As we work our way through the last month of the year I have been doing a lot of thinking about what 2021 will look like for me and for BAQS. Nobody can say this was not a serious dumpster fire of a year and while in January2020 I could have never guessed all the things that would happen I did know one thing, I had already started to make some profound changes in my life that in the end saved my life. So oddly in many ways this dumpsters fire was also the fire that birthed my own personal phoenix.
Starting a little over a year ago I had hit a pretty deep rut when it came to my health. I was on a massive dose of Insulin daily and was once again going to be increased along with other medications for a long list of issues that included thyroid problems, joint pain, mystery rashes and more. Things hit a head when I went to put on a pair of “oversized” work overalls and they were seriously snug, and that made me go find our scale which was still packed in our storage pod from our move. Stepping on was a solid shock, I was well over 200 pounds and it was my “come to Jesus moment”.
I had been told again and again that I was a model type 2 diabetes/ auto immune patient, using my medications, the newest in technology and the recommended diet like a champ but nothing was changing, in fact it was getting worse by the moment! I was getting sicker by the day and it was effecting me in so many ways. And while I was still plugging along working on our home the joint pain, the swelling, the neuropathy, and other side effects were really stripping a great deal of the joy from my life.
It was time for a serious change in my life, my diet, and my priorities. I am happy to say that I am 50+ pounds lighter, off all my Insulin, no longer experiencing joint pain or even weird mystery rashes. In fact I had done the bulk of this change between November and February which was a good thing because in March of 2020 I contracted COVID. I spent the entire month of April deathly ill, like that sort of ill where you wonder from moment to moment if they will be taking you to the hospital before the end of the day sort of ill. And yet, for as sick as I was, it actually could have been worse. By that time I had taken off 35ish of my 50 pounds and I was already off of 144 units a day of insulin along with other medications lowering my risk category from many who were already on ventilators and dying across the United States.
When the worst of it was all over ( I continued to have issues for nearly 4 months) my doctor said that the changes I had made by limiting my carbs as well as adopting Intermittent Fasting previous to contracting COVID were strong reasons I survived.
There is a saying that nothing tastes as good as thin feels, but I would say that nothing tastes as good as kicking a progressive autoimmune disease to the curb when the world tells you there is no real hope. Sure, being thinner is great but not taking that long list of medications and injections as well as regaining my health, that is the real win!
These changes have changed me and with that my life goals as they pertain to BadAss Quilters Society*.
We sit more, walk less, eat more and suffer the consequences in multiple ways and while it might seem easier to sit and knit or quilt pretty things what it is doing to our long term mortality rates is anything but beautiful.
I understand that this is not going to sit well with some and to be clear this is not about FAT-SHAMING, it is about HEALTH GAINING. It is about living a long happy healthy quilting life.
I started my journey to wellness to get off my insulin for my aggressive type II diabetes, I desperately wanted to feel better. For me that meant adjusting my diet so that I was no longer feeding my body the wrong sort of short term fuel (carbs) and instead teaching it to run on animal and vegetable fat as well as teaching it to use my own bodily stores of energy (body fat) to fuel my daily living which resulted in some pretty significant weight loss which in-turn reduced my need for insulin and other medication to treat the various issues.
This process of bit by bit clawing my way back to health had the added benefit of sparking way more creativity in my life than I had experienced in years. It meant that I no longer sat because it hurt to stand but because I had something I wanted to do and felt great while I was doing it and that is something that I want for everyone who wants it for themselves.
Starting in January of 2021 the focus of the BadAss Quilters Society will be shifting to one of leading a Happy, Healthy, Creative Life as BadAss Quilters. So along with continued quilty goodness, and giveaways I am going to be leading a revolution in the positive health of quilters and other creatives. I am excited to be pursuing my certification as a Health and Life Coach with an emphasis on where health and creativity intersect. I am inviting those who are looking for real change to join me on this fantastic adventure here on the website as well as on the Facebook page. You can also check out my new Pod Cast The Healthy Happy Creative Life (Formerly Romancing the Romaine)
For those who want 2021 to be the year they make serious health changes in their life there will be a private group opening in January that you can join by limited invitation for serious accountability and support.. and believe me, it makes all the difference! If you would like to score an invitation to join CLICK HERE
To be extra clear BAQS will always be the haven for liberal quilters and creatives and we will always stand on the side of love and LGBTQ rights as well as Black Lives Matter, science and the rights of women…. we are just expanding in a direction that supports a full Happy, Healthy Creative LONG Life for all our members and I would love for you to join the revolution!
Love,
Maddie
*p.s. I know this is not the jam for some of you and that is ok, I wish you the very best and understand your need to unfollow but after thinking about this for a long time I must acknowledge that life is not static, we all evolve and change. The change I have chosen to honor is one of helping the quilters and sewists I love so much live their best lives and this is the best way I know how to do that.
