3 years 1.5 months TSW

Goodness, it has been a LONG time since I updated the blog. So much has happened in these past few months, where to begin...

As you all know, holistic nutrition is very important to me. I have been following the Medical Medium protocol since my last update. If any of my readers have "just plain eczema" as opposed to steroid induced eczema, I highly recommend this book. Is it THE answer to your skin problems. When I first started implementing the protocol, I immediately saw a regression in my digestive issues and an increase in energy. Slowly, though, I started to have severe detox symptoms. My skin got infinitely worse and at 2.5 years TSW, I became quite discouraged. I tried my damnedest to tough it out but the suffering became too much. I was not functional and unable to perform my duties as a mother. My life and my world seemed to be surreal and I felt myself losing it mentally. So, I finally succumbed to cyclosporine, as recommended to me by Dr. Rapaport. Within DAYS, my skin started to clear. It has never fully cleared since then, and yes, I am still on the immunosuppressant. What it has done is given me my life back. I still flare, of course, but I went from essentially being bedridden to being able to get out of the house every day and do chores around the house. I went from having zero patience with my son to being able to put him to sleep again. Coming from someone who is all about healing naturally, this was such a God-send. I am so grateful to cyclosporine for giving me a semblance of my normal life again but it also taught me something more. Going through TSW, I have obviously learned to question everything when it comes to my health. BUT succumbing to the immunosuppressant taught me that sometimes medicine is necessary. For example, my husband and I have very difficult views on healthcare. Through this experience with cyclo, I have been able to meet my husband in the middle of our views because after going off steroids, I was against mostly all medicines. They don't cure, they treat and they keep you coming back for more, slowly and continuously lining the pockets of Big Pharma execs. If it weren't for my family, I would have keep pushing through with just diet and supplements. But I wasn't the only one suffering, and EVERYBODY needed a break from my illness. So for this break cyclo has afforded us, we are all grateful. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. I can use cyclo to keep my skin under control while continuing the diet protocol I have been on. I'll have to start tapering off cyclo soon anyway, so the diet will be even more necessary in the months to come.

The most important thing I have learned from this experience is my passion to help heal others. I intend to turn this passion into a career and I have finally set about the steps to pursue it. I have been waiting until I was healed to think about graduate school but I now believe that pursuing my passion will be one of the final steps towards my complete healing; mind, body and soul. I have found the perfect program for my desires and can't wait to start learning!! I will apply to get my Master's in Human Functional Nutrition from the University of Western States. It is the only program approved by the Institute for Functional Medicine. If you are unfamiliar with functional medicine, it basically looks at the whole body rather than just the specific part. So if you have skin issues, functional medicine will ask what triggered the skin issues - the liver? stress? diet? - rather than just slathering steroids on it. Find the cause and treat that, and you will cure the disease.

In addition to my skin, I recently had a surgery to remove my breast implants. I had had them in for 10 years exactly when I removed them. I got them when I was young and insecure and was told by my surgeon at the time that they would last forever. Once again, misinformed by a medical professional. I developed capsular contracture, which is inflammation the body has mounted against the implant. If you are into holistic health like I am, you know that inflammation is the root cause of many diseases. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon the term "Breast Implant Illness" and I checked off 25 of the symptoms on the list. I thought there was no way I could possibly have this OTHER super rare condition in addition to the Red Skin Syndrome. Silly me. After searching for the best doctor for the procedure, I explanted just a few weeks ago with Dr. Barnett in Sarasota. I donated my implants to her for research she is conducting in order to officially tie autoimmune disease with breast implants. As of right now, doctors will say there is no scientific proof and therefore not possible. We know how I feel about THAT. Nonetheless, they are out and I am on my way to healing. There were a few complications following the surgery, likely due to my being on an immunosuppressant, but I am still confident that once I heal from this completely, I will be in MUCH better shape than I was before the surgery. If you have breast implants, I strongly advice you look up the term I mentioned and see if they apply to you. I was unsure if I fit the bill but even if I didnt, and the implants are still capable of causing a whole list of symptoms, I would have wanted them out. I just want to give my body the best fighting chance to be healthy.

The end for now. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures with this update but if you are on instagram, you can follow me @mangomama11.11 - there you can see all the pictures from before I started cyclo and the transformation that followed. As well as everything I eat and drink :)
I hope all of you out there are faring well and continue to heal whatever is holding you back. Lots of love and light.