I can't believe I've finally made it to Day 30!! I just read my post from June 29th and wow, it's crazy that I've made it 30 days! Well, almost. But that's okay, in fact, it's still great. It's an amazing feat! One that I could have never imagined that I would embark on, and one that I would not only be successful with, but one that God was so obviously made it successful! Way more than I could have ever envisioned. Seriously, this was never a thought in my mind.... And yet here I stand!
So, about a week and a half ago, I started looking into getting a nutritionist. Since I just didn't have enough money to put toward the 30-day online group (at a whopping $289!), I thought that I should at least get a nutritionist to help me to learn how to re-introduce solid food to my body. Some pretty major changes had happened in my digestive system (all of them exceptionally good as near as I can tell), that I should probably seek the advice of a professional. And I even listened!
So last Sunday I went to the nutritionist. It was Day 24. In the preceding days, my body had been not doing well. I was very tired and quite irritable and I frankly was getting really sick of the juice. Now I consider all of those things pretty normal. But one thing stuck out to me as not being normal. I was really craving food very strongly. According to the things I had heard on this plan was that I shouldn't be hungry like this. Well every time I saw food, it was actually getting harder, not easier! I didn't think I was going to make it another 6 days. I was really struggling....
So I shared all of this with my nutritionist and she said that my body just needed some protein, so she suggested, starting that evening, to incorporate about one ounce of chicken while I was drinking my juice. So I cooked up a seasoned chicken breast, slightly seared, and as instructed, ate small bites, chewing each bite thoroughly. It was absolutely heavenly! I probably ate more than one ounce (possibly about 2 ounces) and I almost immediately began to feel better!
The next day, Day 25, I was told I could double the recommended amount of chicken to two ounces. I probably ate about 5 ounces. Maybe six. It was exquisite, even warmed up! So, from there, I still continued to drink my juice, but slowly began to add more food. By Wednesday, she said I could make some soup, with chicken and well-cooked (soft) vegetables and rice. But no wheat, as I believe that I have gluten sensitivity. Once again, it was amazing!
So, basically what has happened is that my fast technically ended on Day 25, or even Day 24 if you want to include the first small amount of chicken I had. But despite this, I believe this was the best for my health. Now, when I started to re-introduce solid food to my diet, my temptation is to say "Well, I didn't make the 30 days." But the reality is that I didn't eat any solid food for TWENTY-FOUR days!
That by itself is such a huge accomplishment for me. I'm so excited that God kept me strong through pizza at bible talk, drinking only juice at a BBQ, and countless other times that I saw ads, smelled smells at work, took walks on lunch to distract myself, etc. The victory was clear for me! I've never done anything like this before, and God blessed me with a weight loss of about 33 pounds!!
However, since I have started eating again, inevitably I expected to put on a couple pounds because the fast had a cleansing effect. My bowels had nothing in them. With the re-introduction of food, I now have some waste in my digestive tract, and that's okay. So, my net weight loss, is probably still right around 30 pounds! Still, not bad for just 24 or 25 days!!!
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So what happens now?
For the next week, I plan on supplementing my meals with juice. However I also need to acknowledge that this coming week is going to be filled with planning and a trip to Spokane to work on my house, clean up the property, do landscaping, painting, and repairs in preparation for selling it.
Right now, the weather forecast is showing the hottest week of the year so far: Saturday 98, Sunday 93, and Monday 92. And it's supposed to be over 100 on the days preceding the weekend! This would be incredibly challenging for me to complete much of the work I need to get done. So, I'm asking for prayers for the weather to be significantly cooler so that I can make the best use of this time in order for me to put the house on the market next week. Thank you!
*********************************
I will be posting again in the next few days about some other very encouraging things that are going on. But for now, thank all of you again so much for all of your support, love and prayers/good thoughts over the past month. I'm very encouraged, energized and feeling like a human being again! Please pray for me being able to get my house ready, and to sell it quickly. Thank you!!
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Days 11 - 16: Steady as She Goes?
Hey everyone! Thanks for stopping by! So here's a short update on the craziness of my journey. I love my journey. But today I love pizza and hamburgers more. Well, in my mind any way...
NON-JUICE-RELATED CRAZINESS
The last few days have been very distracting. Since before I started my juice fast, my father and stepmom have been in town. My dad, as some of you may recall, had a bi-lateral lung transplant (that's BOTH lungs), back in November of 2013. In the meantime, he's been doing great! In the past year or two, he has had to come to Seattle for checkups every 4 months.
Usually, everything checks out just fine and he and my stepmom Pam head back to Eastern Washington to go about their lives. Well, this time unfortunately was a bit different. My dad was having a hard time breathing and so they checked him into the hospital. He had a significant amount of fluid in and around his lungs and one lung had actually deflated! So they put in a drain and started doing some tests to find out what was going on.
Thankfully, it was not as a result of an infection! But they couldn't quite figure out what was going on. Finally, they seemed to come upon some possible small holes in his lungs. So on Thursday, they had to do a laparoscopic surgery (minimally invasive) to cauterize and plug those holes. For most people, this would be a pretty simple surgery, but for a man that has virtually no immune system, it was dangerous.
