Speech Apraxia, Our story

Today is National Apraxia Awareness Day.  Have you heard of Apraxia?  The term was entirely new to me when my son Nick was diagnosed 8 years ago.  Back then, it was quite rare and the only resources available were related to autism. 

Apraxia of speech: A severe speech disorder characterized by inability to speak, or a severe struggle to speak clearly. Apraxia of speech occurs when the oral- motor muscles do not or cannot obey commands from the brain, or when the brain cannot reliably send those commands. Children with apraxia can be helped significantly with intensive speech therapy.-Medterms.com.

10 Signs of Apraxia

1.  Struggling to get words out

2. Underdeveloped muscle tone.  Drooling as a toddler, feeding issues, etc.

3. Small and gross motor delays

4. Social avoidance

5.  Clearly understands language but can't use it

6.  Displays greater speaking difficulty when nervous or anxious

7.  Sensory issues (hates loud noises, can't stand hair cuts, wears the same shirt every day)

8.  Hyperactivity related to sensory issues

9.  Seems to speak his or her own language

10.  Reading, spelling, and writing difficulties

 
Nick was an adorable, healthy 9 lb 4 oz baby that was always happy.  He came into this world just as my mother left... but that's a story for another time.  Nick had a normal birth history without complications and everything seemed to be going along very well.  At about 14 months, I walked into Nick's room one morning, flipped the light on and something felt different.  I couldn't quite put my finger on it but Nick seemed different... more reserved and not as easy going.

We'd go to playgroups and other baby/ toddler activities.  He'd play well with other kids but he wasn't talking like they were.  He wouldn't make eye contact and his motor skills seemed behind.  Well meaning moms would ask if I had heard about Autism.  They'd tell me about articles they'd read, they'd point out the milestones that their children were achieving and raise an eyebrow as if to say, "Do you realize your kid is different?"   

YES!  I realized and YES, I was terrified.

Having quit my job early on in my pregnancy, I found myself isolated and trying to find other stay at home mommy friends.  My mom had passed and very few of my friends were mothers.  Nick and I would drive many miles to meet moms and other kids but still... we just didn't fit in.

We put Nick into speech therapy at about 15 months.  We saw small improvements but we were still so far away from where we should be.  I was having lunch with a former co-worker one day when she hit the nail on the head.  She said, "Lisa, it's like he knows what he wants to say but can't get his mouth to form the words.  I know he understands you and wants to talk."

I've been known to create a disease or two after spending hours on google.  I'm sure my friends and family thought I had created a new disease when I told them I suspected Nick had apraxia.  I emailed the speech therapist to see what she thought.  She wasn't sure because Nick was so young.  We continued with therapy and wondered in the back of our minds if we were dealing with Apraxia or Autism or both... we seem to be straight A's when it comes to disorders.  Asthma, ADD, Arthritis, Apraxia.  After being asked time and time again be friends, strangers and even my daughter's pediatrician about a possible autism diagnosis, we consulted a neurologist.  She spent an hour with Nick, turned to me and said, "Nick does not have Autism.  He has a severe speech disorder called Apraxia which also impacts his gross and fine motor abilities."

I burst into tears.  The tears were tears of relief.  We finally had a diagnosis that was treatable.  Nick would get better.

The neurologist connected us with a social worker who got the ball rolling for speech, OT, special schooling, book lists, you name it!  The next few years we exposed Nick to every extra curricular and social experience we could find.  Of course Nick didn't want to make eye contact!  If he did, he'd be expected to speak.  We did it all!  Two preschools at once, gymboree, little gym, gymnastics, golf, soccer, t-ball, swimming, social groups, speech, OT, vision therapy, the list goes on.  We read every book we could get our hands on.  When one speech therapist would tell us Nick had progressed as far as he could, we'd politely move on to the next therapist.  Public school tried to slap an autism label on Nick even though every therapist and neurologist we saw said he was not on the spectrum.  Nick hated school and ended up in the ER with an anxiety attack because there was so much focus on what was wrong with him instead of what was right.  Our son is brilliant... seriously.  We pulled him out and put him in private school.  When that private school stopped working, we put him in another.

