{"id":162,"date":"2018-12-24T00:38:51","date_gmt":"2018-12-24T00:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/?page_id=162"},"modified":"2019-02-20T01:14:54","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T01:14:54","slug":"healing-journey","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/?page_id=162","title":{"rendered":"Healing Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"162\" class=\"elementor elementor-162 elementor-bc-flex-widget\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-07a9d04 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"07a9d04\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-49c42f6\" data-id=\"49c42f6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8be7578 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8be7578\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"815\" height=\"257\" src=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Healing-Journey-banner-1.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Healing-Journey-banner-1.png 815w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Healing-Journey-banner-1-300x95.png 300w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Healing-Journey-banner-1-768x242.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f8a8367 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f8a8367\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fec98b4\" data-id=\"fec98b4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb21edf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fb21edf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Illn<\/strong><b>ess is the great equalizer.<\/b>\u00a0 It can strike anyone, at any time.\u00a0 This is the story of what happened to me, and how I found resiliency and joy in the midst of the crumbles of my life.\u00a0\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">In 2002, I was an active, healthy working mother of two, going through life as many of us do, from one activity to the next.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">The pace felt hectic at times, but my body was strong, my family healthy, and my career as a nurse fulfilling and inspiring<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Then the summer of 2002 arrived.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">A strange and virulent illness took me down for over a week with relentless symptoms of high fevers, severe body pain, migraine-like headaches, chills, and vertigo.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Unable to go beyond my bed and the bathroom, my husband kept a camel back filled, as I struggled to stay hydrated.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Being a nurse, I remember thinking, \u201cThis feels like some weird tropical illness or disease. Something is very wrong.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">I had no respiratory symptoms.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">It was like a summertime flu, but no pneumonia-like component.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">A visit to my primary care doctor four days later came back with a \u201cself limiting illness,\u201d likely viral in source.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Relieved to hear this, I was sent home with a \u201cZ pack\u201d antibiotic.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">My bulk of my symptoms very graciously resolved, and I went back to life as usual.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><style>\n<!-- \/* Font Definitions *\/ @font-face {font-family:\"Cambria Math\"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073786111 1 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:Zapfino; panose-1:3 3 3 0 4 7 7 7 12 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:script; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-2147483545 1073741889 0 0 147 0;} \/* Style Definitions *\/ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:\"\"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:\"Times New Roman\"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --><br \/><\/style><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-96c8e67 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"96c8e67\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-163d353\" data-id=\"163d353\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d63cf5f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d63cf5f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"860\" height=\"570\" src=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-2-1.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-2-1.png 860w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-2-1-300x199.png 300w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-2-1-768x509.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bd69d49\" data-id=\"bd69d49\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4fe196 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a4fe196\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>But things were not \u201cas usual.\u201d\u00a0 Things were off.\u00a0 Clearly.\u00a0 Yet I chose to ignore the whispers of my body, and pushed through the fatigue, balance issues, mild aches, immune issues, brain fog, and auspicious signs from my body.\u00a0 The symptoms were intermittent, generally mild, and did not keep me from functioning.\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Until they did.\u00a0 It was October 17<\/span><sup>th<\/sup><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">, 2004.\u00a0 During the fall of 2004 my symptoms had been increasing at an alarming rate. New ones were cropping up, like the attention grabbing pain and tingling on the soles of my feet. \u00a0By the summer of 2004 I was forcibly dragging myself to the gym for my hour long stair master sessions following by yoga and weights with incredible difficulty.