He went in at 3:30 p.m. and I got to the hospital after work at about 4 p.m. The surgery took about 5 hours and we didn't hear from the doctor until about 8:45 p.m. But he was semi-alert and we got a chance to say hi and then I had to head home. Thank you everyone for your prayers. My dad is such a great man, and he seems in good spirits and looks healthier than when he went in! Now we just wait for the next few days to see how he does and if the fluid stops.
On a side note, this has been very difficult on my stepmom. She has been an absolute hero for my dad. She makes sure he is taking his meds and shots (he got diabetes from the surgery and is also suffering almost total short term memory loss). She cooks and cleans for him and my father would absolutely not be around if it were not for her tireless efforts. Anyway, if you think about it, please send good thoughts and prayers for her, too. 😀
Sadly, on the same day of the surgery, my stepmother got a call from my brother in Alaska. He and his girlfriend moved there a year ago to build a house and start a life together there. My brother has been working so hard to get the house done and he is currently within a few weeks of completion. A few days ago, he finished the deck floor. Now, I'm assuming this is a bear-deterrent, but the house is built about 10 feet above ground. So the deck is also at that level.
His girlfriend went out onto the deck and somehow fell off, falling 10 feet down to the bare ground. According to my brother, the doctors are saying she has severed her spine and will likely be paralyzed. Her surgery was supposed to be today and I have not yet heard how that went. So, if you think of it, please pray for them. Her name is Yvonne.
THE FAST
So with all that other craziness, my craziness doesn't seem too crazy, right? Well, it is still crazy, but I'm plugging along anyway. The last few days I have just sort of been cruising. I still want food, but my cravings are still generally diminishing. I still have good days and bad days, but overall it's getting a little bit easier each day.
But today was one of those days where I just wanted to eat something... ANYTHING!! Still craving cheese, and would love to sink my teeth into a big old pizza! But I stayed strong...
Today we had the men's forum at Magnusson Park. It was fun, there was activities and food (I had my juice) and an amazing lesson preached by Joel. We spent some time playing frisbee and ninja, and I spent a good amount of time active and in the incredible sunshine, just a few feet from Lake Washington!
But afterward, I was pretty wiped out! I went to the guys' house and they were having a gaming hangout. I didn't stay for long because I just couldn't keep my eyes open. So I headed home and crashed for about an hour and a half.
I've been feeling a lot better in a lot of ways since starting this juice fast, but I have still been pretty tired overall. I believe that the one thing that I haven't been doing enough of, is exercise. So I have set a goal to put 30,000 steps behind me this weekend. But after my nap, I had only put on about 6,000 steps and it was almost 9pm!
So, I decided to walk to the store. Not the one by my house, but that's about a mile away. To make a long, very boring story short, I took the long way home, walking about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) total! With the possible exception of walking around Greenlake almost two years ago, I believe this is the most I've walked at one time. I wouldn't have been able to do a mile even 3 weeks ago, so this is increible. And I'm not sore (yet)!! So, I will be going to bed this evening with at least 14,259 steps tonight! I'm pretty excited about that!
So this ends day 16.... Yesterday I weighed myself and have lost a total of 22 pounds (exactly 10 kg)! I originally asked for all of your help, and you've delivered in an incredible way! Thank you all for your amazing love and support: your texts, notes on facebook, and for the donations that literally are making this possible for me! But most of all, I'm so grateful to God for blessing it so much. I can't wait to eat again in two weeks, but for now, I'm hanging in there!
Love you all and I'll post again in the next few days.
NON-JUICE-RELATED CRAZINESS
The last few days have been very distracting. Since before I started my juice fast, my father and stepmom have been in town. My dad, as some of you may recall, had a bi-lateral lung transplant (that's BOTH lungs), back in November of 2013. In the meantime, he's been doing great! In the past year or two, he has had to come to Seattle for checkups every 4 months.
Usually, everything checks out just fine and he and my stepmom Pam head back to Eastern Washington to go about their lives. Well, this time unfortunately was a bit different. My dad was having a hard time breathing and so they checked him into the hospital. He had a significant amount of fluid in and around his lungs and one lung had actually deflated! So they put in a drain and started doing some tests to find out what was going on.
Thankfully, it was not as a result of an infection! But they couldn't quite figure out what was going on. Finally, they seemed to come upon some possible small holes in his lungs. So on Thursday, they had to do a laparoscopic surgery (minimally invasive) to cauterize and plug those holes. For most people, this would be a pretty simple surgery, but for a man that has virtually no immune system, it was dangerous.
He went in at 3:30 p.m. and I got to the hospital after work at about 4 p.m. The surgery took about 5 hours and we didn't hear from the doctor until about 8:45 p.m. But he was semi-alert and we got a chance to say hi and then I had to head home. Thank you everyone for your prayers. My dad is such a great man, and he seems in good spirits and looks healthier than when he went in! Now we just wait for the next few days to see how he does and if the fluid stops.
