Tag: tsw

eczema, holistic healing, inspirational goodies, milestones

2015!!! Looking Forward to an Awesome Year of Healing!!!

by jlh8272 Comments on 2015!!! Looking Forward to an Awesome Year of Healing!!!

Happy New Year!!!

I love the feeling of “new beginnings” and “a clean slate”.  I actually like to look at my birthdate as my New Year.  🙂

Although we don’t need a specific date on the calendar to tell us that we can start fresh, it’s nice to have a date where everyone celebrates together at the wonderful new beginnings of the future.  When you really think about it, we can choose any second of any day to start anew.  It’s just a conscious decision to change it up and work on ourselves.

2014 had its ups and downs for me, but I’ve made a conscious decision to let those things that I wasn’t able to accomplish or the rough times that I had went through health wise (and are continuing to go through) not get me down.  I’ve decided to keep on looking forward and let go of all the opportunities I may have missed out on, the people who may have disappointed me, and all the negative energy and bad vibes that may have came my way.

2015 will be a year of complete healing!  I can feel it that this is truly the end of this healing process and I won’t be going through this at all this time next year!  I like to “call things into existence” and I’m definitely calling this one in.  I want to be in the best health of my life, fully living my life and enjoying new experiences and opportunities this year.

I usually like to say that right now I’m 90% of the way there in my healing with just my feet left to restore.  The rest of my body from my ankles up is so much better from where it was years ago.  My natural oils are coming back, the thickness is smoothing out, the discolouration is evening out, I’m rarely itchy on the rest of my body, my face is insanely smooth and clear… even the wrinkles under my eyes are fading away!  I’ve seen the transformation of my skin, and I know that my body is recovering and healing!  I have nothing but gratitude for this rough journey, because it has taught me so much about myself, that our bodies are amazing at healing themselves, and has made me more spiritual with a closeness to God.

I mention that I like to say 90% of my body… but if I’m going to speak things into existence then I should say, “I’m completely healed! 100%!”.  I’ve learned that we must “CALL THE THINGS THAT AREN’T AS IF THEY ARE”.  So I’m claiming complete healing, and by this time next year, when I post my overview of 2015 on the first of Jan 2016, I’ll have nothing but awesome things to say about the past year!

I’m wishing everyone a blessed New Year of strength, healing and love! ❤

-Jen

currently reading, eczema, health books, holistic healing, informational goodies, nutrition, nutritional medicine, nutritional science

Currently Reading – Food is Your Best Medicine by Henry G. Bieler, M.D.

by jlh8271 Comment on Currently Reading – Food is Your Best Medicine by Henry G. Bieler, M.D.

Such a great read!!!

IMG_5752

Cracked open this awesome read not too long ago, and these pages pertaining to skin health really stuck out at me.  It further affirms that detoxification and changing your lifestyle to a healthier more nutrient dense one is the only way to go to heal up the gut, internal organs and in turn, the skin.  I’m still in the middle of it, and will follow up with more key points that stood out to me.  This book is such an oldie (published in 1965!) but such a goodie!  Definitely a must read! 

Henry Bieler, MD, in his book “Food is Your Best Medicine” said that he always explained to his patients that their pain and illness is the result of their dietary mistakes and intake of drugs.  He said that when the normal chemistry of digestion is upset because of unhealthy living habits, toxins are stagnated in the blood which can impair the filters and eliminative organs, chief of which are the kidneys, liver, bowels, and skin.  He explained that skin problems like eczema is a “terrific attempt” by the body to get rid of toxins since the normal channels of elimination such as the liver are no longer functioning normally.  If the bile poisons in the blood come out through the skin, we get the various irritations of the skin and itching is one of these irritations.  The itching is necessary so the poisons can come out of the skin.  “Thus, the skin is substituting for the liver, or a vicarious elimination is occurring through the skin” (Bieler, pg. 43). 

He describes eczema as a hyper secretion of the thyroid gland.  “This gland, located at the base of the neck, controls all functions of the body’s three layers of skin: the outer skin…, the inner skin… and the middle skin.  The normal function of the outer skin is to exhale gases, sweat out water and certain toxic salty substances and oil itself and its hair with special oil glands.  The vicarious elimination, which results from forcefully exuding gases, acid sweat, and toxic oils and greases through the outer skin has supplied names to enough diseases to fill a large dermatology text book.  Chronic eczema, ichthyosis and psoriasis are common examples.  Skin diseases, which are really signs of toxic irritation, respond well to a treatment, dietary and local, directed to the neutralization and elimination of the offending poisons.  This brings the hyperthyroidism under control.” (Bieler, pg. 46).

inspirational goodies, inspirational reading, journal entry, spiritual reading, topical steroid withdrawal

Words of Affirmation & Scriptures for Healing

by jlh8277 Comments on Words of Affirmation & Scriptures for Healing

 

