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Sleepless Nights
It’s 2 am, and the headache has already hit hard enough to wake me from my sleep. I feel it so sharp inside my temple that I swear if I could slice open my head, I would be able to remove the stone that is piercing my brain. I try to change positions to bring relief, only to commence the whooshing noises of blood rushing in my head. I am tormented by these angry waves roaring at me in this silent hour of night. I can’t take it anymore. I get up and am then hit with the pounding, pulsating pressure on my brain and eyes. If I give it…
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Obedience
There was a time that I was more determined than ever to please God. I was suffering from inescapable pain, and I wanted to do whatever was necessary if He would just remove the sickness from my body. I knew I had to go back to church. I knew I had to read my Bible more and change the music I was listening to. I had to find the sin that was holding me back from my healing. So I began to study the Bible for anything that God said was a sin. I would then be able to remove it from my life. At the time, I kept coming…
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The Chronic Illness Game Plan – How to Stay Prepared
Here in Louisiana, we’re all gearing up for hurricane season. After having been through some of the worst storms, the people around here have learned how to prepare. Even though it’s only for a season, you don’t take any chances. Living with a chronic illness, however, is like living through hurricane season all year round. It’s unpredictable. It’s destructive. Episodes can come out of nowhere, and you never know which direction they will take. But like with a storm, you can only learn to be prepared. Having a plan in place will make everything go a lot smoother not only for you, but for everyone involved in the path of…
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A Pinch of Salt
Salt is crucial for survival. In fact, sodium is actually an electrolyte the body needs for muscles and nerves to function properly. It helps regulate how much fluid is in the body. Unfortunately however, many people consume too much salt. This means your body is retaining too much water. Your blood pressure can increase, and your heart has to work harder. This can all cause cardiovascular diseases, stroke, hypertension, and kidney disease. While we do need sodium for our bodies to function properly, it’s important not to overdo it. So how much salt can we have? The American Heart Association recommends less than 2,300 mg a day, ideally aiming for…
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He Chose You
He chose Moses. He chose Esther. He chose David. Daniel. The disciples. Paul. And He chose you. God did not create you just to exist on this earth. He did not create you just to grow up, go to school, get a job, start a family, and retire. Just like He designed every atom in Your body to have a particular function, He created you to play a particular role. He chose you to have a testimony. He chose you to suffer through trials because He knew you were strong, faithful, and obedient. He knew your potential before you even saw it. What an honor that the King of Kings,…
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Mommy’s Sick
I have been sick since the day my son was born. One miraculous moment became my greatest sacrifice – my life for his. It was the epidural for his birth that went wrong, triggering a snowball of health issues that have never ceased. I didn’t know it right away. I didn’t know it when I repeatedly asked the postpartum nurse for headache medication. I didn’t know it when my body was in excruciating pain just trying to breastfeed. Or when I sat sprawled out in his pediatrician’s office, nauseated to no end. From the very beginning of my son’s life, I was deprived irreplaceable time with him. My husband had…
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Six Tips for a Healthy Grocery Trip
In order to develop a healthier diet, you must first learn what your diet is actually composed of versus what you want it to be composed of. So today, my friends, we will take the first and most important step of learning how to read labels. Now, I do understand we all might have different dietary restrictions or needs, but most of these are general guidelines. From these guidelines, you can begin to learn what you’re looking for and adjust accordingly. Get your grocery lists ready because I have six tips for a healthier shopping cart! 1.) Keep it Simple Think about the layout of most grocery stores. Outside Isles:…
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A Chosen Vessel
Do you ever wonder why you have to go through the trials that you do? Do you question God, wanting to know what you did to deserve this? Wanting to know what He is trying to show you? I know I used to. I used to beg Him to tell me why I was so sick. Even when He told me I was healed in His eyes, here as in Heaven, I still needed to know the reason for this ever happening to me. I needed to know how, in man’s eyes, here on earth, I was supposed to use this. My first thought was that it was punishment for…
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What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag
One of the hardest things about staying in a hospital is trying to get comfortable. It’s can be very difficult to adjust to an unfamiliar environment, and if your body is trying to recover or get well, the added stress never helps. Hospitals do try their best to provide everything you may need. When you first arrive to your room, you will probably find a bucket of toiletries, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, lotion, bar soap, and hand sanitizer. Hospitals can even provide towels, socks, and a gown. If, however, you are able to pack a bag in advance, it always makes things much easier and more comfortable. There…
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The Search for Healing
There is one thing that I never understood. If God has the power to heal me, why hasn’t He? God, you said that if I had faith so small as a mustard seed, I could move mountains. Surely, I have more faith than that! So why won’t you heal me? I can’t tell you how many times I pleaded with God to remove my sickness. How many times I begged Him to just take it all away, to at least let me find a medication that brought relief! So why wouldn’t He? When I first started developing Intracranial Hypertension, I was filled with nothing but anger and bitterness at what…
