Dianne’s Testimonial On BlogTalk
Connecting The Dots
A Date To Remember
On July 4th of 1995, I was formally introduced to a certain someone. This intriguing individual led me down a path of understanding that I could have never imagined. At this precise time… in body, mind, emotions and spirit… I began to truly comprehend the astonishing, intricate connection between what I ate and how I functioned. On this specific subject matter, it’s all of what this person said that I hadn’t heard prior. And, this was what vehemently grabbed my undivided attention. My curiosity was sparked. If actuating a dramatic change in what I eat would help me, I definitely had a strong motivating force.
Change On The Horizon
Sick & Very Tired
Under what seemed like endless medical care and sorely disappointed in how I felt, I began to deeply think about making a real serious commitment to eat for wellness.
A Beautiful Stranger
At a picnic party is where I met this certain someone. This person was a professing Christian, exceptionally nice and super insightful. The big bonus… he was a strikingly handsome man… he was close to my age… he was available… woohoo!
A Loving Proposal
This captivating and well spoken guy lovingly proposed to me this profound question… “Why would anyone not eat for wellness?” The savoir faire of this charming fella, as my Mom’s mother would say if she had met him, won over my left-brain logic. I couldn’t deny the glaringly obvious in this male cutie’s presentation. My mind raced… “It really does make perfect sense to eat with health as the priority.” “I will, I will,” I enthusiastically shouted. I was a willing vessel… I was utterly exhausted of my drab and dreary physical self.
From The Beginning
I was introduced to this world by the pull of forceps, bottle fed commercial infant formula and shot up with numerous vaccines. My Mom told me that as a baby, I suffered through horrendous, near death convulsions. Then, at only five years of age… I was medically diagnosed with the chronic, progressive inflammatory and autoimmune disease of rheumatoid arthritis. But not only this, at such a young age… I also had to face vision problems and unsightly eyeglasses. Entering womanhood, I was burdened and heavy-hearted by unattractive crooked teeth which resulted in those extremely uncomfortable, all too annoying, awkward metal braces that I wore between the tender years of fifteen and sixteen. If all this wasn’t enough for me to tolerate at this particular time in my life, I had to also bear the dismal medical diagnosis… abnormal curvature of the spine… adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. An orthopedic physician prescribed me a horribly cumbersome, nearly unbearable, full-torso apparatus that I sorrowfully wore for one and a half years. After putting up with all this, I then received the grievous news that I needed an operation. Thus, I endured the unmerciful affliction of invasive, spinal fusion surgery for a Harrington rod insertion.
It’s Not Over
From my later teen years to my mid twenties, I fought awful bouts of acne. And, from my later teen years throughout my twenties… I dealt with the exhausting, phlegmy coughing fits from seemingly never-ending periods of bronchitis. I also traveled the rough roads of intense fatigue, torturous constipation, frightening heart palpitations and a host of weakening viral infections. These were all added to the taxing distresses with my eyes and disabling rheumatoid arthritis. At nineteen years of age, I clearly recall the terrific anguish I displayed because of an excruciatingly painful, kick-start to my menstrual cycle. Believe this or not, it actually hurt to breathe. I keeled over with such ferocious twinges, aches and pangs. These brutal discomforts could have knocked down an elephant!
Face The Situation
I’m Breaking Out
Concerning the acne condition, I felt deeply disturbed and beyond desperate. Therefore, I sought help from the University of Pennsylvania. I was prescribed a bunch of diverse antibiotics. What did I do? I naively swallowed down these chemical concoctions and day after day, I went through this tedious drudgery. In a diffident state of mind and devoid of understanding to spare me a regime of pill-popping, I was stuck way high in the sky in that dreamy, wish upon a star hope of eventually sporting crystal clear, silky smooth, beautiful glowing skin. Thus, each and every appointment… I also hesitantly tolerated abrasive, topical treatments that were administered by the dermatologist himself. When all these things miserably failed and I was left in dire straits, I fearfully acquiesced to the drastic measure of Isotretinoin (Accutane). In a poor defense, I can only conclude… I marched mindlessly to the orders of doctor knows best. What was I thinking? Surely, I was completely and utterly out of my mind.
Big Money Business
According to IQVIA data as of February 2021, Isotretinoin oral capsules have annual sales of more than $158 million in the United States.
