Where do I begin?
I guess I will start by just listing the physical problems I have experienced to a greater or lesser degree for about 12 years:
Monthly acne, constipation/painful contractions (which would make me almost pass out from pain, causing my whole body to shake), hemorrhoids, occasional PMS, extremely painful monthly cramps, very heavy monthly bleeding, marital intimacy pain, cysts on ovaries, migraines, dizziness and muscle weakness, loss of cognitive abilities (words, memory), Thyroiditis and thyroid problems, hypoglycemia, irregular heartbeats/heart palpitations, allergies (sneezing fits every morning), Candida, panic attacks, toenail fungus, cauliflower bumps on hands, liver spots on hands, psoriasis, bruising very easily, bouts of debilitating fatigue, swelling of ankles and feet when I got too hot, and Fibromyalgia symptoms (waking every morning stiff and sore).
I will spare you details about every symptom, but will share about the most debilitating ones: the fatigue, migraines and muscle weakness, along with the monthly pain and hemorrhage-type bleeding.
It all began right before I was saved, about 18 years ago. Back then I was always concerned about my weight, being bulimic for several years, and discovered that by skipping meals and just eating sugary treats I could keep the weight off. I would eat something like this: a doughnut for breakfast and some cookies or another sweet thing for lunch and then just a small dinner with a sugary snack if I felt hungry any time in between. Let me tell you – my health took a sudden nosedive after a couple months of this. I first noticed that I was having sneezing fits – followed closely by migraines that made me vomit, followed by extreme fatigue and memory loss. During one migraine attack in particular, I went to an emergency walk-in clinic. I was flabbergasted. As I sat on the ground of their bathroom vomiting into the toilette, the doctor and nurse just looked at me pitifully as if to say, “Poor girl. What on earth do we do with her?” They did no blood work, asked for no medical history, but just gave me a shot of painkiller and a salve to rub around my eyes. (I had told them that the pain was coming from behind my eyes. Today I know I was having this pain as a result of my sinuses being very inflamed.) When I got home, I read the label of the tube and saw these bothersome words: ’Not for Opthamolic use’. Just in case someone reading this doesn’t know…’opthamolic’ has to do with the eyes. This stuff was not meant for use in or around the eyes. Hmmm.
Anyway, for the next several years, I began to get worse and worse. I didn't feel like I could really share with others just how many symptoms I was having, as the word 'hypochondriac' came to mind. God knew it was real, though, and so did my husband. I was having migraines once or twice a week, and they were now being accompanied by muscle weakness and dizziness. If I were out walking somewhere, when it struck, my knees would begin to buckle. I would go sit down and feel my eyelids literally try to close. It all came on within less than an hour. I would be so lightheaded/dizzy that I just couldn’t think straight. I couldn’t take care of my kids as well as I should have. I would just lie on the couch with them and we would look at books together, or I would let them look at books while I napped. As I look back now, those were awful times for me physically, but wonderful, beautiful times with my children. If I had been well, I would most likely not have spent so many hours during their early years just lying around with them, but rather scurrying about cleaning or what-have-you. Precious times they were. Precious indeed. In hindsight, I see this positive result of my illness. The Lord allowed this illness.
At other times, however, I would drag myself out of the house to go with my husband when he took the kids to a park to play or something. More often than not, I would be sitting on a bench, too weak or tired to go play with my kids, while my husband and they had a grand ole’ time together. Many a pity party did I have on those benches. I would watch other moms, healthy moms, walking around talking, laughing, playing with their kids while I just sat there. “Why, Lord? Why can’t I be like them? You gave me these children and yet so often I can’t even play with them like a ‘normal’ mother can. Don’t You want me to, Lord? Is this Your will for me; to be a second-hand Mom, a tired, worn out, sick, burden to my husband and kids?” I begged, prayed, and you name it, for a healing.
