Chronic Conditions: Not So Bad!

Over these past few months, the little voice in the back of my head has been whispering a dilemma for me. Of course, I chose to push it away until now that it has been placed right in front of me to process and share with those of you who also manage chronic conditions. My dietetics training prepared me well for assisting clients with chronic conditions - diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis etc. My graduate training also honed my tools with regard to the mental health piece - how to maintain positivity with what could be considered "the daily grind"! Much of the work that I do professionally and even with my family/friend relationships, relates to assisting others to focus on the things to be grateful for, while acknowledging that there are times when anger, despair and outright negativity abound. I have become the master at glass 1/2 full and not empty, and while that remains important, there was a part of me resisting that I, too, may have chronic conditions that may not miraculously be healed. I've read voraciously over these past two years about NDE (near death experiences) and the miracles that ensued, and yet, my path has been different. While accepting my journey and learning from it, there remained a part of me waiting/hoping and expecting that I, too, would share this immediate miracle and walk into the lab with my "report card" (see earlier blog) being straight A's. I could not accept that given all my hard work and effort, that I may not come out of this in perfect health. But, then again, who really has perfect health! The ah-ha has finally come. I realize that the strength that I give to others is something that I need to listen to for me. I am alive, healthy in so many ways, love what I do and am so eager to continue to spread the good news of the best of both worlds - the true gifts that ancient wisdom and modern medicine provide to us. I have always been in positions professionally to be a conduit or bridge between the traditional and more holistic approaches and have had a nice niche for years. I am taking my own medicine, so to speak, and am smiling as I put together my team of experts - my integrative PCP, my traditional but brilliant oncologist, my newly found naturopath and my acupuncturist! I believe that I will be spearheading this approach in Boston once I am completely back in action! With vim and vigor, Julie