The Challenge Begins!

    Hello again dears! I hope everyone is well and happy! :) I am doing pretty well right now, even though my fogginess hasn't gone away yet. It might even be a little bit worse, but eventually you have to accept it for a while and go on with your life.
    So, it has happened. Yesterday I just started the Nopalea Wellness Challenge! Let the journey begin!

    Since the challenge is to take 3-6 ounces of Nopalea each day for 60 days, I decided to take 3 ounces in the morning and 3 ounces in the evening. The juice is fuchsia pink and slightly thick, like the thickness of orange juice with some pulp. It is also very sweet, since it is sweetened with stevia sugar and fruit powders. It has a strange, indescribable aftertaste, but it is probably one of the best tasting supplements out there. It definitely tastes better than what I was preparing myself for! Even if you don't like drinking Nopalea straight, you can mix it in with a smoothie or other drink of your choice. The company does not recommend that you cook with it because the properties of the juice under high temperatures have not been studied. It is best to drink Nopalea chilled. That is what I do; it stays in my refrigerator.
    Are you currently taking the Nopalea Wellness Challenge? Have you tried anything recently that has helped you? Let me know! I would love to hear from you! Any questions for me, or just want to talk? Write me!

Until next time, keep smiling!

                     Chelsea <3

*Today's Happy Thought: COTTON CANDY AND DR. PEPPER LIP SMACKERS CHAP STICK
(My two favorite flavors!)

 

 

Bring On The Challenge!

    Good evening friends! How has your day been today? I hope your day has gone well and has not been too eventful. Even if it hasn't been too hectic, it is now the time to sit down, grab a delicious drink, change into pajamas, and give yourself some "me" time. You deserve it!

    Status update on myself: I have been extremely weary and woozy. Almost like reality and dreams are clashing against each other. I feel so dazed. Definitely not alert and oriented. It's kinda freaky, and it bothers me a little bit. I have even been seeing auras at random times of the day and brightness and certain sounds aggravate me. And on top of all this my legs are still aching from just above the knee down. Migraines? Sinus? Meds? Who knows the culprit.
    I just tried one of the few medicines that are approved for my condition, and it has made me very sick. I have already tried the other ones, to no avail, so I decided to give this last one a try, and it was another dead end. When the side effects are just as bad as the condition itself, or in my case even worse, it is too much to handle to continue on the drug. So now I must battle my illness without the aid of prescription medication, a future that is kind of terrifying.
    There is that really nasty flu bug going around. Many people have even died from it. You know, you hear the news say, "If you are elderly, young, or prone to illness you should be very cautious while out so you do not catch this sickness." Well, now I'm one of the ones at risk! When you realize that you are ill and are more susceptible to foreign invasions of the body because your body is already fighting a battle every day, something inside you snaps. A light bulb goes off that says, "Oh my word, I am one of those invalid, susceptible people." It is a harsh reality.

 

    One of the most amazing experiences I ever had was just in November of last year. I went to Barnes and Noble after a whole day of feeling bad. I finally got to the bookstore around 9pm, still under the weather. I said to myself that I must get out and do something today and not just sulk around inside, I just prayed that there would be a close parking spot so I wouldn't have to walk such a crazy, long distance. Low and behold, as I pulled in a spot appeared right beside the store! And then I walked into the building to get a book on my conditions. The big shocker then happened: my books were in the DISEASE section! Can you believe that?! Oh, the horror. That's a big, harsh reality. "I really wish I could talk to somebody about my feelings who could understand," I thought to myself... And then, suddenly, as I reached for my targeted book, I saw another hand reach for the same book. We both froze and stared at each other for a brief moment and then smiled. We talked a good while. She even said that she had been in bed all day and pushed to go to the bookstore herself! Because of her I am now invited to a support group at a nearby church to discuss coping with our condition. I just have to smile because God is SO good. Even when you don't think he's listening, he's there. It's the tiny miracles that keep my faith alive and my hopes up.
    Faith has been a struggle for me through this whole process, but it has brought me closer to Him then I could ever imagine. I have been scared, angry, and devastated, but I know He is there holding my hand every step of the way. There is this quote I love that helps me get through every day:

 

    So, have any of you heard about Nopalea? If not, let me give you the low down. It is a cactus juice manufactured by Trivita Company. It comes from the Nopal cactus and this juice contains super concentrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory betalins. Betalin is the main ingredient in this drink, but it can also be found in foods such as beets. So why not just eat beets? Because beets do not have as much concentration of the nutrient to be as potent as the cactus juice. The cactus produces purple flowers in the winter and is pollinated by hummingbirds. The plant thrives in subtropical and tropical regions and can be found in the south-western desert regions of the United States and Mexico.