On a side note, this has been very difficult on my stepmom. She has been an absolute hero for my dad. She makes sure he is taking his meds and shots (he got diabetes from the surgery and is also suffering almost total short term memory loss). She cooks and cleans for him and my father would absolutely not be around if it were not for her tireless efforts. Anyway, if you think about it, please send good thoughts and prayers for her, too. 😀
Sadly, on the same day of the surgery, my stepmother got a call from my brother in Alaska. He and his girlfriend moved there a year ago to build a house and start a life together there. My brother has been working so hard to get the house done and he is currently within a few weeks of completion. A few days ago, he finished the deck floor. Now, I'm assuming this is a bear-deterrent, but the house is built about 10 feet above ground. So the deck is also at that level.
His girlfriend went out onto the deck and somehow fell off, falling 10 feet down to the bare ground. According to my brother, the doctors are saying she has severed her spine and will likely be paralyzed. Her surgery was supposed to be today and I have not yet heard how that went. So, if you think of it, please pray for them. Her name is Yvonne.
THE FAST
So with all that other craziness, my craziness doesn't seem too crazy, right? Well, it is still crazy, but I'm plugging along anyway. The last few days I have just sort of been cruising. I still want food, but my cravings are still generally diminishing. I still have good days and bad days, but overall it's getting a little bit easier each day.
But today was one of those days where I just wanted to eat something... ANYTHING!! Still craving cheese, and would love to sink my teeth into a big old pizza! But I stayed strong...
Today we had the men's forum at Magnusson Park. It was fun, there was activities and food (I had my juice) and an amazing lesson preached by Joel. We spent some time playing frisbee and ninja, and I spent a good amount of time active and in the incredible sunshine, just a few feet from Lake Washington!
But afterward, I was pretty wiped out! I went to the guys' house and they were having a gaming hangout. I didn't stay for long because I just couldn't keep my eyes open. So I headed home and crashed for about an hour and a half.
I've been feeling a lot better in a lot of ways since starting this juice fast, but I have still been pretty tired overall. I believe that the one thing that I haven't been doing enough of, is exercise. So I have set a goal to put 30,000 steps behind me this weekend. But after my nap, I had only put on about 6,000 steps and it was almost 9pm!
So, I decided to walk to the store. Not the one by my house, but that's about a mile away. To make a long, very boring story short, I took the long way home, walking about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) total! With the possible exception of walking around Greenlake almost two years ago, I believe this is the most I've walked at one time. I wouldn't have been able to do a mile even 3 weeks ago, so this is increible. And I'm not sore (yet)!! So, I will be going to bed this evening with at least 14,259 steps tonight! I'm pretty excited about that!
So this ends day 16.... Yesterday I weighed myself and have lost a total of 22 pounds (exactly 10 kg)! I originally asked for all of your help, and you've delivered in an incredible way! Thank you all for your amazing love and support: your texts, notes on facebook, and for the donations that literally are making this possible for me! But most of all, I'm so grateful to God for blessing it so much. I can't wait to eat again in two weeks, but for now, I'm hanging in there!
Love you all and I'll post again in the next few days.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Days 6 - 11: The Juicing Roller Coaster Ride and the BBQ!
First of all, my deepest apologies for not posting this last week. I could say I was too busy to sit down and write, and that would kind of be true, but the truth is yes, I have been busy, but I could have found the time.... Thanks to Sabrina for reminding me of my shortcomings in this area, and for being patient with me!! Here you go!
So now it kind of stinks to have to go back into my dusty old memory banks to try to retrieve all the details on how my last few days have gone. It's so much easier if I would just do it one or two at a time. I'm learning my lesson!!! Haha!
Day 6:
Well despite feeling better yesterday (Day 5), Day 6 was a bit more challenging. I had to work and am still dealing with stomach discomfort and some nausea. Didn't go to see my dad at the hospital today because I just didn't feel up to it. Now, despite feeling kind of rotten, I do still have better energy, and feeling a bit more "well-oiled" every day. The inflammation in my body seems to be going away! It doesn't hurt quite so much getting out of bed in the morning my range of motion is obviously improving! And I don't feel quite so puffed up/bloated. 👍
One extremely annoying thing did happen today, however. I went to the gym to weigh myself. I didn't feel quite up to exercising yet, so I just went in for the scale today, but I couldn't find it. They had started doing some renovations in the club and I assumed they had moved it. So I went to the desk and they said they don't have one there any more.....
Huh?.....
They said that this is a "judgment free zone" and so people don't judge or feel bad or whatever, they got rid of it! I was completely dumbfounded. I've never heard something so ridiculous thing in all my life! You are running a fitness club where people want to be able to track their progress for Pete's sake! Thankfully I apparently was not the only voice regarding the issue. Oh well, I guess I'll have to figure something else out. Overall the day was pretty good, definitely making progress!
Day 7:
Today was a great day! While in the restroom at work, I walked by the mirror and was slightly startled! What is this? I noticed that I was looking a bit svelter! I was so excited, I thought, "I need to weigh myself!" After 7 days and I could already tell a difference in my appearance!!! 😁😁😁😁 So, now my interest was really piqued, so with the help of friends on facebook, someone gave me the idea to weigh myself at the hospital when I go visit my dad this evening. So I did!
10 POUNDS (4.5 KG)!!! IN SEVEN DAYS!!
Wow, thank you so much God! This was very motivating! After leaving the hospital, I had to go buy some more juice at Costco. Supposed to be opened until 8pm. Nope. Closed at 6pm, got there at 6:05pm. 😕 So instead of getting the bottled juice, now I had to get veggies and juice my heart out. So I went Trader Joe's for the fixins.
