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Shannon’s Reflections – A Journey of Hope




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June 17, 2014 by Andrea Fabry 8 Comments

The following essay is written by my daughter, Shannon. Her health journey is chronicled in My Daughter’s Eating Disorder – a Journey of Hope.

shannon best

What have I learned about me, my body, and I?

It goes much deeper than the skin.

In a nutshell this is my story:

As a young child I was fine. I was happy or at least relatively healthy with a few sicknesses a year where I’d take antibiotics and get vaccines like everybody else.

At the age of 11 I moved into a house with mold. From then on, I got sick a LOT. I was given LOTS of antibiotics and medicines that shifted my body. At the age of 16 everything went awry hormonally and mentally.

I developed an intense eating disorder that lasted a long time. My body, mind, spirit were all outta wack. I didn’t SEE myself. I was constantly depressed, reacting to my environment and foods without knowing it, anxious, my A’s dropped to C’s and I lost ALL motivation.

I now believe that self-destruction is a type of auto-immune response which is exactly what happened with me.

At the age of 20, my family and I moved out of our moldy home and to the desert to heal. The healing process can be summed up like this: It Takes Time. It Is Personal.

For the past 5 years I’ve been working, resting, trying, healing, and most of all learning. I’ve learned that the problems I’ve had with my awareness are DIRECTLY linked to my insides and my gut. Not being able to deal with things, having trouble with learning, emotional difficulties, hormonal issues…all of this corresponds to what I’m eating, how I’m eating it, what is around me in the air and walls and people too.

Am I healthy now? I would say there are good days and there are really tough ones. I have fears and weaknesses that will take years to strengthen. I am still a sick little bird. BUT, am I reaping the benefits of learning and listening to all these things around me? YES! My body is finally catching on and learning to listen, learning to balance itself. I enjoy things in life more deeply than I did before, and my sense of SELF has come back into my awareness.

It IS inside all of us to seek, develop and maintain our own sense of balance.

It’s really simple actually. We’re all on a journey. We have our own stories and we don’t have to judge one another. We can love instead! With food, with touch, with words, with time spent with one another and with nature, and I believe in the process. It is how we learn for ourselves what it is we need and what we are here for. It’s tough, it’s long, it’s complicated, and it’s about YOU. 

 

Filed Under: Foodie, Gut Health, Uncategorized Tagged With: eating disorder, GAPS, gut health

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Comments

  1. Angela Burch says

    July 18, 2014 at 2:26 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story, Shannon.
    Your courage has been an inspiration and encouragement to me.
    What a blessing to have family who loves and supports you as you continue on your healing journey. You are on a solid path. I look forward to hearing future updates as your health continues to improve.

    God bless you! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Kim says

    July 18, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    Thanks for being so open–you’re a great inspiration to others in this battle for wellness! We’ve loved getting to know you and will continue to enjoy watching you blossom. You were stunning in your bridesmaid’s dress…I’m so glad Jordan could custom make it for your personality and body type. (She got that talent from trying to sew for my challenging body 🙂

    Keep writing and sharing!
    Love,
    Kim

    Reply
  3. Lisa Petrison says

    August 20, 2014 at 6:18 am

    Thank you for sharing your story, Shannon!

    Reply
  4. Moms Mold Resources says

    November 24, 2014 at 7:23 pm

    Thank you for sharing your heart. Your families journey and your parents faith and determination in helping others is inspiring. God bless you on your journey, I know its hard, still healing myself.
    Great post!

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      November 24, 2014 at 9:00 pm

      Such kind comments. Thank you so much for taking the time to reach out.

      Reply
  5. Maribeth says

    December 8, 2014 at 9:15 am

    Thank you for bravely sharing, Shannon! Yes, that makes complete sense that self destruction is a type of auto-immune response. I agree completely with you that all these things you mentioned (ie our environment, antibiotics, our gut, etc., etc) directly impact our emotions, our psyche, our thoughts, etc. I have seen this in my own life, in my family. You are on the cutting edge of understanding how to find healing and wholeness after enduring years of trauma. Bravo!

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      December 8, 2014 at 10:40 am

      I can’t wait to pass this along, Maribeth. Thank you for taking the time to encourage her!

      Reply
  6. ruth says

    May 20, 2015 at 3:52 pm

    What beautiful words, Shannon! May your life’ s story be an encouragement to many lost and frightened young girls.

    Reply

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MEET ANDREA

I am a certified Building Biology Advocate, a former journalist, mother of nine, and avid CrossFitter who likes to think outside the box. After our family's health crisis in 2008, I learned to ask questions about what's in our food, our water, and our air. I hope to empower you as you seek to live safely in a complex world. Thankfully, small steps lead to big changes. Let's travel this road together, one step at a time.

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10 Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)

1. The answer may be right in front of you.
2. Time is often the best medicine.
3. Speak kindly to yourself.
4. The air we breathe matters.
5. It's better to know than not know.
6. Relinquishment is a balm for the soul.
7. Symptoms will instruct if we listen.
8. Sometimes you're the expert.
9. Allow hindsight to move you forward.
10. The next step is enough.

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