Dear God,
Thank you for a restless sleep last night. My mind was fully aware of my surroundings and I was hearing the messages coming through to me. Although I was not fully sleeping till 5 am thank you for allowing me to wake up feeling refreshed and full of hope.
Thank you for the feeling of hope. It has been so long since it has been alive in me and I know it is because I am allowing YOU to take my issues, my fears and my worries rather than me focusing on them. I turned from you out of anger and despair and it only brought me more heartache. As I turn back to you, thank you for opening your arms to me and allowing me to learn, grown and heal and walk the life you want me walk.
This was not my fault. I did not do this and I am not going to hang on the cross for it any longer. I believed in you, I believed in what was right and I set out each day to be the best person I could be in my situation and make the most of it. I now know I do not have to make the best of the situation... I have to demand it be the best or walk away from it knowing I did all I could.
I have faith, little by little that things will work out the way I always dreamed and I have faith YOU will move mountains for me. But I am also aware that you have three answers to prayers: Yes, Maybe and I have something better for you. I will follow you and wait for Your answer.
Thank you for blessing me with health today and my family with health. Help me continue to lead my family and do an even better job working for You to bring my family closer to You and your word.
In Jesus name I pray... Amen
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
A letter to my youngest daughter.......
Elianna,
There is so much I want to say and so many things that come to my mind when I think about you, I am overwhelmed with emotions and at a loss for words.
You came into our family as a surprise. Your brother Reuben was just 3 months old when we learned we were having you. Your daddy and I were excited and scared at that same time. We knew having two babies in the same house, only a year apart, would be a challenge for not only me but for our family. What we did not know was the impact you would have on each and everyone of us.
You have always been a good girl. Your personality in the beginning was a quiet one. Sure, you cried like most babies do, but you were happy to just sit and watch all the commotion around you with your siblings. Your eyes were always watching what everyone was doing and we could tell you were always learning. From the day your brothers and sister met you, you had them each wrapped around your tiny finger. Reuben was by far the most curious about you but Gabriella was the one who would wanted to mother you and she always made sure you had anything you needed. You learned this quickly and used it to your advantage. Your favorite game was tossing things off your high chair and having her pick it back up for you-over and over again.
As you grew your bond with Reuben became apparent more so then with the other 3 siblings. You loved everyone and everyone loved you but you and Reuben shared something between the two of you that we will never fully understand and that you both continue to have today. Reuben is your biggest fan and your biggest protector. Grow up understanding that and knowing that he would do anything for you and you should do the same for him.
When you look back on your baby pictures please understand, that is how your hair was! No matter what your dad or I would do your hair would stand straight up and it always looked like you were shocked. I finally bought you a shirt that said Daddy does my hair, because your hair was so out of control.
You are full of love, happiness and a witty personality that keeps your family laughing. At times you can be demanding and inpatient but you always have a good balance with those characteristics by the kindness you show to everyone. (We are not fully sure where you got those traits from) You love easily and you hurt easily. As your mother I see this now and worry about you but will continue to help guide you through this ever changing world in hopes that you will be strong enough to sustain the bad times to continue onto the good times in life.
You have such a beautiful smile and warmness about you, when you walk into a room people notice you right away. It's funny because when you were a baby it was the same way because of your hair standing straight up, now it's because of the beautiful personality you possess.
You have always talked about, admired and wanted to know everything there was about being a Princess all while not knowing that you are the Princess of our family. You are an amazing funny little girl who has the whole world at your fingertips and I know will be something big in this world.
Elianna Grace Galvan, you are a gift from God. You came to us unexpectedly and stole all our hearts. I hope that you have a wonderful 6th birthday today and you fully understand how loved you are. You will always be your mommy and daddy's little Princess.
Monday, July 21, 2014
WOD- July 21, 2014
Today's workout:
Barbell Curls:
25 lbs x 10 - 2 sets to warm up
45 lbs X 10 - 3 sets
Seated Hammer Curls:
12.5lbs X's 10- 4 sets each arm
Triceps Dip Machine:
150lbs X's 15 - 3 sets
Triceps Rope Push Downs:
50lbs X's 10 -2 sets
60lbs X's 10- 2 sets
30lbs X's 10-2 sets
Cable EZ Bar Bicep Curl:
45lbs X's 10 -2 sets
50lbs X's 10-2 sets
30lbs X's till failure
Wide Grip Bicep Curls
30lbs X's 10 -2 sets
40lbs X's 10-2 sets
20lbs X's till failure
Followed my a 3 mile run AFTER dinner.