That's when the unthinkable happened!! I was mortified! My shoe had come untied! Nooooo! Now for the average person, this is not a big deal, but for someone with a lot of pain and a large obstruction between my head and my feet, this is a problem!
Usually I have to put my foot up on something, preferably about 2 feet high, but you can't do that in a grocery store! My mind was racing, I sincerely didn't know what to do! But then it dawned on me. Let's see if I can bend down and tie it. Now that I'm svelte (ha!) maybe I can do it! So I did, I got on one knee and voila! I did it! Now it wasn't particularly graceful, but I don't think I would have been able to do that a week ago! More progress!
Day 8:
Day Eight was a success, but I am starting to get sick of the same old juice every day. So, I figured I needed to treat myself today, so I went to a juice bar near where I work and got a very similar drink to my standard green apple, celery, ginger, lemon, kale and cucumber juice. I told the girl I needed something sweet. She suggested adding pear! Yes, that's perfect!
And it was delicious!
I don't do well with the same thing every day. I drink about a liter of essentially the same juice every day and nothing else, except water. It was a nice reprieve! Otherwise today I just kept chugging along . Good day, still feeling better every day. I still feel hungry and still have cravings for pizza and red meat. 😒
Day 9:
Today I thought I would mix things up a bit. So I went to a barbecue.....
In my defense, it was a good friend's birthday party and they just *happened* to be having a barbecue. Of course they did.... LOL! I drove all the way to Bremerton to get some time with him and his mother, who is a long-time very dear friend (and time with others, too), and I wasn't about to leave after an hour of arriving. I just figured God would hook me up. So I walked in with my ridiculously large bottle of green juice, my head held high, and just decided to enjoy myself.
There were definitely moments of weakness there, but I didn't give in! And I had a great time, too. Mostly, I just felt like God hooked me up. There's no other explanation for my being that chill being around my favorite kind of food: various grilled animals! That would normally have been extremely challenging! But not with God, not today at least!
Day 10:
I have to confess, I had solid food today. Okay, it was just a very small piece of communion bread, but it was solid! Anyway, seriously, today felt a little bit rough. Still having some fatigue, and stomach issues. But I trudged through! After church and a group video at Gasworks Park, got some time with Joel and he treated me to a really tasty juice at Jamba!
It was made from cucumber, orange, and some other stuff, and I had them add some pineapple. It was very mild but tasty and refreshing! That's twice in 3 days that I treated myself to something other than the daily blend. Once again, gotta keep that sanity!
Also went to visit my dad in the hospital, and weighed myself again:
SIX . TEEN . POUNDS!!! (7 KG!) That's SIX more pounds in just THREE days!!
Thank you God! Wow, this is really starting to pay off. I'm in a bit of shock!
Day 11:
Got to bed a bit late last night, so I was really tired today! Also, I have been very bad about drinking water, so I know I'm dehydrated. I just need to drink more water!!! It's weird. I actually feel better when I don't have anything at all in my stomach. Although it's slowly feeling better each day, still having mild stomach issues, but nausea is getting better. Hm, I bet water would help that....
Today I'm really starting to get tired of this. I really want to eat something!
But on a good note, I'm so grateful for all your positive feedback on this journey! I have been noticing some changes to my health. I would like to share some of them with you (nothing gross or inappropriate). These are not all of the benefits I have experienced in my first week and a half:
Day 12:
Another night of getting into bed too late! Boo to me! Today was a bit rough again because I was SO tired at work today and I had to make a decision... Should I get some coffee? I fought myself for a couple hours on this one. But at lunch, I finally gave in, and got the smallest iced latte I could get: 12 ounces.
Only one shot of espresso, only one squirt of vanilla. Not ideal, but not the end of the world either. I have to say that I got a very QUICK rush of energy and that carried me through the rest of the day!! Still not solid food, right?
Ugh, I need some support to be able to keep going...
✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊
So I'm pretty blown away by the outpouring of love and support from many of you! So far, you have contributed a total of $165.00. I also used a $25 gift card that I had, and I used and a chunk of my own money, but I'm still just about $150.00 short of being able to do the 30-day online support group.
The next group starts the day after tomorrow, July 13th. I really hate to ask because you have all been so generous, but I don't get paid until Friday the 14th which is too late to join the group. Seriously, even $5 or $10 will help me so much. Again, I'm willing to pay you back if you contribute and let me know! Thank you!!! You can donate here if you choose to:
paypal.me/TimMorse111
I'm so close, but I am realizing that I really need some help with this. This is really starting to kick my butt a little bit. Thank you so much for reading my blog tonight! Very grateful for everyone of you!
Much love from Seattle,
Tim
So now it kind of stinks to have to go back into my dusty old memory banks to try to retrieve all the details on how my last few days have gone. It's so much easier if I would just do it one or two at a time. I'm learning my lesson!!! Haha!
