Story-Time Tuesday - If Good Health Was Easy...

I'm making myself write this story.   Partly because my Naturopathic Doctor just published a very interesting book and I want to share it with you.   Partly because I'm pushing myself to write more.   And partly because I think this story might be YOUR story.  And sometimes reading makes pain hurt a tiny bit less.  This story will be pretty candid...I'm not attempting 'the glass half full' philosophy here.  I know it could be worse. 

I'm using the Story-Time Tuesday format for this and each week I will be doing a giveaway for "A Different Kind of Medical Care" but Dr. Tina Marcantel. 

You can read about this book by clicking here.

Giveaway Information:   Enter to win a copy on this post today or you can purchase at that link.   10% discount code is 'healthy1'.

I will have Mr. Jenny select a random number from all the comments on this post.   Feel free to enter any time before Monday.

Winner will be announced next Tuesday along with the continuing story.  Autographed book will be mailed out on Wednesday!

The winner of last weeks books is:

Linda @ A La Cartesaid...

Jenny your story is compelling and important to share with others. I look forward to each weeks 'page'. I would love this book you are offering! Hugs, Linda

November 6, 2012 8:15 AM

I am also having trouble reaching the winner from last week.  It was this comment.

LeadingMamasaid...

If I don't win this book I will order it myself! I could really use some insight into the hormonal changes that are making me feel like a drunk every day after about 2 pm. Serious exhaustion and brain fog just can't be normal.

November 5, 2012 12:57 PM

 

If you both winners could please e-mail your snail mail address (jennymatlock at cox dot net with the words BOOK GIVEAWAY) and I'll get the books right out to you!

 

PART THREE - IF GOOD HEALTH WAS EASY, EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE IT!

 

Over the following years my life progressed to even more of a pressure cooker.

 

I know we all struggle with life difficulties.  Some endure under incredible burdens with grace and dignity.
 

I don’t think I had much grace OR dignity.  I became overwhelmed.

In a period of a few short years my husband had a spectacular business failure to the point of the Federal involvement of the FBI and IRS.    It was a ‘made-for-TV-movie’ experience for certain and my previously bad marriage deteriorated into something resembling a nightmare.

We moved across the country trying to survive.

For a long time, we barely made it.

I talked to no-one during those ugly years…choosing to keep my secrets and my failing health issues private.

My first husband and I divorced.   My extended family and I became estranged.

To support my children I worked long hours and clawed and fought for child support.  It was exhausting.

My children, uprooted from all they had known in Small Town, USA, acted out through drugs and alcohol.

In those, the most difficult and lonely years of my life, I isolated from any possible new friends at work.  I was ashamed of what my life had become and really miserable health-wise.

Oddly, I never made any connection between stress and the flare-ups of pain and exhaustion.  In those years we didn’t talk or think about stress.  Or at least I didn’t.

Time passed as it always does with new crisis almost every day.   My children delved deeper into the world of escapism offered by controlled substances…I thought about drinking to escape everything myself, but I am incredible sensitive to alcohol.  My aches and pains increased in intensity and regularity…kidney stones, infections, joint paint, headaches, side pains. 

I saw more and  different doctors.  I was offered Xanax and Prozac and Paxil and others.   I tried all of them.   I was depressed.   My life felt hopeless and I was in pain for much of every day.  I became even more depressed when I realized I could still not tolerate the relief offered.  It remained ‘white knuckle’ time.
 

I sought support through Tough Love programs and NA family support programs.

I met my current husband.

I found friendship in different people.

Two of my children fought their demons and won back their sobriety.   One child continued to suffer.

Emotionally, life became bearable.
 

But certain physical pains continued to escalate.

 

In search of answers, I read and listened to lectures regarding the damage stress can do to the human body.  Thinking that stress was the cause of all the chronic illness and pain, I tried to relax.   I let go of many things.  I forgave many things.  I forgave myself.

My body responded slowly…some of the pain and exhaustion receded.

“Aha!” I thought, “Maybe it was stress causing all of the physical problems.”

Alas the side pain came back with a vengeance.  Having already had my appendix removed in my teens, my doctor struggled to make sense of what was happening.

Thankfully, he didn’t suggest depression.

He did suggest an exploratory surgery.

Anxious to be rid of the pain, I discussed it with my new husband, Mr. Jenny, and we both agreed with the plan.   The doctor couldn’t find anything wrong, though, and I woke up in the recovery room from the surgery with horrific side pain.  I can remember crying and feeling hopeless about ever getting my health back on track.
 

The pain in my side got worse.  After another 12 months of writhing on the floor, gasping with burning knives in my side, I consented to more abdominal surgery.

This time they found the problem.

Staples from some long ago surgery had become imbedded in my ovaries and a few other spots causing nerve pain.

They fixed my side pain by removing my ovaries.

The doctor told me that it wouldn’t be a big deal.  I was definitely in peri-menopause and if there were any difficulties we would just control them easily with synthetic hormones.

I was happy to be rid of the side pain.

My body, however, thought it was a big deal to give up my ovaries.

To be continued next Tuesday.

Part one - linked here.

Part two - linked here.

PLEASE READ BOOK GIVEAWAY INFORMATION AT THE TOP OF THIS POST.