Nopalea bottle.

Nopalea Information and Ingredients.

How Nopalea works in the body.

The Nopal Cactus.

    I have to be honest, have been very skeptical about this, but I have decided to take on the challenge! It is VERY pricey. It costs over $100 for me to get four bottles, but when you are as desperate as me, and it has the potential to even change your life, sometimes it is worth the price. And if it works it is really worth it! My family knows quite a few people who have tried it themselves, and they say it is amazing and that they feel so much better.
    The challenge is to take 3 to 6 ounces of Nopalea per day for at least one month. That is when you will see the results. You will then take maintenance doses for the rest of the time. It is an investment, but I am ready! I am waiting to start the challenge for a few days because I want all of my recent medication to leave my system, but I will let you know about day one of Nopalea! :)

Bring on the challenge!

Until Next Time, Stay Strong!
                 Chelsea <3

*Today's Happy Thought: LISA FRANK
(A childhood favorite and still my inspiration today! If only we could live in one of her dream worlds...)



Chiropractor

    Hello there friends! :] How are you all doing today? I hope well. Too bad it is still raining here, and I mean constantly raining! So you know I have just been feeling great! (Oh, that's sarcasm, by the way. I tend to type like I speak, and sarcasm consists of about 50% of my speech. It just does not tend to transition well into writing.)
    So, I have been going to this chiropractor for about a month and a half now. The one bad thing about my area and these doctor's appointments is that the doctor's offices are all at least 30 minutes away from me. You would think in my highly populated area that we would actually have more specialists and services, but ends up that we only have doc-in-the-box medical care facilities, hospitals, and 24-hour eyeglass services. So, you have to make the trek to Timbuktu.
    You know, driving has been so hard for me. For the one year I had this mystery undiagnosed illness, driving was absolutely terrifying. I was already the unusual preteen/teenager back in the day because I was scared to drive from the start, but when I got sick it was really bad.
    When you don't know if you are dying or not and then you get super bad chest pain, what's the one thing you think of?... Yes, heart attack. And my biggest fear was driving because, "What if I have a heart attack and die? And then I run off the road and hit a tree? Or I hit a person? Or I hit a person with a child who runs into a tree?" Well, you get the irrational ranting, but at the time, it could have been completely rational. When you don't know what's wrong you prepare for anything and everything.
    Thankfully, I can drive. No problem. If I keep my arms up on the wheel for too long it can really start to hurt my arms though, so now I have to drive with my arms down in my lap. I also drive with one arm at a time, so if one gets tired I have the other one to use next. And it's not just with driving. Everything has been altered to accommodate my new restrictions. Basically, it stinks! I say all the time, "I'm too young to feel this old!" And honey, it is so true!

    I really hope these doctor's appointments are worth it though. I have such a hard condition to heal. As my chiropractor says, "It has taken you quite some time to get into the shape you are in, so it's going to take you a while to get yourself out of it." Depressingly so. Bummer. And if you only know the money we have spent on medical care… ugh!
    My chiropractor is so sweet and amazing! I was really nervous about going, and I was sore the first few visits, but I think I am slowly but surely getting better. You can usually tell when you have more good days than bad ones. So for a little over a month I was going three times per week, but just last week he said I didn't have to come in but for only twice a week. Sounds hopeful!

    I was really amazed at how much my condition can be related to the spine. In fact, the only x-rays they took were that of my cervical spine, nothing else besides the upper neck! Evidently that is where the main problems forms, and when you fix it there the rest of the spine falls into alignment.



The Hydra Bed

    So, I get this therapy called hydo bed therapy. It is a warm water massage for your back. It is crazy how much your back itches on that thing! Itching is good though, because that means that your muscles are getting the circulation stimulated better in them, which is done by relaxing the muscle. Then they do the adjustments. They look at the whole spine and use a syringe-like device to "pop" the places on your spine that need to be better stimulated because they are too tense. The device is called an activator, and it actually delivers less intense stimulation than those who do not use it, since the sensations are quickly delivered. Honestly, the sound of the "pop" is more intimidating that the actual feel of it. There is a rubber stopper on the end that makes the impact gentler, and it never impales the skin. It would be just like clicking a pen or a mechanical pencil, just on a larger scale. You can use it everywhere. I have had it used on my jaw, chest, back, shoulders, and knee.

The Activator

Activator treatment.

