Do not lose time on daily trivialities. Do not dwell on petty detail. For all of these things melt away and drift apart within the obscure traffic of time. Live well and live broadly. You are alive and living now. “NOW” is the envy of all the dead. -Don Hertzfeldt

I had no idea the chaos your thyroid can cause.

Recently while on a road trip, my tremors got worse. I have Dystonia so I didn’t think much of it. I also had a bad cold. At the time, I could attribute all my symptoms to my cold, anxiety, and Dystonia. I also was very stressed from a crazy year and thought getting away would be the cure.

When we got home, my symptoms continued. The smallest amount of stress would put me over the edge. I could hear my heart beating in my ears and my whole body was shaking. Even my voice was trembling. My legs were so weak that they would shake while I bent over the sink to brush my teeth. I was losing weight quickly and was starting to get scared.

I had a scheduled doctor’s appointment for a few weeks after we returned home and decided to wait until that appointment to talk with the Doctor. I wish I would have gone in sooner. Thankfully, my doctor knows me very well and knew something off. At first, he thought it was extreme anxiety. I couldn’t stop crying. My heart was racing and blood pressure was high. He almost sent me to the emergency room but then decided to run tests from a brain MRI to an echocardiogram. He also said…we have to check your thyroid. I’m so thankful for a thorough Doctor!

My thyroid numbers were off the charts and my bloodwork came back positive for Grave’s Disease. It’s a funny place to be when you’re hoping for a test to come back positive just so you know what the heck is going on. I thought my body was shutting down and was so relieved to have a diagnosis.

I was also sad to have to deal with another disease but that only lasted about 5 minutes because while I was praying when things were really bad, I promised that if I made it through this that I would live my life to the fullest, that I would do something to make a difference.

It is scary when life changes…when you have to change your routine and live life in a new way. BUT all the changes that I’m making are actually changes that I’ve wanted to make for a long time. I had made these changes once before after being diagnosed with Dystonia but got off track when I moved to Minneapolis, 8 years ago.

Sickness is caused by many things but also sometimes sickness just happens based on your genes. As humans, we tend to want answers to WHY. Try not to ask a sick person…why did this happen? I mean when you think about it, why do babies get sick? Sometimes bad things happen and it’s what you do with it that matters.

So today this is a reminder not to take your moments for granted. Life can change in an instant. LIVE your dreams!

Thank you to my husband for adjusting with me and being by my side. I’m also so thankful for modern medicine. Whoever created thyroid medicine and beta blockers, I want to hug you! I believe in many alternative medicines and the power of your body to heal when given the right circumstances BUT there is also a place for modern medicine and we are fortunate to have access to such great care.

Thank you to my family and friends for your messages, prayers, and love. I truly felt your prayers and felt lifted by love. When you’re sick, sad and scared…the smallest things make the biggest difference. ❤️

I’m feeling better each day and ready to travel this new road!

XO

©What Stirs Your Soul