My Health Journey

My health Journey

For the last ten years my clients have seen me go through quite a bit. Especially the last 3 years culminating to the present day with a newly diagnosed chronic illness.  Cool, cool, cool, just what I need. I’m not mad anymore, I was upset when it all came to a head this past winter. When driving was getting unsafe and I had to take a month off from work to recover. Thankfully I had a team of health care practitioners listening to me and the treatments had enabled me to return to work with my clients commenting on how much my energy has improved.

This is wonderful and ideal, but it’s not the whole story.  It’s important that my clients know and understand what my chronic illness does to me so that I can pace myself properly to avoid a flare or burnout.

My symptoms suggest an overproduction of prostaglandins and cytokines and thankfully I don’t experience reactions like anaphylaxis like some. My symptoms do range from mild to debilitating. It’s been quite the pill to swallow but hey, being here is better than not. I am generally looking at the positive side of things. I will also admit that I am scared, less so now, but when I was losing my ability to drive safely, and even to this day standing in lines is my greatest enemy.  It’s no longer a patience thing. I will be the first to admit that I could be more patient, but now it’s about not ending up on the floor.

Using mobility aids has always been something that I have advocated to my clients, especially the ones experiencing the same thing as me to use anything they need to get around safely.  Here I am now taking my own advice, and cringing my way through it.  I can walk into the post office, I have no problem being patient and waiting my turn, I just need the ability to sit. So I walk in seemingly unincumbered carrying a cane and as I wait in line I use that cane to lean on to give my joints and body a break because when you have dysautonomia being vertical and sedentary is the final boss.

I am writing this in March and my clients have all said they’ve seen a noticeable shift in my energy and that the color has come back to my face. The meds that I am on are working, and now I am learning to pace myself.  I am taking 2 people a day 60 minutes maximum each to start and I hope to work up to offering 90 minute sessions again. I have to live within my set confines of energy or a risk setting myself back again, I am getting better at gauging my energy levels.

A flare or crash can range from a headache, extreme or mild fatigue, GI upset, flu like symptoms, inability to regulate body temperature there’s a few more but I would really prefer to spare you the details.

A special note to my regulars, the ones who have seen me through it all over the years. Thank you so much for your unwavering support, love, and trust, it means the world to me that you believe in me.