I can't believe how much has changed since the beginning - stick with me here on this recap of my journey so far.......

Hello everyone!  I hope this update finds you well!!

So, the summer break is coming to a screeching halt as school in my area starts back up on Monday.  That means I go back to work too.  BOO on that but hey, it's my job to be there for the kids and that's what I'll be doing!  Seems like the summer break just went way too fast this year!  We were busy with my surgery, volleyball, and trips so that's most likely why it seems to have gone so fast - tooo fast!  I guess though when you are living life instead of watching it pass you by it does go quickly!

This update is going to be chalk full of a lot of great things so I hope you will continue to read. For starters, I saw my Endocrinologist last week for blood work - I am axiously awaiting those results.  My thryoid levels, Vitamin D and calcium levels.  I'm expecting that they will be great based on how I'm feeling.

As I sit here today, I realized that about 5 years ago exactly is when I first became the sickest I've ever been.  As you know, I've been pretty sick at times in my life but this time, my life was changed in so many ways.  Initially the changes were not good and the things that were to come over the course of the following year were the worst of the worst for me and my family.  Some of the things that happened, I've never talked about because it was/is too personal and painful.......we were at our worst financially, emotionally, and for me, physically with illness that seemed like it would never get better.  Early on, before being diagnosed with FMS, I honestly in my heart thought I was going to die.  That alone is the scariest feeling to have.  Initially, all I could do was lay in bed, sleep and go to Dr's to try to figure out what in the world was going on.

My first diagnosis was bronchitis, then pnemonia......then everything else started happening....migraines, vertigo, terrible pain in my legs and hips that was 100% unexplainable.  I saw neurologists, had cat scans, MRI, blood draws, chiropractic care - you name it and NOTHING seemed to help and there were no results from the tests.  I began to feel like I was crazy and I think the Dr's thought so too!  None of them could make sense of what I was going through.  I finally recovered from the bronchial issues but had a migraine and vertigo for 3 months straight - the meds the neurologist put me on helped some but the migraine would come back.  The vertigo was just there constantly and the pain in my legs and hips never let up.  I could barely walk by myself let alone get out of bed and function.  It was the literal rock bottom, the worst.  That December of 2010 I finally ended up seeing a Rheumatologist who was the one to diagnose me with FMS.  I was SO relieved to have an answer even though I had no clue what it would mean for me.  Initially he put me on a medication, I can't recall what but it didn't help so I stopped taking it.  We decided at my next visit to just increase the antidepressant that I was on - Effexor - as that was also known to help with FMS pain at higher doses.  So he doubled it and within a day the pain in my legs vanished!!  PROGRESS!  Slowly over the course of another few months I was feeling well enough to be out of bed and sit in "my chair"......that is when I started doing mad research on Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue (which I had been diagnosed with many years prior) Lupus (which I suspected I had due to the tell-tell rash I always got on my face), Lyme disease which was suspect due to all my symptoms and life history of illness........and I started my blog to document all the stuff I was finding.  I began to think that if I could help even just one other person that it would all be worth it because NOBODY deserves to live like I was......and I now know that way too many people do!

So that is, in a nutshell, the beginning of my story and journey.  I started looking for natural ways to heal myself - I knew that I couldn't live like that forever and I had a family to take care of.  I was in search of natural ways to heal myself because I knew I couldn't be on pain killers and medications for the rest of my life.  I started juicing, was contemplating going to the Mayo Clinic for help but ended up finding a Dr about an hour away that dealt primarily in FMS.  I began seeing him 1x a week for a year. My treatment included acupuncture, massage and chiropractic care.  One of the first things he did was a blood panel that looked at all my micronutrients - come to find out I was depleted of all my antioxidants so I immediately started on them all - I must of been taking 10-15 different supplements - it's all in previous blog posts with pictures....seriously crazy stuff.  After going 1x a week for 6 months I started to feel somewhat normal again - seriously relieved that I could drive and function on a somewhat normal level but I still didn't feel "normal" whatever that was.

After a year of driving an hour each way to see this Dr I found a local chiropractor who specialized in chronic illness, specifically FMS so I started to see him.  Now that I was feeling so much better I felt that change could happen.  He did a follow up on the blood work and this time all my levels were good.  So I was able to stop taking the multiple pills and go down to about 5 different vitamins.  I saw him weekly as well to keep my spinal health in good condition and had him do acupuncture on me as needed.

Slowly I was feeling better......my business that I had for 12 years leading up to this was gone...since I couldn't work to save my life......other things we had were gone......but my life was moving on.  Don't get me wrong, I was still having pain, fatigued beyond belief but I was out of bed and functioning to the best of my ability.  The pain wasn't constant but would pop up randomly and was definitely there.