Healing is not only a physical process, but an emotional and mental one.  If there’s anything that I’ve learned with battling cancer and now pushing through TSW, is the importance of keeping a good, hopeful attitude and having positive thoughts of affirmation.  In dealing with different situations, the way we think and the words we speak into existence can either have a negative or positive effect on our bodies in so many ways…

Continue reading “Words of Affirmation & Scriptures for Healing” →

inspirational goodies, itsan.org, topical steroid withdrawal

Words & art from a TSW caregiver

by jlh8272 Comments on Words & art from a TSW caregiver

There are many caregivers out there on the itsan.org forums sharing there stories, asking for advice and venting along with those who are suffering.  I commend those who can be a stronghold for those going through topical steroid withdrawal.  I know for myself, at the beginning stages of my healing, my mother was my rock who was there for me through all the ups and downs.  She would express to me how helpless she would feel, in knowing that she couldn’t take this pain away from me, or even take on the pain herself.  Through her love and encouragement, as well as the encouragement of my friends and family I kept pushing through, and I’m continuing to push through, no matter how agonizing it can be at times.  A caregiver member on the itsan.org forums expressed so beautifully his side of this illness and portrayed it in a painting.  I would like to share with you all his work Eternal Optimist…

 

My wife is 3 months into her withdrawals. I feel for everyone who has to go through this.  In honor of my wife and all the countless others who have gone through this and are going through this I did this painting.  It was very therapeutic for me to paint this.

Eternal_Optimist_joe_kresoja_SM

 

When the one you hold most dear has been in chronic pain with no end in sight, lack of sleep and no sign of lasting help, can’t remember the last time there wasn’t any pain, rational thinking and reason have temporarily been itched away.  Watching and listening to your most beloved moan and cry, with sights and sounds you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, claws at your very soul.  When the once most positive, optimistic person you have ever met has lost all hope and has attempted to exit the stage.  Sideline judges speak in shadows out of ignorance and cast reasons why, out of their houses made of glass.  The raw grit of life won’t let you run. Selflessly giving, you are the Eternal Optimist for the other.

–Joe Kresoja

inspirational goodies, itsan.org, topical steroid withdrawal

“Temporary suffering. Permanent healing.” – itsan.org forum response post

by jlh827Leave a Comment on “Temporary suffering. Permanent healing.” – itsan.org forum response post

I’ve been checking out the International Steroid Addiction Network forums for a few months now and I always feel this strong sense of community and love whenever I check out a post.  It’s great to have others who are going through the same difficulties as you share their experience, knowledge, and just give encouragement to keep pressing on.  We all lift one another up, and this post shows that perfectly.  I was so touched by the beautiful response that was given to a question about being self conscious and embarrassed about TSW, that I just had to share…

Continue reading ““Temporary suffering. Permanent healing.” – itsan.org forum response post” →

inspirational goodies, journal entry, spiritual reading

Inspirational Reading

by jlh8273 Comments on Inspirational Reading

drdavidj

 

This TSW process can tend to break one down on so many levels, making it hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, and hard to not fall into the depths of depression.  I’ve found that reading inspirational books have gotten me through the rough times and have changed my whole perspective on this situation and life in general.  I just started reading this book called When Your World Falls Apart – Seeing Past the Pain of the Present by a pastor named Dr. David Jeremiah (what an intense title eh? lol) and he talks all about his trials and tribulations of going through cancer and the lessons that it taught him, as well as stories from others going through rough times.  He likes to call these trials “disruptive moments”.

This passage, quoted from a British journalist named Malcolm Muggeridge stuck out to me: “As an old man, looking back on one’s life, it’s one of the things that strikes you most forcibly – that the only thing that’s taught one anything is suffering. Not success, not happiness, not anything like that.  The only thing that really teaches one what life’s about – the joy of understanding, the joy of coming in contact with what life really signifies – is suffering, affliction.”

The lessons that I have learned going through this TSW experience as well as having Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer a few years back are:

  • That my body is truly my temple and I have to treat it with respect and love, and really pay attention what I’m putting into/on it. That this is a wake up call to always treat my body right, always striving to be as healthy as possible.
  • That my body is amazing at healing and repairing on its own.
  • To have more empathy and compassion for those suffering because I know what it’s like to suffer.
  • I’ve become more spiritual in this process, just really holding onto my faith like I never have in the past.
  • That I am so much more than just my external appearance.
  • And last but not least patience, patience, patience.

