how to be proactive – Kelly Ann Gorman

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE IN HELL AND END UP BACK ON TOP! GOODBYE 2017! I WON’T MISS YOU!

Over the last 12 months I have honest to god been through hell and back quite a few times. I have been mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted more than I could have ever managed possible! I’ve shed gallons of tears, punched multiple pillows and screamed out of pure frustration until my voice was completely gone. More times than I can even remember at this point.

You always hear people say that the man or woman above will never give you more than you can handle. And I am a firm believer of everything happens for a reason. But come on!!!

I’ve asked myself multiple times every single day this past year…Why me? Am I going to die? Is today the day that my time is up? Am I going to feel pain when it happens or will I go peacefully in my sleep? Do I share my story or keep it a secret? How am I going to be able to work if I go blind or my body becomes paralyzed?

Pretty depressing right? I blame a lot of those dark days on being on way too many medications. As of today I am happy to say that I am no longer asking myself those questions or taking the crazy amount of pills that I was on for so many months. The withdrawels were the worst by the way! OMG!

For those of you who are reading this and unfmiliar with my story I was “officially” diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called NMO which stands for Neuromyelitis Optica. It is a very scary disease and one in which you are usually misdiagnosed with having MS at first. That is what happened to me. For those of us that have NMO that is a very scary situation because some of those MS drugs can actually kill us! I was a lucky one. I didn’t take it even though it was in my fridge. I just had a feeling to go with my gut (like I always do) and wait until my 3rd round of MRI’s that my 3rd Neurologist had ordered for me.

To make my very long story short. My 3rd Neurologist said that if I didn’t want to take the drugs prescribed my only option was five days of IV Steroids which would suppress my immune system and prevent a relapse. So I said yes to that treatment.

I ate like a piggie throughout that time (as expected when you’re on steroids) and on the 5th day my blood pressure skyrocketed to 263. I was immediately rushed to the urgent care across the hall which then put me into an ambulence and rushed me to the closest hospital with a neurology team.

I then spent 9 glorious days inside four walls of my hospital room. That is where I met my 4th and final Neurology team who then ran every single test twice that I had previously done throughout the year already. That included 3 more MRI’s and a lovely little spinal tap! Sounds so fun! Right?

I went through 15 IV’s during that time because my veins are apparently invisible. Thank god I have a port now! I mean a metal device in my body for the rest of my life is much better than the anxiety and stress of someone trying to find one of my veins now. I’ll tell ya getting bloodwork done now is a piece of cake for me!

It was on my 5th day of my hospital stay that I received my “official” diagnosis of NMO! I cried tears of joy! I felt like I had just gone through a life long court battle and had come out a winner! A winner I was. And the ones who were wrong were the three previous Neurologists that were trying to tell me different.

I am leaving out a lot of details of the pain and suffering throughout because I just wanted to share my story and somehow still keep it light! I hope I’m doing a good job!

Over the last year I have had to get 12 MRI’s, 3 spinal taps, more than 25 labs (some were 37 viles at a time), 5 days of IV Steroids (mentioned above) and 5 days of IVIG Treatment while I was in the hospital. I’ve had to go through months of physical therapy and now Chemotherapy. This right here would explain my lovely weight gain. However, I am happy to announce I’m finally down 10 pounds now:)

Cut to now. 12-29-17…

I had my last Chemo of 2017 yesterday which is why I’ve been able to work on my computer 12 hours today. The first day I’m usually wired and then I crash a few days later. It was my 9th treatment in only a few months and with my port I feel like a pro! I’m just praying I don’t have the week of bedrest like last month. Praying. Praying because that was the worst pain I have actually felt throughout this entire year or in my life!

I am saving every ounce of energy I have to ring in the new year with the biggest glass of champagne I can find because I dam well deserve it and so do my friends that have stuck by my side throughout this past year! I don’t even have words for how thankful I am for them. That also goes for my doctors and nurses who have completely saved my life!

Sitting in bed watching tv one minute. The next you cannot feel your arms or legs. Feelings of electricity running up and down your spine and body. Seeing white lights and then nothing as your best friend is rushing you to the hospital. That deserves a glass of something right? And my best friend a bottle!

