My 2nd Visit with Dr. Maxwell

I had a second appointment with Dr. Maxwell, the award winning, amazing, and engaged doctor (Check him out here- Dr. Maxwell), and he spent another two hours with us. During the appointment, he reviewed all of the lab results that I already discussed in this POST .  He was mostly concerned with the level of Candida (type of yeast)...

A Positive & Negative- My First Month on Armour

After a few weeks of being on Armour, I can report both positive and negative effects. I'll start with a positive effect. I've noticed that my stomach bloating is actually starting to subside and I think that my metabolism has slowly increased.  My abdominal area and the severe swelling in my legs both have decreased practically overnight....

A Few Reasons to Be Thankful Today

Last night, my doctor's wife told me that I must have a lot of patience. I kindly thanked her for her nice comment; she couldn't have been anymore wrong.  The truth is that I am quite the impatient woman these days, and I often have to stop myself during the middle of a negative thought and take confidence in knowing that I have come too far to revert back to hopeless thoughts. I now know what is wrong with me! Fifteen years...

Can I get an AMEN for Dr. Maxwell?!?

I've got a lot of ground to cover in this post and I haven't been feeling intelligent enough to articulate my thoughts (that darn brain fog again), but here I am, trying at 5:00 AM, thanks to my insomnia, which has enticed me enough to begin writing at this moment. First, I received the results of the blood work that I discussed in my...

I am Hashimoto's Disease

Gena Lee Nolin posted the following letter on her Thyroid Sexy Facebook page.  I find comfort and support in the words, and it reminds me that there are many other people, who are suffering from some of the same debilitating and annoying symptoms that I deal with on a daily basis .  The letter can also offer an explanation about the illness when you are unable to find the best way to articulate to your family and...

[Pretend] Good Days & [Really] Bad Days

I don't always want to be the Negative Nelly of this blog, but what's the point of a blog if everything is fluffed up and edited, right? The reality of this disease is that it makes for very few good days and very often bad days. It comes and goes (probably due to the swings in hormone levels) but it never goes...away. It is relentless and unforgiving and no matter how strong of a figher Elisha is, it gets the best of her at all...

Suspect a Thyroid Problem? Try the Low-Tech Body Basal Temperature Test

One of the common symptoms of thyroid problems (loose term) is being unusually cold or hot.  I am almost always freezing and I've been that way for many years.  In fact, I carry a blanket with me pretty much throughout every room in our house. I can feel that my feet are cold to the touch even through my socks. So, in comes the basal temperature test. Although it is not used as a definite means for diagnosis, this test...

A Husband's Perspective

Perspective - noun /pərˈspektiv        1. A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view        2. True understanding of the relative importance of things; a sense of proportion   The above two definitions of perspective have a significant relevance in our lives. 1. We have both had our own perspectives towards everything we have...

The Long Beginning- Part 3 Elisha

I started exercising for about 45 minutes almost every day because I noticed that I was gaining a few pounds and then losing a few within days.  I’d taken pride on my level of fitness and worked hard to stay fit. I never really got a ‘good’ workout and became even more lethargic and malaise for the rest of the day. It was a far cry from the days of my early 20’s, when I used to take a spinning class and work with a personal...

The Long Beginning- Part 2 Elisha

In 2011, I accepted a position with another company. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay focused during the training because of the brain fog and fatigue. By the third week, I started getting lower back pain and threw my back out again.  The next 11 months working for the company were full of new and consistent symptoms and few answers from doctors. Though this job carried a high level of stress too, I was to the point,...

The Long Beginning- Part 1 Elisha

Well, here we are, writing a blog, but I’d always pictured myself writing something more exciting and nimble, such as fashion, travel…or babies.  Just a few short years ago I was just another 20-something female taking her good health for granted. It's funny how an illness can drastically change someone's goals and future.  One...