My shower became my crying closet.  I'd worry if Nick would ever speak a proper sentence.  I worried that maybe we had missed a really scary diagnosis.  Would his social skills ever develop?  Would his motor skills ever catch up?  Would he ever be happy or would he be consistently bullied?  Would I have to home school?  I cried out to God and asked him why He would take my mother and allow Nick to have apraxia.  It just seemed too cruel.  I was brought to my knees in prayer and my Sundays changed from "football and pajama day" to church... and then football and pajama day.  I started studying the Bible and found community with the women I studied with.  We began volunteering for a ministry outreach, Young Life, and found support from loving and caring friends.  Nick started to get better.  He'd make huge jumps and then plateau for a while.  

Nick was 8 and I found myself standing on the playground, talking to a new friend as we watched our kids run around and have fun.  I told her about the challenges Nick had experienced and she said, "Are you serious?  I never would have known!"  That's when it hit me.  Nick beat apraxia! I joke now that we prayed too much because the kid never stops talking. 

Nick is 10 now and doing wonderfully.  He has straight A's in school... the right kind of A's, has several close friends and he's very happy.  We occasionally deal with stuttering but that too shall pass. He writes as well as a ten-year-old boy can, reads at an 8th grade reading level, plays basketball and soccer and is insanely good at the hula hoop.

I share our story and our journey with you in hopes that someone might find inspiration for their own difficult road.  Early intervention was key for our son but it's never too late to get help!  

Websites:

http://www.asha.org

http://www. apraxiakids.org

http:/www.cherubfoundation.org

Facebook

Apraxia Mom

Apraxia Kids- Every Child Deserves a Voice

 
This journey has been incredibly difficult.  As much as I hate apraxia, it has blessed our family in ways we never would have experienced.  The tribe of people that support us is a miracle.  Therapists, friends, other special needs families, the list goes on.  I've lost a lot of friends along the way that didn't understand why I didn't have extra time.  I've angered more than one teacher, principal or school board member.  I'm pretty sure I'm on a few government lists for the phone calls and letters I've written demanding more resources for public education and special ed.  I've been called a barracuda mom, momma bear and a few other things that I can't share here.  It has been worth it!  Advocate for your children because nobody else will!

Top 10 Last minute gift ideas

Lisa's Top Ten Favorite Things

Looking for a last minute gift idea?  Here are some of my favorites.

10.  Sugar Lip Balm by Fresh
     Dry lips?  This is absolutely worth the money!  A must have in your nightstand, handbag and car!  Buy an extra just in case they stop making it!

 9.  Scentsy Plug In Warmer
     As if the wonderful scents of Christmas cottage and Apple pie weren't enough, this adorable warmer projects butterflies onto the walls. 

8.  Down Throw from Pacific Coast Feather
$80.00 marked down to $19.99!!!
Stock up on these!  I was unsure if we'd like these because they were a bit crinkly at first.  These relaxed and are the coziest, warmed throws you'll find.  It's big enough to throw over a twin sized bed but condenses nicely for a family room throw.  Think you'll like it? Buy an extra because these are almost gone!


7.  OPI Nail Polish (Vampsterdam)
GOR-JUS!!!!  Had to run out and get nails for this one.  The most beautiful deep purple with a subtle hint of metallic... wonderful!  This shade is from their Holland collection. Check out their Skyfall collection as well!





6.  Chloe Perfume
A beautiful blend of floral and amber scents for a light but wonderful perfume. 
Great for a signature scent!





5.  Geometric necklace from Nordstrom, BP
This fun necklace goes with nearly everything.  Subtle in color but enough to make an outfit pop




4.  Perfect T (Lush)
Oversized but flattering.  I bought this in 3 colors for layering.  Throw a cami underneath and a jacket on top. These are even on sale!

3.  UGG Adirondack Boots
No question these are a HUGE splurge.  However, they will keep your feet warm and toasty through out the next ice age.  Hopefully the last snow boots I'll ever buy, these are a favorite that was worth the wait!





2.  Donate to a charity that has special meaning for a loved one
"What do you want for Christmas?"  How many times have you counted your blessings and realized that you have nearly everything you could ever want?  Ask for a donation to your favorite charity.  Want to save lives? 

Consider Auburn Young Life, Saint Jude's, or American Cancer Society.




1.  Jesus Calling
This daily devotional speaks to my heart every day.  The greatest gift you can give is God's Word!


All of these gifts are fun to give and fun to receive.  Let us not forget that we give in the spirit of God giving his only son who gave His life for our eternal salvation.  Jesus is the reason!

Merry Christmas my friends!  Thank you for reading my blog!

What is in your heart?

Tonight, my kids got on stage in front of over 200 people. They sang, spoke and celebrated the birth of Jesus. This is heartwarming in and of itself but my tears seemed out of place to those that didn’t know me.

