Episode #2 - The moment you realize experiences throughout your life are connected to help equip you for a new season of life. You don’t know what God (for you it may be Karma or Fate) is working on in other people’s lives that will help in preparing and supporting you in your own journey.
The devastating diagnosis of autism for my second son would be the beginning of a long emotional journey destined to have many moments of despair, confusion and frustration. Little did I know that many years of watching my mother walk through trials and tribulations with chronic health conditions would end up being the very thing that would teach me how to be driven, persevere and overcome extenuating circumstances. Through her many illnesses I was introduced to what many people would refer to as “alternative medicine”. I became familiar with not only standard blood test but also those less conventional. I learned how hair analysis were used in forensic and clinical settings and how a hair analysis would be the first test that would take us on a perplexing journey of many more test to be done for Jacob. Vitamins and special diets would no longer be a trendy consideration, they would quickly become a required lifestyle change dictated by his health conditions. Sleepless nights, hours of research thumbing through medical journals and traveling to medical conferences half way across the country would be how I spent my “free time”.
Through faith I was able to hold on to strands of hope that allowed me to believe there was more in store for Jacob’s future as well as mine. Early on in my journey I made the decision to never accept status quo and search for the “why” to truly know “what” to do for him. Regardless of how strong or resilient you are, the diagnosis of a chronic condition or conditions, means a different type of new beginning. No matter how dark the moment is, there is always hope where one word, one message, one resource can completely change the direction of your journey. Connected is a mindset, a lifestyle where you look to see how one set of circumstances impacts another. Where more than one cause or solution may be identified and crossing the finish line is done by pulling people, information and resources together. If you are struggling with a different new beginning, surround yourself with people who can lift you up and encourage you. Whether it’s a word from a close friend or simply listening to an encouraging podcast or song online these positive affirmations can make all the difference in the world, touching your heart and soul. Having the hope to seek out information, solutions and treatments was only possible because I was willing to consider what new beginnings await Jacob and my family. My prayer for you is that you will be able to hold on to hope even if it is the size of a mustard seed, so that you too can connect the dots to carry you forward into your new beginning.