Getting real with the hard reality

For about six years now, I've been living with Non-Alcoholic Steato-Hepatitis...also known as a fatty liver disease which basically is meaning my liver is enlarged, enzymes extremely high because my liver is not processing the sugars and things as it should. For example, I cannot take Tylenol because it goes through the liver and isn't processed correctly. So, I've learned what I can and cannot eat with this (like whole-grain, nothing refined...basically all the things we should eat anyway) and it has worked greatly. My liver is no longer enlarged and enzyme levels (while not back to perfect) came down to more acceptable. However, at my last two lab workups, the levels are going back up and we aren't sure why. Even though the last liver biopsy I had wasn't a horrible thing, I don't relish the thought of having another one anytime soon...

However, the newest wrinkle in life is that I am no officially living with Diabetes. I know to many folks who have it or know folks who do, it is kind of a 'okay and ho-hum' thing....until you hear the words with your name in front. It threw me for a spin. I mean, I may be a big boy, but not heavily overweight by any charts and the doctors have never been particularly concerned about it. My diet is fairly good...I love fresh veggies, fish and beef (not a big poultry fan), and very rarely eat any kind of bread. However... I could live my life eating pasta three meals a day (whole-grain, of course)....but, pasta is pasta is carbohydrates. And...yes, those gummi bears call my name frequently. So, I guess those are safe from my jaws now. But, I am now officially on two more prescriptions and I am not a fan of legal pharmaceuticals....(just kidding, church people!) Plus, I have STRICT doctor instructions to reduce the stress in my life. Hmmmm, reckon how he knows that Stress is my middle name.

I've spent a couple days reading everything I could find from reputable internet sources, doing a lot of soul-searching and talking to some trusted friends who are in the medical field. I know this is a serious thing if I don't get my act together, but I can do it. And I will do it. Well, since today is my brother's birthday, I must force down birthday cake and ice cream, but I will do it.

Since I tend to have few filters about revealing all things about my life, you will probably enjoy traveling this journey along with me as I travel a new path of eating, exercise and lifestyle. I had my cottonball with a few drops of lavender oil next to the bed last night with my instrumental Celtic music playing....said the Lord's Prayer and the 23rd Psalm from memory and then relaxed off with my new meditation skills from Deepak Chopra. I slept better than ever. Plus, a dose of tough love from Micheal Elliott scared me if I don't get busy.