"Every day when I look in the mirror/ I try to see where my soul's at now/ Happy day, is it farther or nearer?/ On the way, will I find it somehow?" ~ Dusty Springfield, "Roll Away"
A few months ago, I hit rock bottom. Hard.
I have a health condition called pelvic floor myalgia. Basically, my pelvic floor is shot and, worse, being a woman completely exacerbated the condition. At least once a month, I'd lay in bed in total agony for about a week during my menstrual cycle. I was crabby, miserable, pessimistic... all sorts of negative thoughts and behaviors clouded my life.
It took a good five years to get diagnosed with pelvic floor myalgia. In good cases, the person just needs a bit of pelvic floor physical therapy but, in my case, I was in too much pain to even attempt that. I had doctors suggest hysterectomies, which I refused. When I refused that, they suggested Lupron... which scared the living daylights out of me after I did research online.
I had other doctors suggest I just relax but, as a newspaper editor, that's not exactly the easiest thing to do.I wasn't diagnosed until I switched OB/GYN doctors to one near Allentown, Pa. who focuses on NaPro Technology. Dr. MaryAnne Freeman-Brndjar was the closest doctor to my home in Scranton, Pa. who practiced NaPro and, at the urging of a magazine editor I freelance for every so often, I made an appointment.
Dr. MaryAnne then suggested I visit Dr. Kyle Beiter of the Gianna Center in New Brunswick, N.J. and that's who gave me diagnosis. Dr. Beiter was doctor #50 on my list of doctors that I visited.The thing about NaPro doctors is that everything is natural (hence the name NaPro). All I had to do was keep charting my cycles and keep moving forward.
The problem was, I was doing everything I was told and nothing was improving. Some days, I just wanted to die... the pain was that horrible.
I have been seeing Dr. Joe McAulliffe of ProActive Family Chiropractic in Clarks Summit, Pa. for the past year. He has helped my back issues and migraines and, when I mentioned all of the pelvic issues, he started to do what I call the "miracle' adjustment... it is more for pregnant women but it was the only thing giving me some relief "down there".
In September of this year, the pain was so strong that I couldn't take anymore. I was depressed. My relationships were suffering. I was able to go to work and do my thing but, at night, I'd come home and crash and struggle through to the next day. I was existing and not living. I became prone to crying jags and comfort eating.
Dr. Joe has a program called "BrainFit" that he has used to very successful results in his patients and he suggested I give it a try. He felt that my body was inflammed and that, if the inflammation could be reduced, I would naturally feel better.
He touts the program as a weight loss support method but it is more than that... for me it has become a "life support method."I started BrainFit at the end of September and feel like I have my life back already. The pains are gone and my mental outlook has improved immensely. There aren't enough ways for me to say "thank you' to Dr. Joe because I was, literally, at the end of my rope.
I decided to start this blog to help others by sharing some of what I've learned. Also, since writing is my lifeblood, I felt it would be good for me to write my way through this journey. I am trying to live a more positive, happy life and am hoping that these experiences that I will share will inspire others.
I believe we are all put on this planet to shine. I believe that sometimes, though, our shine can be dulled without realizing it... so sometimes we just need to be polished up a bit so we can truly sparkle. That's my hope for everyone that passes by this blog... that we all sparkle and shine.
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