    So far from my chiropractic therapy, here is what I can tell you. You will be sore and itchy after the first day. It shouldn't be debilitating, but since I have never had any treatment to my back before and I am super tender with my condition, I feel it a little more. You might not be able to see results right away, and results may not be seen every day for you, but in time you will probably see a difference. You might be the one to feel a difference right after the first visit, you just won’t know until you give it a try! I know I have seen a difference in me. It has taken me a little while to tell, but I can feel the results now. If I can get my rest from having to run around to all of these appointments I am fine, otherwise I am just worn out and hurting.
    Have you tried going to a chiropractor? How did it go, or how is it going? Give all of us your feedback! Have any other doctors have you tried and recommend? I want to hear from you!

Until next time, stay strong, drive safe, and be merry! XOXO,

Chelsea <3 (I need to have a personalized signature for my blog, don't you think?)

*Today's Happy Thought: MOOSE!
I love them. :) They look like they smile! I even have the moose Pillow Pets. Obsession? Neh. ;)



Precious! <3

2013 Resolutions

    Today is not the best of days. I am in a lot of pain and have been since yesterday afternoon. The weather is cold and rainy, which is always pretty much a sure sign that I will be down in the dumps physically. If the barometric pressure is high one day it will cause me to be in pain too.
    You know, it is always valuable to have a friend to talk to about how you are feeling and what you are going through. I don't know what I would do without one of my best friends, Lauren. She has sickle call anemia and we seem to have pain during the same times, which I find interesting. She always understands what, "I have had better days," means or, "I'm feeling good for the moment." I'm blessed to not only have such an amazing, loyal friend in my life, but also to have someone that you can closely connect with on a completely different level. Lord knows I have had my fair share of crazy, to say the least, friendships. Sometimes it takes a few tough years to figure out who is worthy of your heart.
    I have made a new year's resolutions list, and one of them is to cut the stress out of my life. If you are in a troubling relationship, it is time to evaluate where you are standing. It is never right for one person to always be suffering for the sake of another. Any relationship should be of equal value, no one should ever be treated superior to another. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn, but with the illness I have been diagnosed with, I have realized that life is too short and precious not to live it happy and amongst those who bring you joy. If they can't lift your spirits up and you are miserable just thinking about them, it's time to let them go. At some point in your life you have to realize that some people are meant to be kept in your heart, but not in your life. Hard lesson.

    My new year's resolutions:
1) Floss everyday, no exceptions.
2) Think about what you are putting in your mouth. Eat healthier!
3) Make health a priority. (It's very difficult to put your health before others, especially for a nurse!)
4) Keep memories, not junk. Throw stuff away and live simply.
5) Start a blog and continue to journal regularly. (CHECK!)
6) Stay organized.
7) Care about your appearance. Dress nice, even on the days you just roll out of bed.
8) De-stress your life. Do what makes you feel free from the stresses of life.
9) Make efforts to do things outside of your comfort zone. You may be pleasantly surprised!
10) Stay happy and positive!
    What are your resolutions?

Arnica Montana

    So, have you heard of Arnica? If not, let me tell you about it. You can buy it at your local GNC nutrition store. It comes in topical cream and gel forms and only costs about $10. It is a natural homeopathic medicine that is good for anything inflammatory, such as: muscle aches, injuries, bruises, pain, stiffness, and sprains. It's also paraben free, for those of you like me with super sensitive skin. The main ingredient that works all the magic is Arnica Montana. This is a plant found in Europe and has been believed to have potent anti-inflammatory properties.
    Personally, I have had varying levels of success with this cream. The reason I went with the cream is because there was a higher concentration of the plant in the cream compared to the gel. I apply it as needed for pain, and have been using it for about a month. I put it over my left shoulder and on my chest for pain. I have noticed that sometimes it works and the pain is gone, and other times it barely does a thing. My feeling on the matter is that it is only working on my inflammation and not on my nerve pain. It is very difficult for me to differentiate between the two most of the time, but it does work on my inflammation-type pain.
    Have you tried Arnica? How did you do with it? Tell me your thoughts about it and how it worked for you! Have questions? I'll try to help you out!

Hugs until next time,

             Chelsea <3

*Today's Happy Thought: STAYING SNUG AND WARM UNDER THE COVERS ON A RAINY DAY :)

My Story: The Beginning of a Journey

    Hello world! My name is Chelsea and this is my first blog entry ever! I have written in a journal since, no joke, kindergarten, but just haven't quite crossed over to the digital world until this week. Ok, so you might be thinking, "such an exaggeration! Since kindergarten?!" Believe it or not, it's true. I have an entire shelf of notebooks as proof. My writing inspiration came from a book by the American Girl Company Called Amelia's Notebook. If you have not had the chance to read it yet, you must.

