March 20, 2024
This is a really long post, but is intended for anyone who is dealing with health issues or has a loved one whose life is on hold due to debilitating symptoms. If you're on a health journey, this story of hope and healing is for you. By sharing my story I'm not making recommendations or giving advice, this is simply for you to see what can happen when you believe that healing is possible. And no matter where you are, there's no requirement for you to stay there. With an open heart and mind, answers present themselves in unassuming ways, and change is possible.
Since 2017 when I overcame lyme disease and thyroid issues, friends and family have connected me with people in their lives with ongoing health issues, undiagnosed conditions where the doctors are scratching their heads, or those who are searching for answers because status quo isn't where they want to stay. Yesterday two friends connected with me to learn more about my story of healing, which prompted this post. One friend is dealing with debilitating symptoms and has uncontrolled health conditions, and the other has a friend whose daughter is in a similar boat. When I receive these types of calls I never quite know where to start because so many things transpired in my path to healing. How do I convey the important parts? I've decided to write this post so that I can convey, with clarity, the components that were involved in my healing process. Keep in mind that each person's journey is specific to them, and there is no one size fits all approach. The main reason for sharing my story here is to give anyone who is dealing with chronic illness hope and a dose of love, which was incredibly helpful to me.
At one point in my life the word healing felt untouchable to me. What does it really even mean? I came from a traditional medical background where the focus was on managing health issues, or cutting them out if surgery was required. When I was introduced to an alternative option for my own health issues, my instinct was to run. My head told me to run, but my heart urged me to listen. I say heart, but it physically shows up as a gut feeling with a knowing. Looking back, the first thing I did right was to have faith, and trust. I learned through trial and error that in order to heal I had to address my body, mind, and spirit. They are all interconnected and important. Ignoring one of them is the equivalent to forgetting to plug the TV in and wondering why it wont work.
Let's start with the body. It's the part I focused on first, although the other two were in play at the time. On April 28, 2017 I found myself talking with a friend at a cookout at the lake. She had recently been confined to a wheelchair, and when I asked what had happened, she said that one day she went out to get the mail and couldn't walk back into the house. She said that she was doing a protocol for lyme disease, and was fortunate in that she had a few friends who had already healed from it. At the time I was being medically treated for a thyroid issue. It was stabilized, but my symptoms were through the roof. It had led me to investigate the root cause because I wanted to know where this all originated since the thyroid issue didn't appear to be the only part at play. I was experiencing numerous symptoms, and I even purchased the URL “Undiagnosed.” I imagined writing a book one day because the life I was living had a crazy story to tell. As my friend told me her symptoms and those of friends with lyme, it caught my attention. My symptoms were debilitating and scary, and ranged from chronic fatigue, ringing in the ears, RLS symptoms, arthritis symptoms, pain all over my body, and uneven balance, to the inability to finish a thought. Word recall was an issue, and the ability to communicate with my family was at an all-time low. I feared that I was losing cognitive function, and I didn't tell my family or friends everything that was going on because I was afraid they would think I was going crazy. Some symptoms were constant, while others came and went. Some days I could run around the block, while other days I counted the hours until I could call it a day and go to sleep for the night.
After opening-up to my friend, she urged me to get tested because she thought I might have lyme. It took me a week to decide to do the non-traditional testing she had done. Why? Because I came from a traditional medical background and she suggested bioenergetic testing. Sounds crazy, right. It did to me. I realize now thought that the stakes were actually higher for me not to do the test. It's difficult to explain, but everything about taking the test felt right, even though there was no hard data to support it. Trust me, I scoured the internet for "said" data, but it just wasn't there. I kept coming back to two things. First, I knew of numerous people who had fully recovered as a result of doing the non-traditional testing and protocol, so the evidence was there even if there was no scientific data. And second, I couldn't ignore my gut. I had been praying and searching for answers. What if I was being presented with the answer I had been asking for and I ignored it. I simply couldn't ignore the call from my heart.
In the next few weeks I called Longevity Health Center, did the test via mail, and found out that I had lyme spirochete, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and four other coinfections, dormant viruses, and a number of my organs were stressed (immune system, thyroid, adrenals, gut, and liver to name a few). I started the protocol on May 17th. I make it all sound so easy, but making the decision to do the protocol was challenging for me, and after days of second-guessing myself my sister finally said "what do you have to lose." She was right. I was in such bad shape that I really didn't have anything to lose.
