01/04/2023
I have been quiet on this page for months now. My life changed pretty drastically last fall and it's taken some time for me to navigate everything and come to terms with it.
This is a picture of my spine. I've had scoliosis since age 11. I live with it relatively well. Last year though, everything hurt almost constantly. My joints (specifically my right SI joint) kept slipping. My heart rate is irregular. I'm dizzy all the time. Nauseous. Rashes. Exhaustion. Brain Fog.
The list goes on.
My spine has far more of a curve than it ever has. And it's twisting. I have arthritis now and some degenerating disks.
After months of medical testing I've been diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder. It's a hypermobility disorder (HSD or EDS, but we're unsure which). It impacts not only my muscular-skeletal system but every other system involving connective tissue (vascular system, digestive system, etc). I also have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and just this week was told I probably have mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). These disorders tend to be correlated so it's not surprising to have more than one.
This is why I'm super flexible but also why my scoliosis is progressing, it feels like I'm allergic to gravity, food makes me sick one day but not the next, and simply going from sitting to standing can cause my blood pressure to drop and my heart rate to rise significantly (like from 80 to the 180 some days) and my resting heart rate is way too low (40s).
I'm not going to die from any of my diagnosis but living in my body lately has been quite the challenge. My spine care specialist and chiropractor both had "come to Jesus" talks with me about my lifestyle and the impact it's having on my body. Long story short, I had to give up the dairy herd and scale down on rescue animals as part of a drastic lifestyle change.
It was devastating but honestly, very necessary. I am very thankful that the goats all stayed together. Banjo and the mini horses even got to go with them ❤️ And I'm doing MUCH better (most days).
We are still doing rescue. Just on a smaller scale. We have Bob and Fiona (goats) still. Hercules (lgd), the emus, ducks, chickens, rabbits, the cats, and Tracy and Ike (dogs). Everyone is on the lower level areas so the ground is flat. Wheelbarrow chores and heavy lifting are limited. It's manageable. And brings joy. So, for that I'm thankful.
I'm sharing this now for a few reasons:
1) To remind everyone to listen to their bodies. You only get one. If something feels off, it likely is.
2) We are helping someone out and taking in 3 puppies this afternoon. We need to find them homes ASAP. We can only help short term. I couldn't say no. I'll make a separate post explaining when they arrive and are settled this afternoon.
3) To give an update about how things are going around here since it's been a while.
Hugs to you all!
(Ps- I really am okay. No need for sympathy. Truly. Just help me find homes for 3 female husky pups age 5 months. Spayed and vaccinated except for rabies which they still need). ;)
