Ironic Isn't it?
At times our journey in life brings highs and lows, happiness and sadness, love and fear, celebrations and lessons...but at the end of each day, it is a process; a process of growth and transformation (if we will allow it to be).
A few short days ago I was feeling so beaten down, still not losing weight and trying to do the right things. Blood test after blood test, only to find my thyroid isn't functioning as it should be (or as I assumed it would over 6 months after getting natural treatments.)
I went to bed, texting my husband (as he was working a series of night shifts), that I couldn't do it any longer. It was time to seek advice from my doctor, my medical doctor. I was on thyroid medication over a decade ago (for the first time). I had found out I had hypothyroidism when we were trying to have our first baby. I was told I would be on medication for the rest of my life. That sounded like a "life sentence" I wasn't happy to hear. But I assumed, it just was and I should be grateful that I knew now. Strangely at that time I didn't really have any symptoms except a slow weight gain...but my energy didn't feel low (I didn't know anything else).
Fast forward a few years and I started a new lifestyle, my doctor took me off my medication and when I questioned why he would take me off my meds when he told me it was a lifelong prescription, he assured me that I changed my lifestyle and my thyroid was working on its own. YEAH...music to my ears.
Then fast forward to a few years ago...I was enjoying my lifestyle, but picked up the pace of business and was trying to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. 3 kids, a very successful and growing business, a few moves to new homes, a husband who was now a K9 handler and working different shifts as well as on call. Life changed again. The lifestyle was still the same, yet, the stressors were much more. I became the manager of a business and a household. Demands were everywhere at all times of day and night. My thyroid and adrenals were under stress and as I gained weight, as I felt that after my 3rd baby was born, that I was struggling with Postpartum Depression. I had a new doctor at this time because every 2 years we were given a new resident doctor. The new doctor listened to me on several occasions complain or question how I was feeling...I requested blood tests and hormone tests many times and kept getting no as the answer. At that time, I didn't really know much about Naturopathic Doctors...so I just took no as the answer and I suffered in silence.
For 4 years it became apparent that something was not right, but because I was denied attention and was told everything was fine, I went through life "sucking it up" and trying daily to move ahead.
So when I hit the wall in the fall of 2015, it was a long time coming (in my opinion) and I believe it could have been prevented. I decided to request advice and help and came up with the importance of medical attention through an ND instead of an MD.
Now here I am 6 months later, weight is still not coming off, still feeling exhausted, still having many side effects of thyroid and adrenal challenges, I am following the instructions daily with the herbs and protocol recommended by my Naturopath. Yet, it could be my lack of patience, but I would have assumed I would feel a whole lot better by now.
This brings me back to the third paragraph of this blog entry. The text to my husband that I believe it is time to go back to our new doctor (another new doctor, but this time she is here for the long term) to see if she will take the time to do some blood tests and to help me get back on the thyroid medication I was given a decade ago.
It bothers me to even think this way, because I do believe that our body is amazing and can heal from a natural way, but I do also believe that when we suffer for so long, medication becomes necessary.
Ironic is the whole name of this entry, because as I believe in natural remedies, I also see the very importance of some medical interventions. I am grateful to have both.
Added the very next day - the really ironic part of it all:
And the most ironic part of this entry that I wrote on March 29th, 2016 is that at the end of the day...life is meant to be lived, we received news about 3 very sad situations within a few short hours of me writing what is above. I almost deleted this entry realizing that perspective is key and my troubles are so small in comparison to what others may be facing. But I decided to keep this entry published, because it may be the one that helps you see your own perspective - or it may be the one that gives you or a loved one hope if you or they are also suffering through many months of not a lot of improvement. I guess I also want people to be ok, if they choose to go a medical vs. natural route, I still believe there is a time and place for both.
The news we received in the past 24 hours were: One person we know who is just 50 was diagnosed with cancer and he awaits tests to confirm how far it has progressed, he is married and has two children. We also got told of a friend's son who died tragically at a resort. We also learned that our beloved dog Maggie (whom we had for 8 years and re-homed 5 years ago to get the attention she so deserved) had failing kidneys and was being put down today.
So as I complete this entry today, not only within 24 hours did I start taking my thyroid medication, the ironic part of it all is that no matter how defeated and discouraged I feel with my lack of progress with my adrenals and thyroid...I am alive and I haven't been given a "life sentence" as I so dramatically wrote in the first few paragraphs. Ironically, if I put everything into proper perspective, life isn't as hard as I've assumed it was these past few months or years. I am alive and able to heal. Patience is required, but what is even more important is living fully every single moment we have. Life is way too short, so let's do more of what we love to do, with those we love most. That's it, pretty simple really. Ironic - isn't it?