My journals mean the world to me. It is amazing to see how much I have grown in my writing since my first notebook too. I have gone from writing, "I like my cat, the end," to writing about my life and experiences in depth. It's really neat.
    Ladies and gentlemen, my notebook shelf:

    So, welcome to my blog! I hope you can enjoy it, and maybe even get some help from it. I am writing this blog because I am going through a rather rough time right now, and I want to share my experiences so I can maybe help someone. Nobody is ever truly alone, and my posts are about reaching out to make sure no one is.
    First let me tell you a bit about myself. Growing up I have always been sensitive and compassionate. I put my whole heart into everything that I do, and I learned from a young age that helping people was the one thing to which I aspire. That was when I decided I was born to be a nurse.
    I was very active. I took ballet, tap, jazz, soccer, gymnastics, swim team, theatre, and band. I love immersing myself into random activities! In high school I was in jazz band, concert band, and marching band. The saxophone is my life! I made straight A's and received special honors because of my grades. I have been blessed to travel the world to Hawaii, Mexico, England, Spain, France, The Galapagos Islands, Puerto Rico, and Italy. I was a part of the Children's Shelter Teen Board at a local shelter, was in Beta club and Spanish club, and was a Teen Volunteer at a local hospital. The world was grand, and life was so effortless then.
    It wasn't until my freshman year of college that I started getting very sick. It took the doctors just under a year to figure out I had a diseased gallbladder. I tried to tell everyone that I was ill, but the doctors told me that I had anxiety and depression and placed me on Ativan and Zoloft, which only made me feel even worse. Once the surgery was complete the surgeon said to me, "I have never seen so many gallstones out of all my years of surgeries." When you can't get the help you need because nobody believes you are sick, you begin to lose faith in healthcare.
    I was not feeling sick recently until the beginning of January last year. I went through the same thing again. No one believed that I was ill and they handed me cards to mental health specialists and prescribed me anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications. It is so frustrating trying to tell people the way you feel. I feel like a baby, I try to tell everyone what is wrong, but all they hear is crying.
    Fourteen doctors and one year later, thousands of dollars in debt from procedures, I finally found a rheumatologist that has been able to pinpoint what is wrong. I have an inflammatory condition, mainly in my chest, but that now spans throughout my entire body since the condition went undiagnosed for a year. Also because of this fact, I now have a nerve problem that spans throughout my entire body. I hurt every moment of everyday, and it is because of inflammation pain which then causes abnormal firing of the nerves that can last for minutes to days, since nerve cells have long-term memory. If I do something strenuous today, I will feel it for about three days. It's exhausting, and one of the symptoms that goes along with this condition is extreme fatigue, so I am always too tired to do much. It is even exhausting writing this entry. I feel trapped inside my own body. No one can tell that I am sick. If you saw me on the street you would swear there was nothing wrong with me. I don't have a condition that causes me to have dark circles under my eyes, or have yellow skin, or causes any apparent physical trauma. I look like a healthy 23 year old girl. That's probably what makes it the hardest to live with.

    This past semester I had to medically withdrawal from my college program because I was so sick. I am not allowed to push, pull, pick up heavy objects, work out intensely, or tire myself out. So carrying books, moving patients, and doing normal college things were near to impossible. Even now at home I can't even push a heavy grocery cart, or even carry heavy grocery bags for that matter. It is debilitating. I know that this will go away in time, but it is so hard not to do anything. I have to heal. And I get scared. I now have an inflammatory cyst in my left shoulder, so the inflammation seems to be growing. I have plans to start all of these different regimens to help me out, but I wanted to post about these things so everyone out there can experience them with me.
    I am not giving up on my career dream. I believe that all this is happening to me for a reason, and all I can do is take the experiences I have been given and use them to my best advantage. After the healthcare staff I have had to be around with this sickness, and even in school, I know what type of nurse I definitely don't want to become. So in a way, these might all be very helpful experiences indeed.
    This blog will be following my day-to-day thoughts. I am also going to give you my honest opinion of the different medicines, regimens, and procedures I undergo. It may help you. If you have something I should know about that has helped you, please share! I want this to be informative and interactive!
    So follow me on my journey to health, happiness, and love. It is more than just physical health; it's mental health. It is more than just having a good day; it's having a positive outlook every day. It is more than just loving others; it's loving yourself and your life.

Many blessings until next time,

          Chelsea <3

*At the end of every blog entry I make, I have decided that I am going to post something that makes me happy.

Today's Happy Thought: PETER PAN