My son has speech apraxia. It’s a nasty disorder that makes people unable to articulate their brilliant thoughts and emotions. My son understands everything that is said to him but he can’t always speak his mind. Sometimes his motor skills are delayed because of this apraxia. I hate this disorder and we fight it with everything we’ve got everyday. Just when we thought we were out of the woods, a severe stutter plagued my son this past October. His progress has been steady but slow. I know God will fully restore his speech and give him a confidence that lacks arrogance.

Many people have insisted on labeling him. I have fought to keep him from being categorized as someone that should be pulled out of class and thrown into a “special needs environment.” Why? I have seen how people quickly pass judgment on children needing these services.

So imagine my rage tonight when I read a post on a friend’s wall.

"Remember the boy in our children's class last year with a mental/social disorder and his "violent" outbursts? Well, my oldest has another one in her class this year. He always has a Para following him, too. “Daughter’s name here came home last month and told us she almost got jumped by him. During class, she felt a pair of eyes blazing at her while listening to the teacher's lessons. She glanced to her left and all of a sudden he lunged towards her! Good thing she has quick reflexes and got out of her chair fast. Got escorted out with the Para. He had another episode during PE where he grabbed a girl and scratched her arm. And NOTHING is provoking this kid! I DO have a problem with the parents thinking that their child with "special needs" needs to be integrated with the public when the child has violent tendencies. I am all for meds if they need them. Private school is tempting and might have to research the high schools nearby. Not worried about the guns, but those "kids" with the guns and their future."

Our nation experienced one of the worst, most horrific tragedies ever this past Friday. We later learned that the shooter had aspergers. We learned that he had serious mental health issues and yet our nation decided to engage in a huge debate about gun control rather than how we help those with poor mental health. I don’t know this person so I can’t ask her questions to clarify exactly what she meant. However, I’ve heard so many people say things like this and have come to learn that their motives were hateful and ignorant.

The first boy mentioned in this post was a child I encountered quite often. He was scared, overwhelmed and out of control. The first time I experienced one of his outbursts, I went under a table because I thought a shooting had broken out. When I got to know more about his story, I tried desperately to help de-escalate his fears. It took courage but my heart broke for this young man. I felt that the school was taxed on personnel and resources to properly help this child but I never considered him “another one of those.”

America, wake up! Stop wishing that children with special needs would disappear into the back rooms of the school... or attend a different school entirely. All children are blessings. All have special talents and gifts. Many of the children with special needs have incredible gifts and talents that this world misses out on. Stop referring to children by their diagnosis. Your child is not an aspie, autistic, a stutterer, or bipolar. Your child is a blessing that might be afflicted by a disorder. This is not their identity! Children that experience spectrum disorders are not automatically a risk of committing atrocities like those witnessed over the past few weeks. The children at risk are those that are ostracized rejected, judged and made to feel that they aren’t good enough. The biggest problem in this country isn’t guns, a fiscal cliff or other political issues. It’s a lack of compassion and an unwillingness to help those at risk. Before you write to your senator, examine your heart and your actions.

10 Things I've Learned From My Kids

1.  Penmanship really does matter

• If you write and spell well, it's all lost if nobody can read it.  In our world, penmanship is so much more important since we have become accustom to reading everything in perfect print online.
• The letters "c, k, o, s, u, v, w, x and z" will forever frustrate me for the reasons mentioned above.

2.  2 wrongs don't make a right

• He told me to
• Painful but true, "but you did it too"

3.  There is a time to be focused and a time to daydream.  Don't discount the importance of either.

• Listen to and encourage the dreams of your children
• Help them learn to stay focused in even the noisiest settings
• Take time to daydream

4.  Expect the best, understand good enough and never settle for anything less.

5.  Prayers work... always.

• Sometimes the things we want the most would be the worst for us
• Even when we are unaware, things will work out the way they are supposed to for the greater plan

6.   Sometimes, less is more.

• Don't become so over scheduled that you can't take time to enjoy the little moments that life are made of.
• If you expect perfection from yourself, your children won't attempt new things unless they too can be perfect.
• If it doesn't make a difference, what difference does it make?

7.  Hold children accountable

• Much past the age of 5, allowing them to blame Mom or Dad for a forgotten coat or misplaced assignment isn't acceptable.  Turn it back on your kids... make them accountable!
• Chores are not slavery
• Every once in a while, a failed assignment is worth the teachable moment.... I need to remember this one!

