Eyes Wide Open Ministries: A Thyroid Problem

I have a little problem with my thyroid (a butterfly shaped gland in the neck that puts out hormones). It's called Hashimoto's disease, which is an auto-immune disease, where my immune system attacks my thyroid. I was diagnosed with the disease 12 years ago, and I've been taking thyroid hormone replacements ever since. The symptoms I have are very sporadic and weird. Sometimes I feel very fatigued and short of breath, and there are times where I can't sleep and feel anxious. I often break out in hives, and my eyes and ears swell up like Will Smith's on the movie Hitch. I don't handle stress very well most of the time, and I struggle with feelings of depression from time to time.... The list keeps going. I have pretty much experienced all of the "normal" Hashimoto's symptoms.

One morning, feeling extremely fatigued and stressed, I was standing in our kitchen holding a piece of bread. I looked at the bread, and I felt God say, "Bread makes you feel worse." So for six months, I haven't eaten anything with wheat, and now I'm trying to take all grains out of my diet... except corn of course, because who could live without corn in Guatemala?? I have felt a lot better ever since!

I would also like to mention that my grandmother, Nanette McBay, has it too, and this month our 8 year old daughter, Mary Kathleen, was diagnosed with it, which of course broke our hearts. Obviously, this little problem is hereditary.

There is very little I like less than talking about sickness. We believe in a very real and powerful God, and over these years of struggling with this disease, He has spoken to my heart numerous times and told me that His Grace is enough. And it's so true. He has been faithful to give strength and peace every single day. As we patiently wait and take our daily medicine, we ask God for a healthy thyroid. We believe that one day, He will give us this desire, but we continue to worship Him no matter what.

I'm sharing all of this for a few reasons:

1. To testify to the faithfulness and realness of God. Without His strength and grace, I would be a huge, hot, whiny, swelled-up, depressed, mess. (Even when We are a hot mess though, He still loves us.)

2. To speak the Truth that God is good and full of love for us no matter our circumstances. He deserves our worship in good times and tough times.

3. To, of course, ask for your prayers. Dealing with sickness as an adult is one thing... having to see your 8 year old deal with sickness is another. Wow! Does it hurt. It's difficult to give my daughter a pill every morning knowing that something's wrong. Going "grain-free" as an adult is understandable, but we are struggling with the pros/cons of this diet with our daughter. No Cupcakes!!! Come on! We have more tests to do and more doctors to talk to, so we are just beginning this journey. Again... we are blessed!! There are much worse senarios we won't even start to think about, but we humbly ask for your prayers.

Thank you to those who have helped us these past few weeks! My cousin, Audri Ragasa, who is a nurse practitioner and has all kinds of doctor-connections, has been a very calming and helpful voice. Dr. Wayne Melvin in Florence, AL is awesome too!!

God provides everything we need.

I Need You More, Kim Walker-Smith

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i-66KeF1LQ4