Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Progress

I had a great visit with my doctor this morning to go over all the lab results that have come in since my dental cleanup and chelation therapy. I think it's all been worthwhile and not some expensive crackpot hippie doctor whim. I say this because as I sat in the dentist's chair for hours, hemorrhaging money all the while, it occurred to me that maybe this was all a crackpot hippie doctor whim. What do my teeth have to do with my thyroid? Mercury? What?

But lab results seem to indicate that my $5000 worth of dental work is in fact helping me get better. The antibodies that cause the autoimmune response in my body have decreased dramatically since I first began getting my teeth repaired last spring. Once those antibodies are in the normal range, my thyroid will no longer be under attack and causing my body to run at high speed. At that point I will be officially in remission from Grave's Disease. I honestly never thought the day would come but under the guidance of my most excellent doctor, I think it's a very real possibility and not so far off.

Two and a half years ago when I got word that I had a chronic autoimmune disease, things really fell apart for me in the sense that I felt like a powerless victim beginning the long slide towards the grave at just 41 years old. The doctor I had at the time did nothing to dispel my fears, and in fact seemed to exacerbate them as much as possible in an attempt to create a weird sort of dependence. This lady head serious control issues, and I am so grateful that I was able to walk away from her and find a doctor who was truly interested in my health. I feel so lucky to have a solid, respectful relationship with my current doctor who really feels like a partner in managing this stupid disease. Also she prescribes sauna visits. That's crackpot hippie doctor advice I can live with!

I'm not out of the woods yet, and there's more chelation and dietary tweaking in my future, but I am amazed at how empowering it is to know that I do have at least some control over my health. The food I eat and the choices I make really do make a difference, and I've managed to get healthier without the lifelong complications of the mainstream therapies.

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