\u00a0 My once pleasurable and energy generating gym sessions were becoming shorter and shorter, as my body was feeling weaker, and <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\">deep<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> fatigue was becoming the norm.\u00a0 My once beloved yoga sessions became challenging, as my balance faltered, and my body struggled.\u00a0 I required recovery time from my work days, often too depleted to sit up and eat dinner when I got home.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6d961b3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6d961b3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d26c647\" data-id=\"d26c647\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d761b6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0d761b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Yet I pushed.\u00a0 And I pushed. And I pushed.\u00a0 Until it all came tumbling down.\u00a0 That morning on October 17<sup>th<\/sup>, 2004, once again at the gym\u2014clearly not listening to my body as it was breaking down\u2014I attempted a headstand after a short stair master session, and the whirling vertigo kicked in more viciously than ever before.\u00a0 Unable to drive or really move without vomiting and reeling from the spinning, my husband came to the gym to get me home.\u00a0<\/p><p>The next several months were a series of doctor visits to every specialist imaginable.\u00a0 The concluding diagnosis was \u201cchronic fatigue syndrome\u201d (CFS), sometimes called \u201cmyalgic encephalomyelitis\u201d (ME).\u00a0 <em>Really?\u00a0 That is all you have for me? \u00a0But what is the cause?\u00a0 How do we treat it? \u00a0<\/em>By this point I had had to take a 3-month medical leave, as my body was completely broken down.\u00a0 The next fierce symptom to come in, although it was really waiting in the wings for weeks, was depression.\u00a0 Having had episodes of clinical depression in my past\u2014successfully treated with medication\u2014this became the go-to label of many of my practitioners, despite my assertions that this was unlike <em>any<\/em> depression I had ever experienced in the past. \u00a0I will never forget when I finally got to a well-respected, Boston area psychiatrist who confidently told me, \u201cAll of your symptoms have all been <em>from depression.<\/em>\u00a0 This is very treatable.\u201d\u00a0 The relief I felt was indescribable.\u00a0 I was overjoyed!\u00a0 <em>Yes!\u00a0 Now I can get better!\u00a0 Bring on the drugs!<\/em>\u00a0 So we went deep into medications.\u00a0 My body, once able to tolerate antidepressants easily, seemed to experience every side effect and more.\u00a0 <em>Crap.\u00a0 What is happening? <\/em>\u00a0Finally, after several modulations, we landed on a cocktail that gratefully brought back my sleep, appetite, and the ability to feel a little bit of joy.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ea0f18f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ea0f18f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c56a60f\" data-id=\"c56a60f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8ba607b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8ba607b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>But\u2026. The deep fatigue, the muddling brain fog, the sailor like gait of dizziness, oddball immune issues, and the neuropathies of my feet were <em>still there.<\/em>\u00a0 It was wonderful to have an abatement of the depression symptoms, and feel my fighting spirit again.\u00a0 But it was terrifying to still be <em>so<\/em> debilitated and unable to be active, as before.\u00a0 I was able to go back to work as an oncology nurse, transferring to the radiation therapy department from the more vigorous setting of the chemotherapy clinic. <em>\u00a0Every ounce of my energy was devoted to my work and my children.\u00a0 <\/em>I become a master at \u201cenergy conservation\u201d to manage my life.\u00a0 Never again was I able to go back to the gym, ski, play tennis, ride a bike, socialize in the evenings, travel easily, work more than 24 hours a week without huge consequences, or participate fully in life, as I knew it.\u00a0 The losses.\u00a0 The losses involved with chronic illness are too numerous to list, and unique to each person.\u00a0 But I adapted.\u00a0 I dug in. I learned. <em>I listened to what life was trying to tell me.\u00a0 <\/em>I surrendered and opened to <em>the whispers<\/em> of life.\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">Something magical happens with surrender. A peacefulness comes through.\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0The peace that passes all understanding\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">benevolently steps in (Philippians 4:7). \u00a0A deep inner calm begins to soothe the body, the mind, the spirit.\u00a0 The need to fight \u201cwhat is\u201d turns into a \u201cflowing\u201d with reality and unpredictability. \u00a0It was a work in progress for me.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400;\">I\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">was a work in progress.\u00a0 But my spirit was beginning to rise up and\u00a0<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px; font-weight: 400;\">take the lead,\u00a0<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">as never before in all of my life\u2019s struggles, and there had been many.