Giving Thanks and Beyond

Thank you life...thank you God...thank you for MS. Is it weird to be saying this....surprisingly, not to me. I am so thankful for this past year. There have so many obstacles..heartaches and more...but, only good has come out of it. I could have gone a lifetime (probably shorter then I would have liked) without ever changing my family's diet and lifestyle. I could have taken so many things for granted....I can run, jump, play, breathe, eat, and whatever else my heart desires. I can do and have so much in this lifetime and MS has opened my eyes even more to the possibilities. I'm sure that my days aren't over taking things for granted, but I have all sorts of alarms that go off in my body when I am not totally aware. So I am thankful this holiday for my life, my family and everything that God has blessed me with. I am thankful for my readers that are able to go deep with me...or just stay surface. This is truly the first year that I have ever looked at Thanksgiving with these new, clear eyes. Before I think it was all about food and saying grace right before we wolfed it down. This year it about giving grace above all and giving thanks for ALL that is in our lives.

Skank Diet

The Skank (Swank) Diet....
That's what my sister called it and we are thinking that it would be pretty funny to make up shirts that use that mindset....LOL! Wait until you see Shannon's shirt;) It's actually the Swank Diet and it is a very successful tool in dealing with MS and other AID (Auto Immune Deficiencies). There is much to be learned and my family has already begun the basics behind it and I will be getting my book this week for the more detailed version. This diet will be one of the major tools I will use to get my body back on track, less confused, and happy again:) My Mom will be relieved to know that he (Dr. Swank) acknowledges the ABC drugs in his writings...."The only statement by a drug house has been that on the drug, patients have experienced a 30 percent reduction in MS attacks. On the Swank Low-Fat Diet, when carefully followed, the exacerbations or attacks are reduced greatly." I know that there are a few of you that are following what I am doing on my path, and I would love to share as much as I can without making this the new MS journal. I hope more then anything, that I am able to pass on some inspiration for all of you out there that are waiting to start that healthier, more relaxed, less stressful lifestyle. Don't wait for a reason, and for God's sake listen to your body!!!! Take control of your own health, and lifestyle. It's never too late. He's one All American Girl telling you all to get off the fast-passed American lifestyle that is heading straight for a brick wall at mach3. Our bodies are trying to tell us to wake up, take time to smell the roses, and be a skank...bahaha;) Just be. What would a post be without a bunch of really cute pics.

Believe

Pick something to believe in and.....JUST BELIEVE!
I have made a HUGE decision in my life. I am going to share the journey because I have found some valuable emotions and awareness in the process. After some major anguish and riding the fence, I have chosen a path of Holistic/Naturopathic ways to heal my body rather then the Western side of things. Everything in me tells me that the answer isn't in the shots and going into all out "fight" mode. My sister Lynn opened my eyes up to the terminology that I was using to go at the disease. Everyone was giving me words of encouragement like, "you can beat this", the medicine was going to go in and attack my immune system, which was attacking my spine. Everything felt so angry:( I hit a low before making this decision for one reason...."what were others going to think." "How do I tell the doctors". Well, this is what I can tell you about the awareness of it all. This is my life...my path....my body, and this decision was so much more about listening to myself and learning not to look for approval. I know that my body can heal itself and in the wise words of the most amazing man helping me with a little EFT therapy..."I am an example of vibrant health!" Thank you for that Herman. I have taken the largest step that I believe I will have to take on this journey by making this decision, and for the first time...I have faith that the net will appear. I am jumping and I have become my own advocate....I have faith and I can see this all as a blessing for the first time. It is the beginning of a beautiful journey and I thank you all for all the amazing encouragement that helped give me strength to be me. I will keep you updated with what my process is like and what I am doing in hopes it will help just one reader take control of their own health. Today I am positive, and I believe!

Graffitiville

Thank you to my dear friend , Aaron for scouting this location and filling my soul. I had the best day. I didn't think about MS for a whole day....that was pretty amazing. I got to focus (literally) on my kids and explore with them. There really is nothing better then photo-playdate:) I have a ton more that I will be posting of them individually.

Reality?

This is the view I had out of my hospital bed. I would look out at the top of this tree and the clouds passing by and I would think....or not think. It was on the other side of where Jake sat, so sometimes I would cry silently looking at the tree. The clouds kept going by...not stopping for anything...and I just kept getting a little overwhelmed that life doesn't stop for a second...not for anything. I let all those tears dry up on the pillow and gathered more strength as each cloud passed by. And I was able to handle all the doctors and nurses apologizing to me for a diagnoses that I didn't quite understand yet.
The other day after my first treatment I felt this way again. I felt defeated for a moment. I felt the reality set in that I might be on this medicine for the rest of my life, and I got a little scared. I got flu-like symptoms...the fever, shakes, achy, headache, and nausea. All the things the nurse told me I might get, but I really thought I could fight it and not be one that got all the symptoms. I didn't want to follow the norm. The only other time I physically felt just like this was when I was pregnant and got VERY sick for 4-5 months. Only with this there was no beautiful baby in the end of all the suffering. I took a shower to get rid of the chills and out of no where the flood gates opened. A dear friend of mine told me the best place to cry and let go was in the shower because you could just let the tears go down the drain and be done with it once you turned off the shower. I didn't let Jake see me defeated in this moment, but I know he saw it in my eyes once they were dry. I can't hide my soul from him no matter how hard I try:) I write this with tears in my eyes, but not with sadness, just a little overwhelmed. Change is always scary...but it's also exciting. I still have more excitement out-weighing the other:) So to all those out there that want to cry...I am here to dry your eyes...but you know in time, you'll be fine! (Thanks Sade:) This is my reality. The beauty about this reality is that I don't know where it is going.