8.  Focus on the positive but don't be afraid to set boundaries and enforce rules

• When your child is listing of negatives, make them say at least 3 positive things about the situation (thank you S.C. for this insight!)
• Be consistent in rules, discipline, and never miss a chance to praise.

9.  Don't be afraid to cry in front of your kids

• Don't be a basket case or make your children serve as the parent BUT show them it's okay to express emotions
• Showing emotion makes your children more comfortable to show their emotions

10.  If you mess up, say you're sorry

Dealing with teacher conflict

We just finished summer break and  let me be the first to say that teachers are unique and golden.  Don't get me wrong, I love my children dearly. At times, my breath is taken straight from my throat as I watch them grow.  The last few weeks of summer brought a lot of fighting, "he started it", " I was just, " and many more that I'm kindly blocking from memory right now.  This is the FIRST time in 8 years that I am kid free from morning till afternoon.  I'm sure I have romanticized the ideas of having a perfectly clean house, empty laundry basket and the gourmet meals I will cook.  Hopefully I'll meet these ideas midpoint and at least get 5 good workouts in weekly.  I'm sure I won't read all of the books on my list or see the blockbuster movies I hope to but the idea is somewhat exhilarating.

When our children come home and complain that their teacher was mean to them, as mothers we tend to experience a range of emotions from that moment we first held our little ones to the moments we considered hiring a full-time nanny and leaving on an extended business trip to Timbuktu.  I tend to error on the side of the first moments of their lives.  

I've always been in awe of bears.  Consider this... as bears, you sleep all winter, you're furry and you sleep all the way through winter.  Hungry? Go catch a few salmon for lunch.  No game warden to remind you that there's a catch limit.  Need to go to the bathroom.. no worries, the world is your oys... toilet!  So it's no wonder that I often resort to momma bear-like tendencies.  

Here are a few tips to surviving the school year when your child comes home feeling a little beat up.

1.  Consider their mental status.  Were they up late the night before?  Was there a birthday party that day that offered up a sugary cupcake? Have there been family changes lately?  Over scheduled perhaps?

2.  What point is it in the school year?  Have the teacher and your child developed rapport?  Does your child really understand how the teacher communicates?  What about the teacher and his/her understanding of your child?

3.  What is your teacher's personality?  Do they tend to tell you all of the day's happenings or do they highlight the highs and lows?  Keep things in perspective!

4.  If it doesn't make a difference, what difference does it make?  (Boy do I need to remember this one!!!)  Keep perspective.  A low score on a reading unit does not mean your child needs to move back a grade in reading.  What it can mean is that the unit was about material your child was completely removed from.  Ever  try reading tax code or a really badly written chick lit book?  Chances are you wont' recall most of the material.

5.  Does your child need additional help?  Have your teacher take notes about performance during the day.  Compare it against his/ her schedule to determine if these outbreaks tend to happen at the same time each day.  This could indicate the need for dietary, sleep or supplement changes.  Furthermore, your child  may have challenges with the subject matter being taught at certain points of the day.  If repeated stories come up relating to recess, it might help to drop in on recess from time to time.  You'd be shocked how understaffed recesses can be.

*Get help.  Contact local pediatric therapy groups, consult a pediatric neurologist or your pediatrician.  Keep going until you have an answer you believe in!!!  I can't stress this enough!!!  GET A SECOND OPINION!!!!!!!!  Don't first resort to medication.  Try other resources before meds... although there is definitely a time and place for meds.  Consult dietitians and nature paths... there's not as woo woo as you might think.

6.  Who is your child's peer group?  How does he refer to these people?  Do you find that he/she makes good choices when interacting with these children?  Do these friends build him/ her up or tear them down... also a good consideration for Mom and Dad's peer group!

7. On an IEP?  First... don't settle!  Do not sign anything that you aren't comfortable with!  You might feel pressured to do so but remember, this is your child!  Secondly,  resist the urge to change things up right away.  As super-moms, we try everything we can... and I mean EVERYTHING!!! We call every expert we can and then we draw conclusions based on our research.  If you're nodding, I applaud you, give you hugs and pat you on the back.  Without you, our children would fall between the cracks and become statistics.  Continue to listen to your gut and press on.  BUT, you knew there was "but" didn't you!  Consider how important consistency is!  Try not to change up an IEP change for a quarter... unless you know in your heart that intervention is needed.  Then, watch out... Momma Bear is coming!  Finally, make sure you know the current IEP laws and consider hiring an advocate or IEP attorney.  Nobody else is going to quarterback your child... it's up to you!  This is a blog entry on its own!

