One year and counting.....

Last year at this time I was laying in bed. praying for a miracle, for an answer, for an end. I had lay in bed for almost two weeks. Unable to get up on my own strength, was trying to drink and eat but my body was rejecting everything. The pain was beyond anything I had felt in the past 8 years (if you  go by pain scale 0-10, I was at a 10++++).
Husband left me that morning with pain and worry in his eyes. Even if we both didn't talk about it we both knew this fight was coming to a close. I called him a few minutes after he left and let him hear what he had been begging me to tell him. Go ahead and take me to the emergency room. Lets see if they can do something different this time. If you know me , you know I'm not a quitter, I'm a bit stubborn. I do not back down to a challenge... Not sure what made me take that picture on the left. Other than I had faith. I felt that in time I would want to remember the moment I was giving up control.

Didn't even make it to the car. I collapse on our drive way. Had to be taken into hospital by ambulance. Getting in  was a little of the same old story.. we have no idea  whats  wrong other  than  you are starving your self,  you are not taking your meds.. blahh, blahh. Blood work showed my body was so depleted of nutrients, blood, it was starting to shut down. The pain was unbearable. not so much the physical pain but the pain I felt in my heart when I saw my loved ones feel so helpless. Me being me I tried to smile, and play it off. I knew this time was different. I was tired, my spirit as tired. It had been a long 8 years of questions, and very little answers.

 I don't even remember this picture being taken. This little guy, I can't even explain.... His love for me... is one of the many reasons I held on. I was blessed to have my brother stationed only 45 minutes away. My mom flew from California was here with in days.


I remember knowing I was going to be in the hospital for a while and no real date of release.. there was a plan to keep me alive but no real answer as to the why's to my condition. I lost two weeks of time. I was being given to much protein and my body couldn't handle it. I remember around the 28th of January I was trying to figure out why everyone looked so tired.... After all the doctors talking it was decided have an open stomach surgery... This decision saved my life.
Part of my intestine was not working properly, I had a ball (a tennis size) of metal covered in scar tissue. I had a hernia repair 8 years prior and at some point that came undone and created a metal ball. In eight years no one had been able to figure that out.. One of the many questions was finally answered. Why I was always in need of blood transfusions. why I was in so much pain.

The story of my surgery will come later..... I just want to celebrate today and the year full of blessings I have had since then. I've had nothing but Victories... every day I'm alive is a victory to me....

I want to finish this on a good note. My day started making husband breakfast, prepping his lunch, sending him off to work with a kiss at the front door. I made some juice for my breakfast and the rest of the day. Got dressed and out the door I went. 5 miles of a fast walk.. a few tears of joy... Washer and dryer are going.... have plans to deep cleaned the bathroom.... Special dinner is being planned for the hubby....... My fur children are going wild down stairs. My day is way different today than it was a year ago..... Thank you God for that.... I have so many things to be thankful for.

I pray that you take a moment to remember your journey. Remember where you have been in a year. Celebrate every victory no matter how  small it is. Remember you are not the same person you were a year ago.... Blessings Idalia Green

1/365 I have conquer the begining of a new year

How many of you are sitting there waiting for that magic remedy to take care of your hurts? How many are taking so many pills to try to diminish your pain? How many of you are taking other pills to take care of the side affects that come with taking those magic pills that are supposed to help you heal. Let me tell you not long ago I was there with you. feeling lost, confused, and helpless. I didn't see an end to the vicious cycle. i would look around and  see that a lot of my family and friends were in the same boat. By the Grace of God I was introduced to Juicing and its healing properties. My life took a 180 degree turn.


I made the decision a few days ago to do another juice cleanse. Why? you ask well I have not reached my health goals. There is two groups on facebook I am part of: Juicing 101 with Steven Robalino & January 2013, Juicy Judi's "juicing only" challenge group. People from all over the world have made a commitment to make a change for their health. This gives me the support I need to do this. I am not alone in this journey. We are all learning from each other. My last fast lasted 20 very successful days. For the most part I have tried to stay on a plant based diet. I have managed to keep the weight I lost during that fast. I have not felt deprived, or hungry. quite the opposite. I have a bigger selection of food I eat on a daily basis. I have made substitutions for dairy,eggs, meats. I am making better choices on sea food.

I do not compromise on our health. which means we have more home made meals, we pick and choose where we eat when we are out. We pack a lunch bag with snacks and drinks when we are out and about. I make bigger meals, separate and store for days that are busy and hectic. There is a lot of planning, more organizing but I can honestly tell you we are seeing the changes in our health.

My husband has been doing a 20oz green juice almost every day for the past three months. He is eating a lot more green vegetables, took wheat and most gluten off his diet, we have Quinoa, forbidden rice (black rice), we use Coconut oil, Extra virgin olive oil, grape seed oil, Nutritional yeast, Have cut down his egg intake (using egg replacer, he does not know and has not noticed the change).  The changes have been done very slowly and yes some with out his knowledge. He is starting to notice the changes in his body. Some are very small but they are improvements and at the end of the day that is the goal. Will he ever do a juice fast with me? not sure, he has been surprising me since the day I met him. No reason why he could not surprise me on this as well.

Our Monthly food bill has increased in some ways but in many it has decreased. The money I would have spent on restaurants, sweets, Junk food is no longer used for that. I am making most of our snacks in the Dehydrator. Making Vegan and Vegetarian dishes which cost so much less. We are not spending money in Doctors visits or medication as we were before.

So I guess what I'm saying is this change is working for us. Even if my husband won't fully admit it, he is willing to try, which makes me very blessed.


After all of that, I'll tell you a little about my first day of the Year...I did my first 5 miles of the year. It was not the fastest walk but I was moving (hoping that in a few months I'm able to start jogging). I was out in the cold air with a huge smile on my face. Hydrated with 32oz of lemon/cayenne water. Took a short nap in the middle of the day. Had a late lunch 26oz of Happy Green Juice ( I refuse to add meanness to my body, normally the green juice its called "mean green juice") I'm drinking my dinner as I type away.


I have felt a few symptoms of the detox: A few aches and pains,Have not felt hungry or deprived, a little more tired than usual ( a good nap took care of that quick). One trick I learned on my last juice fast was to make sure I kept my Juice very close by when cooking my husband's dinner.  I can say today has been a very successful day.

Almost forgot...One new thing I started today was a Blessings Jar. I could not find a bigger. My label says: 2013 I'm so going to conquer you...

• God's Winks
• Daily Blessings
• Accomplished Goals
• Answered Prayers
• Followed God's word

closed with a scripture Matthew 5:16 

Something to keep you motivated through out the year.. on the last day of the year you open the jar and read through all the blessings you were showered with..... I Pray your first day of the year was a Blessed one...... Join me on this challenge make a healthy choice every day. go for a walk around the block, east more fruit and veggies, drink more H2O, drink less caffeine..... one small choice at a time..... 21 days of doing something becomes a habit! Blessings Idalia G.