Oh, My Back
At the vulnerable ages of fifteen and sixteen, a good portion of my body was imprisoned inside a Milwaukee brace (CTLSO… cervico-thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis). I was trapped in this restrictive, inconvenient, exasperating piece of equipment for twenty-three hours of each twenty-four hour day, and I terribly distressed in this confining, full-torso, man-made invention for what felt like an eternity. After the totally unnerving one and a half years of wearing this horrendous thing, here’s what the orthopedic physician dejectedly announced to me with my parents right beside me. “Dianne, the brace didn’t do a good enough job in correcting your spinal curvature… you must now undergo spinal fusion surgery if you want to remain walking for the rest of your life.”
WARNING… SPECIAL ATTENTION!
BIG MONEY BUSINESS
• Global scoliosis management expects high growth opportunities by 2024
• Scoliosis management market players attention on more modern advertising techniques to pressure income
• Scoliosis management market expected to remain high in North America during 2018-2026
• Scoliosis management market has been estimated at a value of $2,460.4 million in 2018 and the expectation is that it will
expand at a CAGR of 3.6% over the forecast period (2018-2028)
No Going Back
The patient’s losing blood. During this risky, complicated, dangerous spinal operation… I had significant blood loss. In the amount of several pints, the scoliosis surgeons gave me a blood transfusion. Then, after this extensive, highly invasive, orthopedic surgical procedure was all said and done… I was injected a number of times with a generous dose of the narcotic analgesic drug of morphine to relieve me of the outrageous back pain that I struggled with, and I became pitifully dependent on this highly addictive painkiller. So, I wondered… “Could things get any worse for me?” During the two or three weeks I spent in the hospital lying flat on my back and in an absolutely helpless state, these medical professionals left me to recuperate in the same room with a woman who was schizophrenic. At nighttime and on a daily basis, this woman with multiple personalities threatened to kill me just because. And, needless to say… I barely slept out of great fear for my life. It’s a true miracle that I even survived those few weeks I spent in the mental ward. The mental ward? Yes, it was a case of the hospital having too many patients and too little room. I returned to my home sweet home where I had the best caretaker in the whole wide world waiting for me… my darling Mom. As joyful as I was to finally be in my own bed again, I was extremely downhearted to find myself a prisoner there with my body bound by a horribly uncomfortable, full-body cast. Oh, and did I mention that I had to stay in this sad state of affairs for three entire months at the age of sweet sixteen? Is it any wonder why I felt like the epitome of a teenage girl who had sunken to the lowest depths of depression?
Meaning Of July Forth
Tragically, shortly after July 4th of 1993 and at thirty years of age… I painfully faced the harsh reality of life in a sightless state. You see, it was on July 4th of 1993 that I was at my aunt’s house for a barbecue party. Yes, this was back at the time when I didn’t know about this world’s holidays versus the Bible’s holy days. I had entered into the realm of thirty something, and I was having a whole lot of fun. I took my turn, and I jumped off the diving board… everybody in the pool. As I expected, I went completely underwater. It’s all about what happened once I came up out of the water. Sightwise, at that time… I was an independent person. Even though, I could get around on my own… my eyes were obviously pretty weakened from all that the physicians had done to them. How was I to know that the pressure from diving into a pool would cause me additional problems with my eyes?
I Can’t See
To continue on with what happened, I came up out of the water crying for my Mom. She ran over to me, and I said… “Mom, I don’t exactly know what happened to me, but I can hardly see anything.” I continued, “Will you guide me to a chair so that I can sit down?” Concerning all the issues that affected my eyesight as well as all the related medical treatments, it would take an eyebrow-raising amount of ink to print the ton of documentation that was recorded by Wills Eye Hospital and Scheie Eye Institute. To name but a few, I unfortunately experienced situations with glaucoma, cataracts, my cornea which led to a corneal transplant, inorganic mineral deposits, calcium carbonate-lime, detachment of retina and a serious blood hemorrhage… the last two issues listed supposedly resulted from the dive according to my eye specialists.
They Didn’t Help
Still Well Wishing
Concerning the arthritic condition and eyesight challenges, for over a quarter century… I was treated by a slew of extremely educated physicians and specialists. Not one of them could restore me… not one of them. What came from this torture… just the torture. All of them left me worse off and still well wishing. It wasn’t like these medical professionals didn’t have enough time to figure things out… talk about a dog chasing its tail. These physicians went around and around in circles, and they got absolutely nowhere. There’s the bright yellow light to caution… the boldness of red for stop… read the signs… here it is… the Granddaddy of them all… this is a dead end street. Turn, and go another way!