*Feel free to comment on what lessons were learned in your times of suffering ❤

-Jen

journal entry, milestones

A little journal entry from last year around this same time…

by jlh827Leave a Comment on A little journal entry from last year around this same time…

I had just realized that around this time last year I was finally coming into a break from my summer long flare.  I had been housebound for most of the duration of my flare, and actually moved from North Carolina to New York at the end of August.  From then up until October I had been housebound.  It was so frustrating because I was finally back in my favourite city, and all I wanted to do was be out and about and live my life.  Once I started to see that the hell was ending for a little while I was motivated to feel normal and live my life again.  At the time I was working on this blog, but didn’t have enough information yet to really make it live.  My cousin actually encouraged me to document my experience of “leaving my apartment for the first time” (lol) and to post it on my blog.  It’s hard to describe the experience in words, but I try to in this little journal entry that I’d like to share with you all…

Continue reading “A little journal entry from last year around this same time…” →

holistic healing, journal entry, topical steroid withdrawal, update

Early October Update

by jlh827Leave a Comment on Early October Update

I had planned to put an update with pics of the month of September, but if anyone is interested, they can check out my pics in the PHOTOS section where I have the progress documented by each month.  So I guess I’ll just go into how I’m currently doing, physically and emotionally as I’m now in my 32nd month of topical steroid withdrawal…

Continue reading “Early October Update” →

holistic healing, itsan.org, journal entry, topical steroid withdrawal, update

Felt like venting on the itsan.org forum & current photos…

by jlh8272 Comments on Felt like venting on the itsan.org forum & current photos…

So I’ve been going on the http://www.itsan.org forums a lot lately, and it’s been helping to talk to others that are going through this topical steroid withdrawal process as well.  Everyone is all trying to just relieve themselves of this horrendous disease called eczema, and reading about others struggles and journeys helps to put it all in perspective, lets me know that I’m not alone in this, and helps to make me feel like there is a community of supporters all rooting for one another.  I was feeling reaaaalllly crappy this past week from going through yet another bad flare this summer and was feeling like venting.  The response I recieved from the other members was so encouraging and filled with love that I instantly felt better, and it gave me the boost to keep on keepin’ on.  I encourage anyone struggling with withdrawing from topical steroids, to check out the site, and join the forum.  There’s a lot of great info that’s being shared on there, and the community of other TSWers makes you feel like you’re not the only one in the world struggling right now 🙂

Here’s the post from Aug, 19th…

Continue reading “Felt like venting on the itsan.org forum & current photos…” →

holistic healing, journal entry, topical steroid withdrawal, update

My first post!!!

by jlh827Leave a Comment on My first post!!!

So this is my very first post!  I was trying to wait and post once all of my pages were complete, but I felt compelled to put this up.  I’m right now 2 years and 5 months into my topical steroid withdrawal process and it’s been a rough journey.  Quite a lot of ups and downs, and I guess a part of me feeling so adamant about posting now is because of how I’ve been feeling.  Throughout this whole process, my body has been pretty consistent with how it wants to heal.  At the very beginning, back in March 2012, once I got off the steroids the withdrawal process started somewhat slowly….then became full blown by June.  Since then, my body likes to heal like this: go bizerk during the summer months, finally taper off early fall, then be tolerable to where I can actually function (be fully clothed comfortably, go out and about) in the winter, slowly start showing withdrawal symptoms again in the spring….then go crazy again come summertime. So this year, right on schedule it started to become its worst towards the end of May.  This year most definitely wasn’t as bad as last year…I can already see signs of it tapering off, but I still have moments of discomfort, oozing, crusting, aching pain, fatigue and emotional ups and downs.  This particularly sucks because I made a leap and moved back to New York (I was living in North Carolina with family) on my own at the end of Aug 2013.  Even then it was extra difficult because I was in the middle of another “summertime healing crisis”.  Once I got here I literally was stuck in the apartment until October!  Yea, no joke.  Like….I didn’t leave my apartment until October!  Thank God I live in a city where everything can come to you.  I had my laundry picked up and dropped off, and I had my groceries delivered to me!  Once I was “back on my feet” (literally, because the worst of my healing was on my legs and feet) I was able to get out and about, even hold down a job.  I was enjoying this wonderful city that I’ve missed for so long.  So it’s been a bit of a disappointment to be back in this state, but I know that it’s just a part of the process.  My body has absorbed soooooo many toxins, and I know the time that it’s going to take to be rid of them completely.  On the upside, this healing process seems to have taken less time then last year, and its not as intense.  On the good days where my feet aren’t so swollen and are not oozing lymph fluid, I can actually put on socks and sneakers for a short time and go to the grocery store, or go on short outings.  Last year I was way too weak to really do any of that. Although I’m feeling a bit frustrated right now, not being able to work (I had to take a leave of absence once it flared up really badly at the end of May), not being able to enjoy the beach and other summertime activities, I still give thanks everyday, and stay as positive as I can.  I know that “this too shall pass” and I gotta go through this hurdle, no matter how long it may take to come out clean and healthy on the other side.  So to anyone who may read this post and check out my site, I just want to let you know that I feel you, I know your pain and your frustrations.  I know what it feels like to fall into the depths of depression, thinking that this agony will never end, but you gotta pull yourself out of it and know that IT WILL END.  Everything ends sooner or later, and you will be a stronger, wiser and a forever changed human being because of this battle that you’ve won!  I foresee victory in my future as well as yours! ❤ Stay Strong Eczema Warriors!!

 

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