealing and user-friendly as possible.

To my literary agent, Joy Harris, who has been with me since the beginning over 20 years ago, as well as to her amazing cohort in crime, Adam Reed, who saved me from myself when I just about had a breakdown trying to convert my original manuscript to one which I could revise on my Mac. He never ceases to amaze me with how professional and responsive he is to my questions. Ive never worked with anyone else who e-mails me back before Ive even hit the Send button!

To the numerous doctors, health practitioners, and professors who had a part in making this book what it is, including Vivien Webb Hanson, M.D., Joan Helmich, Lee Hickok, M.D., Patricia Kato, M.D., Nancy Kenney, Ph.D., Miriam Labbok, M.D., Chris Leininger, M.D., Mark Perloe, M.D., Molly Pessl, B.S.N., Suzanne Poppema, M.D., and especially Rebecca Wynsome, N.D., whom I would like to single out for being especially helpful in this project and providing invaluable professional expertise. And to Thomas W. Hilgers, M.D., for his unparalleled contributions to the field, and for his assistance as I navigated the often confusing world of reproductive health.

To my medical illustrators, Kate Sweeney and Christine Shafner, for their gorgeous visuals. And to my graphics illustrator, Rosy Aronson, for her beautiful artwork, including the pregnant woman in the color insert. Her incredibly positive attitude made it a pleasure to work with her. And to Sheila Metcalf Tobin, the artist of the lovely vulva and g-spot drawings in the color insert, for beautifully illustrating for women just how unique their bodies are.

To my medical photographer, Frankie Collins, who had the perfect disposition to be on call every time a cervix model phoned to inform her that their cervix or cervical fluid was at just the right phase to be photographed.

To the woman whom I ultimately chose for her incredibly photogenic cervix, Deanna Hope, who was so proud of her contribution to the enlightenment of women that she wanted to be mentioned by name.

To my incredible assistant for the first revised edition, Cricky Kavanaugh, my total godsend, whose intelligence, ingenuity, and attention to detail were surpassed only by her warmth and wonderful sense of humor. I feel privileged that she came into my life, and even though she moved across the country, I hope Ill have the joy of working with her again one day. Regardless, I hope her young daughter Clara will one day appreciate the many contributions her special mom made to the book.

To my various university interns I had who helped me maintain a semblance of sanity while working on this revision, including Amy Cronin, Maddie Cunningham, Olivia Eisner, Alana Macy, Anna Rourke, and Lisa Taylor-Swanson. And to Ruby Booras, who I want to single out for helping me come up with the perfect name to replace a rather clunky term in the sexuality chapter. Nuf said.

To Sheila Cory, Robin Bennett, Kim Aronson, and Ana Carolina Vaz, who all rescued me when they saw that I had that deer-in-the-headlight look. Was it really that obvious?

To Sarah Bly, who gave me the idea for the fertile wave. And to Michal Schonbrun, Ilene Richman, Katie Singer, Geraldine Matus, and Megan Lalonde, all of whom have also contributed immeasurably to the dissemination of FAM into the secular mainstream. And to a new generation of excellent Fertility Awareness instructors who are passionately moving the field forward, including Colleen Flowers, Kati Bicknell, and Hannah Ransom.

To Kelly Andrews, Ethan Lynette, Suzanne Munson, Sarah Dohman, Whitney Palmerton, Lester Meeks, and Jake Harsoch, all of whom have been a joy to work with. Thank you for welcoming me so warmly!

To the scores of clients and readers who continue to swell my Thank You file with their poignant letters of gratitude for the ways my book has apparently changed their lives. It is this type of appreciation which buoys me when I occasionally feel disheartened by a medical community which has yet to fully grasp the scientific validity and endless benefits of the Fertility Awareness Method. And to those who took the time to write me the most eloquent and touching letters expressing how the book impacted their lives to such an extent that they changed careersespecially to Alyssa Mayer for earning her Ph.D. in public health!

To my cherished friends who witnessed me go from a fairly gregarious and amiable person to a hermit who rarely came up for air while working on this edition. You helped me maintain a sense of perspective when I kept wondering whether I would ever have a life again. Especially Aud, Cath, Susan, and Sandy.

To Roger, who more than anyone, has had to peel me off the floor countless times when I thought the end would never arrive, and who sacrificed his personal space by negotiating around stacks of research studies, all manner of womens health illustrations and copy-edited manuscripts, only to eat on the kitchen bread board lest he disturb any of the color-coded stacks. Without his understanding support for months and months on endheck, who am I kidding, years on endI would never have been able to complete this book. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

To my two older brothers, Lawrence Weschler, whose remarkable literary achievements gave me the inspiration to write this book, and Robert Weschler, for being my own devils advocate who kept me constantly on my toes.

Finally, and most important, to my younger brother, Raymond, without whom I could never have written this book. And even though we often rued the day that we ever started working together on this daunting project over 20 years ago, he was an indispensable editor, researcher, and organizer, as well as an endless source of wit and moral support throughout this undertaking. The fact is that we talked about sharing authorship credit, but he insisted that the book came from my passion and experiences, not his, and ultimately it was written with my voice. Perhaps, but truth be told, Raymond was my co-writer. I am eternally grateful to him for all hes done, and most especially, for once again agreeing to work with me on this latest edition. In so doing, he showed that despite all the grief weve given each other, determined siblings can get things done that no family counselors wouldve ever thought possible!