Now let's fast forward a bit.  My thyroid started to become a huge issue - as you know that's dealt with now.  I'm finally feeling like things are looking up all around.  When I exercise I get pain in my hips, my hips are always the problem for me.  But with regular chiropractic care that seems to help a lot.

People who are like me and have multiple issues with health have to deal with things one at a time.....there is so much going on that we just have to pick one thing to handle......it's taken me 5 yrs to get a handle on everything and the last thing to deal with is my weight......since getting sick 5 yrs ago I've gained 65 lbs - SIXTY FIVE POUNDS! That's 13# a year, which doesn't seem like a lot but year after year it added up to where I am now.  I think my thyroid, laying in bed, having no energy, eating on the go and fast food is definitely to blame......my lack of motivation to do anything about it and lack of knowing what to do about it too.  It seemed like such a huge feat to try to lose it all,,,,,,,,and I didn't know where to even begin.  Getting to the gym was not an option because I had no energy....none.  Cooking healthy didn't happen, no energy.  Ordering pizza, getting subway or other fast food was easy, so that's pretty much what we did.

Everything started to change when a friend of mine introduced me to a company that is focused on lifestyle, weight loss and fitness.  I researched this until I was blue in the face as I didn't want another scam or gimmick to deal with.  I didn't want to waste money or time that I didn't have.  I've tried it all, believe me.  There are so many out there, so many that don't work that I wasn't about to take a chance on another failure.  Honestly, it's taken me a couple years to really get on board with this and already in just a couple months I'm down 14 lbs, feeling the best I've felt in as long as I can remember, my skin issues are clearing up and I have energy - yes energy!  I want to scream from the mountain tops.  Here is a little video that tells you about it.

If this video doesn't play you can also view it here - just click on the first video

I'll be 100% honest - I've done the challenge before and lost some weight then as well (2013) but I was still dealing with stress and my illnesses and didn't really give my lifestyle, ways of looking at food and eating the attention I should have.  I wasn't eating right and wasn't sticking to a better eating plan.  Because of that, I gained back what I lost initially.  As would anyone who goes back to eating out, fast food, sugars and all the processed crap that is in our face everyday.  It takes some effort to eat better than that.  It's a lifestyle change and that takes time and energy I just didn't have to give.  Be honest, it's easier to stay the same and not work on betting ourselves UNTIL we hit that point that we know something has to be done.  I'm on TWO medications for the rest of my life - Synthroid for my thryoid and Effexor because #1 the withdrawls to come off it will send me in a downward spiral I'm not willing to endure and #2 it was the only thing that helped my hip pain.  Not bad for someone who has all the chronic illnesses I have.

I've been on this challenge now for 2 months and I'm down 14 lbs and 10 inches overall.  I'm feeling the best I've felt in as long as I can remember.  I have energy to do things with my kids and husband.....I'm starting to work out at the gym - WHAT?  Yes, working out at the gym! This is a new me that I'm loving!  At the rate I'm going, I expect I'll be down to the size I was 5 yrs ago PRE-ILLNESS by mid 2016, maybe even sooner.  And it doesn't end there!  Once I'm down to where I began I plan on maintaining that with my new lifestyle and living the life I only dreamed I could!  Do I avoid going out to eat, NO....Do I get to enjoy treats time to time - absolutely!  Is it hard?  Sometimes but those are the times that I have to be strong and remember WHY I'm doing what I am.

Remember, I have always said that I started this blog and share information in hopes that I can help someone which is ultimately exactly what I want to do.  If I can help someone change their life and circumstances then I have succeeded in my mission.  This is no different.  I know there are people out there who have struggled with weight gain and an inability to lose it for whatever reason.  Just like me, it seems that no matter what you do, aside from starving yourself, you can't lose the weight.  I've always said if I even look at a piece of cake I gain 10lbs - because that is how I really felt. I struggled to control my cravings and didn't even try to have will power when faced with an opportunity to have cookies, cake, ice cream, pizza, burgers - all the good stuff that isn't so good in the long run.  Right now, I can walk away from it all - because I'm seeing how much better I feel without it.  Even without going to the gym I'm losing the weight just from changing the way I'm eating.

If you are reading this now - congratulations for sticking it out!  I know this is long but I have so much to say - I could continue but this is enough for now.  I'm just so excited about where this long journey has taken me and where it will continue to take me.  I'm sure I will have set backs, we all do...I'm not perfect and the healing process is long - we all have to remember how long it took us to get where we are and allow the time to change ourselves inside and out.

I encourage anyone out there to reach out to me to talk if you want some guidance - that's why I'm here - my mission is to help anyone and everyone who is ready for change in their life, suffering from illness and ready to do something and make changes.  I've taken the journey and am still on it....

Until next time - to your health - xoxoxoxo

Cautiously hopeful.....

My appointment at the Colorado Fibromyalgia Center went really well. I was pleased that the intake Dr spent about 2 hrs with me and was very informative.

