My Journey……..Divine Intervention

My journey did not start on purpose but as unexpected as an April snow.

Before I begin I should probably give you some insight to who I am, here were I basic beginning stats:

-27
-5’2
-190lbs
-High blood pressure (meds for 2 years)
-Stomach meds (2yrs)
-Sleep Narcotic (6yrs)

Wedding day 7.16.11

It is important to note that I DID NOT get this way by eating twinkies.  I graduated high school at a VERY athletic 135lbs.  I can pack muscle like a beast 🙂  I love food but I was always very aware of what I ate and what was ‘considered’ healthy.

At 27, married, and thinking about starting a family I decided I needed to get off some medication. How can you create a healthy human being if you are not healthy yourself?   I made an attempt to schedule an appointment with the doctor that initially prescribed the medication but he was too ‘busy’ to get me in promptly.  Another doctor in the practice saw my stats and blocked out 30 min of his time during his last shift on a Friday to sit down and talk with me.

Those 30min changed my life.

In 30min I was ready to give the Paleo Lifestyle a shot.  I was educated and excited!  I had NO idea what would happen next.

I immediately went to the grocery store and bought the essentials: Coconut oil, almond butter, spinach, ect, and I devoted the next 2 weeks to be completely Paleo and do a sugar detox. I also knew it was important to educate myself, I am a teacher so i have mad skills at learning!

In ONE WEEK I was 9lbs lighter, off of my stomach med, sleep narcotic (and sleeping like a baby). I was officially a believer.

In 3 weeks people really started noticing a change.  My eyes were bluer, my lips redder, skin was soft (I had awful skin), and I was happy! 🙂

I then started PaleoBelle on fb and connected with many people out in the world like myself. I also started spreading the word in my personal circle of friends and even my outer circle. 

At 6 weeks I was off ALL of my medication!  And you could really see the difference in my face.

Also I should note that my mind had become SUPER clear.  It was obvious that I had an extreme gluten intolerance and was literally killing myself with food.  It all made sense.  I had developed Metabolic Syndrome (icky syndrome) cause by an extreme gluten intolerance.  When I was younger my body battled the intolerance well but as I aged it couldn’t handle the amounts I was feeding it.  

COMMERCIAL BREAK: When I was younger I was not symptom free.  As a child I was loved by many but I made it very hard to like me on many occasions.  I struggled with going to sleep, I was very anxious, and had a talent for making those around me miserable when I was miserable.  My Mother and Father were saints.  My behavior was so bad and erratic at times that they actually considered sending me away to a reform type school.  In jr. high and high school I had learned how to keep my behavior under control (most of the time).  I was a great student, athlete, and person but I had extreme inner turmoil and frequently struggled with anxiety and depression.

BACK ON THE JOURNEY: 

I have now devoted my life to being completely Paleo and spreading the word.  I develop recipes for myself, family, friends, and fans.  I share my passion and love for my body and I want everyone around me to be as happy and healthy as I am. 

At the end of January I was approached by the large local paper to do a spot in their monthly women’s magazine about real people diets and lifestyles that work.  A gentleman I had spoke to once at the local vitamin and health food store had given out my name and number as someone who was passionate and successful on a realistic diet.

WHAT A HONOR! I was now spreading the word locally.

But my journey has had bumps.  in the beginning I noted that I had started this journey because my fabulous husband and I wanted to start a family.  (I get school girl giddy now when I talk about it).  I have ALWAYS struggled with ovarian cysts.  About a month ago the pain had gotten extreme.  2 weeks ago I decided to go to the doctor because I was getting to the end of my rope.  I battle the pain daily but it had gotten very aggressive. 

At that doctors office I received my first ever positive pregnancy test.  The joy was fleeting.  I had a regular period and my husband and I had not been intimate due to the cyst pain since my last regular period so i couldn’t be newly pregnant.

The ultrasound showed nothing in my uterus and an ectopic pregnancy was not visible through the 3 large cysts I had.  I immediately went into surgery where the cysts we aspirated and a very small amount of endometriosis was discovered.  She left my uterus alone ‘just in case’.  Over the weeks my beta (hcg) has declined and I am back to zero.  I DID have an ectopic pregnancy but my body miraculously took care of it naturally (I should have played the lottery).  

Now I have to have a ‘baby suite makeover’.  Cyst removal, endometriosis removed, uterus untilted, and ovaries correctly placed.  It is all going to be worth it.  Thanks to Paleo and the need to get healthy these things were found before irreversible damage was done. 

 

MY STATS NOW:

-Still 5’2
-159lbs (Down 31 in 4 months)
-No Medication
-Extremely happy!
-Motivated

 

It has been an EXTREME roller coaster full of many ups and extreme downs.  I hope your journey is as rewarding as mine is. 

 

 

Innocence

I always wondered when I would feel like an adult. Well, I think I figured it out. Sadly I have determined that feeling like an adult comes with a loss of innocence. After last weeks experience, even though I am upbeat and happy, I feel more adult. Sometimes I wish we could inexperience the innocent stealing moments in our lives.

Life, all things that challenge us are character building….

MAN I AM GOING TO BE FULL OF CHARACTER!

Life, it happens.  And last week…..IT HAPPENED!

It has been no secret that through my FB page ( http://www.facebook.com/PaleoBelle ) I have discussed my tiring journey of ovarian cysts.

Tuesday of last week I was completely at my wits end with the pain.  I would say my pain tolerance would challenge that of Wonder Woman herself.  I ended up at a partner in my normal Doctors practice because he was out of town.  And to everyone’s surprise…….

I was pregnant.

This random announcement was met with a fleeting excitement and then reality set in:  I had my regular full period 2 weeks ago (this is why I had not taken a pregnancy test) and in those 2 weeks following I had not had intercourse with my loving husband because I had been in pain (thank goodness he understands). 🙂

Fear followed.  I am very intuitive and realized that something wasn’t quite right.  I did not panic, the doctor scheduled an immediate ultrasound.  As I figure the ultra sound showed nothing in my uterus.  It did show 3 very large cysts accompanied by some free floating fluid and some smaller cysts.  The cysts were so bad they could not rule out ectopic.

Surgery immediately followed.  Drained the cyst and didn’t see the ectopic. Found signs of endometriosis. Uterus is tilted.  Where was the baby?

Now it was a number game.  Either I was pregnant and it was in my uterus or it was in my fallopian tube and my body was hopefully going to take care of it.

Numbers decreased.  My body saved me from something horrible like loosing a fallopian tube or other things.

Now I am recovering and preparing for what I call a “Baby Suit Makeover” 🙂

Before this experience my husband and I were casually trying to grow out family of 2 to 3.  Not paying much attention to details, just enjoying each other.  Now we are ready to be more planned and purposeful, we don’t really have a choice.

So now Belle will be incorporating Paleo Baby Making and Paleo Pregnancy into her Paleo Life 🙂  Knowing that my body is healthy through the nutrition I have been supplying it makes me very happy.