Day 6:
Well despite feeling better yesterday (Day 5), Day 6 was a bit more challenging. I had to work and am still dealing with stomach discomfort and some nausea. Didn't go to see my dad at the hospital today because I just didn't feel up to it. Now, despite feeling kind of rotten, I do still have better energy, and feeling a bit more "well-oiled" every day. The inflammation in my body seems to be going away! It doesn't hurt quite so much getting out of bed in the morning my range of motion is obviously improving! And I don't feel quite so puffed up/bloated. 👍
One extremely annoying thing did happen today, however. I went to the gym to weigh myself. I didn't feel quite up to exercising yet, so I just went in for the scale today, but I couldn't find it. They had started doing some renovations in the club and I assumed they had moved it. So I went to the desk and they said they don't have one there any more.....
Huh?.....
They said that this is a "judgment free zone" and so people don't judge or feel bad or whatever, they got rid of it! I was completely dumbfounded. I've never heard something so ridiculous thing in all my life! You are running a fitness club where people want to be able to track their progress for Pete's sake! Thankfully I apparently was not the only voice regarding the issue. Oh well, I guess I'll have to figure something else out. Overall the day was pretty good, definitely making progress!
Day 7:
Today was a great day! While in the restroom at work, I walked by the mirror and was slightly startled! What is this? I noticed that I was looking a bit svelter! I was so excited, I thought, "I need to weigh myself!" After 7 days and I could already tell a difference in my appearance!!! 😁😁😁😁 So, now my interest was really piqued, so with the help of friends on facebook, someone gave me the idea to weigh myself at the hospital when I go visit my dad this evening. So I did!
10 POUNDS (4.5 KG)!!! IN SEVEN DAYS!!
Wow, thank you so much God! This was very motivating! After leaving the hospital, I had to go buy some more juice at Costco. Supposed to be opened until 8pm. Nope. Closed at 6pm, got there at 6:05pm. 😕 So instead of getting the bottled juice, now I had to get veggies and juice my heart out. So I went Trader Joe's for the fixins.
That's when the unthinkable happened!! I was mortified! My shoe had come untied! Nooooo! Now for the average person, this is not a big deal, but for someone with a lot of pain and a large obstruction between my head and my feet, this is a problem!
Usually I have to put my foot up on something, preferably about 2 feet high, but you can't do that in a grocery store! My mind was racing, I sincerely didn't know what to do! But then it dawned on me. Let's see if I can bend down and tie it. Now that I'm svelte (ha!) maybe I can do it! So I did, I got on one knee and voila! I did it! Now it wasn't particularly graceful, but I don't think I would have been able to do that a week ago! More progress!
Day 8:
Day Eight was a success, but I am starting to get sick of the same old juice every day. So, I figured I needed to treat myself today, so I went to a juice bar near where I work and got a very similar drink to my standard green apple, celery, ginger, lemon, kale and cucumber juice. I told the girl I needed something sweet. She suggested adding pear! Yes, that's perfect!
And it was delicious!
I don't do well with the same thing every day. I drink about a liter of essentially the same juice every day and nothing else, except water. It was a nice reprieve! Otherwise today I just kept chugging along . Good day, still feeling better every day. I still feel hungry and still have cravings for pizza and red meat. 😒
Day 9:
Today I thought I would mix things up a bit. So I went to a barbecue.....
In my defense, it was a good friend's birthday party and they just *happened* to be having a barbecue. Of course they did.... LOL! I drove all the way to Bremerton to get some time with him and his mother, who is a long-time very dear friend (and time with others, too), and I wasn't about to leave after an hour of arriving. I just figured God would hook me up. So I walked in with my ridiculously large bottle of green juice, my head held high, and just decided to enjoy myself.
There were definitely moments of weakness there, but I didn't give in! And I had a great time, too. Mostly, I just felt like God hooked me up. There's no other explanation for my being that chill being around my favorite kind of food: various grilled animals! That would normally have been extremely challenging! But not with God, not today at least!
Day 10:
I have to confess, I had solid food today. Okay, it was just a very small piece of communion bread, but it was solid! Anyway, seriously, today felt a little bit rough. Still having some fatigue, and stomach issues. But I trudged through! After church and a group video at Gasworks Park, got some time with Joel and he treated me to a really tasty juice at Jamba!
It was made from cucumber, orange, and some other stuff, and I had them add some pineapple. It was very mild but tasty and refreshing! That's twice in 3 days that I treated myself to something other than the daily blend. Once again, gotta keep that sanity!
Also went to visit my dad in the hospital, and weighed myself again:
SIX . TEEN . POUNDS!!! (7 KG!) That's SIX more pounds in just THREE days!!
Thank you God! Wow, this is really starting to pay off. I'm in a bit of shock!
Day 11:
Got to bed a bit late last night, so I was really tired today! Also, I have been very bad about drinking water, so I know I'm dehydrated. I just need to drink more water!!! It's weird. I actually feel better when I don't have anything at all in my stomach. Although it's slowly feeling better each day, still having mild stomach issues, but nausea is getting better. Hm, I bet water would help that....
Today I'm really starting to get tired of this. I really want to eat something!
But on a good note, I'm so grateful for all your positive feedback on this journey! I have been noticing some changes to my health. I would like to share some of them with you (nothing gross or inappropriate). These are not all of the benefits I have experienced in my first week and a half:
- Clearer complexion,
- Mild eczema almost completely gone,
- Headache going away,
- More energy,
- Eyesight improving,
- Significantly less pain,
- Much improved range of motion,
- Happier,
- Diminished intestinal discomfort,
- Reduced sensitivity to hot and cold.
