Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Thankful for...

I made this thankful LO for a challenge by Edie over at TSR.



Journalling Reads:

In May I made my routine trek around the Internet to see if there was any new research on sacroiliitis. I saw a study out of the UK that showed promising results when sufferers removed all animal products from their diet. Another study had success with removing gluten from the subjects diet and there were also snippets of work with reducing caffeine, sugar and alcohol. I was desperate for some relief so I gave it all up at once. It wasn’t easy. Five months later I went to see Kirt, my doctor, and he told me had I not changed my diet I would definitely be in a wheel chair today as my bone disease had degenerated from moderate to advanced. He said if I had continued to indulge in the foods I used to enjoy, I would probably spend several days a month in the hospital.

That news scared me to the core. It felt like too near a miss. Had I succumbed to my desires for hot wings or spaghetti I might not be able to walk right now.

It’s been six months since I started my diet and I’ve lost forty pounds. The pain is a lot to deal with and nearly every moment of the day is spent on high alert to keep my back safe. It isn’t a nice way to live but it sure is better than the alternatives. I’m so grateful that God led me to make these choices for myself as opposed to having them forced on me. I’m thankful that I came across this information before it was too late. And I have a great appreciation for the importance of keeping myself healthy and strong.

Do you ever leave a small space for journalling and then discover that you had a lot more to say? When this happens to me I usually make a little booklet. What do you do?

6 comments:

Laura said...

Wow, what a fantastic layout and an absolutely incredible journaling. That really is scary! I am so so so happy that you found out that information!!

itsallrosi said...

Great layout! So glad you did your research and acted on it in time!

About journaling - usually I write it out first, then plan my page around it. I have also in the past just drawn an arrow and continued my journaling on the back of the layout. I rarely type my journaling b/c i hate my printer. In the past I've done pockets full of tags or the hinges with hidden journaling underneath, but I'm moving more towards flat pages these days dents, even with my scrapbooks stored standing up.

itsallrosi said...

I should have proofread before publishing my comment - I meant to say that my older, lumpier pages have dents so now I try to make flatter pages.

CathyR said...

What a beautiful layout Nicole. It was a good thing that you found that research. Congratulations on changing your diet and the weight loss. I'm not sure I could have made all those changes at once.

Edie van den Ordel said...

Nicole this is a beautiful layout! I LOVE it! The journalling is amazing and I am in AWE of what you have done to keep yourself healthy! You are AMAZING!!!!!!

ps - and no I dont mind that you linked my blog to yours :-)

Debbie said...

I believe things come into our lives at just the right time. We have to keep our minds open so we see them and are ready to do something about them. I'm glad you did what you did. I cannot imagine the pain you have, but glad you are on the mend.

I am not a scrapbooker, so I don't journal. Your LO is great. You have a contagious smile.