A few more years passed and I added to my list of symptoms following the birth of my precious daughter, which also happened to be my third cesarean. This was the beginning of my hormonal problems. The combination of three cesareans and a strong family history of endometriosis were a toxic mixture. I never had pimples in my life. Now, not only did I have them, but they were on my chin, and my neck! How nice. My periods became excruciatingly painful, leaving me on my bed with a heating pad and a bottle of Advil all day long. My flow became so heavy that I became frightened more than once that I may not make it through the night. I would sometimes begin to faint and have to crawl on my hands and knees from the bathroom to my bed and lie down quickly to stop myself from doing so. I was anemic for years and did not know it. Between all my physical ills, I was not able to plan anything or make any commitments. So much for volunteering at church or anything else. These heavy, near fainting episodes during my period would continue for several days, usually with me in a chair or on the couch with the phone in my hand in case I needed to dial ‘911’ real quick. I wasn’t totally ignorant – I knew that there was a possibility of my losing too much blood and having my blood pressure drop dangerously low. I knew other ladies had this happen. I wanted to be prepared. I begged, I prayed, I researched, and I begged some more for healing. I was every bit the persistent widow, but months turned into years.
Slowly but surely, the more I researched and changed to an organic diet, exercised, and started taking Shaklee natural supplements, the more I saw many of my ailments alleviated. I began to regain my health! Praise be to Him! The migraines and monthly period problems were not completely, perfectly healed, and I realized that He was saying, “No” about complete healing of these. I accepted them. Elizabeth Elliot has always said, “In acceptance..lies peace.” I learned (and AM learning) to praise Him through my storms. You can, too...
I do need to add, however, that He did show me ways to reduce the frequency of the migraines, as well as things to help get the heavy bleeding under control – without fainting spells.
UPDATE: DECEMBER/2012 -
I rarely have migraines due to taking 'Calm' magnesium powder several times a day in a small amount of water and watching my diet a bit. My periods are normal!!! Yes, you heard right....NORMAL! No pain and no heavy bleeding. I am able to jog up to 6 miles at 47 years old, when I could not even jog one block at 30. God has given us so many natural means to make ourselves well. But it takes DISCIPLINE, which, quite frankly, many women just do not practice. Ladies, I am livng proof that if you pray and research and are willing to change your diet, you can be better. . Fibromyalgia included. Allergies included. Start today!!
I am not the only one, either. Many who were on their death beds with cancer and other serious illnesses became well from radical natural means
And do not neglect vitamins!!! I can't stress this enough!! Even with an organic diet and exercise and watching what you eat, our food today is not as it should be!! I highly recommend Shaklee for most of your vitamin needs - their multi vitamin, their vitamin B, their fish oil, and their garlic. I do sell Shaklee, but believe me, I don't care if you don't buy it through me! I don't personally use their vitamin C... I highly recommend Ester C in CAPSULES, not tablets. You can find other quality vitamins - but not at the grocery store, not at the drug store, not at Walmart or Target, and not even at most discount vitamin stores. Check out your local health food store and ask for their highest quality vitamins. Start with a multi, a B complex (high amounts) Omega 3 fish oil, Ester C (2 capsules 3 times a day to start), and an organic green drink.
Please see the page 'Illnesses/Symptoms' to get more specific information on the different things I did for my ailments. It was enough for me to finally really be able to do what He called me to do; to be a homemaker (Titus 2:4-5) and a helper to my husband (Genesis 2:18). I am so amazed at how my health improved after praying, taking responsibility for it, and practicing self-discipline. At least now I am able to jog and do aerobics and play outside with my kids and my husband, recall things more clearly, and just feel better over all.
All glory goes to God, just like David gave Him the glory for killing the animals that would attack his sheep, even though David was the one who actually did the physical act(1 Samuel 17:34-37).
Copyright July, 2007 Jill Mary. All rights reserved. Those desiring permission to copy, please contact me for review. Videos and music are NOT downloadable for copy from this site. Please see You Tube for copyright information.