The
Wide Grip Biceps Curl works your biceps from a different angle than the
traditional biceps curl and is great to add to your routine or
alternate with the traditional curl. The wider grip targets the lateral
or outer portion of the muscle.
Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!
Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!
How to perform The Wide Grip Biceps Curl Exercise:
- Grab a workout bar with an underhand grip, your hands as far apart as comfortable.
- Hold the bar down at arm's length in front of you.
- Bend at the elbows and curl the bar as high as you can without moving your elbows forward or back.
- Pause, then slowly lower the bar.
The
Wide Grip Biceps Curl works your biceps from a different angle than the
traditional biceps curl and is great to add to your routine or
alternate with the traditional curl. The wider grip targets the lateral
or outer portion of the muscle.
Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!
Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!
How to perform The Wide Grip Biceps Curl Exercise:
- Grab a workout bar with an underhand grip, your hands as far apart as comfortable.
- Hold the bar down at arm's length in front of you.
- Bend at the elbows and curl the bar as high as you can without moving your elbows forward or back.
- Pause, then slowly lower the bar.
The
Wide Grip Biceps Curl works your biceps from a different angle than the
traditional biceps curl and is great to add to your routine or
alternate with the traditional curl. The wider grip targets the lateral
or outer portion of the muscle.
Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!
Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.
Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!
How to perform The Wide Grip Biceps Curl Exercise:
- Grab a workout bar with an underhand grip, your hands as far apart as comfortable.
- Hold the bar down at arm's length in front of you.
- Bend at the elbows and curl the bar as high as you can without moving your elbows forward or back.
- Pause, then slowly lower the bar.
Water, water, water, water....
This week I want to talk about the basics of getting healthy. P
People who tend to live a healthy lifestyle and/ or are educated in fitness and nutrition tend to leave out the most basic facts about getting healthy, because they think it will be a "given" to their friends or clients. But as a formally fat person (FFP!), I know these are lessons that not only need to be shared but practiced as one begins to transform their bodies and lives.
Today that one fact is going to be about water, and your daily intake of it.
Here are some facts about our bodies:
- Our muscles are 75% water
- Our brain- 90% water
- Our blood- 83% water
- Our bones - 22% water.
As a whole, our society needs to lose weight. No matter where you are in your journey of getting healthy, I think it is be safe to assume you have at a least a few unwanted pounds that you would like to loose.
Here is a news flash: Water helps you lose weight! Yep. Water.
Water acts as an appetite suppressant, it has zero calories, it aids in the flushing of toxins in your body and when you drink enough water your body learns that it no longer needs to retain water because you are providing it more than enough. Let me say that again..... When you drink enough water your body LEARNS that it no longer needs to retain water because you are providing it more than enough.
You will hear me say this statement a lot as we talk about getting healthy: "Your body learns."
There are MANY benefits to drinking water. Better skin, helps prevent infections and other health problems. Water makes your brain work better and drinking water generally means you will be in better general health. Muscle and joints can become stronger and water assists in carrying oxygen to the muscles.
Water is vital for keeping your system clean. It helps with detoxification and assists the bile acids in flushing your system. It can help boost your metabolism by as much as 30%. Water will also help with cravings. Simple cravings for salt and sugar can be a sign of simple dehydration, not a cry from your body for good.
So how much water should one consume in a day? You can line up 100 professional and ask them this question and you will get 100 different answers. But with my experience, my education, and lessons learned as a FFP, I consistently suggest to people 5 liters of water per day. This equals out to be 169 ounces of water per day. Now before you close down my blog and think I am crazy hear me on this.
No, you do not want to sit down and drink 5 liters of water in a short period of time. But yes, drinking 5 liters of water a day is not only beneficial to your health, the function of your body but it also will aid in that weight loss. Many people ask me, does this include the water in my protein shakes, coffee, soda or vodkas waters or those pretty and expensive Vitamin waters? The answer is NO. You should consume 5 liters of pure water each and every day.
