At the beginning of 2012, I had started to share my journey to better health.
It has been a very long journey and the last time I had invited you along was on August, 2012.
Now over a year later, I am STILL traveling the rocky road to better health, but the further
along on this trip we got, the more WE realized that this trip was not for pleasure, but for education.
I will explain later on how the "I" became "WE".
When this journey began, I was following a map to my destination of "Better Health".
My goal was to lose 30+ lbs, to be physically fit, and to feel like I was 16 again.
Those goals did not seem so outlandish, but very obtainable (well, maybe except for the "16" part of it.)
By 4 weeks, this vehicle was cruising along and making good time!
I remained excited until I reached a state where the tax money was not enough to put better road signs along the highway. Further along, questions and discouragement became a travel hazard and by July I realized that the original destination to "Slender" had to be put on hold and a different route had to be considered. A few miles down the road, I had totally cut the engine and rested at a wonderful rest area. While resting, I made an entry in my journal about some "bad words" we learned on the trip that needed to be banned from our vocabulary.
(click on blue words to read those posts)
For a few months, my journey was pretty much uneventful. I had restarted the engine and moved forward at a slow rate of speed. My vehicle seemed to run rough, due to my companion, the still famous misbehaving Thyroid. In Jan. of this year, I had joined a weight lose challenge, in which I only lost a few lbs., and in March started following the "Trim Healthy Mama" (which is a huge, very informative book written by 2 sisters) way of eating.
I was feeling great! ....... until April!
We, our 2 youngest boys & I, were running errands, when I had the most terrifying spell!
I felt nauseous, like passing out, my body literally shook and felt like it weighed a ton, cold hands and feet, weird acting heart. We were in the area of our Chiropractor and I managed to drive there and get help. It was suspected that I had a hypoglycemic episode.(?) My family Dr. did EKG - it was normal. To make long story short, I had several more spells, which warranted a stress test - which was normal, and retesting of my thyroid labs - which were abnormal. Doc did not want to change my meds, so I changed them on my own. The spells diminished, however, I just did not feel well.
It was like my body was screaming "ENOUGH! I'VE HAD IT! I'M TIRED!"
And along with that, I now developed a fear of going away and Dave developed a fear of me driving and the boys developed a fear of being with me. I also had a fear of having another episode, so I ate often, good food, but often, so needless to say, I found all my lost weight (just can't think about that right now).
Added to all that, my faith took a nose dive straight into the ground. I no longer only had questions about my health, I now had questions about my faith in God.
When fear enters, faith exits!
(will share later about that journey)
I heard of an Endocrinologist at Geisinger, Danville, who was supposed to be wonderful. I had called twice to talk to the nurse to see if the Dr. does anything different than what has been done for me so far. She reassured me that she does so I anticipated the visit with much hope.
Hope! What a wonderful word!!
After waiting a few months, the appt. day arrived and Dave drove me to Danville.
Saw Dr. Hu and soon, REALLY soon, realized that she provided absolutely no hope for me!
She did not do anything different than any other Dr.(what was the nurse talking about?) and she even discouraged me from doing my own research. I understand that you cannot believe everything you read, but why can't the Dr's understand that "scientific proven" is not always the only way or right way and sometimes don't even work for everyone? There is a reason why there are so many books, websites, support groups for Thyroid and Hashimotos out there! The medical world is not meeting the needs of thousands of people who are suffering!
So frustrating!
Anyway, I literally cried the whole way home.
Not only did I not receive answers, but I received no hope!
Hope! What a wonderful word!! (I know I repeated it..... :) )
So, my wonderful husband decided that he will just have to be my Dr.. That is how the "I" turned into "WE", for now he is traveling on this journey with me in a very active way. He delved into studying and researching my condition and learned more than I ever did in all my research.
tsk tsk.... naughty boy - doing all that research! :)
One person who has been the most influential is Dr. Izabella T Wentz
She has a wonderful book, a website, blog and Facebook page. She is extremely informative and easy to understand, so if you have a journey similar to mine, I would encourage you to look her up.
Recently, we (the new Dr. Hubby & I) were able to go to a local nutritionist who spent 2 hrs. with us and gave me a road map for a different journey - a journey similar to Dr. Wentz's - a journey to heal my body, not just provide another band-aide.
So, once again, I have hope! What a wonderful word!!! ♥
To be continued.....
Until next time......
It has been a very long journey and the last time I had invited you along was on August, 2012.
Now over a year later, I am STILL traveling the rocky road to better health, but the further
along on this trip we got, the more WE realized that this trip was not for pleasure, but for education.
I will explain later on how the "I" became "WE".
When this journey began, I was following a map to my destination of "Better Health".
My goal was to lose 30+ lbs, to be physically fit, and to feel like I was 16 again.
Those goals did not seem so outlandish, but very obtainable (well, maybe except for the "16" part of it.)
