Dear Dr. Jack,
Today marks the one year anniversary that I watched your webinar, you know, the one I said I wasn’t going to sit through if you said ONE thing I had already heard? Yeah, that one….. Tomorrow will be the day that I wrote you my first crazy email that just said, “Please help me….” I was so scared that day, so afraid that you were just like all the other doctors, the same as the rest. Little did I know what was coming. Little did I know about where we would be today.
That picture with this? That is the slide that did me in on the day I watched your presentation. I remember watching and thinking how much you knew about Hashimoto’s Disease. I thought that for the first time in my whole life, someone had finally explained it to me so I understood it. Do you remember when you called and asked me what my thoughts were about your presentation? Do you remember me telling you that?
I remember watching your webinar and that slide came up, and looking at it. And suddenly, a huge door in me that was padlocked shut gave way and the tears came. I kept thinking, “Is this my answer?? Can this doctor help me? Will he even take me?? What if he won’t, what will I do?” I didn’t sleep an hour that night. It was a day that changed my life FOREVER.
I decided that I had to contact you. I had to know more about you, I had to find out what you had that was different. I was so nervous talking to you, and so scared you would just tell me you were sorry you couldn’t help me. How funny now….
Today, in honor of that day, I went back and watched the ORIGINAL webinar I had seen a year ago today. Yes! I kept the link!! And I still got teary, and I remember it all like it was yesterday. And I thought, “I need to do something today, something special!”
After all, this is a day that needs celebration!!! So, I decided that today, the diet is over. Let the celebration begin!! I know you are smiling, Dr. Jack because you know that it doesn’t mean chocolate cake. You know me too well now.
For the last year, I have “dieted.” I changed up everything I ate, subtracted foods, added others. I tried supplements that I had no idea even existed, and had no idea the tremendous benefits they would bring. I learned and relearned and then I learned some more. I ask so many questions that I often wonder if you cringe reading my constant emails.
I changed everything, just the way you told me to, and as I did, and as the pounds came off, my Hashimoto’s symptoms went with it. And as all that changed and the brain fog lifted a funny thing happened. Somewhere in the process I changed, too. The victim status left and was replaced by bold!!! Outspoken!!! Confident!!! Traits I never realized I even had.
My thoughts on who I was changed, but so did my thoughts about food, sugar, and gluten. My ways of eating changed. I learned to care for myself in all things, like sleeping, managing stress, the importance of relaxation and exercise that was not overly strenuous. It was all a huge change in mindset.
We worked hard , you and I. Although most people think otherwise? YOU actually had to work harder than I did. And no matter how hard it got, you never gave up. No matter what I threw at your feet, you just kept going and you kept me going. And on the days I felt defeated, you pushed me back up and we kept walking together. And when I look at a whole year of that…. well….. we need to celebrate that!!! Today?? The DIET is over.
In honor of this special day, it is no longer a diet to follow nor even a plan. It is now HOW I live, just like you. No greater compliment can a person pay their hero than to emulate the life that they live!! I don’t want this to be a diet anymore because if it is, then it implies that it is something you can go off of, and I don’t want it to be that. I have learned too much for that. You have educated me in ways that I will never be able to unlearn. I just want this to be the way I live. I don’t want to categorize anything anymore in terms of a plan, I just want it to be as natural as it has gotten to be. Easy…. just open the fridge, see it and pick. After all, that IS what it has already become.
I learned that sugar and I can never keep company again. It is toxic to me and like a drug. If I have it I will want more and more will lead to more and more and more. No thank you. I have heard too much to ever keep its company again. And preservatives? ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…..I cannot eat preserved foods at all without breaking out into hives. How long was I allergic to preservatives and blamed my problematic skin on everything else? Besides who wants to eat chemicals?? Not this girl!!!! I LOVE organic vegetables, and lean protein. I feel full, not stuffed… not like sick, or feeling as though my poor cells are clogging up.
Dr. Jack, today, I seriously don’t care if I ever lose another pound. I really don’t. Not that I wouldn’t be thrilled, Ha HA!!!!! Everything that happens from here down is all a bonus. So if more weight comes off it is all good, and if it stays for awhile that is okay too. ALL I care about is how absolutely fantastic, ecstatically happy, and profoundly healthy I am today compared to last year. And know what??? Just like you promised me? It is only going to get better!!!!
“Imagine where you will be in month…. three months… a year…. five years…” Gosh, Dr. Jack, I still shed a million tears. I can hear you saying it and ohhhhh how much I wanted to believe you. I wanted to believe you so much. And guess what? Dreams really DO come true for people!!! Thanks for being the one who made mine come true.
You are the most amazing doctor ever, and I never can thank you enough. Happy one year to US!
Hugs
Chris