I will try not to go off on a rant about Vitamin Waters, but please people save your money and your bodies!!! In my opinion this is the last kind of water you want to consumer. If you look at the ingredients the second ingredient in those handy and cute little Vitamin waters is crystalline fructose. That’s a fancy word for high-fructose corn syrup, pretty much the worst legal thing you can put in your body. There’s a ton of it in the bottle: about 32 grams and 125 calories. It’s basically no different as drinking a can of coke, except that it doesn’t taste as good. In addition it is made with distilled water. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding whether or not distilled water is good or bad for you. I know I do not want to put anything in my body that is surrounded by controversy. One fact you may not know about distilled water is it is stripped of its minerals (“soft”) it will attract vitamins and minerals from your body and you will expel them. That would mean vitamin water actually takes nutrients from you. And finally, there aren’t that many vitamins in it. Way less than in a glass of orange juice.
Coke, the maker of Vitamin Water is being sued for it's health and marketing
claims of the product. A federal judge ruled that Vitamin water
will not, as its labels promise, keep you “healthy as a horse.” Nor will it
bring about a “healthy state of physical or mental being”. Instead, Vitamin water
is really just a sugary snack food; non-carbonated fruit coke disguised as a
sports drink. Because it’s composed mostly of sugar and not vitamin-laden water,
judge John Gleeson held that Vitamin water’s absurd marketing claims were likely
to mislead.
Coke's defense of its vitamin water marketing quickly became a national laughing stock after it claimed, in 2010, that "no reasonable consumer could
reasonably be misled into thinking vitamin water was a healthy beverage." A
federal judge denied Coca-Cola's motion.
Along with telling the people I help to get their 5 liters in a day I advise them to add lemon juice to 2 liters of the 5 they are going to be drinking. You want to add enough lemon juice to the water so it appears cloudy. Now, I am a busy mom of 5 so I do not have time to fresh squeeze my lemon juice. I do however purchase lemon juice from Whole Foods that is organic, and this is the brand I suggest to those who I help.
Why lemon juice in the water?
Losing weight is nearly impossible without an effective
digestive system. Poor digestion leads to the reduced nutrient absorption and
retained toxin levels. Both can slow metabolism and make weight loss tougher.
Starting your morning with a glass of warm (or cold) lemon water introduces a healthy natural digestive aid into your stomach. The citric acid interacts with other acids and enzymes in your stomach to jump start your day of problem-free digestion.
Lemons improve your digestive system by reducing symptoms of heartburn and bloating. It even stimulates the liver by dissolving uric acid. Calcium builds bone density and potassium helps the brain and nerves cells function – two more reasons lemons are smart food.
Lemon zest can aid weight loss because the zest contains pectin, which is a soluble, dietary fiber that can lower LDL cholesterol levels and prevent spikes in blood sugar. The Journal of the American College of Nutrition concluded that, after eating pectin, hunger levels are reduced for four hours.
An average lemon weighs 100 grams. Of that, more than 90 grams is water. The rest is 8.63 grams of carbohydrates, .4 grams of protein and .4 grams of fiber. There is neither fat nor cholesterol, but, there are 13 important vitamins. So, for a fruit that is almost all water, what’s in there that’s so good for fitness and health? The answer is citric acid.
Starting your morning with a glass of warm (or cold) lemon water introduces a healthy natural digestive aid into your stomach. The citric acid interacts with other acids and enzymes in your stomach to jump start your day of problem-free digestion.
Lemons improve your digestive system by reducing symptoms of heartburn and bloating. It even stimulates the liver by dissolving uric acid. Calcium builds bone density and potassium helps the brain and nerves cells function – two more reasons lemons are smart food.
Lemon zest can aid weight loss because the zest contains pectin, which is a soluble, dietary fiber that can lower LDL cholesterol levels and prevent spikes in blood sugar. The Journal of the American College of Nutrition concluded that, after eating pectin, hunger levels are reduced for four hours.
An average lemon weighs 100 grams. Of that, more than 90 grams is water. The rest is 8.63 grams of carbohydrates, .4 grams of protein and .4 grams of fiber. There is neither fat nor cholesterol, but, there are 13 important vitamins. So, for a fruit that is almost all water, what’s in there that’s so good for fitness and health? The answer is citric acid.
Drinking water with lemon juice will activate the burning
off of stored fat in your body. Water
with lemon juice is a bile thinner, helping bile process fat better. The lemon juice assists the water with
detoxing your body as well and flushing out the toxins. In addition the lemon juice makes you thirsty and thus allowing you to WANT to curb that thirst with MORE water.
Now most people will scuff at me when I tell them the amount of water they need to drink. I will get a list of excuses, false myths about consumption of that much water and reasons they can not possibly drink that much in one day. But what I have found over the years is that each and every person I have helped is able to not only manage getting the water consumed but will drink even more as they progress in their journey.