The program is treatment based vs diagnosis based so they really focus on treating each person and their symptoms in an effort to eliminate the symptoms so the patient feels better. The treatment program lasts about 4-6 months and optimally they want me to come in 1x a week for treatment. Due to the fact that I'm traveling an hour each way to get there they are willing to work with me and if it is feasible to give me 2 treatments in one appointment they will. Sometimes though, depending on the treatment needed, they wouldn't be able to do that. An hour drive isn't really so bad though.

So I'm going to go forward with the treatment at this center and am, as the title of this entry states, Cautiously hopeful - I don't want to get too excited just in case.....however I do really feel that their treatment approaches are really going to make some significant improvements in my overall health.

The center does take more of a holistic and natural approach to healing - while they do also offer some western medicine treatments when indicated necessary, they do try to use more alternative and holistic approaches.

I am still also pursuing an appointment with the Mayo Clinic while I am getting treatment at this center. I figure I might as well start getting help while I'm working on the Mayo Clinic and between the two I should be able to figure out what exactly I'm looking at as far as the future of my own health is concerned.

Yesterday I was feeling kind of guilty for pursuing both avenues however a friend of mine sent me a video that really reminded me that it's ok to seek help and answers for my own health until I'm satisfied with the results - it's a great video that I recommend you take a moment to watch...........e-patient Dave - I'm certain that most of my readers will agree with the message that is delivered in the video.

While I was at my appointment I also had some blood drawn for a blood test called "micronutrient testing" through a laboratory called "spectracell" - I've included the link for you in case this is something that anyone else might want to look into - I'm really excited to see the results of this test as I really think it's going to lead me and the medical team I'm working with in the right direction to helping my body get back to optimal functioning status.........check out the link to Spectracell laboratories and the information for the Micronutrient blood test. It's pretty interesting stuff!

This week in addition to the unrelenting fatigue, I've been dealing with consistent headaches which have me really feeling crappy but motrin seems to help me get past the pain and get through the day. I've been waking up with the headaches everyday but they haven't been to the point of "migraine" status so I have been ok with just a nice dose of mortrin a couple times a day. I'm not certain as to why the headaches have returned but figure it's just part of everything else, could be heat related, medication related - who knows why any of this happens at this point.....

I am looking forward to getting started on my treatments with the Fibromyalgia Center. As of now I have a phone appointment on July 8th with the Dr to go over her findings from my medical records and yesterday's visit and the proposed treatment plan. Then on the 11th I'll go in for my first appointment with the massage therapist and the Dr who does nutrient injections.

Part of my treatment will be massage therapy which will help "desensitize" my muscles and tissues - I had told the Dr yesterday that I don't enjoy massages as it causes pain for several days following so she feels that working on desensitizing my muscles and tissues will be an important part of my treatment - this will also serve to help release tension areas that is causing other problems in my body. As the belief in this type of treatment plan is that when one part of the body is under stress or not optimal it will effect other parts of the body that and so on as everything is connected to work together. I wish it was enjoyable for me to get a massage - maybe someday it will be.

Until next time, my journey continues as I move closer to my goal of getting back to how I was prior to the onset of this craziness or even better than that! I'm really looking forward to the beginning of something great that could end up proving to heal me even beyond my expectations.

Do you even understand?? Maybe this will help

My post today is all about bringing awareness to everyone who reads this blog that doesn't understand or for those of you who are like me, sick......all the time and do understand but need help trying to get others to understand you.

FIBROMYALGIA - it's not the "catch all" diagnosis I've heard so many people say it is.....believe me, if you lived even one day with it, you would "GET IT" real quick! It's so very frustrating not being able to really talk to people who don't have it and trust that they understand......understand why you couldn't get out of bed today, understand why you couldn't do the dishes, laundry or clean your house....understand that you are not lazy....but that YOU ARE SICK......it's easy for anyone not living with it to say things like "oh just exercise more, you'll be fine" or "go to bed earlier and you won't be so tired".....and the list of "comments" you make to people who suffer with this disease goes on and on.....I've heard you, I know what you say and think about people like me....people who appear to be just fine on the outside - we are suffering on the inside.

I've compiled a few videos for you to help you possibly see inside the life of someone who suffers from Fibromyalgia and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome....if you love someone who has been given one or both of these chronic pain diagnoses - please take the time to watch these videos, take the time to try to understand what they are going through....take the time to know that when they say they hurt, they REALLY hurt........don't be another person in their life who just brushes them off as lazy or think they are faking it.......living with this is hard, frustrating and at times feels hopeless.....give us hope and just try to understand..........

Fibromyalgia Hurts

But you don't LOOK sick

Just offer some compassion and understanding

Anyone who doubts this condition should take this challenge. We will both go for a walk but first lets get on an even footing.

As you can't see or feel my daily aches and pains then I suggest we should wrap ourselves in barbed wire before we set off. Oh and have NO SLEEP the night before.