Day 12:
Another night of getting into bed too late! Boo to me! Today was a bit rough again because I was SO tired at work today and I had to make a decision... Should I get some coffee? I fought myself for a couple hours on this one. But at lunch, I finally gave in, and got the smallest iced latte I could get: 12 ounces.
Only one shot of espresso, only one squirt of vanilla. Not ideal, but not the end of the world either. I have to say that I got a very QUICK rush of energy and that carried me through the rest of the day!! Still not solid food, right?
Ugh, I need some support to be able to keep going...
✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊✊
So I'm pretty blown away by the outpouring of love and support from many of you! So far, you have contributed a total of $165.00. I also used a $25 gift card that I had, and I used and a chunk of my own money, but I'm still just about $150.00 short of being able to do the 30-day online support group.
The next group starts the day after tomorrow, July 13th. I really hate to ask because you have all been so generous, but I don't get paid until Friday the 14th which is too late to join the group. Seriously, even $5 or $10 will help me so much. Again, I'm willing to pay you back if you contribute and let me know! Thank you!!! You can donate here if you choose to:
paypal.me/TimMorse111
I'm so close, but I am realizing that I really need some help with this. This is really starting to kick my butt a little bit. Thank you so much for reading my blog tonight! Very grateful for everyone of you!
Much love from Seattle,
Tim
Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Day 5: Starting to Feel Human Again
Welcome to my Day 5!
Waking up this morning after a nice long (for me) 7 hour rest, I got up and felt like my head was starting to clear up a bit. It was such an unfamiliar feeling, but what a great feeling! And all of the sudden, I had more energy! Now, I do still have a kickin' headache and a bit of haziness, but the stomach pain and nausea are generally getting better. This is VERY promising!!
I'm so encouraged by today! I got up and had the energy to do my finances, start making a dent in cleaning my room, juiced twice, did a load of laundry, replaced a side view mirror on my car (long and very boring story) as well as some other various projects, then got to visit my dad in the hospital this afternoon!
I just didn't feel up to going out to Gasworks Park for the 4th of July festivities with the church, so I was bummed about that, but this was definitely the most productive day I've had in a long time! Thank you God!
I'm getting ready for bed and it's currently 10:48pm. Since it's July 4th, there are still a lot of fireworks being let off in the neighborhood, so I'll have to wait it out a bit longer. Hopefully not too much longer though because 4:45am comes quickly!
Thanks again to all of your love and support, moral and otherwise! I can't wait to see what the next few days bring! I'll continue to share more as time allows. I'm not sure if every day is going to be ideal, but I will update regularly!
Happy 4th of July to my American friends and happy July 5th to my non-American friends!! (Just cuz!) 😏
Waking up this morning after a nice long (for me) 7 hour rest, I got up and felt like my head was starting to clear up a bit. It was such an unfamiliar feeling, but what a great feeling! And all of the sudden, I had more energy! Now, I do still have a kickin' headache and a bit of haziness, but the stomach pain and nausea are generally getting better. This is VERY promising!!
I'm so encouraged by today! I got up and had the energy to do my finances, start making a dent in cleaning my room, juiced twice, did a load of laundry, replaced a side view mirror on my car (long and very boring story) as well as some other various projects, then got to visit my dad in the hospital this afternoon!
I just didn't feel up to going out to Gasworks Park for the 4th of July festivities with the church, so I was bummed about that, but this was definitely the most productive day I've had in a long time! Thank you God!
I'm getting ready for bed and it's currently 10:48pm. Since it's July 4th, there are still a lot of fireworks being let off in the neighborhood, so I'll have to wait it out a bit longer. Hopefully not too much longer though because 4:45am comes quickly!
Thanks again to all of your love and support, moral and otherwise! I can't wait to see what the next few days bring! I'll continue to share more as time allows. I'm not sure if every day is going to be ideal, but I will update regularly!
Happy 4th of July to my American friends and happy July 5th to my non-American friends!! (Just cuz!) 😏
Monday, July 3, 2017
Day 4: I'll just call it "Cravings Day"
CAUTION: Short "Gripe-fest" to follow (It's short, I promise!):
Man, all day I've been dreaming of a big fat juicy steak, grilled to perfection on a BBQ grill, seasoned with lemon & pepper and Montreal Steak Seasoning and smothered in fried mushrooms. With a baked potato on the side, with all the toppings! ALL. DAY. LONG!
My body is getting desperate, I'm even craving stuff I don't really even like all that much, like the Chinese food from a can that my mom used to make us in the 70's (Love you, mom!). 😀 Very bizarre stuff! But craving so many things today...
Also still feeling generally yucky, with bouts of stomach discomfort and some nausea. Headache is still hanging out and still feeling pretty wiped out. Y'all can pack your bags and get out of my body!
I've seriously been so tempted to give in today! Thank you for all your prayers and support! (By the way, a few very generous people have donated a total of $125 toward my costs. I'm so incredibly grateful for you!!)
