The struggle with chronic illness, especially as a woman whose natural cycle brings such contant episodes of ebbs and flows is so real! And difficult. I believe alot of the negative effects of our modern world is seen first and especially in women's bodies. Thanks for speaking to it well! Praying you find relief and health in all aspects of your health journey.
Your family is beautiful, thanks for sharing snapshots :)
So often it's the "canary in the coal mine" that shows symptoms first. Sometimes I'm grateful for how honest it keeps me. Sometimes I'm angry, because it's really hard!
I've done plenty of the 'normal - normal - normal' doctor visits and lab visits and rotations over the years. I completely understand the exhaustion!!! I hate when people say this because it sounds dismissive, but have you looked into some of the 'body keeps the score' type issues? Jen Fulwiler talked about how she had chronic pain for literally a decade before she discovered physical methods of processing trauma/stress responses - and.. she's better! Now she also has a blood clotting disease etc. so there is real 'medical' stuff to do as always, but there's a significant mind/body connection that in my experience has often been of the stumping-the-doctors variety. It's also frustrating because it feels less 'real' but it's truly not. The pain/symptoms/fatigue is absolutely real. I think we're just a little confused on the causes/cures. these are some beautiful thoughts on hunger and expressing need/want - it can be such a frustrating process. Your seedlings look lovely - ours have really sprouted, it's exciting!
I think if you've named it, I've looked into it :) I do think a lot of that has been helpful, but it can have its own slippery edges. Obviously there's so many correlations with these things -- but where I've often gotten stuck is knowing how much can be reversed or helped and how much is just living in a broken, fallen world. After a while, trying the next thing becomes its own emotional journey. If you're always "healing", when do you live?
I have seen a huge difference in pain responses with trauma work, but then there's also still a lot that doesn't sit as neatly under that umbrella.
That's a great point, Annelise. We live in such a 'health-obsessed' culture it can be easy to forget that the aches and pains (literal and metaphorical) of life are also entirely natural. It can be freeing to say there are some things that may NOT be healed - yet. And that's okay. I can sit with that
Why is it such a big deal? LOL. It's like switching the laundry. Literally a 2 minute chore, but for some reason, right before bed it involves a sheer act of willpower.
I’m really sorry you are struggling. I identify 1000% with everything you said here! The latest thing I’m trying which…. I say this with learned caution… seems to be working a little, is Annie Hopper’s DNRS. You might want to give it a look
I've heard of DNRS, it's perhaps one of the few things I haven't tried. Might still be worth looking into. I'm glad it seems to be helping somewhat, although as I'm sure you've experienced, if there's one thing you can guarantee it's that nothing is a guarantee...
Sometimes I think it would be easier to swing hard towards Western medicine or just go full on "woo" and yet I still think the prudent path is a careful picking and choosing.
Annelise, I resonated so much with your reflections on navigating chronic health conditions. I am on that rollercoaster right now from a fertility perspective where there are things to try but no obvious answers, steps forward then steps backwards, temptations to despair, resignation, or obsessive researching and overthinking depending on what day you catch me. Praying for healing but often feeling tentative and uncertain. Anyway: thank you for being willing to share your experience while you're in the middle of it. Also, my husband and I are taking a trip to NYC in September and now I'm inspired to seek out the High Line! I'd never heard of it before so thank you for that!
I’m so glad that it met you. It’s a really tricky balance to strike — especially in the long haul sense. Because of course the whole reason for wanting to heal is so you can live… I have been in this space for a decade and I still just don’t know. I think there’s seasons of dipping in and out of it as you are able, and it’s okay for it to take the backburner. I’m sure it feels even more urgent with fertility — I’m so sorry that is your cross. I’ll say a prayer for you today.
We started our unintentional autoimmune journey with that vagueness and the rheumatologist was helpful. Just defining some things was that helpful start.
Yes, sometimes just having a name for the nebulous can help. The general statistic for autoimmune diagnosis is that it takes around 5-10 years to get a formal diagnosis. Crazy, but not surprising...
I'm sorry to report that we did not recently spend many dollars on brand new luggage and so I was slightly less concerned about this than the irate gentleman waiting for his taxi service. "Sir, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm actually trying not to lose my mind and I'm this close to crying because it's 1 AM and I've been traveling for over 12 hours..."
The struggle with chronic illness, especially as a woman whose natural cycle brings such contant episodes of ebbs and flows is so real! And difficult. I believe alot of the negative effects of our modern world is seen first and especially in women's bodies. Thanks for speaking to it well! Praying you find relief and health in all aspects of your health journey.
