I like studying topics that interest me, and nothing makes health a more interesting topic than the fact that you have become sick. I have had two run-ins with an autoimmune disease in the last 4 years. When I studied and listened to all the information I could about that sort of illness, I found out they are often triggered by chronic stress. While this fact is not spoken of much in the mainstream medical field, those who practice functional medicine all agree that stress reduction and stress management are crucial to health, because chronic stress is a catalyst for illness, especially the autoimmune types of disease. With this knowledge, it became clear to me why I was diagnosed with a hyperactive thyroid and Graves Disease.
When I had my second baby boy, the expectation was that this one would be "normal." While there was certainly going to be a period of adjustment for Lucas to having a little brother after 10 years as an only child, and to the whole family, getting used to being 4, I couldn't wait for the days when we would see Liam being a friend and advocate for his big brother in this world. But, when Liam was 6 or so weeks old, I got the results of his cord blood test, and those results were positive for a full mutation of Fragile X Syndrome, just like his brother had. I was already experiencing a level of postpartum depression I had not been expecting when that phone call came in, and I got swept away in a lot of anger, sadness and disappointment. I got help and the Lord helped me get much better over time, but in the first year of Liam's life, I definitely had this sense that life just kept getting on top of me. I felt like I was not good at parenting two children, and nursing a baby all of the time while not being able to attend to all of the major needs my older child still had at the same time was very difficult. In the summer of 2018, my husband was working 3 jobs, while I did my best to manage all these things with just a little help in the evenings a few days a week with a home health care aid. I'll probably never forget the level of hurt I felt, both physically and emotionally, the day I finally lost it after trying to do it all for so many months.
That was the day Lucas was tearing up the contents of the refrigerator during one of his brother's morning nursing sessions, not listening when I told him to just wait a minute for me. I attempted to hold the baby, still latched, as I got up to see what Lucas wanted and get it out for him. Liam had not appreciated being moved and he who had his first few teeth at the time bit down hard. I had a mom freak out moment and moved on but by the next day, that broken skin had become more irritated and the the day after that, it was infected. And I recall having to go to urgent care to get it treated after no doctor was in my network who could treat it and my PCP refused to help me with a problem that they determined required an OB. This incident was surely the straw that broke the camel's back. I had dealt with some stressful times before this, but I can't remember ever feeling so unable to manage. Two weeks later, I had what they call the "thyroid storm." And was pretty sure I could be dying, You can't believe the number of symptoms this can cause in your body if you never have lived it. I never knew one gland could cause so much trouble until I did.
I went to a regular endocrinologist after my PCP had put me through a series of tests to find out the reasons for all the symptoms occurring and had sent me to an autoimmune specialist when they did see my thyroid was hyperactive but also detected and autoimmune problem in my blood work. The first one told me it was probably Hashimoto's and later corrected it to Graves, saying "sorry, I haven't been into internal medicine that long." The endocrinologist sent me for more labs, and later confirmed Graves, and I was on thyroid inhibiting medicine as well as a beta blocker because of the high heart rate I experienced. But at the same time I got myself a book on thyroid healing naturally and I had started listening to podcasts on food as medicine and healing autoimmune conditions by fixing the gut microbiome. I learned that most of the time, leaky gut contributes to autoimmunity and the foods we eat cause the body to attack a part of itself because it sees these food irritants as a pathogen needing destroyed. Dr. Mark Hyman was the first person who made me believe I could help myself heal from my disease through changing my lifestyle and what I ate, because on his podcast, The Doctor's Farmacy, they spoke about the many cases they had healed simply by fixing the person's gut. People who had crazy autoimmune conditions that were much worse than my own got better from getting their gut bacteria to be healthy instead of unhealthy! I heard these stories and knew if they could heal, I could heal.
At my next doctor visit, I brought up the common suggestions from these other professionals that it might help me to cut out gluten and dairy, and I wanted to know if she knew anything about this. She told me point blank that changing my diet would not alter my condition. She told me I would be on this medication for life, and if it stopped working or caused me any side effects or caused my liver to eventually shut down (you know, nothing too serious!) my only two choices were to have my thyroid removed or radioactively destroyed. I did not like these options. And I didn't accept them. I cancelled my further appointments with her and I know, that sounds reckless. But I also got on board with a naturalist doctor who had the same condition and had healed without medicine and at that time I just took advantage of all the free information he put out. Dr. Eric Osansky does offer a lot of free and low cost information in case anyone reading wants to check him out.