I feel like I'm sooo close to my first goal. I don't think I've ever gone 4 days in a row without food in my 47 1/2 years! So, this is a big deal for me! I just have to make it one more day before my body adjusts, so I'm told! I can't wait!!!
Today was my biggest concern, having to be nice to people on the phones at work!! My bosses were so incredibly kind to allow me to do a different task for a few hours today since they knew that I was feeling a bit under the weather. I'm so grateful for them! And then they let us out an hour early, which I didn't find out until nearly the end of my shift!
So, tomorrow, we'll see how I feel. My church is planning a 4th of July celebration in a popular park with tons of people, no parking, etc. And if I feel anything like I do now, there's just no way I will have the energy to handle all that tomorrow. (Man, I sound old!!)
Day 4: ALMOST DONE!!
And bring on Day 5, I'm ready to get this phase of my journey over!!!
(Prayers and good thoughts still much appreciated! Thanks!)
Man, all day I've been dreaming of a big fat juicy steak, grilled to perfection on a BBQ grill, seasoned with lemon & pepper and Montreal Steak Seasoning and smothered in fried mushrooms. With a baked potato on the side, with all the toppings! ALL. DAY. LONG!
My body is getting desperate, I'm even craving stuff I don't really even like all that much, like the Chinese food from a can that my mom used to make us in the 70's (Love you, mom!). 😀 Very bizarre stuff! But craving so many things today...
Also still feeling generally yucky, with bouts of stomach discomfort and some nausea. Headache is still hanging out and still feeling pretty wiped out. Y'all can pack your bags and get out of my body!
I've seriously been so tempted to give in today! Thank you for all your prayers and support! (By the way, a few very generous people have donated a total of $125 toward my costs. I'm so incredibly grateful for you!!)
I feel like I'm sooo close to my first goal. I don't think I've ever gone 4 days in a row without food in my 47 1/2 years! So, this is a big deal for me! I just have to make it one more day before my body adjusts, so I'm told! I can't wait!!!
Today was my biggest concern, having to be nice to people on the phones at work!! My bosses were so incredibly kind to allow me to do a different task for a few hours today since they knew that I was feeling a bit under the weather. I'm so grateful for them! And then they let us out an hour early, which I didn't find out until nearly the end of my shift!
So, tomorrow, we'll see how I feel. My church is planning a 4th of July celebration in a popular park with tons of people, no parking, etc. And if I feel anything like I do now, there's just no way I will have the energy to handle all that tomorrow. (Man, I sound old!!)
Day 4: ALMOST DONE!!
And bring on Day 5, I'm ready to get this phase of my journey over!!!
(Prayers and good thoughts still much appreciated! Thanks!)
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Day 3: Oh lordy....
Ah, what can i say about day 3? Well, let's just say the rubber is hitting the road today. I woke up this morning feeling like I was run over by a truck. Headache, stomach ache, and feeling super weak. I crawled out of bed and it took a while for me to get moving!
Still been feeling some nausea but started drinking more water. It seems to be helping. Also some of my back pain and foot pain returned. Hopefully for one last time?
But despite all of this, I made it to church, and it was very encouraging! Afterward I had to unfortunately cancel my plans once again to go see my dad in the hospital because I don't think I would have lasted 5 minutes. Just felt lousy....
So I came home and took a nap because I was just exhausted. Two hours was great, but could have stayed in bed much longer!!! I also had to get some laundry done, and then went to hear John Causey preach to our little group at the staff meeting, and it was amazing!! Thanks John!
But shortly after the lesson, I had to come home to finish my laundry and hopefully get to bed at a reasonable hour. I've been trying to be out and about and semi-active. But Joel mentioned today that I looked pretty tired. It's true. But I was still trying to be giving!
Also, I don't think this is cheating but I inadvertently took a couple breath mints at the meeting this evening, but realized after a few minutes that was probably not part of the plan, so I spit them out. I hope that doesn't ruin any progress I've made so far. But one thing I was not aware of, but this juice fast comes some serious breath. Eek!
Anyway, PLEASE pray for me tomorrow. I have to work my regular 6:30am shift and I'm hoping that it's quiet at work. If I can make it through tomorrow I think I've got these first 5 days!!
Day 3: DONE!!!!
Still been feeling some nausea but started drinking more water. It seems to be helping. Also some of my back pain and foot pain returned. Hopefully for one last time?
But despite all of this, I made it to church, and it was very encouraging! Afterward I had to unfortunately cancel my plans once again to go see my dad in the hospital because I don't think I would have lasted 5 minutes. Just felt lousy....
So I came home and took a nap because I was just exhausted. Two hours was great, but could have stayed in bed much longer!!! I also had to get some laundry done, and then went to hear John Causey preach to our little group at the staff meeting, and it was amazing!! Thanks John!
But shortly after the lesson, I had to come home to finish my laundry and hopefully get to bed at a reasonable hour. I've been trying to be out and about and semi-active. But Joel mentioned today that I looked pretty tired. It's true. But I was still trying to be giving!
Also, I don't think this is cheating but I inadvertently took a couple breath mints at the meeting this evening, but realized after a few minutes that was probably not part of the plan, so I spit them out. I hope that doesn't ruin any progress I've made so far. But one thing I was not aware of, but this juice fast comes some serious breath. Eek!