That is just another glimpse into NMO…

I wanted to share my story tonight because it feels good to get a lot of this out. It feels good to know that I have a 150% correct diagnoses and treatment plan after fighting for my life for more than one year. I have a team of doctors that I fought like hell to get. A team that is familiar with this disease and knows how to treat it correctly. NMO is extremely rare and only 4,000 patients in the US have it.

I want to share my journey with you (trust me it’s a lot longer) because you need to be your own advocate. You must speak up for yourself because nobody else will! If you need a second opinion get it! If you need a 3rd or 4th get it! I did! And look where it got me! Back on top and starting to finally feel like myself again.

It doesn’t matter what you are going through in life. We all have our stories. The only thing you need to keep telling yourself is that you are going to make it through. If your family and friends slowly drift away because they don’t understand or for some other reason it is ok. You know who you need on your team to keep your spirits up, your laugh in tact and a smile on your face. You may laugh and cry at the same time. You may sink into a depression and be filled with a rediculous amount of anxiety but I promise you…

You will make it through because I did! And if you don’t have a team I will be your biggest cheerleader!

I hope that by sharing my story with you tonight you will open your eyes to what is possible. You fight hard enough you will win. This goes for everything in life! I’ve always been a fighter. This year I just decided to take it to a whole other level. Not by choice of course but I feel like now I can do anything I want!

You have to give yourself the permission to cry and seek help when you need it. You have to know when you are wrong and apologize. You have to always know that everything does happen for a reason and mine is this. To spread awareness of NMO especially for those who do not have the strength as I hold it for them.

Not every day but most of the time…

As of today my Chemo treatments will be every six months. That is wonderful news for me. I started off going every week, then once a month and now just twice a year but for the rest of my life. Sounds awful but it could always be worse.

I’ve lost enough hair from this drug and the stress added on top. Just FYI if you see my blonde locks again it will be my fabulous new wig as my Dr’s told me to stop dying my hair. If you know me well enough you know that I did not listen! I’ve been through enough shit this year just let me get rid of my dam roots so I can smile in the morning! lol

So to sum up this very very very long post…

Please know that wherever you are and whatever you may be going through you have a friend and supporter right here! We only have one life and we need to make the most of it! With a smile and a sense of humor.

Find your tribe and be the best you can everyday and know that they will always be there to support you just like you will for them!

I think that’s all I have in me tonight!

Sorry. One more thing. The most important!!! Me forgetting. Yup! That’s called Chemo brain and I am definitely suffereing from it right now.

There is currently no cure for NMO! Please take a moment to learn more about this disease below. And if you have an extra five bucks to donate to help find a cure that would be incredibe and I thank you in advance.

Visit The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation here!

Last but not least. Thank you for making it this far. I think now I owe you a drink! LOL.

I wanted to let you know that I will have two new shows up on The Happy Workaholic Podcast tomorrow. This will make it an even number of 40 shows thus far.

I will be sharing some very exciting news on those shows that you will not be able to find anywhere else so you are going to want to tune in.

You can listen to The Happy Workaholic Podcast right here on iTunes!

Not on iTunes? No worries. You can listen to all the episodes on my blog right here!

Thank you again for allowing me to share my story with you. It truly means the world!

Wishing you all a wonderful, happy and healthy New Year! 2018 is our year!

XOXO AND CHEERS!

Kelly

PS To learn about the Just For Us Community I started visit www.justforuscommunity.org here!

***The Just For Us Community was created for anyone going through a tough time in general. Health, heartache or just in need of some happiness. It is a safe place for you to share your feelings, find a few friends and most importantly know that you are not alone!

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY WITH AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE

The Universe works in such a crazy way sometimes. Ironically this blog post had already been scheduled as the How To Series post for the day. If you saw my Instagram post earlier today then you will understand how I am feeling right now and why I am talking about the Universe. I have less Chemo so it is time to get back on track with my healthy eating. I started my morning off with some Bulletproof Coffee and a Thanksgiving Stir Fry (leftovers) and feeling great so far!