Then we walk today, tomorrow and every day thereafter until one of us gives up and takes the barbed wire off our bodies. I can tell you now that it won't be me because you see this barbed wire that I wear does not come off! It's called Fibromyalgia and I just have to learn how to deal with it, no matter what!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, watch the videos and think differently about this condition that effects so many ......it's sad to know that there are still many Dr's out there who don't believe in this, many people out there who don't understand and many people that are close to people who suffer who just don't want to take the time to even TRY to understand what someone is going through.

Now let me remind you that I haven't always had to deal with this illness. I was only just diagnosed late last year after a bout of illness, after illness, after illness that finally landed me in a Dr's office and with this diagnosis after tests among tests among tests that came back NEGATIVE.........ask my family, I was SICK....I was in bed for 4 months SICK........now I have to deal with the after effects of that illness that started out as bronchitis, then pneumonia that turned into walking pneumonia......then a sudden onset of uncontrollable migraines, then constant dizziness to the point that I couldn't stand up and on and on...........it just was never ending until I ended up at the right Dr's office...........

I don't say these things to get your sympathy, but rather to encourage your compassion for anyone who has to deal with this day in and day out...for life. Fibromyalgia is triggered by various things, usually a tramatic incident or event.....mine was triggered by my prolonged sickness that landed me in the ER being tested for anything and everything to try to find out why I was so dizzy, with a migraine that couldn't be banished.

Please, feel free to share this blog with anyone who may benefit from reading my stories...that's why it's here!

A funny thing happened........

You aren't going to believe this.....

The other day (Monday) as I was pushing vegetables though my juicer one of them must of gotten stuck as it slowed down and then sped up again which isn't a normal occurance. So I finish up what I'm juicing and when I took it apart to clean, this is what I see:

The feed tube cracked at the bottom!! Bummed, YES! The part with the little wheel also is now coming out of the feed tube...it seems like it might of been able to come out prior to this and I just didn't realize it but I'm not sure - so I clean it up and it seems to be ok, the crack doesn't seem to effect it ... for now...but I'm a little concerned about pushing anything hard through there now.....

Oh yea, this thing came with a 2yr warranty - crap, I better register it! So I complete the process to register it and will give it a few days before I call in to see if they will replace the top part of the unit for me. I hope they will as it's not in my plans to go buy another juicer so quickly!

So moving onto to Wednesday I stopped into GNC to browse around and as I'm standing there looking at some supplements I hear another customer asking the sales clerk "How much is that juicer".....and as that conversation progresses I hear "oh it's on sale for $35.99...."......my ears perked up and I went to where they were talking - the juicer looked to be a nice one.......power was good - looked very similar to the one I have just not a "name brand" - so I think what the heck, for that price I'm getting it as a back up! LUCKY DAY FOR ME!

So I get the juicer and make my merry way on home with my super find. I love when I find things like that!

Of course when I got home I had to check it out - so I opened it up and made some juice in my new machine - it works nice, it's a bit different of a set up than my original one and as of now I'm not sure I REALLY like it, but it serves it's purpose until I can figure out what I'm going to be able to do about my original one.

Fast forward a few days to yesterday (Saturday)..............

I'm juicing away with the OLD juicer as it seems to be doing fine and as I am pushing some carrots through........I hear a big loud noise, like something shouldn't be in there! I stop my juicer and there it is..... that big chunk of plastic with the wheel on it finally broke loose during juicing.......opps - it's from the bottom of the feed tube - ut oh.......are you serious?? WTF?!?

So I take it apart, clean it and it seems to have broken a little further - now I REALLY need to call the customer service line and see what they'll do. That's my plan for today...wish me luck with that! I'm hoping, at the very least, they will replace the top section of the juicer and that will be that - but nothing is ever that easy so we'll see if luck is on my side!

On another note.......I did a salt water flush on Tuesday.....that was interesting.....if you ever do one of those - please make sure you pay attention to the cautions given and STAY HOME! You'll be thankful to be very close to your toilet for a while! One of the side effects is a headache due to all the toxins leaving your body - as stated, I did end up getting a headache the following day which has pretty much stayed with me since - so I'm not sure what's up with that but I'm trying to just plug along taking ibuprofen but this waking up with a pounding head is no fun...hopefully it'll be gone soon as the flush was several days ago and I THINK I shouldn't be still releasing toxins but who knows. At any rate, if you have never done a salt water flush - here is a link about it - it's pretty simple and effective to clean out your digestive tract.......http://www.colonzone.org/salt-water-flush.php

I know in a previous post I had said something about cleaning out my "medicine cabinet" - that's on the plans for this morning - I'm getting ready to go take care of that now...it's a pretty scary looking cabinet as you'll see in my next post either later today or tomorrow........until then have a GREAT day!