Contemplating what story to tell, at almost 10:00 pm, I thought back over my day. It was a long one, full of joys and appointments. I showed property, climbed stairs, crawled in and out of the car multiple times, trotted across parking lots, got drenched during a thunderstorm, sat for extended periods of time, shared meals with grandkids. None of those activities are unusual, except that two and a half years ago, I would not have been able to put in such a day. The reoccurring thought that I entertained today was one of gratitude for my legs. This is a story about legs.
For years I took my legs for granted. They got me around and I never gave them much thought, beyond occasional dissatisfaction with the way they looked or the fact that I toe in when I walk, due to my hip joints.
After a serious car accident in 1995, I became much more aware of my legs because of damage to my low back. Inflammation set in, in my sciatic nerves, and thus began my journey with chronic pain.
I can’t adequately describe the agony of living with chronic pain. Sitting, standing, and walking were all uncomfortable. Muscles tightened around my knees, to the point that those joints would lock and not want to straighten out if I sat or slept with legs bent. They tightened in my calves as well. My nerves became so sensitive to touch that jeans and slacks against my skin created constant irritation and the soles of my feet could feel the texture of my socks. My feet didn’t like that. Restless legs kept me from sleeping well at night and long rides in the car or by airplane were unbearable.
As the years passed the pain increased, in spite of every kind of treatment imaginable. Doctors gave up. I gave up and learned to live with the pain and growing weakness in my legs. In 2015 it became necessary for me to use a cane to walk and a wheelchair seemed inevitable.
That was the lowest point, in this story about legs. That’s when I cried out, at a heart and soul level, for help. My cries were heard, and an answer given.
I found Anthony William by way of Facebook. I read his first book, Medical Medium, and my life changed, because my health changed. I discovered that the shingles virus had attacked my sciatic nerves, and that I could heal by avoiding foods that feed the virus, and consuming foods that support and heal the body. (Read more about healing foods.)
Switching to a plant based diet began a healing journey that continues today. In the last two years I’ve completely eliminated the shingles virus, healed inflamed nerves in my legs, strengthened weakened muscles, loosened stiff joints, eased nerve sensitivity and said bye bye to chronic pain, the cane and restless legs syndrome. Amazingly, something even shifted in my hip joints because I don’t toe in as much as I used to.
I can easily cross my legs, put on my shoes, stretch out my legs, climb stairs, squat and walk…all activities that had become impossible for me. I’m still careful going down stairs as that has been the most difficult thing for me to do, however I can manage, and as my legs continue to improve stairs are less and less problematic.
The thought I’ve had repeatedly the last two months is these don’t feel like my legs anymore. I love how great my legs feel and how well they work. Taking them for granted will never happen again. I say “thank you” to my legs, to the Divine and to Anthony every day.
My healing journey inspires me to help others who are struggling with health problems or chronic pain and disorders or who have given up, thinking they will never feel good again. There is hope. And my intention is to share that hope. The work I am doing now is leading me down the path of making a difference for others.
As I drove home tonight, I opened my library of songs on my iPhone and hit “shuffle”. I call this game Spirit Songs and I asked the Divine to select the songs I most needed to hear. The tunes that popped up were all perfect. I knew I had time for one more song before I arrived home. I asked the Divine to select the last song. Make it a great one, I whispered.
The next song up was Dancing Queen from the Mama Mia soundtrack. Of course, the Queen reference made me laugh. But as I listened intently to the words, tears filled my eyes.
You can dance, You can jive, Having the time of your life
Ooh, see that girl, Watch that scene, Digging the dancing queen.
A story about legs…it has a happy ending, or it will have, because this story is still being told, my healing is ongoing.
Now though, I can dance, I can jive, I AM having the time of my life. Watch this girl as the scenes unfold. I am the dancing queen.
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