You can listen to my latest podcast show here which explains it all…

As you may or may not know I was originally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis lat year and now know that I do not have MS. I actually have an extremely rare autoimmune disease called NMO aka Neuromyelitis Optica.

You can learn more about it here…

Since then my personal and professional life has had to completely change. One thing I refuse to change is my positive attitude. Yes, I have those days that I cry and I am curled up in a ball in bed. But you will never see me posting a negative comment about it on Facebook. I just don’t want to bring negative energy or comments into my life!

My advice to anyone with a medical condition is to surround yourself with the most positive group of people. That includes your Doctors! Seriously even them! You have to be strong for yourself in order to get better and stay healthy. My mantra which you’ve probably seen me post before is Positive, Productive, Happy and Healthy. And this is how I choose to live my life…

The first thing I did when I found out I was sick was search for other patients online. I needed more information. I needed to speak with others that knew exactly how I was feeling. I was just thrown into a world of unknown and needed to find answers and others going through the same experience. And that is what I continue to do every day. Now I use my voice to help spread awareness about all of my recent diagnosis in the JUST FOR US COMMUNITY.

There are so many people out there that think they are alone. But they are not! They just need to want to find others out there. They need to be extremely proactive and want to do it. That is a must! Trust me it’s a full time zero paying job being your own advocate. I know my voice matters and can help others if I use it. I realized this when I started posting videos about my chronic illnesses. I’ve received hundreds of messages and emails from others wanting more info as well as providing me with info that I am so grateful for and messages thanking me because I made the video in the first place. That part is and still is crazy because I was just doing it for me! I needed an outlet…

I remember the day I got diagnosed. I cried my eyes out. My friends hugged me and told me I was going to be OK! There is no way I could hide this! I needed everyone to know so I could find others that were going through the same thing. I needed help and answers as this was the one thing I just could not fix or change. I was so frustrated but thank god for social media because that is where I found everything and everyone I needed to know! Part of me didn’t want to post because of clients finding out. But then I thought if they think I couldn’t handle their workload then they didn’t really know me. Everyone knows I am a Happy Workaholic and always have been. And they know my personality, which is I NEVER EVER give up!!!

And being healthy has a lot to do with how you feel. I personally feel that the less gluten, dairy and sugar are best. I’ve read up and researched a lot of “diets” and feel that everything in moderation is also the key to feeling your best. Everybody’s body is also very different. So go with what makes you feel your best. I go back and forth with eating meat. Some weeks I eat it every day and then I will go weeks without it. So you really just need to listen to what your body is craving in at the moment. What you do is up to you so just make the choices that will help you more in the long run.

Two very important things I would like to suggest you do are meditate and journal. Being around positive friends is one thing but you really need to be and feel comfortable in your alone time. Find a great book filled with blank ages and write your thoughts away. Trust me you will feel so good after a little “brain dump” session. As far as meditation I love using apps like Insight Timer and Relax Melodies. If you have an autoimmune disease you most likely will have some stress and anxiety that goes along with it. These apps will help you in that department. Try a few out the first week to see which ones work the best and then switch to one in the morning and one at night and use them consistently. I think even a quick five minute meditation will help you as you are just starting off!

I even love a good bubble bath filled with essential oils. Lavender and Eucalyptus work the best for me. If you want to learn more about essential oils feel free to check out my Doterra site here…

I would love to know if there are certain meals you love cooking. Please leave them in the comments. I post a lot of mine on my Pinterest as well as Instagram. I will leave those links for you below…

Pinterest

Instagram

Wishing you all a wonderful Monday!

KAG

GOING WITH THE FLOW…

Being in San Diego over the past week has made me realize a few things. Slowing down, breathing and just living would be a few of them (which I am in the process of relearning). It is tough. I am not going to lie about that! I have had to comes to terms with the fact that it is ok to just BE. Be still and be true to myself and everything around me. You need to just inhale and exhale your surroundings as well as embrace the new ones and most importantly enjoy life!

Life does not always go as planned and I have recently realized to go with the flow and not get upset that I do not have all the control in my life. Life is way too short to stress the small stuff and even the very big stuff. Everything happens for a reason and that is how I choose to live MY life.

