2 Year Anniversary and 5 Days Until Utah!

Happy Labor day, Everyone! Today is a really important day for me because it is on this day, September 3rd, two years ago that I got sick. I remember the day very clearly. I felt like I had a bad cold or allergies coming on, except it wasn't just that. It was a virus that ultimately disrupted my body so much that all my body's systems that regulate themselves and each other started to fail. It felt like mono (there was so much fatigue!) with other illnesses starting to pile on by the day. And slowly, I lost nearly everything.

First, I stopped running and rock climbing, then I couldn't even make it to my orchestra rehearsals. All I could do was go to work. Then it got to the point where even managing to get through a day at work, and go see a bunch of doctors, was becoming too much. I had to use my lunch break each day to go sleep in my car in order to function in the afternoon. Eventually, I lost my ability to work and became a full-time patient. I lost my independence. By this time, I was hardly able to eat or walk. I had to hold on to walls due to weakness and dizziness if I moved out of bed. After a year of the illness and still no solutions or solid diagnoses, I was also losing hope.

Thankfully, about 9 months ago, I started getting some answers as to what was going on with me. For one thing, I learned via blood tests that I am intolerant to nearly all food right now! No wonder I felt so sick all the time and couldn't eat! Now, I know what foods my body can handle and I watch how I eat religiously so that I can stay functional and healthy. I'm gaining back all the weight I lost during my illness and I'm even starting to be able to gently exercise.

I'm still far from 100% healthy and I fiercely protect the health I do have. But when I look back to where I was 2 years ago, or even 9 months ago, I can't believe how far I've come. Nine months ago, I collapsed after 15 minutes of meditative yoga. Today, I played in a short touch football game with some friends. I learned that I cannot throw nor catch a football, but I was so grateful to just be able to participate!

I have a long way to go, and as I mentioned in my first blog post, I do not feel totally "safe" that life won't come crashing down on me again. But for today, I'm grateful. It's my 2 year anniversary of getting sick and I am celebrating by living, preparing to start an amazing adventure in Utah, and having fun. My illness has made me realize how strong I am. I'm so grateful to the large team of doctors and practioners who treated (and continue to treat) me, and for my family and friends who supported me, but no one else gave me the strength to live through chronic illness; my strength is within me. I found that out the hard way, but I have a completely different outlook on life now because of what I went through.

So as I'm thrilled with my progress today and so grateful for the simple things in life, I am looking forward to the challenge of moving out to Utah in only 5 days! Yikes! There's so much to do! I'm so excited for this experience at Best Friends to begin and I'm so glad my body is the healthiest it's been in 2 years so that I can give as much to these animals as possible!