Anyway, PLEASE pray for me tomorrow. I have to work my regular 6:30am shift and I'm hoping that it's quiet at work. If I can make it through tomorrow I think I've got these first 5 days!!
Day 3: DONE!!!!
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Juicing Days 1 & 2
Hey all!
First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone for all of your messages of encouragement, by phone, text, messenger, etc. They mean the world to me! Also, I am so blown away by the sheer number of people that have viewed my blog in the last two days! My best entry a couple of years ago had maybe 111 views. Since Wednesday night, I have had 550 views, fully 5x as many views as my previous best post! And from all over the world! I'm so humbled and grateful for all of you! Thank you!
So my first day juicing I went with Suja juice that I got at Costco. It's very similar to the one that Joe used during his 60-day juice fast. Then last night, I made my first batch with my machine.
Day 1:
So I got up and took the bus in to work. It was a beautifully clear morning with an amazing sunrise! Mount Rainier was proudly standing over Lake Washington, watching over Seattle as the pink from the sunrise turned to a misty orange-red on her brilliant white face. Man, God really has made this place beautiful!
I got to work and by about 8 a.m. I realized that I was starting to get really tired. I had my bottle of Suja that I drank throughout the day. I almost finished it during my shift, but in my haste, I left it on my desk. Oops. Not drinking that on Monday morning!! LOL
But work was definitely a challenge. By 10 a.m. I could tell I was really struggling. I was feeling grumpy and lethargic and just generally blah. The pace of calls picked up in the middle of the day and stayed that way until almost the end of my day. I went home pretty wiped out.
I wanted to go see my dad at the hospital, but just felt terrible, headache, stomach ache, even a bit of nausea. So I told my stepmom that I would try to come Saturday. So I just laid low and took it easy for the night.
One of the little things I noticed while I was walking to the bus after work was that I had just a bit more energy and I wasn't in quite as much pain while I was walking. "Hm," I thought to myself, "Could this be starting to work already?"
Day 2:
I woke up this morning and had some time planned with my friend Larry who had been having some issues in his family this week. Larry is a great guy that has been homeless in the last year and has now gotten off the street and is putting his life back together! He's come such a long way! But I digress! So I got about 9 hours of sleep last night which was badly needed! Today, I have significantly more energy, my mind is less foggy and I can tell that even my eyesight is improving!
I knew these things would happen from my research, but I had no idea they would happen so quickly! I'm very encouraged and hopeful that this continues!
But I am still having some pretty intense cravings, but it seems like they're slowly decreasing. I'm also still pretty hungry. But I guess we'll see what the next few days hold in store for me. I know everyone's prayers and good thoughts are helping a ton. I had no expectations that it would be this good so quickly. So please keep your prayers and positive vibes coming!!
First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone for all of your messages of encouragement, by phone, text, messenger, etc. They mean the world to me! Also, I am so blown away by the sheer number of people that have viewed my blog in the last two days! My best entry a couple of years ago had maybe 111 views. Since Wednesday night, I have had 550 views, fully 5x as many views as my previous best post! And from all over the world! I'm so humbled and grateful for all of you! Thank you!
So my first day juicing I went with Suja juice that I got at Costco. It's very similar to the one that Joe used during his 60-day juice fast. Then last night, I made my first batch with my machine.
Day 1:
So I got up and took the bus in to work. It was a beautifully clear morning with an amazing sunrise! Mount Rainier was proudly standing over Lake Washington, watching over Seattle as the pink from the sunrise turned to a misty orange-red on her brilliant white face. Man, God really has made this place beautiful!
I got to work and by about 8 a.m. I realized that I was starting to get really tired. I had my bottle of Suja that I drank throughout the day. I almost finished it during my shift, but in my haste, I left it on my desk. Oops. Not drinking that on Monday morning!! LOL
But work was definitely a challenge. By 10 a.m. I could tell I was really struggling. I was feeling grumpy and lethargic and just generally blah. The pace of calls picked up in the middle of the day and stayed that way until almost the end of my day. I went home pretty wiped out.
I wanted to go see my dad at the hospital, but just felt terrible, headache, stomach ache, even a bit of nausea. So I told my stepmom that I would try to come Saturday. So I just laid low and took it easy for the night.
One of the little things I noticed while I was walking to the bus after work was that I had just a bit more energy and I wasn't in quite as much pain while I was walking. "Hm," I thought to myself, "Could this be starting to work already?"
Day 2:
I woke up this morning and had some time planned with my friend Larry who had been having some issues in his family this week. Larry is a great guy that has been homeless in the last year and has now gotten off the street and is putting his life back together! He's come such a long way! But I digress! So I got about 9 hours of sleep last night which was badly needed! Today, I have significantly more energy, my mind is less foggy and I can tell that even my eyesight is improving!
I knew these things would happen from my research, but I had no idea they would happen so quickly! I'm very encouraged and hopeful that this continues!
But I am still having some pretty intense cravings, but it seems like they're slowly decreasing. I'm also still pretty hungry. But I guess we'll see what the next few days hold in store for me. I know everyone's prayers and good thoughts are helping a ton. I had no expectations that it would be this good so quickly. So please keep your prayers and positive vibes coming!!
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