I was sick a LOT through out when I was young and mostly until high school. I was diagnosed with 22q Deletion Syndrome otherwise known as velo cardio facial syndrome when I was about 10-11 years old. I went to so many doctor appointments and hospitals looking for a cure as to why I was sick all the time. I went through most days not really being able to eat at all, I threw up every morning and just felt awful and couldn't do most of the stuff that I wanted. I also wasn't living life to it's fullest the way I knew God wanted me to live. I always was frustrated and wondered why I was sick all the time. I was very weak too because you know not being able to eat that much, it really sucked. Well as time went on I was at a point in my life where I was in bed almost all the time and I remember my parents said I was turning really pale and lost 14 pounds in almost 2 months! At that point I do remember I was really sad and grumpy most of the time. There was a time where I got "depressed" but I wasn't diagnosed with depression. I was in bed and crying a lot of the time. Asking God why was this happening to me? Why couldn't I have a better life and be happier. There was a time in my life where I didn't really want to be alive anymore. God at that point and plus my family were the only people who knew how sick I was at that point. My parents could tell I was wasting away in bed so they were really scared. This point was the scariest for me and as you can imagine for my family. Even going to all these doctor appointments at this time nothing was helping. One day my mom decided to take a leap of faith and have me go on a diet to try to be gluten free and dairy free. After the first week I tried it things were going okay, but by the second week we could tell a HUGE difference in my health and my happiness. I was starting to feel so much better and I noticed I stopped throwing up every single morning. Color was starting to come back in my skin and face. Praise God!
I was also noticing a huge change in my mood. I was feeling so much happier and I could get around doing so many more things that I wanted to do and missed out on before. I also felt a joy that could not come from anything or anyone in this world but was from God and him alone. I will tell you, God was the one who really helped me the most in these difficult times; when I felt alone, hurt, hopeless, weak, tired. Though at times I was mad not at him but was upset for how my life was going for me. So I didn't really even have the relationship with God at that point that God has really wanted for each one of us. But as I went through those times I was realizing how much God really loves me and how much of a relationship he wanted with me. That's why now I'm doing all I can for my God who was with me throughout these very difficult moments of my life. He is my HEALER,(who healed me from my sickness) He is my RESTORER (living the life now that he really intended me to live) He is my JOY GIVER (when I was in bed crying), He is my STRENGTH (when I felt weak when I was in bed) He is my GOOD GOOD FATHER (who was a father to me when i felt others weren't. Who understands me).
As I look back and think on what has happened before I am amazed because now it doesn't even really seemed like any of that happened because of how good I feel now. Still have some days where I can't eat and stuff but that is just me and my anxiety. I also know now that I didn't really know back then that this was going to be my testimony that I could share with others and hopefully help those with the same disability that I have. So many people who have my 22q have stomach problems and don't know why. Like I said some people may not believe me but this is what saved me and basically my life. I am myself now and growing more and more everyday into the woman that God has created me to be. I will always live my life for Him.
If you would like go and check out my Mom's blog and read more about our story.