I remained excited until I reached a state where the tax money was not enough to put better road signs along the highway. Further along, questions and discouragement became a travel hazard and by July I realized that the original destination to "Slender" had to be put on hold and a different route had to be considered. A few miles down the road, I had totally cut the engine and rested at a wonderful rest area. While resting, I made an entry in my journal about some "bad words" we learned on the trip that needed to be banned from our vocabulary.
(click on blue words to read those posts)
For a few months, my journey was pretty much uneventful. I had restarted the engine and moved forward at a slow rate of speed. My vehicle seemed to run rough, due to my companion, the still famous misbehaving Thyroid. In Jan. of this year, I had joined a weight lose challenge, in which I only lost a few lbs., and in March started following the "Trim Healthy Mama" (which is a huge, very informative book written by 2 sisters) way of eating.
I was feeling great! ....... until April!
We, our 2 youngest boys & I, were running errands, when I had the most terrifying spell!
I felt nauseous, like passing out, my body literally shook and felt like it weighed a ton, cold hands and feet, weird acting heart. We were in the area of our Chiropractor and I managed to drive there and get help. It was suspected that I had a hypoglycemic episode.(?) My family Dr. did EKG - it was normal. To make long story short, I had several more spells, which warranted a stress test - which was normal, and retesting of my thyroid labs - which were abnormal. Doc did not want to change my meds, so I changed them on my own. The spells diminished, however, I just did not feel well.
It was like my body was screaming "ENOUGH! I'VE HAD IT! I'M TIRED!"
And along with that, I now developed a fear of going away and Dave developed a fear of me driving and the boys developed a fear of being with me. I also had a fear of having another episode, so I ate often, good food, but often, so needless to say, I found all my lost weight (just can't think about that right now).
Added to all that, my faith took a nose dive straight into the ground. I no longer only had questions about my health, I now had questions about my faith in God.
When fear enters, faith exits!
(will share later about that journey)
I heard of an Endocrinologist at Geisinger, Danville, who was supposed to be wonderful. I had called twice to talk to the nurse to see if the Dr. does anything different than what has been done for me so far. She reassured me that she does so I anticipated the visit with much hope.
Hope! What a wonderful word!!
After waiting a few months, the appt. day arrived and Dave drove me to Danville.
Saw Dr. Hu and soon, REALLY soon, realized that she provided absolutely no hope for me!
She did not do anything different than any other Dr.(what was the nurse talking about?) and she even discouraged me from doing my own research. I understand that you cannot believe everything you read, but why can't the Dr's understand that "scientific proven" is not always the only way or right way and sometimes don't even work for everyone? There is a reason why there are so many books, websites, support groups for Thyroid and Hashimotos out there! The medical world is not meeting the needs of thousands of people who are suffering!
So frustrating!
Anyway, I literally cried the whole way home.
Not only did I not receive answers, but I received no hope!
Hope! What a wonderful word!! (I know I repeated it..... :) )
So, my wonderful husband decided that he will just have to be my Dr.. That is how the "I" turned into "WE", for now he is traveling on this journey with me in a very active way. He delved into studying and researching my condition and learned more than I ever did in all my research.
tsk tsk.... naughty boy - doing all that research! :)
He's the most handsome Dr. I ever had!! :)
She has a wonderful book, a website, blog and Facebook page. She is extremely informative and easy to understand, so if you have a journey similar to mine, I would encourage you to look her up.
Recently, we (the new Dr. Hubby & I) were able to go to a local nutritionist who spent 2 hrs. with us and gave me a road map for a different journey - a journey similar to Dr. Wentz's - a journey to heal my body, not just provide another band-aide.
So, once again, I have hope! What a wonderful word!!! ♥
To be continued.....
Until next time......
3 comments:
Oh, Brenda! Thank you for sharing! What a wonderful husband you have; how HOPEFUL when a fearful "I" suddenly finds herself a part of a loved and covered "WE"! What a long journey you have been on, but you sure haven't lost your sense of humor! *big grin*
Keep your chin up, keep moving forward - no matter how slowly - and don't loose hope.
I will pray for you!
So glad to know more about what has been happening to you, Brenda. I'm so sorry. And I so agree with you. I have had many years of health problems and hopelessness is the worst poison we can add to already ill health.
Did you read my post on Placebo Power? It really encouraged me because it shows that our attitudes can help heal us as well as all the other things we do. I know that my attitudes have greatly affected my health. I'm not saying our health problems are all in our head, but having hope and feeling like things are going to get better really helps them get better.
Love you, dear sister, and I will continue to pray.
Thank you, Licia and Gail, for your love and encouragement! Dave has always been here for me, but when he witnessed me falling to pieces he became more aggressive in helping me. I think he should pursue some kind of medical degree. He has a mind for it!
Yes, Gail, I did read the Placebo Power and it also encouraged me. Thanks once again for sharing your insights. I for sure need an attitude adjustment and with the Lord's help I will work at being thankful for my condition and praise HIM through it all. If I am not healed physically, I look forward to being healing emotionally and spiritually.
♥ you both!
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