The point of me writing this is because I had originally planned to launch a few more additions to my website and brand this month but really sat down and had a chat with myself this morning. PS I recommend this to everyone! So I have decided to take another 30 days to prep, reorganize, finalize, refresh, recharge and plan ahead for the remainder of the year.

I also need a little bit more time to detox from all of my medical procedures I have had over the last year. It has taken a toll and I am feeling it now! I also need time to get used to new medications and way of life. It is a very physically, mentally and emotionally draining time and need to let myself breathe and just “BE”. This is honestly very difficult for me to do but I know it has to be done so I am doing it!

I have many creative projects in the works and I need this time off from blogging and social media schedules to do just this. Be creative. Be in my own space.

I will be back in July with many announcements that I cannot wait to share with each and every one of you!

Until then you can find me on my website kellyanngorman.com.

Wishing you all a wonderful June!

KAG

STAYING HEALTHY WITH AN ILLNESS

The Universe works in such a crazy way sometimes. Ironically this blog post had already been scheduled as the How To Series Refresh post for the day. If you saw my Instagram post earlier today then you will understand how I am feeling right now and why I am talking about the Universe.

As you may or may not know I was originally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in August and now know that I do not have MS. I actually have an extremely rare autoimmune disease called NMO aka Neuromyelitis Optica.

You can learn more about it here…

I remember the day I got diagnosed. I cried my eyes out. My friends hugged me and told me I was going to be OK! I called my family and then posted on Facebook for the world to know. There is no way I could hide this! I needed everyone to know so I could find others that were going through the same thing. I needed help and answers as this was the one thing I just could not fix or change. I was so frustrated but thank god for social media because that is where I found everything and everyone I needed to know! Part of me didn’t want to post because of clients finding out. But then I thought if they think I couldn’t handle their workload then they didn’t really know me. Everyone knows I am a Happy Workaholic and always have been. And they know my personality, which is I NEVER EVER give up!!!

After my post on Facebook I went to Instagram. I began to search every hashtag looking for friends, a community and more answers. That is how I found my friend Jennifer Finney. She caught my attention right away! She had a spunk and positive energy about her that I know I could relate to! There was no “Negative Nancy” vibes about her which I loved. Everything in her feed was positive so of course I introduced myself and followed her. I then decided we needed to be friends on Facebook! Thank god she accepted! lol

I mean if she were in Las Vegas I’m pretty sure we would be besties by now! Although I think we are online…

Right Jennifer? lol

We’ve messaged each other all positive notes and she always answers my questions. We both also love to cook delicious healthy meals. I mean obviously I was sold! lol.

Thanks Jennifer for always being there for me especially when I needed it the most!

I am so lucky to have found you.

FYI…If you are one of those people that cannot understand or comprehend how you build relationships with others online this right here is a prime example. Contact and engagement!

When I started putting together the ideas and concept of my How To Series I created lists of friends and clients who were amazing at their job, career, achievements and those who inspired me! A list of friends that I wanted my readers to learn and know about! Jennifer was the first one I added on the Health and Wellness list.

I asked Jennifer to share her story as it is truly remarkable. I also asked her to share her tips on being healthy and fit while having Multiple Sclerosis.

These tips go for anyone going through a health situation so please know that it is not just for MS patients.

Also we are not doctors. We are just two women sharing our story and journey with you today.

Here is Jennifer Finney’s story…

I wasn’t always fit and healthy. In fact, most of my life, I was obese. Until a few years ago, exercise and eating a healthy diet were way down on my list of desires and priorities.

I often used MS as an excuse to NOT take a walk with girlfriends or learn to cook healthy meals.

But four years ago, that all changed when I decided to overcome my excuses and just see what would happen if I changed my diet and started exercising again, in spite of my MS.

After making regular exercise and eating a diet centered on whole, unprocessed foods a priority, I’m happy to report that I’ve lost weight, gained energy and stamina I didn’t even realize I could have, and gained more mental strength than I ever dreamed possible.

Of course, having MS definitely has its challenges when it comes to exercise. For myself, I typically have a numb right leg and foot, I struggle with stamina in heat, and my bladder has a mind of its own.

But, as the experts say, exercise is vital to our overall health and well-being, so I’ve figured out how to “do it anyway.”

