Saturday, March 22, 2014

Great Awaking - Are you Serious!

In my last blog "Living In A Fog - Catching Up" I mentioned that something major had happened Monday that brought me back to blogging.  I received results on some blood tests I had done and was impacted more then 1999 when I was told I had Sjögren's syndrome, RA, and Lupus. Even more than quitting my job due to my health issues in March of 2010 and was unemployed with no new job to go to.

Since the end of 2011 my health has reached a happy plateau with nothing major, I am working in costuming and loving the travel involved. My family is doing great with everyone healthy and happy. I have an amazing life with the exception that I can't lose weight it keeps fluctuating 5-8 lbs with me reaching my all time high, eating was causing me issues where I'd feel bloated, in pain and exhausted. Oh and the big one....my hair was falling out again. 

This last year I have spent a lot of time talking with my son, Greg and his wife Miranda, who are both chiropractors, about these problems and frustrations. We spent many days trying to figure it out while talking about my eating, sleeping and exercise habits. In January, Greg went to work for The Wellness Way where they specialize in Functional Medicine. After sharing my history with them they setup an appointment to meet me and ordered tests on thyroid, ferratin, hormones, cortisol, Vitamin D, and immuno 88 bloodprint for food reactive sensitivities. So I took my tests and patiently waited for the results. 

Last Friday we got part of the tests with areas we need to work on but nothing that was earth shattering. All of this would be addressed further at my appointment. Then Monday Greg got the results of the immuno 88 bloodprint. 

I love the way he presented my shocking (to me) results. The son I raised became the Dr. filled with understanding, compassion, and encouragement that everything would be okay. With a promise that The Wellness Way and my family would be there to support me. That as hard as this would be in the end I would be the healthiest I have ever been. I don't think he has seen or heard me cry in a long time and it warmed my heart that he listened patiently as I cried. And honestly I wanted to be stronger than I was but I was so shocked to see that I tested reactive to 27 out of 88 foods. Even more heartbreaking to me was the foods that I needed to give up in order to heal my body were the things that I enjoy the most. 

My 27 reactive foods
Almonds, amaranth (heck who knows what this is), banana (My sister Tamie will be happy about this), BEANS - green, kidney, pinto and yellow wax, cantaloupe, celery, cheese (excuse me I live in WI...the dairy state), cranberry, EGG (what no baked products, omelets or frittata), grapefruit, lemon, lime, MILK - cow, goat, almond (again excuse me I live in WI...the dairy state), orange, pineapple, pork, pumpkin (my favorite pie of all time), rice, sesame, tangerine, wheat, YEAST- bakers and brewers (Dang no more homemade cinnamon rolls but I can still bake them).

This is a horrible life change for me. I LOVE Starbucks and the one thing I would never give up is ice cream. Guess again. Also do you realize how many things have gluten, egg or milk products in them. All my candy, baked goods, Starbucks, ice cream, pasta.... BREATH.

My way of dealing with these kind of issues is first to cry so after I got off the phone I cried through the night. Then my second thing I do is talk about it and externalize it. So I posted to my Facebook friends that I was having a meltdown and why, knowing that they would support me and help me to move forward. My Facebook friends have never let me down that way. People started sharing that they had similar eating/health issues, others started praying for me and many started messaging me privately sharing recipes, websites, and some of their experiences. 

While I walk this path of healing it is my greatest desire that I can show others that there is hope and that there is a life on the other side of all of this. It is my mission in life to make a difference in any small way that I can. 

Smiles sprinkled with thoughtfulness,
Teri 

Quote for the day

Feeling sorry for yourself, and your present condition, is not only a waste of energy but the worst habit you could possibly have. - Dale Carnegie


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