Don’t give up, FIGHT!

Did you know that 1 out of 5 people suffer with an autoimmune disease and that there are over 100 autoimmune diseases diagnosed in the world today. That is crazy!!

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Six months ago I was diagnosed with an Autoimmune Disease called, Hashimoto Hypothyroid. For years I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired all the time and constantly felt sick. When I was diagnosed everything started to make sense. Brain fog, depression, memory loss, extreme fatigue, sweating, anxiety, stress, nervousness, irritability, hair loss and much more. Those are just some of the symptoms I was dealing with, and still am on a daily basis.

When I was diagnosed it was the day before my 23rd birthday. (Happy Birthday to me) When I walked into the doctors office that day I thought he was going to tell me the same thing all the other doctors kept telling me. “That there is nothing wrong. That the tests came back negative and I shouldn’t worry about anything.” Then my doctor told me the news. I didn’t know what to think. I actually didn’t know what any of it meant but I heard the word disease and knew it couldn’t be good.

All I knew I had this disease and what I didn’t know is that my life was about to drastically change.

One day I was eating whatever I wanted and the next I was on a super strict diet.

       

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Over the next two month I fell into a deep depression. I stopped reading my bible and stopped going to church. I wanted to sleep all the time.  I felt useless to the world. I got back from my missions trip in March and felt unstoppable, so on fire for God, and then “Boom” this hits and I fell. I was falling so far from my life and who I was and I couldn’t get back. I had no one besides my mom. (and even she didn’t completely understand) Nobody truly understood what I was going through. My sickness was invisible. No one could see what I was going through, unless they are going through it themselves. No one knew, and how would they.

It was easy to hide my feelings, always has been. No one could look me in the eyes and tell I was hurting. If I was tired I didn’t show it. I spent the past six months depressed and feeling sorry for myself. That is until a friend of mine’s mother passed away. She had been pretty sick and was still lived her life for God. Happy and making memories with her family. This woman impacted my life in more ways then she ever realized. She had God right next to her at her feet. When I saw her face I could see joy and see Jesus right through her. When I received the news that she passed it broke me. I knew I couldn’t keep feeling sorry for myself. I needed to make a change, again. But this time I wanted to change because I WANTED to, not because I HAD to. I wanted to live my life the way she did, joyfully with Jesus by my side.

Yes, I am on a strict gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and nut free diet. Yes, there is a lot I can’t eat but I have had fun with my mom finding new recipes that are amazing. But I am more happy now than I have ever been. I am still sick but I am fighting for this because I can’t keep living feeling sorry for myself. I needed a wake up call. A wake up call to fight for my life back. A fight to become healthy. A fight to get my memory back and not feel stupid. A fight to not be constantly tired to the point where I can’t even get out of bed. A fight just to be happy. A fight to not be scared when someone yells boo.

I am fighting and I AM going to WIN!

I am going to beat this disease, because with God by my side anything can happen!

I will always have this disease; but it’s a new year, new me, and new goals to set.

I am not giving up.

ANYTHING is possible.

I wasn’t going to share this today, but I am glad I am finally telling my story. A story that is still being told and still fighting to tell.

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