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-54c17f1\" data-id=\"54c17f1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2eedcf2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2eedcf2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_9805-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_9805-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_9805-150x150.jpg 150w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_9805-300x300.jpg 300w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_9805-768x768.jpg 768w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/IMG_9805.jpg 1946w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4a2dff7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4a2dff7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-551a72e\" data-id=\"551a72e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cca6c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3cca6c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0<\/p><p>I recognized her, my spirit.\u00a0 She was so light filled, so wise and comforting, and even joyful in the midst of brain tranquilizing fogginess, dizziness, pain and fear.\u00a0 I recognized her as the compassionate force that had been guiding me my whole life.\u00a0 She felt like home, that true \u201chome\u201d where everything makes sense and is all right, no matter what is going on.\u00a0 She was my light.\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">I welcomed her in like never before.\u00a0 \u00a0Instinctually aware now and awakening\u2014 brushing off the cobwebs of life\u2019s conditioning\u2014I felt myself <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\">growing <\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">into my light, my spirit, my soul.\u00a0\u00a0 Not yet \u201cstanding\u201d in this light\u2014but clearly feeling her embrace\u2014I \u201cdid my work\u201d towards healing in every way that I could, but now with a more measured and grounded energy.\u00a0 I continued to see specialists and practitioners of all sorts, traditional and alternative.\u00a0 My scientific mind joined forces with my light-filled spirit, researching all that I could about CFS\/ME.\u00a0 I embraced daily meditation and visualization, particularly imagining my body and <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\">my cells<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> healing, strengthening, restoring, reweaving, and <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\">transforming<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">.\u00a0 I welcomed\u2014albeit sometimes reluctantly\u2014nutritional adaptations rich with nourishing foods.\u00a0 Practices that turned<\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> on<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> my body\u2019s innate healing mechanisms became an integral part of my life\u2014journaling, nature bathing, social connections (as much as I was able), traditional therapy, spiritual healing, daily gentle stretching, positive affirmations, gratitude\u2014all of it.\u00a0 I tended to emotional wounds\u2014past and present\u2014that yearned for attention, integration, and release.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Slowly I felt myself \u201csitting up\u201d in the power of my light.\u00a0 Still not \u201cstanding,\u201d but fluffing into the light, the weave of my being starting to glisten with resiliency and strength.\u00a0 My capacity for joy grew, in spite of my changed life and daily symptoms.\u00a0 I relished moments with family, friends, patients and colleagues, and life in general, as I never had before.\u00a0 <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Illness will do this to you.\u00a0 <\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Uncomplicated gifts become anchors. \u00a0Watching birds from my living room couch, appreciating the vastness of the catalpa tree of my front yard, taking in the silence of snowfall, soaking in the embrace of my husband, the hugs of my children. These became the cherished fabric of my life, more healing than anything. The ability to <\/span><em style=\"font-size: 16px;\">simply be,<\/em><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"> versus \u201cdoing, doing, doing\u201d is where my real transformation occurred.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-598e305 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"598e305\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3488d73\" data-id=\"3488d73\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-39e1056 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"39e1056\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"858\" height=\"519\" src=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-5-1.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-5-1.png 858w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-5-1-300x181.png 300w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-5-1-768x465.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-43f691f\" data-id=\"43f691f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10b4c61 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"10b4c61\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>And then it all came crashing down, again, yet in a whole new way, on April 15<sup>th<\/sup>, 2013, the day of the Boston Marathon Terrorist attack.\u00a0 The events of the bombing and the\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">subsequent Watertown Shootout 4 days later set into motion a cascade in my life that changed everything.\u00a0 Living in Watertown, a few blocks from the shootout, waking up to the SWAT team searching our home, and later the massive gunfire as the suspect was apprehended from the boat, set off stress in my body and reignited childhood trauma that blew my body\u2019s \u201csafety setting\u201d to smithereens.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>A week later I succumbed to a vicious shingles infection affecting several areas on the left side of my body.