MKE Week 20: Discovering Gratitude Through Pain…
Gratitude for Gout? Yup… my reflections this week spin off in a new direction, again. It’s been said challenges show up in our lives to teach us a lesson and we define who we are by how we answer the challenge.
Well then, this week painted me in a blue light… at first.
Here’s the short ‘n sweet version…
Life went a little sideways on me last week and looking for the opportunities in the challenges was tough for the first day or two…
I simply wasn’t prepared for an agonizing attack of Gout or the resulting immobility. My ankle swelled up to the size of a baseball and radiated enough heat to warm a small room! Couldn’t walk around our home without hobbling like a gimp and each step was super painful. And my immediate thoughts turned the air blue for most of the first day. Yes, anger prevailed!
Easy to see why!
A visit to my doctor had revealed the medication I had been taking for a couple of years (to lower blood pressure) caused Gout as one of it’s side effects. Perfect! And to add insult to injury…
The drugs the doctor wanted to prescribe to kill the pain and reduce the inflammation of the gout offered some nasty side effects, so I decided against the prescription and accepted the pain and immobility with reluctance. The side effects are very scary!
Medical Treatments Can Be Life Threatening!
I kept asking my self “Where’s the good in this experience?”
And just couldn’t see it yet.
Late one evening I was writing my 3 gratitude cards for that day and was coming up dry on what to be grateful for amidst all the pain. Then a wave of my ever-present quirky sense of humour hit me and I burst out laughing as I wrote on the card:
“I am grateful to experience a bout of Gout.”
What’s so funny? I suddenly realized I had an opportunity to deep dive into the causes of Gout and find out what natural cures and/or prevention I could uncover so I would never have to gimp around my house ever again.
I already knew Gout was caused by an excess of uric acid, which formed crystals in the tissue around the joints – usually the big toe or ankle. I sussed out the foods which would be low in purine (cause) and also natural remedies to help expel uric acid from my body.
Easy enough to change my diet to reduce immediate cause and also increase the odds against a recurring bout with Gout. Done deal.
And the good that came out of this?
The research was key because the information I found gave me a plan of action to achieve one of my PPNs – True Health. And the results would likely be to lower my blood pressure (punt the meds) and eliminate excess pounds – to help me achieve my ideal weight. The lower BP and ideal weight were two of my smart goals for July 30th.
Gratitude for Gout was
the Answer
I’m smiling because I was able to leverage my initial anger and turn it into a tool to achieve my goals faster and to manifest the results I desired and start seeing my DMP come into focus. Saaweeeet!
All because of gratitude… gotta love journalling eh?
My gratitude habit and my “be the observer” habit had paid big dividends. I am grateful for the MKMMA course even more this week for my new understanding in developing life-changing habits. Funny how that works.
So I have no regrets for the pain that led me to a method to achieve a major goal and a healthier lifestyle.
Make it a fantastic week in your neighbourhood… I know it will be in mine!
Cheers,
PS: If you looking for a productive way to adopt a positive bias in your life and leave all the negativity behind.
mins
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I have heard that gout is a terrible painful thing to experience. I am glad you could turn it into a gratitude and hopefully it goes away soon. Nice work on the research on the meds and the prevention aspect. I know people who are on dialysis because of the meds they took for other issues.
Hi Eleanor – Thanks for the visit and comments. I appreciate you! Yah – prescribed meds come with a 007 license to kill and by July 30, 2016 I will drug free. Sadly many folks my age are on half a dozen prescriptions, many which could be punted with a little research into natural alternatives.
Superb illustration of the power of gratitude and the cascading effect of a thought! I think also that the information you shared regarding allopathic treatments is superb. I am always amazed that Health Canada looks upon those scary things you described as OK to give, but wages a never ending campaign against natural remedies. Superb post!
Thank you Terry! Yes – Canada has a long way to go dethrone the drug side of the medical profession and compliment it with natural solutions which have worked for hundreds of years. It’s criminal to prescribe drugs when the known side effect are more harmful than the ailments.