An Inspiring Read

I saw this post in my Facebook newsfeed earlier today and I am totally inspired by Julie's story. I have followed her for years and know some of the crazy things she's been through, including telling ER docs how to treat her because they didn't know how. Scary, right? Anyway, Julie has been through hell and back over the past eight years and has come out on the other side. I am sharing this with her permission. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do! And as Julie says, don't waste a minute. Live!!

From Julie Pousson Facebook post, January 1, 2020:

HEALTH UPDATE:

For 8 years (2010-2018), I struggled to survive illness. When I moved from Texas to New York last year, I took with me a hard copy of my medical ...records. And I looked through them. Below are some numbers that blew me away.

I spent 4 years unable to walk more than a few steps unaided. More than 3 years surviving almost solely on Ensure and Sprite. A combined 3 weeks in the ICU/ACE Units, 7 weeks in a step-down or med/surg unit, 4 weeks in the telemetry unit, and 2 months in a nursing home. I have gone into, and come back out of, hospice.

I have been told that my kidneys might last 2 years (in 2013), and that I may not survive the day (sepsis and kidney failure, 2012, and brain bleed, 2015).

In early 2018. my docs and I finally got some control over the Addison's disease, which had been setting off lupus attacks. During the previous years, I didn't spend an uninterrupted 3 months out of the hospital, not even once. And here I was, getting stronger every day.

Now, I have a relatively normal life. It's been weird as all hell realizing that I am not (definitely) going to die soon, and even weirder re-entering the world of the well. For 8 years, nearly all of my personal contact had been with medical professionals, or with family gathered at my bedside.

Lazarus comes to mind.

The last time I spent the night in a hospital for these illnesses was in February-March, 2018. And aside from the intentional fire that sent me to the ER a month ago in NY, I have not even been in an ER in more than a year.

I still get sick, and sometimes it's bad. Some medications can be as crappy as the sickness. But my life is pretty ordinary now. And that is extraordinary.

I'm here to tell you that there is a strength inside of all of us that's so much bigger than we know. And there is immense power in just getting through this moment, this breath.

Beloved friends and family: Don't let anyone put an expiration date on you. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do what you love ever again. And don't waste a minute! LIVE!!!

Happy New Year 2020! I love you!