\u00a0 My immune system must have become very busy fighting this infection\u2014magnanimously I might add\u2014but whatever symptoms I had had in the past, and continued to struggle with daily, returned with a vengeance.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-363314a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"363314a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-078db36\" data-id=\"078db36\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57512c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"57512c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>My nursing career, as I knew it, was over.\u00a0 I never again was able to work in my beloved oncology nurse role.\u00a0 I tried.\u00a0 Oh, I tried.\u00a0 Yet another 3-month medical leave.\u00a0 Hoping and praying that my health would improve.\u00a0 The shingles resolved beautifully, but the deep fatigue, debilitating balance issues, tranquilizing brain fog, and once again, relentless depression\u00a0<em>were back.<\/em>\u00a0 And intractable.\u00a0 And as before, the depression\u00a0<em>was<\/em>\u00a0treatable, but this time requiring a more vigorous treatment of 12 weeks of transcranial magnetic stimulation.\u00a0 And as before, the other troubling symptoms\u00a0<em>continued,<\/em>\u00a0even once the depression was controlled.\u00a0 But this time, the symptoms were even more magnified and eviscerating in nature.<\/p><p>From 2013 to the present, I went into full on healing mode.\u00a0 I dug even deeper into all modalities that I knew would support healing and resurrection, as much as possible for my dear body, that was fighting so hard for me.\u00a0 I discovered the emerging field of epigenetics, the works of Lissa Rankin, Deepak Chopra, Joe Dispenza, Dawson Church, Kelly Turner, and others who described evidence based practices for encouraging \u201cspontaneous remissions.\u201d I embraced all I could do for this healing.\u00a0 And slowly I went from being couch and bed ridden (for most of 2013) to re-emerging just a bit.\u00a0 With the help of my new handicapped placard I was able to make a few dashes to the store, cook a little bit, and be available for my daughter, now in high school.<\/p><p>My body required frequent and clear periods of daily rest (and still does), but my spirit was growing, shaking out more cobwebs, and rooting even more deeply than ever in my power.\u00a0 My light.\u00a0 Anchored.\u00a0 Upright and standing tall.\u00a0\u00a0<em>Standing tall in my light.<\/em><\/p><p>In 2015, the mystery of exactly what this illness was, beyond CFS\/ME became clearer.\u00a0 An astute physician in Boston found Lyme Disease, Bartonella, and Babesia.\u00a0 Wow.\u00a0 Whoa.\u00a0 It all made sense.\u00a0\u00a0<em>That\u00a0<\/em>was that crazy and bizarre illness in the summer of 2002 that kicked everything off.\u00a0 My new doctor confirmed this.\u00a0 I received further corroboration of these diagnoses through the Dean Center for Tick-borne Illness at Spaulding Rehab (affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital) later in 2015.\u00a0 Relieved to finally get to the root cause of this journey of illness, I dove deep into antibiotics and other treatments\u2014herbs, supplements, homeopathy\u2014for several months.\u00a0 Nothing was truly moving the needle.\u00a0 My doctors told me that the spirochetes and infections were lodged deeply in my neurological system, from the many years of untreated Lyme and co-infections.\u00a0 \u201cLife\u2019s dirty needles.\u201d\u00a0 A term I once heard about tick bites.\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 They sure were for me.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f0a4952 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f0a4952\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6365a6d\" data-id=\"6365a6d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-07c73fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"07c73fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>So, my spirit grew some more.\u00a0 I dove deeper into my healing practices, epigenetics, research, flowing and flowing, accepting, appreciating what I\u00a0<em>could\u00a0<\/em>do, not what I could not.\u00a0 The cobwebs blowing away, like dust back to the earth.\u00a0\u00a0<em>Standing tall and strong, I could feel my light powerfully guiding me, cheering me on.<\/em>\u00a0 I found\u00a0<em>me,<\/em>\u00a0my true self, unburdened and free.\u00a0\u00a0 I found that place that powers you from within, with the best kind of energy.\u00a0 Maybe not the kind of energy that allows for a great work out or day on the ski slopes, but the kind of energy that reweaves the fabric of one\u2019s life into a resilient and whole human being, scars and all.\u00a0<\/p><p>Finally, in August of 2016, I found the Lyme Magnetic Protocol (LMP), the treatment that began to really move the needle of my healing.\u00a0 My gifted LMP practitioner tackled the pathogens\u2014layer by layer\u2014while supporting my body\u2019s pathways of regeneration.\u00a0 My physical body began responsively shedding noxious bacteria, viruses, and fungi with relief and eagerness, without the collateral damage inflicted by antibiotics on my gut and brain.\u00a0 My immune system began perking up and regaining balance.\u00a0\u00a0<em>Thank goodness.<\/em>\u00a0It is my belief that a hearty immune system is vital for overall well-being, and that\u00a0<em>all\u00a0<\/em>of us are exposed to a myriad of pathogens\u2014Lyme or otherwise\u2014that can wreak havoc on us, at any time.\u00a0 With an intact and balanced immune system, the virulent little critters are kept in check.<\/p><p><span style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\">But my neurological symptoms\u2014balance issues, fatigue, and neuropathies\u2014still have a way to go.\u00a0 Yes, they are better.