As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
In a previous post, I mentioned not being able to eat anything but bone broth and rice for 2 years. Although boring and lacking in variety, I was just grateful I could eat that!
Out of the blue, one July night, I got sick. I bounced back only to have this repeat every week for a couple months. Until I didn’t bounce back. I could no longer eat anything without feeling sick.
I was on a liquid diet for 21 days. I was so weak, I could barely stand for too long and I lost 20 pounds. All the while trying to hold down my full time job. I felt defeated and just plain scared really. I was terrified to go to the doctor because you hear those stories about test after horrible test and they can’t seem to find what’s wrong!
So I did what any doctor fearing hypochondriac would do and googled my symptoms. After searching through about 47 different things that I could have and was definitely leading to my untimely death, I gave up.
My mom, who has been my personal messenger when I’ve needed answers, happened upon an article that was mailed to her. It spoke about something called gastroparesis. Which in all ways pointed to what I had. It is common in diabetics, which I am. It basically is when the vagal nerve becomes partially paralyzed and doesn’t allow the stomach to empty. Super!!
So I took my information and started to adapt to life with gastroparesis. I followed their diet plans as much as I could (no fats, no gluten, no fiber, no raw fruits or vegetables, no seeds, nuts etc.) but I had already had so many food allergies before this, that I could not implement a lot of it. I am lactose intolerant, and to all foods containing Sulphur (you would be surprised at how many things are on that list). I started with broth and popsicles for about a month and slowly added one thing at a time, banana and soymilk smoothie, dry toast, then chicken and rice. Unfortunately, that is where my variety stopped for 2 years.
I had people ask me all the time, don’t you crave things? How do you eat the same thing every day? I was really just grateful I could eat something and I was able to eat enough of the essentials to have energy.
I worked closely with an HHP (Holistic Health Practitioner) who helped me manage symptoms and to help me navigate what was helping and what was not. This woman was a God send! Although I was extremely limited with my food, I was able to feel better most of the time and go about my life.
After about a year in, I started looking into Energy Medicine. Energy Medicine: Balancing Your Body’s Energies for Optimal Health, Joy, and Vitality
Once 2018 rolled around, I felt a shift, I knew I could heal myself, I knew I could get better. I started positive affirmations everyday. I visualized myself eating any and all food I wanted and feeling great after. I started a meditation course that was extremely helpful in clearing all old beliefs and grounding and healing my energy. I was determined and convinced by June I would be eating what I wanted.
In April, I had an appointment scheduled with a Primary Care Physician, I hadn’t had one in many, many years. I saw an endocrinologist for my diabetes care and that was enough for me. But due to circumstances out of my control, I needed to find a PCP to further my care with a new endocrinologist.
On my first appointment, I mentioned to her that I had a digestive problem. That I could only eat 5 things and I’ve eaten those 5 things everyday for the last 2 years, and that I thought it was gastroparesis. I said this as nonchalantly as if I was talking about something as insignificant as a hangnail. She ordered a test to be checked for gastroparesis right away and to start ruling out what this could be. Apparently there are people that think this is an unacceptable way to live…huh!
I had the test done and the result was that I did not have gastroparesis and my stomach emptied fine. Now, I have no proof because I didn’t take this test at the start of this, but I believe I had gastroparesis, and now I didn’t. A slight clue of this is that I hadn’t had the hiccups (stimulated by the vagal nerve) in 2 years, and one day, I got the hiccups!! Talk about something strange to be excited about! So yay ME!!! Which had everything to do with my HHP, my chiropractor (specializing in kinesiology) and my energy work! We had changed the game!
By June, yes June 🙂 a whole new world of food had opened up to me… vegetables and fruits, dressings and flavor! My bland, white and tan food palate now had color!! I found this very exciting.
It’s been 3 months since then, and I’m able to eat lots of vegetables and some fruits, which my body was absolutely craving!! Along with chicken and turkey, mashed potatoes, and a little bit of chocolate! My mom made me a yellow cake with chocolate icing for my birthday, and in a weeks time I devoured the whole thing!! Talk about bliss, it was the best thing I ever tasted!
Now, to many this may not sound that exciting. But to me, it opened up my world again!
It’s not perfect, and I don’t feel great all the time and I am still limited. But even if I could eat anything and everything, I still would choose what I’m eating. I would choose to eat more of a plant based diet. I would choose to eat gluten free and have a healthy style of eating. There are a handful of things that I wish I could eat, but for whatever reason my body doesn’t want it. So I listen to my body.
The power of visualization is remarkable. I truly believe that. It can be really hard to see a life that you want to have, when the “reality” of what’s happening is constantly slapping you in the face. But with a little focus and determination you CAN create the life you want. You just have to see it, feel it, taste it, and smell it!
I, by no means, have this mastered yet, but I know it’s possible. With a little love and compassion for yourself, everything you could ever want and deserve to have, is already there waiting for you….
Now just close your eyes, take a deep breath and see it.
In love and light
Leave a Reply