8.  ALWAYS, talk to the teacher first.  A child can quickly blow a situation out of proportion.  After reading the book Peacemakers and the Bible, I can tell you that both advocate contacting the offender directly.  Your teacher sometimes spends more waking hours with your child than you do.  Your child will most often act differently at school than at home.  Your teacher has probably taught hundreds of kids and might have a trained prospective... and sometimes not.

9.  If your teacher suggests there's a problem... they're not supposed to diagnose your child!!!... don't bury your head in the sand and pretend the problem doesn't exist!  Seek help!  Make sure that you're on the right page.  It's so easy to overlook problems with out loved ones.  It often takes a professional opinion... and sometimes an excellent google search (I'm only somewhat kidding there), to really figure out what's going on with your child.  Get help for your child and don't be afraid.  Do you remember being that kid?  The kid that was afraid to ask the stupid question?  As you aged, you realized that many had the same challenges and questions.  Be the hero and don't be afraid to get the therapy, counseling and or medication your child requires!

10.  If your teacher isn't acceptable, report it immediately and don't stop!  If your principle smiles and tells you it will all be okay, make sure she/he follows through.  Follow up with an email.. here goes a rant.  I love email!  Email is a friendly, written record that holds both parties accountable, clear up misunderstandings and is searchable.  All of these are critical to help your child.  If it's not really "okay," call the Superintendent.  Go to his/her office... go to school board meetings... don't stop until you have a solution that works!  Finally, consider private school.  Smaller class sizes and a Biblical approach have been the answer for us!

11.  Re-evaluate your school every school year.  What might work for your child one year, might not work the next.  While consistency is important, what year are you willing to mark in your book as "not important?" Public or private, education is not free.  If any other vendor/ utility failed to deliver on their promises, we would demand a refund... why do we not demand the same for our children?

12.  Your educators are your partners, not your adversaries!  Work with your teachers and administrative staff to help your children under times of duress.  Meet, again and again until your children and teachers are happy.

13.  Enough is enough!  Is your child keeled over in an emergency room with an anxiety attack... yes, this did happen!  Pull him/ her out!  I don't care how far along it is in the school year, move classes, schools, home school... stock up on wine.. .whatever is needed and do it now!  I pulled my child in mid-March without a place to land.  Filled with uncertainty and apprehension, I can't tell you how wonderful this ended up!  In hindsight, I should have been throwing a party (balloons and margaritas to boot!) because the transformation that happened to our entire family was one I can't possibly describe.

Finally, thank your teachers for a job well done. An encouraging note, a simple thank you or a Starbucks the day after Halloween never hurt.

Shark Week!

My daughter has had a loose tooth forevvveeerrrr!  I kept expecting it to turn stark white and become a gaping hole any day but it has stayed the same since late May.

At about 4 AM this morning, she came into my room and was crying because her tooth hurt.  I assumed it was about to fall out as I stumbled out of bed to turn on the bathroom light.  She opened her mouth and what I saw definitely woke me up.  My daughter has shark teeth!  Not only had her loose tooth not fallen out, her permanent tooth had poked up waaayyy behind the baby tooth. 

I quickly recalled the years of braces that my husband and I went through and figured that if anyone was going to have kids with messed up teeth, it would be us.  As dollar signs flashed in front of my eyes, I turned to google which is  my expert on call medical opinion when my friend "Nurse Jenny" is asleep. Thank God!  Children turning into sharks are not only common but nothing to be worried about.  Luckily my dentist confirmed this a few hours later.  So, if you see this, calm down.  Now, if you see horns growing out of your child's head and it's the end of summer... I've heard this is also normal.  Cheers to September!

Live to eat? No more!

“Everyone in my family has died of cancer so I might as well enjoy life now, eat what I want and not kill myself exercising.”

“Everything causes cancer. If you try to eat healthy, you eat too many pesticides. If you eat meat, you are eating hormones. Drink wine, one week it’s good for you the next week it isn’t.”

“Food is too important to me to give up. If my life is shorter but I can eat what I want, so be it.”

“I’m on cholesterol drugs so I can eat whatever I want.”

“I worked out today so it’s okay if I have a burger, fries and a shake... again.”

Over the past week, I’ve heard these comments. What a slap in the face they have been. I’ve said the majority of them myself. I woke up.