\u00a0 My practitioners and I are working on it, as we very slowly taper down medicines that contribute to fatigue, sedation, and dizziness.\u00a0 This will take a while.\u00a0 As with everything on this journey\u2014patience, perseverance, experimentation, and faith\u2014are mandated virtues.\u00a0 And ones that may take me a lifetime to master, if ever I do.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-04dd679\" data-id=\"04dd679\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c57bd45 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c57bd45\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"577\" height=\"862\" src=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-4-2.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-4-2.png 577w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Copy-of-Untitled-4-2-201x300.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 577px) 100vw, 577px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1a73ad8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1a73ad8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-75a5b2c\" data-id=\"75a5b2c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d03a7f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d03a7f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>In the fall of 2017,\u00a0<em>the real magic began.<\/em>\u00a0 With my true north firmly guiding me, I launched into a year long\u2019s training to become an integrative nutrition health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.\u00a0 It was the perfect amalgamation of my lifelong love of nutrition, my nursing career, and the hard-earned wisdom from living with illness.\u00a0 I graduated in November of 2018 with a vision of a coaching practice, future workshops, kitchen sessions, speaking engagements, and a dream of one day writing a book to make sense of this whole perplexing journey.\u00a0 I named my new business \u201cVibrant Health Integrative Nutrition,\u201d as vibrancy and health have been my visions for myself, and what I wish to share with others. \u00a0<\/p><p><em>Standing tall in my light.<\/em>\u00a0 Indeed.\u00a0 We all have a story.\u00a0 We all have challenges.\u00a0 We all come upon twists and turns that throw us out into left field in the course of this mysterious thing called life.\u00a0 My mission is to help others access their light.\u00a0 Their power and inner wisdom. This guiding beacon is inside\u00a0<em>all\u00a0<\/em>of us, delightfully ready to escort us through life, if we take the time to listen and tune in. Imagine a world where everyone is able to share their gifts and unique talents\u00a0<em>unapologetically<\/em>.\u00a0 Imagine a world where people are\u00a0<em>tapped in<\/em>\u00a0and turned on to the fullness of their power.\u00a0 A world where everyone is standing tall in their light.\u00a0<\/p><p>Don\u2019t wait for illness or some other unforeseen life occurrence to find your<em>\u00a0own<\/em>\u00a0wonder and bubbling well of joy, your resilient spirit.\u00a0 Like a plant, orient yourself toward the light.\u00a0 Illuminate the world.\u00a0<\/p><p>I would like to end with a quote from the wise Marianne Williamson:<\/p><p><em>Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.\u00a0 Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.\u00a0 It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.\u00a0 We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?\u00a0 Actually, who are you not to be?\u00a0 You are a child of God.\u00a0 Your playing small does not serve the world.\u00a0 There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won\u2019t feel insecure around you.\u00a0 We are all meant to shine, as children do.\u00a0 And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p><p>I am not only \u201cstanding tall\u201d in my light now, I am\u00a0<em>walking<\/em>\u00a0in my light, my power, my beauty, my purpose.\u00a0 No, this does not mean I am immune to life\u2019s curve balls.\u00a0\u00a0 But it does mean that for right now\u2014the moment that truly only matters\u2014I am strong.\u00a0 I am healed.\u00a0 I embrace my life, just as it is.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Sincerely,\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Gretchen Dunoyer<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-56c5d97 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"56c5d97\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3b1f9fe\" data-id=\"3b1f9fe\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd8e374 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"cd8e374\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMG_3807-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMG_3807-1024x768.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMG_3807-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMG_3807-768x576.jpg 768w, http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/IMG_3807.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Illness is the great equalizer.\u00a0 It can strike anyone, at any time.\u00a0 This is the story of what happened to me, and how I found resiliency and joy in the midst of the crumbles of my life.\u00a0\u00a0In 2002, I was an active, healthy working mother of two, going through life as many of us do, &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/?page_id=162\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Healing Journey<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/162"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=162"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":891,"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/162\/revisions\/891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/vibranthealthintegrativenutrition.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}