Your family is beautiful, thanks for sharing snapshots :)
So often it's the "canary in the coal mine" that shows symptoms first. Sometimes I'm grateful for how honest it keeps me. Sometimes I'm angry, because it's really hard!
I've done plenty of the 'normal - normal - normal' doctor visits and lab visits and rotations over the years. I completely understand the exhaustion!!! I hate when people say this because it sounds dismissive, but have you looked into some of the 'body keeps the score' type issues? Jen Fulwiler talked about how she had chronic pain for literally a decade before she discovered physical methods of processing trauma/stress responses - and.. she's better! Now she also has a blood clotting disease etc. so there is real 'medical' stuff to do as always, but there's a significant mind/body connection that in my experience has often been of the stumping-the-doctors variety. It's also frustrating because it feels less 'real' but it's truly not. The pain/symptoms/fatigue is absolutely real. I think we're just a little confused on the causes/cures. these are some beautiful thoughts on hunger and expressing need/want - it can be such a frustrating process. Your seedlings look lovely - ours have really sprouted, it's exciting!
I think if you've named it, I've looked into it :) I do think a lot of that has been helpful, but it can have its own slippery edges. Obviously there's so many correlations with these things -- but where I've often gotten stuck is knowing how much can be reversed or helped and how much is just living in a broken, fallen world. After a while, trying the next thing becomes its own emotional journey. If you're always "healing", when do you live?
I have seen a huge difference in pain responses with trauma work, but then there's also still a lot that doesn't sit as neatly under that umbrella.
That's a great point, Annelise. We live in such a 'health-obsessed' culture it can be easy to forget that the aches and pains (literal and metaphorical) of life are also entirely natural. It can be freeing to say there are some things that may NOT be healed - yet. And that's okay. I can sit with that
Soaking the beans always feels like such a chore! Even though it takes like less than a minute 😅
Always appreciate these snapshots into your life and the wisdom you share!
Why is it such a big deal? LOL. It's like switching the laundry. Literally a 2 minute chore, but for some reason, right before bed it involves a sheer act of willpower.
I’m really sorry you are struggling. I identify 1000% with everything you said here! The latest thing I’m trying which…. I say this with learned caution… seems to be working a little, is Annie Hopper’s DNRS. You might want to give it a look
I've heard of DNRS, it's perhaps one of the few things I haven't tried. Might still be worth looking into. I'm glad it seems to be helping somewhat, although as I'm sure you've experienced, if there's one thing you can guarantee it's that nothing is a guarantee...
Sometimes I think it would be easier to swing hard towards Western medicine or just go full on "woo" and yet I still think the prudent path is a careful picking and choosing.
If you have any questions about it I’m happy to talk! Just send me a DM
Needed. Thank you. Saying a prayer for your health.
Thank you, Leah.
Annelise, I resonated so much with your reflections on navigating chronic health conditions. I am on that rollercoaster right now from a fertility perspective where there are things to try but no obvious answers, steps forward then steps backwards, temptations to despair, resignation, or obsessive researching and overthinking depending on what day you catch me. Praying for healing but often feeling tentative and uncertain. Anyway: thank you for being willing to share your experience while you're in the middle of it. Also, my husband and I are taking a trip to NYC in September and now I'm inspired to seek out the High Line! I'd never heard of it before so thank you for that!
I’m so glad that it met you. It’s a really tricky balance to strike — especially in the long haul sense. Because of course the whole reason for wanting to heal is so you can live… I have been in this space for a decade and I still just don’t know. I think there’s seasons of dipping in and out of it as you are able, and it’s okay for it to take the backburner. I’m sure it feels even more urgent with fertility — I’m so sorry that is your cross. I’ll say a prayer for you today.
We started our unintentional autoimmune journey with that vagueness and the rheumatologist was helpful. Just defining some things was that helpful start.
Yes, sometimes just having a name for the nebulous can help. The general statistic for autoimmune diagnosis is that it takes around 5-10 years to get a formal diagnosis. Crazy, but not surprising...
<3
(also, footnote three made me laugh.)
I'm sorry to report that we did not recently spend many dollars on brand new luggage and so I was slightly less concerned about this than the irate gentleman waiting for his taxi service. "Sir, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm actually trying not to lose my mind and I'm this close to crying because it's 1 AM and I've been traveling for over 12 hours..."