So many thoughts, where to start. I keep saying I will post more often. It has been two years since the last post!
      January of this year has been interesting and thought provoking to say the least.
      In December, my husband and I attended two funerals and it got me thinking that I should start getting healthier. I had already in the previous year, attended Healthy Transformations, a session of bible studies with a special guest who has changed my life considerably! Healthy Transformations also had an exercise conponent to it as well. I attended the bible study every week, I think I missed a couple of studies-they were on transforming our thinking to be a more healthy person both in body, mind and soul through pastor Rick Warren, through the Daniel Plan. I attended the exercise as much as I could. I saw a change in our leader (previous Corps officer in our church). She had lost a considerable amount of weight! I thought wow, if she can do it so can I. I started in December 2012 and to date I have lost 13 pounds. Now, I want to go back and tell you what happened to me in January 2013.
      At the end of the first week of January I became ill with a flu. by January 16th, the right side of my face went numb right down to my lip. My ear felt numb also. I went to the doctor to have him check my ear to see if I had an ear infection. I did not. Then I got severe pain into my teeth on the right side of my mouth and into my jaw. I went to the dentist and he could not determine at the time if there was anything wrong with my teeth. The pain went down my neck and into my shoulder and down the right arm into the fingers. My right eye blacked out for minutes. I went back to the doctor at the request of the staff at work as they thought I was having a stroke! I went to my doctor and he at first said I could have had a stroke but then he said he didn't think I was having one! That weekend, January 26th, I went to see the special guest from our bible study, a naturopath Dr. Alana Polo. I had seen her three times previously for a diet to help control my IBS and my diabetes and to lose some weight. When I told her the symptoms I was having, she suggested I go straight to the hospital and get the stroke ruled out. So instead of going for a massage (that is how I was relieving the pain in my neck), I went to the hospital. I spent four hours there getting checked out to see if I had had a stroke. I tell you, when you go into the hospital with possible symptoms of a stroke, the nurses and doctors move and fast! The student doctor did some tests and the ER doctor did tests and I had a CT scan that day. Good news, the CT scan came back normal, so I am "normal". The following Monday, January 28th, I had an ultrasound on the arteries in my neck. That came back clear, meaning there was no sign of a stroke. The neurologist confirmed that he didn't think I had had a stroke. Good news! However, the numbness in my face continued. The pain in my jaw and neck were still there. I had another appointment with the dentist for a cleaning in late February and the dentist thought I needed a root canal done when in January he couldn't find anything wrong with my teeth. I have been to the massage therapist and a new chiropractor (for a couple of visits as the neurologist scared me when he asked if I had had my neck maniplulated, which I have done all the time from my previous chiropractor). The new chiropractor used a different technique and he said that neck maniplulation does not cause a stroke. I have had the root canal done and am waiting a week to have it filled. I continue with the massage and have gone to my previous chiropractor. He did a maniplulation on my neck with a tool he uses and I can now turn my head quite considerably. the two chiropractors and the massage therapist say they think it is the muscles in my neck, they are very tight. I have been to the diabetic doctor and my sugars are down and my blood pressure also. During all this, I also thought I was having an allergic reaction to almonds. I have been to an allergist and it turns out that my blood pressure medication was the culprit at making my tongue swell and difficulty swallowing. My naturopath has taken me off my blood pressure medication (I needed to renew it anyway) and now I am taking COQ10 and magnesium with fish oils to keep my blood pressure even. I still have numbness around the eye but another wierd thing is that since I have lost some weight, I have more vision in that eye (I have stabimus-a lazy eye in the right eye).

      I consider the new vision in my eye and the lower blood sugars and lower blood pressure miracles from God, I know some of you will say it is because I am following a healthy diet and yes, that is partly true but I do believe without the Lord's help (I have no will power when it comes to sweets and even some salty foods), I couldm't get to where I am right now. It is still a struggle, as I still crave sweet things and the numbness has not gone away. I am praying that the Lord will help me through these struggles.

     I am reminded of two scriptures that have helped me to keep my focus; "Be still and know that I am God", "They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings as eagles." And 1 Chronicles 16:29-36. Give thanks to the Lord, his love endures forever! Psalms 40:2 says that the Lord lifted me out of the miry clay, out of the pit of despair. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along."

       May the Lord lift you out of the despair you may face and may He heal you from all your infirmities.

Blessings