Aside

I've put a few things together recently...so here's an aside from the story.

From the beginning, there was speculation that my health issues stemmed from stress. At first dismissed by me as absurd, this theory has been brought up time and time again. I admit to existing under extremely high stress levels and I've even accepted the idea that stress may have played a factor. However, I didn't put much stock in the idea that stress started all this because my body is having real autoimmune issues. And before today, I couldn't connect the emotional to the physical to say that the one caused the other. Then I spoke to a friend of my grandma today who explained things well.

Mrs. I've-Been-Where-You-Are-Now explained that extreme stressful events, whether physical, emotional, or psychological, cause the "fight or flight" reaction in the body. This reaction released certain hormones or chemicals into the bloodstream. Extreme levels of these hormones (that are made to "fight" something) cause the body to turn on itself and begin attacking itself. I guess that they are soldiers and when they are released because they are told there is an enemy present, they find an enemy. And if there isn't one, they create one.

Well, once the body has turned on itself, there are physical consequences. Like an autoimmune disorder. Dr. X made the analogy that autoimmune is a category just as broad as the word "fruit." So, that's that. I have some type of autoimmune disorder. Problem is that no one can tell me what. Not even what kind. The rheumatologist passes me off to the neurologist who is suggesting a referral to the mayo clinic because he just doesn't know.

But my "aside" was that the missing puzzle piece was found. Someone, finally, explained to me exactly how the stress could cause a real, physical problem. And I'm open to exploring alternative methods to dissolve the underlying cause of the problem...but I've gotta be able to walk first.