Remember, it’s always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program. But most doctors will tell you that the benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks of getting hurt. So if you’ve got the clear, and you’re ready to get started, here are a few tips for you that I’ve learned over the years and apply on the regular for myself and my clients.

Tip #1: Know your body and don’t be afraid of it.

It’s okay to push yourself beyond what you think you can actually do. I started exercising by walking on the treadmill, later moving on to the elliptical when I built up enough leg strength and cardio vascular stamina.

I did as much as I could in the gym until my bladder problems and wonky right leg started making it difficult. So I switched to the lap pool where I could pee with abandon and it didn’t matter if my leg was numb. When I injured my shoulder I had to find another way to work my body and my heart.

That’s when I found spinning. Tough as nails, spinning strengthened my legs and my cardio vascular endurance by leaps and bounds. Plus, I was able to lock my feet into place so again; wonky leg was not an issue. Yay!

I’ve since moved on to doing many different at-home workouts, being mindful of my body.

Working out at home is a great solution for me, because I can control the climate and my bathroom is seconds away. I also try to incorporate stretching and some sort of yoga practice, which has helped a ton with balance and flexibility.

Tip #2: Listen to your body.

It’s important to be mindful of what your body is telling you during and after, exercise.

If you’re in the middle of exercising and you feel pain or feel like you need a break, it’s totally okay to take one! Stop what you’re doing, wait 10 minutes to recover and then start up again if you can.

I try to be very aware of the signals my body is giving me all the time, not just during exercise.

If I have muscle soreness, I take an Epsom salt bath. If I am exhausted after several days in a row of strenuous exercise, I take a day off to rest. If I need a nap, you guessed it, I take one!

Tip #3: Have fun!

If exercise is something you dread, then you’re doing the wrong thing. Try different types of exercise until you find the one that really is your sweet spot.

For example, you may need to get off the treadmill and call your girlfriend to go for a walk in the neighborhood. Or try the elliptical machine or swim laps the pool.

Switching up your routine isn’t just good for your body, but your mind, as doing the same thing all the time gets boring and your body gets used to it.

Also, put together a playlist full of your fave pump-you-up tunes, or listen to a podcast while you workout.

I used to LOVE listening to a Comedy radio station in the gym and found myself LOL’ing and getting the “what are you laughing at” look by other gym goers more than once. haha! Which made everything even more hilarious!

The important thing is, do what you love! If you don’t love it or enjoy it, then it’s time to do something else.

In the end, the most important thing to remember, no matter what, is that you just can’t quit altogether. The way I see it, the day I quit taking care of my body, with how I exercise it and how I choose to nourish it, is the day I decide I’m not worth it.

It’s the day I decide to let MS win. And I’m not about to let that happen as long as I can help it.

So to recap, know your body and don’t be afraid of it, it’s capable of a lot more than you think. Tune in to your body and do what it’s telling you. If you need a break, take a break! And finally, have fun! You’ll be much more apt to keep going if it’s something you enjoy, not something you dread.

And, of course, whatever you do, DON’T QUIT!

You CAN totally do it!!!

About Jennifer Finney…

Jennifer Finney has had MS for 12 years. After losing over 100 pounds by changing her diet and exercising, she now coaches women who desperately want to lose weight without dieting. She gives them the tools they need to jump off the diet roller coaster once and for all and live a life they truly love.

When she’s not busy helping women transform their lives, you can find her indulging her inner rock star on a Sunday morning singing with the church band, enjoying a movie night with the fam or savoring a grande soy latte, no whip. And of course, chocolate will forever and always be her love language. ❤

Find Jennifer on her pages below and be sure to tell her I sent you…

Website

Facebook

Instagram

As always if you have a question or something inspirational to share please let us know in the comments below or on our social media pages.

Until tomorrow…

KAG

PS If you are someone who is looking for a few friends online I have started a community called JUST FOR US.

The JUST FOR US Community has been created for anyone going through a tough time. Health, heartache or just in need of some happiness. This is a safe place for you to share your feelings, find a few friends and most importantly know that you are not alone!

For more on my health journey visit my page here.