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Kelley changed me. Also, I have PCOS.
78 Posted in PCOS
Here’s a thing.
For about eight years-ish, I’ve known I had a disease. Or border-line disease. Or over-the-line disease. Or almost have or kinda just have. It’s weird.
It’s called PCOS- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome- with a side order of insulin resistance.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a problem in which a woman’s hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. If it is not treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.
So that sounds like fun, eh?
Because I’m very mature and awesome, I’ve virtually ignored the ways to manage this disease – exercise, eat healthy, take some pills.
But I hate dieting and have failed at it pretty regularly for the last 20 years, so I’ve never really changed how I eat to deal with PCOS. Honestly, since the biggest side effect is not being about to get pregnant and being that I am a singlet, that wasn’t a big deal to me.
Truth? I have not been mature enough to look past the immediate to the long-term benefits. [You impressed yet? I know. Quite the role model.]
For a few months now, my body has been whining to me. Not screaming at me, just whining. My aching back, my too tight pants, afternoon slumps that were more severe than ever before, just icky.
Last week, I sat at brunch and listened to my dear friend Kelley talk about her chronic disease and how, when her symptoms flair up, she ups the discipline in her eating and so far, so good. I mean, the girl is beating a serious disease by doing what the doctors said to do.
[Doy.]
I was stunned. I was changed. I don’t know what made all the pieces click together in my mind that morning, probably just God and His mercy, but they did. Why in the WORLD do I not take my equally chronic, though decidedly less serious, disease with the same focus that she takes hers? Why am I choosing to live with icky symptoms and aches when it is ALL in my control? I mean, I have a FIFTY PERCENT chance of getting type 2 diabetes AND I can prevent that?
So stupid.
I came home from brunch and googled like crazy. I wanted to read all about PCOS and change the way I eat- not because of how I look, but because of how I feel. All the sudden, all the things the doctors told me sounded like a good idea and I realized it was time to change.
I started a PCOS Pinterest Board.
I stopped eating dairy. [It's a big issue for PCOSers.]
I am upping my exercise and taking a break from some other food and drink that aren’t good for PCOSers.
Why am I telling you all this? Because last week I taught a class for the Influence Network about writing honestly in the season you are living. And when I signed off the class, I knew I had to take my own advice and be brave.
So with a deep breath and a equally deep sigh, I’m writing about this.
There’s shame here, you know, because I don’t want to talk about my ovaries and I don’t want to talk about my weight and I don’t want to talk about my ability to repeatedly fail at this.
But I figured if I’m going to make a PCOS pin board, I might as well just say it all out loud anyways.
And thanks to my friend Kelley for teaching me what maturity looks like and showing me the healing work of discipline. I’m forever grateful.
. . . . .
Any of you jokers have PCOS or are dairy free? Links, advice, and help is welcome. 
