Surviving As Mom

I haven’t posted anything in a bit. For that, I apologize. I’ve been quite busy with life. Especially since I am not sick anymore and I am actually able to be busy all day. It is a beautiful thing.

It has been a little over a year since I’ve started experimenting with supplements and mushrooms. I’m still in shock over how these changes have made such a positive impact in my life. I feel like a new person!!

If you’ve read my previous blogs, you would have seen that I’ve been experimenting with certain supplements and lifestyle changes that have completely changed my life. I was nearly bedridden and unable to walk more than 30 feet without being completely exhausted. I lost some muscle mass and was very weak. I was disabled and using mobility devices when not home. I was homebound for weeks at a time. My quality of life was terrible and I was getting worse as time went on. Now I function like a normal person. I walk miles each day, shop, play, exercise, etc. I am alive again! I feel healthy and strong!

My update a year later is that life is still great! I have my life back and I am so happy. I want to share this info with everyone so you too can help yourself. Again, its too much to rewrite it all here, but please ready by last few blogs to get all the details.

When I tell people about my story, they are skeptical. One relative used the word “holistic” to describe what I’m doing. I was immediately turned off by that word because to me it means nonsense. Holistic is usually used for crazy hippies that play with herbs and crystals. What I’m doing is real! I see the real changes every day, so it can’t possibly be nonsense. Maybe what I’m doing is actually considered holistic, but I don’t like that word in general. I call it natural medicine. Whatever you call it, it works so who cares what it’s called, right?

Anyway, so I’ve been living fully almost everyday. Mostly doing daily housework, childcare, etc., but I also spend some time doing stuff for myself. I exercise, participate in yoga, pilates, meditation, and spending time in nature. I go out with my husband or friends, I play sports with my kids, we go on walks, bike rides, fishing, and all the fun things I’ve been waiting to do with my kids. Honestly, anything other than laying down feeling like garbage is fantastic. There are days I’m so busy, I’m on my feet all day. I used to measure my days by how much time I spend laying down. Now there are many days when I don’t lay down at all until I go to bed and I feel fine all day. It’s a beautiful thing.

I exercise daily, mostly stretching and resistance work. I know I can’t handle high intensity exercise yet but I’m working towards it. I tried a kickboxing class and was disappointed by my lack of stamina. I had to tell myself it’s ok because I’m still building my strength and stamina after being disabled and immobile for over a decade. Either way, I’m proud of my progress and I keep working to build my strength. I feel good and strong!

I also eat mostly healthy when possible. I’m not super strict. I still enjoy some junk food on occasion but the majority of my food intake is healthy, clean, not processed, whole foods. I don’t really eat anything premade. If it’s in a box or package, I try to avoid it. I’m gluten free and lactose free only by necessity. I eat lots of grains, vegetables, and fruits and meat. I eat healthier now than I ever have and I can feel the difference. I drink mostly water and tea. No soda or garbage like that.

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it in prior blogs, but I’ve been off of Plaquenil since earlier this year and I don’t miss it at all. In fact, my hair has stopped falling out and I have nice thick hair again. I only take Meloxicam and Eliquis. The Meloxicam was a big player for me because it is what put all of this into motion. I felt somewhat better when I started taking it for my shoulder pain. I noticed my over body aches and chronic back pain had almost completely disappeared. It seems that the anti-inflammatory process was helping me overall. It made enough of a change for me that it got me thinking about what else I could do to improve my quality of life. I stopped taking it a few times to see if I noticed a difference, and boy was I different! The doctors argue that it wouldn’t have an effect like this but I know what I feel and I don’t care what they say. Meloxicam is critical for my overall wellbeing. Now add the supplements that I’m taking and I’m a whole new person! I know what I feel and that’s all that matters.

The only other prescription that I take is Eliquis (blood thinner) since May 2023 because I ended up with a pulmonary embolism that could have killed me. It was an unprovoked clot that came out of nowhere. Actually, it was a bunch of little clots (like sand) that clogged the blood flow in my lungs. Now as a precaution, I take Eliquis daily to avoid future clots. Everything else I take is non prescription.

My plan for now is to continue my supplements and exercise to get even stronger. I also work very hard to keep my head right. I try to stay positive and find happiness each day. I meditate and practice mindfulness. I spend time in nature each day and take time to just breathe. I make a point to be thankful each day. It makes a difference.

I don’t want to sell a false dream. I still have flares on occasion and some days when I just need to lay down and rest. I’m not cured. However, in the past, those days were 95% of my life. Now I’d estimate it’s more like 5-10%. The majority of my time is feeling good, where before it was feeling like I was near death everyday. I generally don’t feel sick anymore. My pain is minimal or non-existent (depends on the day). I have ENERGY!! I want to do things all the time! I have a lot of time to make up for. Over a decade of my life was wasted so I have to catch up now. I am meant to be an active person and its nice that my body can finally keep up.

My life is 1000 times better than it was before I started making these changes. I wish I could share this with everyone who is sick so I can save them too! I tried contacting top doctors to share the information so we can help other patients, but if it’s not big Pharma, the doctors are not interested. So sad! Maybe I’ll write a book one day to get the word out. You can help by sharing my blog with others in the community. I feel selfish to keep this info to myself so I need help getting the word out there!

Stay well and keep going! There is hope for healing!