Sharing My Feelings
For a great portion of my life, I felt trapped in a constant struggle and losing battle. I felt alone, confused, frustrated, afraid, depressed, angry, deeply saddened and hopeless, belittled, life was unfair, imprisoned, victimized, suicidal, doomed to doctors for the rest of my life and ill from all the unnatural substances they prescribed for me.
Wake Up Call
Here’s a jolting, eyebrow-raising and jaw-dropping wake up call that I heard loud and clear. Once again, here I was at the doctor’s office for this or that thing. My well-degreed family physician said, “I’ll be right with you… I have to take my insulin shot.” Talk about a head spinning, brain teaser of a moment turned sobering, reality check. Diagnosis from this particular event… chills up my spine and nervous trembling.
The Juicy Details
With one hand in a bowl of crispy potato chips and the other hand lifting a glass of sugar sweetened tea to my lips, Mr. Watermelon Juice introduced himself to me. If only wishing could have turned that unappetizing juice into a thin crispy crusted, garlicky white pizza with extra cheese… I would have been a real happy camper. Ironically, it was on July 4th of 1995… I was at the most boring picnic party. Here was this good-looking, single guy who is close to my age, and he is offering me a drink of his scratch-made melon juice with the rind. What a bummer! How did I arrive here where the singing is mediocre at best, the piano playing is nothing short of yawn worthy, everyone else who was present easily doubled my age and to boot… some of the people there had fallen asleep. Besides the snoring, to top off the exciting festivities was a health lesson about the nutrient-density of watermelon rind. It’s no wonder that I drifted, “I wonder what it would be like to experience the tasteful adventure whereby drops of honey are raining down upon me?”
Really? Watermelon Juice?
To this day, I still wonder how anyone can get that enthusiastic about swallowing down watermelon juice with the rind. And, just to let you know… Paul and I do NOT consume this fruit anymore. Watermelon is Babylonian… there’s more about this to follow.
We Learn Together
From that July 4th day forward, Paul (a.k.a. Mr. Watermelon Juice) presented me with lots of healthy inspiration, and he asked me to join him in exploring how to live well. Yes, someone please tell me how to live well.
A Marriage Proposal
It’s truly amazing how a person’s lack of health affects decisions in other areas of their life. Two weeks after that July 4th of 1995, Paul said… “You’re the woman for me… I’m in love with you… Marry me!” I was stunned, and I declined. “With next to no eyesight and these various other ailments, how in the world could I ever be a good enough wife,” I upsettingly thought. The latter thought completely overwhelmed me. And, the very next thought that I had… “I’ve only known him for a mere two weeks.” Paul vehemently refused to date any other women, and he was adamant about remaining by my side even if it was just as my friend. He and I then continued to focus on getting healthy. This is what I had to do as I was one big disaster mess.
We’re Seeking Health
In those years of 1995-1996, dramatic changes took place with lots of healthful goings-on. Paul and I started out by reading several books about healthy living, and two of these books were specifically about water fasting. Each one of these extremely inspirational books was written by a prominent man in the health field. Wow, my level of motivation went sky high. I was so very excited about all of the miracles that could take place during an extended water fast.
I’m Moving Out
I explained to Paul that I didn’t have my parents’ support concerning the various healthful things that I wanted to do (especially undertaking an extended water fast). I lovingly yet boldly stated to my parents, “I’m moving out.” With absolutely no disrespect whatsoever to my parents, it’s just that I literally had it up to my eyeballs with going the medical route.
I’m Moving In
For the sake of getting well, I moved in with Paul… our relationship was purely platonic. Paul encouraged me, motivated me, supported me and helped me.
My Mom Knew
My Dad and Mom adored Paul, and even before any formal introduction between my parents and Paul took place… my mother called Paul out as her son-in-law. And, this she did in the church parking lot. “Joanne, I don’t think so… what about that woman and child we see with him?” With these words, my Mom answered my Dad… “That’s probably Paul’s sister and her little boy.”
It’s Goodbye Time
So, here’s the scoop on that woman and child my Dad and Mom saw with Paul. Well, both of my parents were correct. My Mom was correct… the child was not Paul’s. And, that woman was indeed the child’s mother. However, it was NOT as my Mom thought… the woman in question was NOT Paul’s sister. On this one, my Dad scored a point… she was Paul’s girlfriend. Paul thought that if he and his girl attended church together, things would work out with their relationship. Paul then realized things would not work out, and he said goodbye to his girl. As for me, after some years together… I bade farewell to my boyfriend. As hurtful as it was for me, I knew that our relationship was over when he spoke these words to me… “You can have faith for the both of us.” In more ways than one, Paul and I needed to heal. Through lots of Scripture studies and much prayer, Paul and I focused on helping each other to heal physically, mentally and emotionally. By the way, I continued to enjoy a close relationship with my parents. However, now that I was on my own, I happily did my own thing.