A few short days ago I was feeling so beaten down, still not losing weight and trying to do the right things. Blood test after blood test, only to find my thyroid isn't functioning as it should be (or as I assumed it would over 6 months after getting natural treatments.)
I went to bed, texting my husband (as he was working a series of night shifts), that I couldn't do it any longer. It was time to seek advice from my doctor, my medical doctor. I was on thyroid medication over a decade ago (for the first time). I had found out I had hypothyroidism when we were trying to have our first baby. I was told I would be on medication for the rest of my life. That sounded like a "life sentence" I wasn't happy to hear. But I assumed, it just was and I should be grateful that I knew now. Strangely at that time I didn't really have any symptoms except a slow weight gain...but my energy didn't feel low (I didn't know anything else).
Fast forward a few years and I started a new lifestyle, my doctor took me off my medication and when I questioned why he would take me off my meds when he told me it was a lifelong prescription, he assured me that I changed my lifestyle and my thyroid was working on its own. YEAH...music to my ears.
Then fast forward to a few years ago...I was enjoying my lifestyle, but picked up the pace of business and was trying to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. 3 kids, a very successful and growing business, a few moves to new homes, a husband who was now a K9 handler and working different shifts as well as on call. Life changed again. The lifestyle was still the same, yet, the stressors were much more. I became the manager of a business and a household. Demands were everywhere at all times of day and night. My thyroid and adrenals were under stress and as I gained weight, as I felt that after my 3rd baby was born, that I was struggling with Postpartum Depression. I had a new doctor at this time because every 2 years we were given a new resident doctor. The new doctor listened to me on several occasions complain or question how I was feeling...I requested blood tests and hormone tests many times and kept getting no as the answer. At that time, I didn't really know much about Naturopathic Doctors...so I just took no as the answer and I suffered in silence.
For 4 years it became apparent that something was not right, but because I was denied attention and was told everything was fine, I went through life "sucking it up" and trying daily to move ahead.
So when I hit the wall in the fall of 2015, it was a long time coming (in my opinion) and I believe it could have been prevented. I decided to request advice and help and came up with the importance of medical attention through an ND instead of an MD.
Now here I am 6 months later, weight is still not coming off, still feeling exhausted, still having many side effects of thyroid and adrenal challenges, I am following the instructions daily with the herbs and protocol recommended by my Naturopath. Yet, it could be my lack of patience, but I would have assumed I would feel a whole lot better by now.
This brings me back to the third paragraph of this blog entry. The text to my husband that I believe it is time to go back to our new doctor (another new doctor, but this time she is here for the long term) to see if she will take the time to do some blood tests and to help me get back on the thyroid medication I was given a decade ago.
It bothers me to even think this way, because I do believe that our body is amazing and can heal from a natural way, but I do also believe that when we suffer for so long, medication becomes necessary.
Ironic is the whole name of this entry, because as I believe in natural remedies, I also see the very importance of some medical interventions. I am grateful to have both.
Added the very next day - the really ironic part of it all:
And the most ironic part of this entry that I wrote on March 29th, 2016 is that at the end of the day...life is meant to be lived, we received news about 3 very sad situations within a few short hours of me writing what is above. I almost deleted this entry realizing that perspective is key and my troubles are so small in comparison to what others may be facing. But I decided to keep this entry published, because it may be the one that helps you see your own perspective - or it may be the one that gives you or a loved one hope if you or they are also suffering through many months of not a lot of improvement. I guess I also want people to be ok, if they choose to go a medical vs. natural route, I still believe there is a time and place for both.
The news we received in the past 24 hours were: One person we know who is just 50 was diagnosed with cancer and he awaits tests to confirm how far it has progressed, he is married and has two children. We also got told of a friend's son who died tragically at a resort. We also learned that our beloved dog Maggie (whom we had for 8 years and re-homed 5 years ago to get the attention she so deserved) had failing kidneys and was being put down today.
So as I complete this entry today, not only within 24 hours did I start taking my thyroid medication, the ironic part of it all is that no matter how defeated and discouraged I feel with my lack of progress with my adrenals and thyroid...I am alive and I haven't been given a "life sentence" as I so dramatically wrote in the first few paragraphs. Ironically, if I put everything into proper perspective, life isn't as hard as I've assumed it was these past few months or years. I am alive and able to heal. Patience is required, but what is even more important is living fully every single moment we have. Life is way too short, so let's do more of what we love to do, with those we love most. That's it, pretty simple really. Ironic - isn't it?