People are full of excuses. They will come up with reason after reason as to why they can not drink this much water and the most common is that they can not go to the bathroom that much. But again, I say to you that your body will learn and you will adjust and your bladder will adjust as well.
The choice is yours to make but if you are starting a new journey, this is the first step I would encourage you to take long before workouts and dietary changes.
With my friends and clients I will make it a competition/accountability event during the day. I will have a group of people who I have in group text that will text the group for every liter they consume. This not only keeps you accountable it also keeps everyone else motivated. Grab some friends and give it a try!
If you would like to join in on water motivational challenges feel free to request to join my Monthly Challenge Facebook page. This is a Facebook page dedicated to getting healthy, building relationships with others who have similar if not the same goals as you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/283984468364052/
Live the best life you can live..... TODAY!
Sunday, July 20, 2014
The results are in.......
In December of 2009 I made one of the biggest decisions ever in my life at the time. I decided I was going to stop making excuses and I was going to get myself into shape. My youngest daughter, Elianna, was just under two years old when I told myself it was time to make some serious changes in my life in regards to the way I lived. I was disgusted with the person I had became and the vision I would see in the mirror and knew if I did not do something about it now it would forever affect my life and the life of my family. This was me then.
As many of you who know me personally and have followed my journey and participated in my journey, you know I given it all I had. I worked out, I learned how to eat properly, I educated myself in fitness and nutrition and I transformed myself into the woman I am today~physically and mentally. I was in the fight of my life, fighting to change myself and fighting to save my life as I knew it. What I did not realize is that was the understatement of the century.
As I have blogged about before, my neurologist who diagnosed me with MS in October 2013, says I have had MS not only undiagnosed but untreated since AT LEAST when my son Reuben was born 7 years ago. Due to the complications at Reuben's birth, with my own health, I had an MRI done at the time that my neurologist was able to compare with the MRI in October of last year being able to say with 100% confidence I have MS. Most people do not have past MRI's to use as baselines so I was lucky in this area.
My doctor, who is the head of the neurology department and is a recognized specialist in MS, explained to me that the first 10 years of MS predicts how aggressive the disease will be in each person. If the MS can be kept in check for 10 years, it tends to wane and even hibernate. He kept telling me how good my prognosis was based on the fact that after having the disease already for at least 10 years and nothing to treat to it other than my spirit, diet, and exercise, that NOW with that plus medicine--I would be 99% good. He even wrote that in his notes and showed me as an expression of confidence.
Still, it was very scary and these past 8 months, waiting for my next MRI, felt like a lifetime.
As I learned more and more about my disease and as my hubby did research on MS it became apparent to us both how important diet and exercise is to a person with MS. No matter what type of MS a person has or what stage they are at it comes down to being able to assist in managing your symptoms and your flare ups with nutrition and movement.
I believe things happen for a reason. I believe God has a plan for all of us. I believe that actions create consequences and everything we do is to be answered for in one way or another. In all areas of my life and in all factors of my being I believe this to be true.
I do not think when I decided to finally put down the processed foods and junk and start living the life I was meant to live was it was by accident. I do not believe that when I told myself I would learn how to properly fuel my body with healthy and organic food it was by accident. I do not believe that when I put myself first above everything else, besides my family, it was by accident. I was in the fight of my life and this was my Soul saving my body from not only being unhealthy but having a disease that could at it's worse put me in a wheelchair the rest of my life. Getting healthy not only changed my bodies appearance I truly believe it saved my undiagnosed MS from being worse than it is.
I take a daily injection for my MS called Copaxone. The medial description of this drug as described on the National Multiple Sclerosis website: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS/Medications/Copaxone
"Glatiramer acetate is a synthetic protein that simulates myelin basic protein, a component of the myelin that insulates nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This drug seems to block myelin-damaging T-cells through a mechanism that is not completely understood. In controlled clinical trials with relapsing-remitting MS, those taking the glatiramer acetate had a significant reduction in annual relapse rate and a reduction in new lesions as shown on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when compared to control subjects who were given a placebo. Glatiramer acetate is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce the frequency of relapses in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. It is also approved for use in individuals who have experienced a first clinical episode (clinically-isolated syndrome) and have MRI features that are consistent with multiple sclerosis."
Copaxone takes six months to fully take affect in the body allowing the MS to attack they synthetic protein vs. the real myelin of the brain. During the first six months I received monthly IV treatments of steroids to help reduce the possible damage the MS could be having on my brain while the Copaxone builds up in my system allowing it to help fight the MS.
