9 days later

It has been exactly nine days since I started supplements and probiotics.  

On that day I met with my chiropractor for a routine adjustment.
My voice was hoarse and soft and crackly (is that even a word).
I had had the effects of vocal cord paralysis for 6 weeks.

My history with a chiropractor goes back about one year.  I had plantar fasciitis and was having trouble running.  I had orthotics, was taking anti-inflammatory medications and a list of physical therapy exercises that didn't seem to help much.  I wanted so badly to lose the weight and I knew running and eating healthier would help that but it was such a viscous circle.  Weight loss would help me run without so much pain.  Running would help me lose weight.  Lose the weight so I could run. Run to lose the weight.  

That's me and hubs at my cousin's wedding in the Summer of 2011. Probably 15+ lbs heavier.

Upon my very first visit, I was told that I had lots of things going on.  She adjusted me and we worked out a plan to work towards maintenance.
After two adjustments things felt better and after at third my foot pain was gone for longer and longer stretches-as well as the hip pain that always started after I ran any measurable distance at all.
I was hooked and I maintained my chiro visits faithfully about every 6 weeks.

Now fast forward to 9 days ago.

I walked into the office of the chiro for that maintenance adjustment as usual she asks "How's it going?"

She means what do I need adjusted.
When she hears me speak she asks about my voice and I tell her it's a paralyzed vocal cord.

She tells me that she can fix it.
Reluctant and stunned I say.
"What? My voice?"

"Yep" she says confidently.  "How do you feel about acupuncture? "  

"Uhhhhhh (freaky!  That stuff is crazy.  Needles randomly jabbed into my body is crazy talk!) why?"

"Well I am working with another patient who had no voice and she is starting to sound more like you."

She lists off supplements I need to take and I make a mental note.

I get adjusted and head to my local health food store for the goods.

That night, my husband and I catch mere seconds of a glimpse of a voice after one adjustment. 

It's Thursday.

I have an adjustment and acupuncture on Friday.  Occasional moments of a voice off and on.

Monday I am adjusted and have acupuncture and my voice has more good moments than bad.

Wednesday I am adjusted and have acupuncture and all Thursday and Friday I am doing well.

Friday I am again adjusted and have acupuncture.  Sunday I sing in church!

Now my voice sounds a bit like I just talked to much or maybe am getting over being hoarse from yelling.

She will be gone for 10 days on vacation so I am curious what will happen.  Will I continue to improve as the probiotics and supplements wash all those nasties out of my body?  Will it go back to the way it was?

I also do not want to count out the enormous amount of prayer that has taken place for me and by me. 

I know that God put each person in my path and all these circumstances lined up just perfectly according to HIS will.

I am still not sure what I God wants me to learn from this but I have learned:
 the importance of taking care of my body in a more natural and healthy way.
 the power of prayer.
 to appreciate my health.
 to be a little more open minded.
 to take charge of my health.
and most importantly to reduce the drama.

At first when this happened I cried.  HARD.  I was alone when I got the news and the prognosis was devastating. 75% chance of getting a more normal voice back someday-maybe in a year.
I should be tested for cancers.

God led me to learn that it was just my voice.  Other people endure much harder things in life than this.
He helped me to draw more near to my husband who kicked the supportiveness into ultra high gear.
He helped me to ask for prayer and rely on Him and his timing.
Once I did, things changed and I am changed.

That's hubs and I about a week after I lost my voice.  Ice Climbing.  I did more picture taking but hey I tried.

Oh and by the way.  The gas is pretty much gone too.  Don't run from me anymore!

Hunger and Temptation

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

There are times I am so hungry or having a craving so badly I go to great lengths to appease it.

Like when I really want something sweet and chocolaty but we don't have it OR I am fighting it.

Then I am basically an addict in a crack house.

I'm serious.

I do things like this:

This is my attempt to make a healthy brownie or breakfast bar that has a chocolate taste.

It was gross.

The good news is that I wasted time and took my mind off my quest for chocolate.

