Where Do I Go From Here?
Nurse Kate’s Tips for Navigating Your Health and Breathing Into Your Best Life!
“I am in control of my health. ”
Over the years with my own health struggles and (often bumpy) journey to optimal wellness, I’ve had to learn not only how to advocate for my needs, but how to carve my own path along the way. I’ve learned the importance of sorting through and pulling the weeds from the forest to locate the beautiful trail which passes through to the other side. Looking back, this journey hasn’t been about finding optimal health or “curing” my ills. I’ve come to realize that it’s been about finding myself along the way. It’s been about loving myself enough to find the answers meant for me to achieve my version of optimal wellness. It’s been about never settling for anything less than me living my best life! Seeing the woman that has emerged as I’ve allowed her the space she needs for growth and discovery, has been the ultimate blessing, making this entire journey well worth the stumbles, the road blocks, and the (metaphorical and literal) blood, sweat, and tears along the way. I’ve come a long way since the beginning of my wellness journey and have learned a great deal. I encourage you to seek your own path to achieve optimal wellness, so you too, can live and breathe your best life!
I’m quite sure I’m not alone when I say that I have often felt unseen and unheard by my healthcare providers. I felt I needed guidance in navigating the system and working through the growing number of vague discomforts that had been effecting my quality of life - fatigue, bloating, stubborn weight, chronic constipation, many food sensitivities, frequent colds and infections, aches and pains, and more. My reports of feeling “off” were dismissed by provider after provider. Labs and tests that were performed led me to hope for an answer, but resulted as ‘normal’. I began to think it was “all in my head” as no one seemed to have the time to listen or know how to guide me to a solution.
It wasn’t until about 10 years ago that I decided to take my health in my own hands and began researching some of my symptoms, searching for answers. Even as an experienced nurse, there were many ups and downs along the way. I had more questions than answers to my problems. I researched and trialed more protocols than I can count at the moment. They would bring subtle relief, but I was still feeling lack-luster. Providers, dollars, time, and energy all spent, with no lasting relief. I was about to give up on finding a solution. “I guess this is what it’s like to get older.” Then something occurred to me. Had I been approaching this journey from the wrong perspective? Like my conventional healthcare team, I was digging for an “external fix”. I was piling on “fixes”, never considering I must “inquire within”.
I decided to take a more internal and holistic approach. The only person I hadn’t yet consulted about a solution to my