I eventually stopped taking my medication, and according to the information I had learned, I stopped eating gluten, dairy, most soy, except organic edamame and tofu, I cut out canola oil, corn, except non-GMO whole corn, eggs, heavy metal fish, and it was recommended not to eat pork but I hadn't consumed that in years anyway. I drank fresh celery juice most mornings, I had lemon and ginger in my water, I upped my veggie intake by a lot and centered most of my meals around plants, I exercised regularly and spent time in prayer and mediation on the Word and positive affirmations every day, and I added a few supplements to my regimen too. And I got better! I stayed better and symptom free for over a year.
My mistakes added up starting with our Disney World vacation in later 2019. I would have done fine had I only abandoned my healthy ways of eating during the trip. But when we got back, I had a harder time leaving the gluten and other things I had given up alone. And then 2020 happened. While I was generally at peace, not overly worried about the state of things, I was also enforced to stay home with two special needs boys who had their routines ripped away from them, with no understanding as to why they no longer got to do everything as they always had. Stress much? Not to mention, I hadn't fully healed from my original disappointment in my second baby having Fragile X, and the behaviors that emerged and grew during this tumultuous year were hard on me emotionally. I let my thoughts go awfully negative at times. I found myself down because of focusing on the unfairness of things and how hard of a time they were having and when you think that way, the weight will surely crush you. So after several months of that chronic stress and lack of management on my part, along with too much food that wasn't beneficial, early 2021 brought on a relapse of Graves Disease and I found myself back on medication in February to manage my symptoms.
The new doctor I chose was better than the first, in my opinion, although still very mainstream in her opinion about my options for getting better. This time, I decided I would not bring up the dietary and lifestyle interventions I had learned about, for thinking she would probably have a similar opinion as the first doctor. But one thing I was happy about was that along the way, she indicated that safely going off the meds was a possibility if I could get my antibodies to a normal level along with my thyroid levels. And I would need routine check ups, but it was possible to stay in remission. She still asked me each visit if I wanted to have my thyroid removed and each time I said no, fully believing that while I was on the medicine I would also correct the mistakes I had made and get my body back into self healing mode. I also believed God for healing my body, even if it took a little time. In my prayers and meditations I claimed that healing would be evident. This may sound like a crazy approach for some people, but if you look at scripture, nearly every time Jesus healed a person he said to them, "your faith has made you well."
Also, Proverbs 23:7 tells us, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." To me, this proves that our thoughts shape who we are, how we feel, and what our outcomes in life will be. I began to apply this also to the way I thought about my children and what tasks were required of me every day for their care too. Have our circumstances gotten a lot easier? Not really. I have two boys who barely speak a word, 11 years apart in age, with different wants and various behaviors I wish they didn't have. But I am doing better in life and actually enjoying them more because I have finally learned that I never operated in my full capacity because I allowed the devil to influence what I thought. Now, I acknowledge that it sometimes IS hard, but also, so what if it is? God enables us to do hard things because life in this world is never all that easy. But He promises to make all things possible through Him, and that He will never leave us to do it alone, and I have learned that I can still enjoy every day of life while things are getting worked out over the course of theirs.
"Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things."
Philippians 4:8
By allowing God to renew my mind daily, I can think about all the things I love about my children....the many, many things that are beautiful and admirable about each of them, and I focus on those, rather than the hard. This makes my stress levels plummet down to so little. I have my moments, and I also know I need to take time out for myself, so I do. But this mindset shift is the main reason I know I will stay well.
In addition to thinking according to Biblical instruction about all the aspects of my life, I have gone back to the healthier ways of eating for the most part, and recently I did start eating a mostly vegan diet, because those many case studies I hear about the healing properties of plant based eating just keep piling up. I still currently eat chicken once a week because my dad always prepares some for me and I want to eat with him on Sundays without making him worry about what I will or won't eat. I have had fish a couple of times too, and very occasionally real cheese but I am leaning towards the belief that I could most likely live happily on a vegan diet. I don't include this to say everyone wanting to eat for healing has to do it, but I do believe from my research and personal experience that eating plants very heavily and sticking with whole foods as much as possible will help heal many conditions.
Last week, March 2022, my doctor told me I had gone into remission again and said I could taper off my medication. She said we'll lower the dose and check in three weeks, and if everything is still normal, I could stop taking it. I know in the depths of my heart that I have experienced the symptoms of that disease for the last time. What you eat, what you drink and what you think are the top indicators of how healthy you will be. I encourage everyone to check out Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Joel Furhman, and Dr. Eric Osansky, because they are the ones who helped me to do what I did. I did pay for a consult with Dr. Osansky and took a course with him this year and I know I got all the tools I needed to never go back. Drink your water, eat your veggies and fruits, move frequently, pray though, breathe deep, and take time outs whenever you can to refresh. These are the things that I know can help us all be the healthiest versions of ourselves.