I don't mention Longevity's name to advertise their services or to tell anyone to go to them, I mention their name because these amazingly caring individuals changed my life. They gave me my life back! I worked with Christina, Liz and Dr Anderson, and I am eternally grateful for their enduring hearts. They told me that I would be free of lyme in 6 to 9 months, and they were right. They were so incredibly kind and willingly gave me their time. I will never forget the first conversation with Liz after she sent me the test results. She answered all of the questions I had and met me at the level I was at. I wanted to understand the physiology and she was willing and able to explain how the protocol worked to combat the nasty bacteria. Liz believed I'd get better, and my decision to do the protocol was accompanied by my own belief that I would recover from lyme once she shared her confidence in my recovery. What I didn't realize then, but know now is that the belief that I'd get better was one thing that kept me going through the difficult days, and I know it was the biggest key to healing.
There were three components to the protocol. A homeopathic detox, natural remedies to kill the spirochetes (lyme), and an incredibly important component; supplements to support my stressed organs. Doing the protocol was simple, but my symptoms worsened before they got better, so it was a tough 7 months. On December 13, 2017 I travelled down to Longevity for my final test, and was told by both Christina and Dr Anderson that I had cleared lyme and all the coinfections. It felt amazing, and I will forever be eternally grateful to these beautiful souls who make it their life's work to change lives. I appreciate them and Liz being there for me every step of the way. Having practitioners who I could trust made a big difference in the journey and made it a little easier to endure.
In a nutshell, I had viruses and bacteria in my body, and as soon as I eliminated them and supported my organs with the supplements I needed, my thyroid issue reversed. Today I am off my thyroid medicine. I came off it under the care of my physician. I do not recommend making any adjustments to medicine without working very closely with a physician. Addressing my thyroid was a necessary and important part of my journey, and I am so grateful to my physician who initially uncovered it. When people ask me about overcoming health issues, the first thing I tell them is that it's incredibly important to work with a physician to evaluate what's going on, and to address the issues in their body. The healthcare field has changed over the past 10 or so years, and functional medicine doctors are becoming more and more popular. I have seen both, it depends on one's preference.
Let's talk about the spirit. This is a really big one because looking back I recognize that I had lost touch with my spirit and zest for life. About two months into my Longevity protocol a couple of things happened to me that would take me a couple of years to fully understand. It was mid-July and as I walked out of the bathroom one morning I stopped because my image in the mirror caught my attention. I stopped in awe. I saw a face in the mirror that I hadn’t seen in over 4 decades, and I felt love. I had spent most of my life disliking who I was, and for the first time in over 40 years I really saw myself and loved the person I saw. It is a moment I will never forget. I had been hiding behind a facade for so many years that I had forgotten who I really was, and that moment shifted so much in me as I saw the real me. A few days later I was driving past Sycamore Elementary school. I was approaching the traffic light and I realized that I wasn’t thinking about anything. For the first time in a long time I didn’t have a thought in my mind. I wasn't recalling my to do list, planning, fixing, or thinking about my symptoms. It was simply AMAZING. I’ve come to learn that not having any thoughts in your mind is what it means to be still. I had spent years hearing the word at church but never truly comprehended it. The beautiful thing is that it just happened, without trying and when I least expected it.
That moment of complete stillness left me asking how to get there again, and led me on a journey of self-discovery. In that moment I felt more alive than I had in years. And it was that moment that gave me a spark of energy that fueled me for the next few months of physical pain. I knew deep down that chronic illness was a small part of a bigger picture, and that the chapter in my life wasn’t my full story. It was just a part of my story. Each chapter builds important parts of a story that are a set-up to the next chapter. Those two special moments that I will never forget were the beginning of me learning to connect with my soul and honor it. I had spent so many years living the hustle and bustle of life, and I wasn’t honoring my soul's desire because I didn’t even like myself. I couldn't tell you what I wanted or needed. There were things in my life that needed to change, and walking the path of having my life on hold due to chronic illness and those two special moments changed me for the better. It was a pivotal chapter for me.