This last Tuesday I went in to have an MRI done to see if there were any new lesions on my brain from the MS, active or not. This MRI would also be used as my NEW baseline to re-check to see if the Copaxone is doing it's job fighting the MS in my body or if other avenues will need to be attempted.
I received this email from my Neurologist:
From:Greg R. Zarelli, MD
As many of you who know me personally and have followed my journey and participated in my journey, you know I given it all I had. I worked out, I learned how to eat properly, I educated myself in fitness and nutrition and I transformed myself into the woman I am today~physically and mentally. I was in the fight of my life, fighting to change myself and fighting to save my life as I knew it. What I did not realize is that was the understatement of the century.
As I have blogged about before, my neurologist who diagnosed me with MS in October 2013, says I have had MS not only undiagnosed but untreated since AT LEAST when my son Reuben was born 7 years ago. Due to the complications at Reuben's birth, with my own health, I had an MRI done at the time that my neurologist was able to compare with the MRI in October of last year being able to say with 100% confidence I have MS. Most people do not have past MRI's to use as baselines so I was lucky in this area.
My doctor, who is the head of the neurology department and is a recognized specialist in MS, explained to me that the first 10 years of MS predicts how aggressive the disease will be in each person. If the MS can be kept in check for 10 years, it tends to wane and even hibernate. He kept telling me how good my prognosis was based on the fact that after having the disease already for at least 10 years and nothing to treat to it other than my spirit, diet, and exercise, that NOW with that plus medicine--I would be 99% good. He even wrote that in his notes and showed me as an expression of confidence.
Still, it was very scary and these past 8 months, waiting for my next MRI, felt like a lifetime.
As I learned more and more about my disease and as my hubby did research on MS it became apparent to us both how important diet and exercise is to a person with MS. No matter what type of MS a person has or what stage they are at it comes down to being able to assist in managing your symptoms and your flare ups with nutrition and movement.
I believe things happen for a reason. I believe God has a plan for all of us. I believe that actions create consequences and everything we do is to be answered for in one way or another. In all areas of my life and in all factors of my being I believe this to be true.
I do not think when I decided to finally put down the processed foods and junk and start living the life I was meant to live was it was by accident. I do not believe that when I told myself I would learn how to properly fuel my body with healthy and organic food it was by accident. I do not believe that when I put myself first above everything else, besides my family, it was by accident. I was in the fight of my life and this was my Soul saving my body from not only being unhealthy but having a disease that could at it's worse put me in a wheelchair the rest of my life. Getting healthy not only changed my bodies appearance I truly believe it saved my undiagnosed MS from being worse than it is.
I take a daily injection for my MS called Copaxone. The medial description of this drug as described on the National Multiple Sclerosis website: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS/Medications/Copaxone
"Glatiramer acetate is a synthetic protein that simulates myelin basic protein, a component of the myelin that insulates nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. This drug seems to block myelin-damaging T-cells through a mechanism that is not completely understood. In controlled clinical trials with relapsing-remitting MS, those taking the glatiramer acetate had a significant reduction in annual relapse rate and a reduction in new lesions as shown on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when compared to control subjects who were given a placebo. Glatiramer acetate is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce the frequency of relapses in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. It is also approved for use in individuals who have experienced a first clinical episode (clinically-isolated syndrome) and have MRI features that are consistent with multiple sclerosis."
Copaxone takes six months to fully take affect in the body allowing the MS to attack they synthetic protein vs. the real myelin of the brain. During the first six months I received monthly IV treatments of steroids to help reduce the possible damage the MS could be having on my brain while the Copaxone builds up in my system allowing it to help fight the MS.
This last Tuesday I went in to have an MRI done to see if there were any new lesions on my brain from the MS, active or not. This MRI would also be used as my NEW baseline to re-check to see if the Copaxone is doing it's job fighting the MS in my body or if other avenues will need to be attempted.
I received this email from my Neurologist:
From:Greg R. Zarelli, MD
Hello!
I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you but I have been swamped. In any case, I have GOOD news about the MRI done 7/15/14. It was compared to the prior scan done 9/27/13 and was unchanged. No new or enhancing lesions were seen. See the report below:
"IMPRESSION:
Multiple T2 hyper-intense lesions in the supranational white matter. Previously seen acute lesion in the left posterior frontal lobe has decreased in size. The other lesions are unchanged. No associated enhancement or diffusion restriction. No new lesions seen."
