Chapter 7: The Same, But Different
A bit of good news to start: I did not go completely bald. I did, however, lose about half of the fullness of my hair, and about an inch of the hair along my hairline, from one side of my head to the other. I went through some rapid and extreme shedding, and then it just stopped as quickly as it began. - There is a very good side story here about a trip with my mother to go buy a wig and some underwear. It will have to be a separate post in the future, because it is deserving of its own page. - I was grateful for the hair I had left. Always be grateful for what you have. I purchased some dry shampoo so I didn’t have to wash and comb my hair every day. I bought a collagen thickening shampoo and conditioner. I bought a wide toothed comb. I did some research and began taking biotin supplements. And I spent an emotional hour with my hair stylist who said to me, “I don‘t think cutting your hair really short is the answer. I want you to keep as much of ‘you‘ as possible. We’ll make this work. And if your eyelashes fall out, I‘m coming to your house to put them back on! [What she meant were eyelash extensions]. Here‘s my card with my cell phone number on it. Call me!” And I realized her attitude was exactly the right one. I was still me. I was just different now.
I needed to get to a place where I could feel and project that attitude into my own life. I needed to concentrate on thinking positively. So should anyone with an autoimmune disorder. And obviously I understand how difficult it can be when you feel you’re at your worst. But if you can manage to change your thoughts, you will change your life. What you put out into The Universe, be it negative or positive, is exactly what will begin to manifest itself in your life. It’s alright to be emotional about the changes your body is going through. Just remember to reset your focus back where it belongs - on feeling healthy. However you manage to do that will be a personal choice.
For me, I immersed myself in my vast private library of spiritual books. I dove into metaphysics, crystals, tarot cards, fairies, meditation, and I Feng Shui’d my bedroom. I wanted to think, breathe, and live positivity. I wanted to feel like there was a power greater than me watching out for me. I wanted to remind myself that there are no coincidences, and that everything happens for a reason. (Of course I was supposed to see my hair stylist that day! I needed to hear what she had to say! It was part of the plan!) I am on a predestined path, and all of this is happening just the way it is supposed to. I wanted my head to communicate to my heart that it was all going to work out. I wanted to feel renewed. I wanted peace and comfort. And I got it.
The shift into a better spiritual place did not come quickly, but it did come easily. Everything I read and everything I did just felt “right”. I had been to that place before, before I was diagnosed, and so I felt when I was there again. I was on my path. I was refocused and recharged and ready for whatever would come next.
Life Lesson #7 - Thoughts are things. What you think about, multiplies.
Graves Disease Lesson #7 - An autoimmune disorder affects every part of your being. It also responds to the inner dialogue you play in your head. I learned in the psychiatric rotation of my nursing training this one simple thing which has profound meaning: Thoughts lead to feelings which lead to behaviors. Thus, if you think positively, you will be conjuring up images that will make you feel positively, and you will begin to act on those feelings, projecting them out into The Universe where they will multiply and come right back and manifest themselves in your life.
Apply this principle to Graves disease and here‘s what you get:
Picture yourself being healthy, which will make you begin to feel motivated to become that picture, which will cause you to act on that motivation. You will begin taking more time for yourself, you will begin eating better and taking supplemental nutrition, you will begin acting as though nothing is going to get in the way of that picture you have of yourself. The result: You will be more rested and more peaceful, your nutritional status will improve, you will in small ways, day by day, become your picture! Manifestation 101. Voila!
- Dorian A., RN, CHLC
www.BioEnergyAromatherapy.com