I want to convey here that I found meaning through my illness, and accepting the journey is a part of what led me to greater healing. At the time I didn't fully realize that I was growing spiritually. I spent alot of time praying to get better, but there were so many little things in motion that I wasn't aware of until a couple of years later.
Next is the mind. It's an important part because without addressing it, the body doesn’t heal, and the spirit remains hidden. You stay stuck in your head and slow spiritual growth and real healing. I overcame lyme and thyroid issues at the end of 2017, but for the next year I continued to have mild symptoms. The biggest issue that arose was that when stress hit I'd physically hit a wall. By "hit a wall" I mean that I'd have to resort to taking naps every afternoon just to get through the day. I felt fatigued and didn't handle life's stressors very well. When I was originally diagnosed with thyroid issues I was told to reduce stress. Here I was; my thyroid issues were gone but the threat of their return dangled above my head because I couldn't do the simple thing more than one doctor had told me to do. To reduce stress. I wondered how to get back to that moment of stillness in front of the school that sweltering day in July 2017 numerous times that year. I actually missed being sick because when I was ill, life was slower. It’s actually a known fact that many people hold onto their illness, and I can relate.
I was still being affected by stress, and since life will always throws us curveballs, I had to figure out how to reduce it. In December 2018 we travelled to Palm Springs, CA. The Christmas season had been busy and stressful and a couple of days after we arrived there I collapsed in a heap. I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I hit a wall, and my anxiety was in full swing. One evening I sat talking with my husband and started sobbing. I felt so frustrated to have hit a wall again, and I told him that I had to find a way to reduce stress. By that time I knew that stress is what had originally made me sick. It had a weakened immune system, and that's when lyme reared its ugly head. I was scared that I’d end up with chronic illness again if I didn’t learn to manage it.
In 2019 I started to use simple yet powerful tools such as mindfulness, and became a sponge, seeking to learn all I could. Within two weeks I found glimpses of stillness each and every day. I became less anxious and life was so much better. Over the next few months in the process of adopting new tools and strategies, I retrained my brain and repaired my limbic system. That year I became an authentic leadership coach, then received my thought coach certification in May 2020. And I created my self-coaching coherence model, The Vibrant Hive Method of Communication because improved communication was a real key for me to consistently reduce and manage stress.
It wasn’t until I understood and connected the mind, body, and spirit that I was able to solidify change. For the first time in years I wasn’t in stress response mode 24/7. And instead of reacting to situations, I learned to respond to them by improving interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. The amazing thing is that things changed pretty quickly once I aligned my body, mind, and spirit.
There are many moving parts to this puzzle. Each part is important and we all put the puzzle together differently, but at the end of the day I'm here to tell you that it is possible to complete the puzzle. It IS possible to heal and although it takes daily effort, it's worth it. The most important part is a willingness to approach things with an open mind, see things from a different perspective, and open your heart. The journey to healing varies for everyone, but it is possible.
I’ve not only experienced my own journey of healing, but I'm witnessing healing for loved ones too. And as tough as my journey was, I have to admit that seeing a loved one go through health issues is really really hard. I have so much compassion for anyone who is dealing with chronic illness and those who are witnessing a loved one endure immense pain and suffering. Both are difficult, but in different ways.
I am grateful for the journey I've been on because I’m experiencing amazing changes and have grown immensely. I am still growing every single day as I put in the effort. God has guided me, and walking this path has showed me that it's important to be still and listen to your heart because it will guide you. The right people were placed in my path at the right time, and I encourage you to be aware of the people and things that appear in your life. Answers will be revealed when you least expect it.
Written By:
Monica Binger
Life, Relationship, & Parent Coach
Specializing in Coherence, Communication, & Relationship Dynamics
About the Author:
Monica provides coaching services to individuals looking to make improvements in their life, within the family unit, or the group they belong to through improved coherence and communication. She is a curious pathfinder and bridge person who helps people build bridges by taking them inward to discover a path onward.
Please Note: It’s essential to make decisions that are best for you. The insights shared in my articles and blogs are my views and opinions and should not be construed as advice, recommendations, or fact. Just because something helped or worked for me doesn’t mean you should try it without external support and guidance. Please always remember to consult a mental health or medical professional or therapist if you have emotional or physical issues or concerns.