So this is your new baseline MRI. Enjoy the weekend! This is GREAT news!
"No new or enhancing lesions." "Has decreased in size."
I am beyond happy and was moved to tears with these results. So even though the medication meant to assist in the fight against MS and help prevent new damage has NOT fully taken affect in my body ONE of my current lesions decreased in size and I have NO NEW LESIONS. Does this mean I was lucky? Does this mean my MS is not as bad as others? Does this mean it's by chance I do not have more damage in my brain? No. I believe, 180%, this is because I refuse to be sick. I did not allow my diagnosis to prevent me from taking care of myself. I attribute this to diet and exercise. I attribute this to my will to survive. I attribute this to God's plan for ME not to be a victim and lie down and allow this disease to consume me physically or mentally. I attribute this to ME. This is the best news I have heard in a long time and I am on cloud nine.
This not only motivates me to continue on my path to stay healthy but pushes me to be vocal once again about my journey in hopes to not only share with those who follow me but motivate others to get their lives in a more balanced and healthy state.
Our society is filled with fast food, processed foods, over weight adults and now obese children. We are sicker than our parents and grandparents before us and we are either suffering from diseases or dying at young ages. I believe I was spared a horrific future because I changed my life. It's my hope that as I become vocal again about my lifestyle that others will change theirs with me and be spared too.
When I shared my good news with my eldest son, Michael, his response to me was: "That is awesome Mom, I am so happy for you." He also said, "You are not the type of person who has time to be sick or the patience to be sick, you too strong."
When I shared my good new with Joseph his response to me was: "I am so happy and proud of you. I KNEW you would be okay. This was not your destiny."
When I shared my good news with my friend Carmen her response to me was: "This is beyond great news! Awe Mellie... my cup runneth over for you. I am so stinking happy for you and your family! All your hard work and dedication is working!"
We will NEVER know what each day will bring and we will never know our future. But we can make the choice to live the best possible life we can live.... TODAY!
I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you but I have been swamped. In any case, I have GOOD news about the MRI done 7/15/14. It was compared to the prior scan done 9/27/13 and was unchanged. No new or enhancing lesions were seen. See the report below:
"IMPRESSION:
Multiple T2 hyper-intense lesions in the supranational white matter. Previously seen acute lesion in the left posterior frontal lobe has decreased in size. The other lesions are unchanged. No associated enhancement or diffusion restriction. No new lesions seen."
So this is your new baseline MRI. Enjoy the weekend! This is GREAT news!
"No new or enhancing lesions." "Has decreased in size."
I am beyond happy and was moved to tears with these results. So even though the medication meant to assist in the fight against MS and help prevent new damage has NOT fully taken affect in my body ONE of my current lesions decreased in size and I have NO NEW LESIONS. Does this mean I was lucky? Does this mean my MS is not as bad as others? Does this mean it's by chance I do not have more damage in my brain? No. I believe, 180%, this is because I refuse to be sick. I did not allow my diagnosis to prevent me from taking care of myself. I attribute this to diet and exercise. I attribute this to my will to survive. I attribute this to God's plan for ME not to be a victim and lie down and allow this disease to consume me physically or mentally. I attribute this to ME. This is the best news I have heard in a long time and I am on cloud nine.
This not only motivates me to continue on my path to stay healthy but pushes me to be vocal once again about my journey in hopes to not only share with those who follow me but motivate others to get their lives in a more balanced and healthy state.
Our society is filled with fast food, processed foods, over weight adults and now obese children. We are sicker than our parents and grandparents before us and we are either suffering from diseases or dying at young ages. I believe I was spared a horrific future because I changed my life. It's my hope that as I become vocal again about my lifestyle that others will change theirs with me and be spared too.
When I shared my good news with my eldest son, Michael, his response to me was: "That is awesome Mom, I am so happy for you." He also said, "You are not the type of person who has time to be sick or the patience to be sick, you too strong."
When I shared my good new with Joseph his response to me was: "I am so happy and proud of you. I KNEW you would be okay. This was not your destiny."
When I shared my good news with my friend Carmen her response to me was: "This is beyond great news! Awe Mellie... my cup runneth over for you. I am so stinking happy for you and your family! All your hard work and dedication is working!"
We will NEVER know what each day will bring and we will never know our future. But we can make the choice to live the best possible life we can live.... TODAY!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)