I have many friends that embrace the paleo lifestyle. They work out routinely, eat their fruits and veggies and take care of themselves. I’ve always envied them... never thought it was for me. I woke up.

I’m fat. I have been fat since I was 9 years old and first went on weight watchers. I’m not fat because I’m covering up some pattern of abuse... unless you count the way I have been eating as abuse. I’m fat because I love food. Nothing more. I love food and I’m not one for the gym. I woke up.

This past January, I came down with pneumonia and pleurisy. I had no choice but to seek out a doctor closer to home. I found one within a couple miles that happens to share my beliefs and passions. I thought he’d throw some antibiotics at me and send me on my way. While he did put me on a strong dose of something, he loaded me up with vitamins. What? Vitamins? Yes... a novel idea I know. Guess what? They work... if you take them.

A couple months later, I was having some strange symptoms that sent me in a tailspin worrying about uterine cancer. Turned out I was okay.. praise Jesus! I thought I was done... my doctor had other ideas. A few weeks later, I had 6 pages of blood work staring me in the face. A full lipid panel was what the doctor ordered. This thing not only told me my total cholesterol but told me if I was eating often enough... shockingly I was not. The numbers were colored green, yellow and red. It looked like someone had bled all over my report. Tons of numbers in the red. I’m no doctor but my background in business tells me that numbers in the red are never a good sign.

More vitamins... lots and lots of vitamins. Add a statin to my list and another drug or two and I swallow 26 pills in a day. Not fun but completely worth it. A new addition to my list of prescriptions? “Read the book, “Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman,” my doctor told me.”

“Oh great, another book about willpower. Something to tell me to dip my fork into salad dressing instead of pouring it all over my salad. Something touting how great eating off of a smaller plate really is because it tricks your mind. I get to read about how great exercise is and how a little bit will make a difference,” I thought.

Reluctantly, I downloaded the book and started to read. What I read shocked me. Maybe I shouldn’t have been that surprised. It’s not like I’ve never been told to eat more fruits and veggies, less fat and to move more. The book went into further detail.. I can’t give the book justice so you’ll have to read it yourselves. What I found was that the majority of cancers out there are directly linked to the diets we are eating that are rich in animal proteins. A study done called the “China Project” explained this in great detail. I kept reading.

At the end of the book, I was fired up... ready to take on a healthy lifestyle. I started trying to plan meals and freaked out. I was becoming vegan! What?! I’m a republican...I can’t be a tree hugging vegan! I panicked and started my search for vegan recipes. Even more discouraging news. Everything I found was pasta and bread based... don’t these people know anything?

Now, I was searching for low-carb vegan recipes. Who was I kidding? I couldn’t do this?

I persevered and followed the plan: 1 lb raw vegetables a day... oh boy was that new to my digestive system! 1 lb cooked veggies, 1 cup of beans, 1 oz of nuts and 4-6 different fruits a day. Thank God it’s summer!  No processed foods, NO white flour (no bread are you kidding me?!!!), no animal protein, no fats...

Have you ever sat down with a bag of Salt and Vinegar chips? They’re so good it’s ridiculous. A saving grace for me is that they usually pickle the roof of my mouth and I can’t handle eating more than half the bag before I have to put them down. As I made room for the cans of beans I had just purchased, I found a bag of these chips! OH CRAP! I freaked out. Then I started thinking about what they would taste like... I didn’t want them!! They didn’t sound good to me. I continued sorting and came across chocolate. Didn’t want that either! What in the world was going on? Was I sick? Yes, very sick. Sick with cholesterol, high glucose levels, low levels of fitness and a heart that can’t keep up. I finally connected these horrible foods to cancer. I connected them to heart disease, to diabetes, to health problems that have sent me to more funerals than I can count. These foods could have been the ones that sent my children to my funeral too early. They don’t sound so good now do they? I woke up!

I have been on the plan for 6 weeks and I have dropped 20 pounds.  I have added lean meats like chicken, fish and turkey but in small quantities. I’m nowhere near where I want to be but it’s a start. I can pass on things that used to be my red light foods. I allow myself one cheat meal per week. Read that, ONE MEAL, not one day. I find that the cheat meal usually doesn’t taste as good to me as it used to. I also find that I am so full, I often can’t finish the meal or just don’t want to.

Thank you for reading my story. I hope this serves as motivation to those that need it. I also hope it will create a more supportive network than I am already blessed with.