Yesterday, I ran 10 miles.  My longest run this year.... and maybe even last year.

I got up at 4:30 which meant by 10 am I was hungry for lunch then at 2 pm I was hungry again.

(I might tell you about this every post for a while.  I am pretty happy with myself.)

I tried  everything!  This was a lunch concoction.

IT. WAS. SO. HARD.

Here's a little back ground on tracking my food intake and activity output to get you to speed...

On Weight Watchers I can eat 26 points a day.  I get 49 weekly points.  I also get extra points for activity.

My run gave me 18 extra points.  I can use any or all of those weekly and activity points through the week.

Yesterday, I ate all my daily points then 21 more.  That's a lot.

Most days I go over 3 to maybe 10 points.

It felt like a fail.

Because of feeling icky, losing my voice, and gaining weight I have come to believe that most of what you put into your body should be for the purpose of fueling it.  

The "Eat to Live" mentality.  

Finally,  after thinking about this from about 2 pm until 8 pm I ate a peanut butter (Smart Balance not PB2) and jelly (Fruit spread) indulgent sandwich (White whole wheat bread) that measured out to 10 WW points.

It was my crack at that moment.

I then settled down and fell asleep.

In reading the verse at the top, at first, I couldn't think of a way in the world that God provided me a way out of that temptation.

Then I realized it was probably the run itself.

That over eating yesterday was offset by the run itself.

God gave me the strength to run that run and I have no shame at all in eating like I did yesterday.

I only hate the amount that I thought about the food.

That brings me shame.

Sometimes when I think back I hate this obsession with food.  

It causes shame to me to take up so much of my time to count points, plan, shop, research and find recipes.

I feel like it's not Godly to be so fixed on something.

So many people in the world are just trying to live until the next day!

But I also know from that verse that everyone in this world has their vice. Maybe more than one.

My struggle is not unique.

My struggle is my own and it IS BIG to ME.

And God wants me to learn to trust in Him and lean on Him.

I shouldn't hide these struggles AND I SHOULD give him glory in the victories.

So I am thankful today that I could run those 10 miles with the man of my dreams.

I am thankful today that I am not sore because I had the right food, clothes and equipment to run.

(sorry love these shoes)

I am thankful today for the Chiropractor God put in my path that is helping me to heal.

(those are the acupuncture needles)

I am thankful today to be surrounded in prayer by my church, family and friends.

I am thankful that I have the courage to write these things on my mind.  

The greatest satisfaction would be that they might be a testimony to someone in a similar situation someday.

Praise God for all that I can do and all that I have in this life.

Please help me to concentrate more on that than on what I don't or can't have in the moment.

CAN I GET AN AMEN?!

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

(I wish I had a picture flexing here.  That would have been so funny!)

Acupuncture

So I didn't look like the character from Hellraiser.  It looked a little more like this. 

The size of a wire. Ha.  And there was only one. Ha Ha Ha Ha.

So I was thinking this is nuts.  It is totally not going to do a dang thing!  I felt almost embarrassed that I was trying it.  I know people do this stuff all the time.  It seems nuts to me that doing that could work. I mean seriously it would save insurance bundles of money to do this rather than pay for collagen injections in my vocal cord, medications, or even surgery!

Well friends I am living proof that this Chiropractor lady knows a thing or two. My voice is much stronger!  I made some phone calls today.  I didn't feel as exhausted or breathy and my voice is more hoarse-a good hoarse.  Like maybe I yelled a little much at the soccer game.  

I also had an adjustment-my second in 3 days. I started supplements and vitamins.

Here's the list-

A multivitamin like One A Day (was taking before)

A probiotic (recommended for gut health)

Vitamin D3-5000mg (recommended by Chiro-auto immune health)

B complex (recommended by Chiro-auto-immune health

Magnesium 500mg (already taking for menstrual migranes)

Vectomega-Omega 3's (was planning to take so picked it up too)

Emergen-C (at least one packet a day)

I will get acupuncture two more times in this week (3 times in one week).

Stay tuned for magic.