Death By Medicine
Proverbs 14:12
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
They Don’t Mix
As far as I was concerned, adhering to Scripture in addition to seeking the Holy Father through much prayer and doctoring via the allopathic/medical system was like mixing oil and water. No matter how hard someone tries to combine them, oil and water do not mix… the two always separate from one another. “I’m so out of that medical mess… I’m completely done with it,” I confidently proclaimed to Paul and myself. Since numerous people thought I was extremely radical, and this includes the professing Christian people that I was around… I confided in Paul exclusively. Paul was all about me not doctoring, and he used to say… “Look at what these physicians have put you through, and you’re not any better but you’re actually worse.” What Paul said about me reminds me of a certain woman. Mark 5:25-26… “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, BUT RATHER GREW WORSE.”
I’m Over It
I 100% called it quits with the mainstream medical community, and I deep-sixed all their prescription eye meds. I was overwhelmingly discouraged with medical treatments, and yet this was and still is a gross understatement. “I’m finally FREED from this bondage,” I joyfully declared! Job 13:4… “But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.”
The Fast Track
In addition to reading about fasting in the Bible, those two books about water fasting really got to me, and I decided to embark on a water only fast. I appropriately prepped before I fasted, and I fasted whereby I drank nothing but water that was free of contaminants. I didn’t set any time restriction for the fast, and through daily fervent prayer… I wholeheartedly trusted the Heavenly Father to lead and guide me. I was led to end this fast after nineteen consecutive days, and during this entire time… Paul took total care of me. He also re-read the two fasting books to me, and then what happened? It’s off to see the first doctor.
The First Doctor
I Want Wellness
Paul and I arrived at the doctor’s office located in northern New Jersey. We sat in front of an internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing. He also authored one of the two books about water fasting that Paul and I read. Long story short, after this M.D. board-certified family physician, health-fitness enthusiast and savvy nutrition researcher thoroughly examined me… I couldn’t believe what he wanted me to do. Now, mind you that only a few weeks had past since my nineteen-day water fast. And, here was this highly educated man asking me to do an additional water fast of seven days. Paul let me know that he would be right by my side, and Mr. M.D. reminded me of my goal which was to live well. Here I was a young lady in her early to mid thirties… there was so much life ahead of me. What was I to do? Was I to live the rest of my life sick, or was I to live it well? The choice was up to me. I thought, “Oh Dianne, in order to live well… what’s another seven days without food?”
The Healing Begins
Well On My Way
All that hard work in relation to my water fasting sure paid off. It was all too obvious to me that I was well on my way to healing from what medical physicians diagnose as rheumatoid arthritis. I also found enormous relief from a host of other ailments, and my eyesight improved to where I couldn’t help but take notice… I was certainly one spirited gal!
Continuing My Journey
The Second Doctor
An Eye Care Specialist
The first doctor I went to see recommended that I seek the advice of this highly educated, highly experienced, eye care specialist who boasted of not one, not two, not three, not four, no and not five but six degrees from major universities (namely SUNY… State University of New York, NYU… New York University, Princeton University, Pennsylvania College of Optometry and two degrees from Columbia University). The Doc told me, “If anyone can help you, it’s this guy… he knows just about everything there is to know about eyes.” I figured that I had everything to gain. And, what could I possibly lose as I was sightless at this point anyway. Paul insisted on paying the five hundred dollars that I needed for the first visit (which included comprehensive, eye health testing). Paul happily drove me to see this holistic O.D. (Optometrist), and both he and I had an expectation that this eye care specialist would be able to do something to help me see.
The Reality Hit
Allopathic Caused Disease
Within my twenty-six years of mainstream medical treatments, I had twenty plus surgeries on my eyes alone. And, just what was the outcome of all these eye surgeries? In the words of this eye care specialist… “Dianne, Because of the iatrogenic illness you now suffer from… there’s nothing that I can do to restore or improve your vision.” “Iatrogenic,” I inquired? “Iatrogenic means allopathic doctor caused disease,” the eye care specialist compassionately explained. At this particular moment, the reality really hit me. It was like a ton of bricks had just fallen on my head. I thought to myself… “Dianne, Because of all those medical treatments that you suffered through… the opportunity that you had to reverse the eyesight condition has been stolen from you.” On that day, I cried a river of tears. Remember, by this time… I had lost enough eyesight whereby I needed someone to lead me around. As the specialist revealed this heartbreaking information to me, Paul was right by my side. “All you have left is to pray that God grants you a miracle. Dianne, I’m sorry to say that there’s nothing that I have to offer you as far as bringing about or improving your eyesight,” the Doc stated. After the initial shock, I eventually responded with these words… “It’s a good thing that I believe in miracles, huh!”
