The Battle Continues...

It has been almost 2 years since my last cluster of seizures. TWO YEARS!! I continue to go about each day taking my medication and living my life "normally". I do all of the things that are in my job description as "wife and mother" (you know, taxi driver, catechist, personal shopper, personal chef, housekeeper, bookkeeper, tutor, disciplinarian, wardrobe assistant, school advocate, etc.), along with working my home based business, AND I LOVE IT. However, the cold hard fact is that I have epilepsy. One seizure could change everything for me. It's easy to take these past 2 years for granted, to live like I don't have epilepsy. Then BAM! I have a crazy experience that brings it all to light. I have taken advantage of my good health. I know I am doing the right thing by living a "normal" life, by not allowing epilepsy to stop me from doing the things I love. But, I must also respect this unpredictable nuisance called epilepsy. The biggest challenge is not having control, not knowing when it will strike. Two years with little to no symptoms and it comes on out of the blue. Who does this epilepsy character think it is?? I am not about to curl up in a ball and allow it to take me under. I refuse. I will continue to fight. I will continue to be a mother and a wife and to live the life I have been blessed with. I thank God for my incredible family and supportive friends, and for the gift of His presence in my life. Where would I be without Him? Probably curled up in a ball somewhere...

Believe in yourself and others will too!

I have struggled in the past few years to let go of my concerns about the opinions of others. What do people think of epilepsy? Will they think I'm weird? Will they notice that I'm different? I've struggled with confidence in many aspects of my life because of self-doubt. BUT, I'm finally realizing that people are going to react to me as the person that I am, the person I believe myself to be. If I don't believe in myself and my ability to beat epilepsy or teach math and science, or build my business...no one else will believe in me either. They will see my lack of confidence and take that as lack of skill, lack of ability to accomplish what I'm trying to do. Opportunities will continue to escape me until I learn to believe in myself so that others can do the same. I am finally learning this and guess what....the doors are opening for me. Huh...what do you know?? Believe in yourself, my friend. It will change your life!

Keep Your Eyes and Your Heart Open!

Love comes to you when you least expect it. At my last visit with my epilepsy specialist, I noticed a flyer for the Denver "Strides for Epilepsy" event. I came home and looked it up. The Epilepsy Colorado foundation has a walk/run event to benefit epilepsy every year. I immediately signed up and formed my team, "Jammin' For Jen". I emailed the information to all of my friends and family. This was a huge step for me. I have had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that I am an epileptic. It has been a tough year and a half, and I still had this tinge of hope that it would all just go away. (My last hospital stay woke me up from that dream!) I wasn't expecting a huge response to my email, I was sending it more as a step for myself, to let the people in my life know that I am planning on standing up for people who suffer just like I do. I got an incredible response. My friends and family donated over $1300.00 to my team! Wow! Talk about an overwhelming surprise. My eyes and my heart were both opened to the people who love me and care about what we have been through this past year.
Then, on the day of the event, (mid-June, I might add), a huge rain storm was upon us. I was certain that nobody would be coming out into the downpour on a Sunday morning to walk around the park. But again, I was proved wrong. 20 of my friends and family showed up to walk in my honor. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of knowing those people were there for ME, because they care about ME. It was completely overwhelming. As the walk began, I looked up at the dark sky raining down on us and said "Please, Lord, just give us a little break!". My request was granted. The rain let up just long enough for us to finish the 5K walk. After the walk was over, it started pouring again, only harder than before! These beautiful friends of mine who came out with their kids bundled up and smiles on their faces did it out of pure love for me. Imagine if I had neglected to form a team. Imagine if I hadn't emailed the information to everyone, out of embarrassment or denial of my situation. Love comes when you least expect it. My heart was overflowing on Sunday, simply because I had the courage to open it up to the possibility of something good.
Continue to Ascend and Live. You never know what is waiting around the corner for you...

The Journey is Beginning...

So after 4 days of my children having the stomach flu (and fearing for myself!), I started my natural supplements today. I haven't gotten my other test results back yet, so I'm excited for that. But more importantly, I am hopeful for what this new NATURAL supplement regimen is going to do for my cortisol levels, my epilepsy, and for ME! :) Most importantly, I guess for my family. Some days I wonder how they put up with me! I guess I should just apologize every morning when I get up for what is inevitably going to come out of my mouth at some point during the day, due to my lack of energy and patience. Anyways, back to the subject-I'll keep you posted on how I feel the next few days, introducing new supplements gradually.

I am halfway through the book Dr. Cohen recommended to me. So far it has helped me come to the conclusion that I am in serious need of some medical attention...wait...I knew that! I think I'm starting to get to the good stuff-where he tells me how to heal myself. Stay tuned...

Here We Go!

This is it, the beginning of a new venture for me...blogging my progress as I strive for improved health and financial freedom.
First, a little bit about me:
I was diagnosed with mid-life onset of epilepsy last March. It has been a long year for us with lots of visits to see different doctors, trying to find an answer. I have lost my identity, my memory, my drive, my love of life. Every day I have prayed for an answer...not even a cure, just an answer. Every doctor I have seen says simply that there is no explanation...just keep taking the medication...you'll have to take it for the rest of your life. This is the medication that makes me want to sleep all day, or feel like I AM sleeping all day! Their solution? Take an anti-depressant!
In May of 2008, we were introduced to the Trump Network by a wonderful friend of ours, trying to help me find a balance in my life and my body! I took the Privatest and started to take the custom essentials and immediately felt a difference in myself. Don't get me wrong, I certainly wasn't cured, but it definitely helped me with the everyday challenges, like getting out of bed, loss of energy, etc. I could feel myself coming back. Kory and I discussed taking all of the tests that our company has to offer, but we let life take over and put that idea on hold.
In continuing to struggle with partial seizures and on and off days, we never stopped looking for a new doctor. That was when Dr. Bergman, a fellow Trump Network marketer, referred us to a colleague of his who is a holistic neurologist (a board-certified neurologist also certified in holistic medicine). We figured it was worth a try!
Dr. Cohen spent more time with me than any of the other doctors combined. She ordered some tests, one of which was a cortisol test. Cortisol is a chemical/hormone released by our bodies in time of stress, to help your body react as well as recover from stressful situations. We met with Dr. Cohen yesterday and found out that my body is in total adrenal failure...basically it's not making cortisol because it has exhausted all of its resources to do so. This is a condition that is completely reversible, and could easily be pinpointed as the cause for everything I have been going through this past year, including the epilepsy. It is easily treated with natural supplementation, which is the route I'm going.
The kicker here is that Kory and I realized that the Trump Network, OUR COMPANY, offers the exact same test that Dr. Cohen did! Had we done what we had originally planned and taken all of the tests, we would have begun addressing this problem in May, saving us much heartache and undue stress. The answer was right under our noses and we didn't see it!!!
On that note I have to ask you all to take a second look at your health. You may think you are perfectly healthy, or that you don't need a custom supplement, whatever may be the case. The point here is that I thought I was perfectly healthy as well, until I had a seizure in the shower, broke all of my front teeth off, and watched as my life was turned upside down. Don't wait until your life is turned upside down to be proactive about your health. If you don't use the incredible, affordable products that the Trump Network (and Ski and I) have to offer, please go somewhere, and never take your health for granted.
God bless you, and here's to a healthy future for all of us! Have an incredible day!