Health Nov 16, 2007

Last spring I started feeling much better. But by mid summer, I went downhill again. August was pretty well wasted. I had no energy at all. September I felt somewhat better, but not much. Home School co-op started up in the middle of the month, and that was exhausting. Even though we only meet once a week.

In fact, just going out seemed to wipe me out for the entire next day or two. Sunday, Church. Monday, Co-op, Tuesday, piano lessons at home. Wednesdays, Dh takes the older kids to youth group and I either hire a babysitter and go with them, or stay home with the middles and littles. By Thursday I was completely wiped out. I mean, barely able to get out of bed, and certainly not get dressed. Friday I was still exhausted. Saturday I was feeling better, and wanting to do something productive, but it was Sabbath. ;)

Talk about depressed!! The house has been falling apart, no school has been happening. I cannot keep up with reminding 8yoN to practice his violin. The kids generally do what they want, which isn't chores. Dinner is usually what I think up on the fly, or one of the older kids makes something. Some days I think ahead enough to put something in the crock pot, but it's not often. My biggest struggle has been figuring out how to get my family to realize that I'm sick, that I'm not making this up. I'm not being lazy, I can hardly function. They get upset when I loose it, you know, like that saying, "I only have one nerve left and you're standing on it!" Exercise? Ha! Forget it. Quiet times? My prayers are generally, "Oh God, help me!"

So I decided I was going to find myself a Naturopath. I found one and have seen him twice now. He said my thyroid is weak (tired, cold, sluggish) and my pancreas is weak (diabetes runs in my family, I just found out) and I am extremely (literally) sensitive to sugar cane. Almost like an allergy. I am to stay off of it completely. He put me on just two supplements for the thyroid and the pancreas.

Now I really don't eat much sugar to speak of, anyways. But I started noticing a pattern... At church I'd have a cup of coffee, and since they don't have honey and I keep forgetting to bring some, I'd use sugar. Monday I'd feel so wiped out that I'd stop at the coffee hut on the way to co-op and get a Mexi-mocha or a caramel macciato. Tuesday I was so wiped out that I'd barely make it out of bed before the piano teacher showed up, then I'd crash on the chair in the living room and watch the lessons. Wednesday, I'd still be crashed. If I went to youth group, I'd be crashed Thursday, too (they always have home-made desserts). If dh and I went to the chiropractor on Thursday, we'd eat out and I'd have something with sugar in it. Then I'd be wiped out for Friday.

So this past week I have been really careful about eating anything with sugar, and while I have still felt tired and sluggish, I have not felt completely wiped out. Yesterday I cleaned out a closet. Today I vacuumed the living room. I even have a friend stopping by in a little bit.

YAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT!!

About a month ago, Dh bought a Far Infra-red sauna, it's supposed to help you detox. I've been sitting in that nearly daily (what a *great* prayer closet!!), and while I can't pinpoint feeling better because of it, I know it's helping. (A thought provoking book to read is "Detoxify or Die" by Dr. Sherry Rogers.) The quiet times certainly are! ;)

Maybe I'll even update this blog more often.... ?!?!