We will overcome...

A whole new set of challenges face my family now. It started out slowly with my daughter; a spastic bladder condition at an early age, mild pain here and there, strange bumps under the skin, and terrible migraine headaches. "Is it normal for a teenager to be experiencing such ailments?" I would ask my friends. "Or maybe she is just a hypochondriac..." I'd think. But when the pain became too much for her we sought out medical advice. I didn't realize at the time that we would have to fight this monster for the rest of her life. It hit us like a brick a few months ago. Many blood tests and MRI's later, we received the diagnosis that my teenage daughter has Fibromyalgia. Oh man!

For weeks afterwards I felt nothing but guilt. This is a girl who complained about EVERYTHING! I really did not think anything was wrong with her. When I finally got my head out of the clouds and back down to reality, the mother bear came out in me. I knew we had to fight ~ I was not about to let thing overcome us, control us.

As I began to read about Fibromyalgia, I found it quite interesting that patients experience a higher degree of pain as compared to their healthy counterparts. She was indeed encountering a degree of pain that was too much for her. There is an increase in the flow of blood to her brain - a specific part of the brain, that increases the sensitivity to pain. I knew that the first thing we needed to do was inhibit the pain so that she could gain control of her life again.

I focused on educating myself about Fibro. With every spare moment, I was reading a book or researching on the internet. My biggest fear was that she would be on medication(s) for the rest of her life. That idea has NEVER set well with me, ever! This is what led me to make dietary changes not only for my daughter, but for the whole family. I have made some amazing discoveries about the the chemicals and additives that affect our bodies & minds through the food and drink that we allow into our systems.

Hence, much of the reason for this blog. With all this new insight, the only thing that I can think of is to share it. My hope is that what I am able to share in the coming days and months, will help others with their own personal monsters. Through a terrible diagnosis, I have found that an organic lifestyle aids in the healing and the well-being of not only my oldest's body, but it's so good for the entire family. I have three children, by the way... We are all reaping the benefits. I find myself wishing I'd made the switch to organic years ago. If you recall, in an earlier post I wrote about the importance of taking care of ourselves as single parents so that in turn, we will take better care of children? Organic living is the key! More is to come...