Then It Happened
I had fallen in love. As soon as I let Paul know of my newfound feelings, he quickly sent me packing. No sooner did Paul begin speaking, “May I have your daughter’s hand,” my Dad cheerfully bobbed his head up and down, gave Paul a hearty handshake, patted him on the shoulder and exclaimed, “Welcome to our family, Son!” Paul and I didn’t want to be away from each other for long, so in less than two weeks… a bunch of people were in celebration of what was a beautifully elegant but modest affair. In mid-January of 1997, this was one and a half years after Paul and I officially met on that July 4th of 1995… he and I married.
Under Serious Investigation
Wow, a serious investigation about how to live well was certainly in order. When I found out that I could have a computer talk to me, I was quite surprised and I was definitely all ears. “Really, a talking computer,” I curiously thought? Paul excitedly bought me this too cool, speak to me software. With faint vision, I was content to rely solely upon my hearing via this sophisticated speech system.
I Was Excited
I memorized the keyboard, learned how to use a computer, and I acquired skill in using this technologically advanced, screen reader program. I was extremely motivated, and this is to say the very least. So, when Paul left to go to work… researching anything and everything about health and wellness is what became my full-time work.
A Mission Impossible
The wellness adventure continued. Via the screen reader program, I was in full swing on the computer. The world of wellness was at my fingertips. In relation to health, I “Googled” and “Yahooed” this and that. I had a mission, and it was to get to the truth. I gained much priceless information, but I certainly didn’t expect what happened next. Shockingly, I found myself in a major state of confusion. One person says to do this, and another person says to do that. I felt like a spinning top. Also, I realized how much more there was for me to do in order to possess optimum wellness… I wanted that life abundant. After feeling so bad for so long, I was totally ready to shoot for the stars! But, I was over my head… it was a case of information overload. Paul (Mr. Watermelon Juice) gave me some very good advice, “Take things one step at a time.” Aah, deep breath… I continued to tackle what seemed like a mission impossible.
The Holy Bible
I was flabbergasted and completely overjoyed when I realized that I could read the King James Bible online and for free. Joshua 1:8… “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Isaiah 55:2… “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” Yes, I want to have good success, and I want to eat that which is good. I know what I need to do… I need to investigate what’s written in the Bible.
My Story Continues
So far, it’s been quite the road traveled. And, just look at where I’ve landed. I went from being Paul’s best friend for one and a half years to becoming his wife of twenty-eight years. And, to this day… he and I are still going strong. Ever since July 4th of 1995 and through a tortuous journey to find wellness, Paul has stayed right by my side. And, I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without all of his support. After those two weeks that followed July 4th of 1995, I’m still left totally amazed that Paul knew… “Dianne, you’re the woman for me… I’m in love with you… Marry me!” Yes, it’s true… July 4th of 2024 marks thirty-one years that I’ve been without eyesight. Other than waiting on my Heavenly Father to restore my eyesight, at sixty-one years of age… here’s where I am with my state of health. I’ve eaten biblically for very many years now, and because I’m adhering to the Holy Father’s Word in what I consume and how I live my life… I’ve been blessed with great health. I 100% believe that if we’re not “correctly” eating and drinking and living according to Scripture, we’re breaking down the body in which we live. After over twenty-five years of suffering physical ills and being in bondage to the mainstream medical community, I have been completely set free. On top of this, I have not been to a doctor of any kind, and I have not taken any OTC or prescription drugs for over twenty-five years. Also, for just as long… I have not taken any herbal concoctions or nutritional supplements. Nowadays, this is almost unheard of for anyone who is in their early sixties. I have yet to clearly see Paul, but through a miracle… Paul and I believe that this will happen. With the “true” understanding of how to live, eat and drink according to the Holy Father’s Word… you’ll be able to enjoy a life of wellness just as I am doing! I’ve been incredibly blessed to know the truth for how to live well, and guess what? Because iLoveToLiveWell… iLoveToLiveWell.com was born! By following my Biblical Health Academy, you will clearly understand how to be well and stay well for the rest of your life.