Things You Can't Live Without.

I remember about ten years ago I was putting my iPod, earphones, PDA, laptop and cell phone into my purse and complaining to my husband about all of the different things I had to carry around.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was one single device that could be my phone, iPod, calendar and could handle my text, email and the internet?  When was something like that going to be invented?  Him: "They do have something like that. I think so anyway?  It's called an iPhone.  I think Blackberry does it too but without the iPod part."  Me: "WHAT?!  Where do I get one of those?"  A few hours later I had a new shiny iPhone in my hand and ever since... I could not live without it.  I mean... I COULD but... it makes my life so much easier, so much nicer... I really don't ever want to even think about it.

I don't have too many of those experiences in my life. There's always the people in my life that I could never live without, my iPhone and... oh yeah... my Pepsi Throwback.  I DEFINITELY could not live without that.  Seriously.  Can. Not. Live.  Can not make it through the day.  Can not make it until 10am without one.  Can not make it until 1pm without my second one.  Can. Not. Make. It. To. 4pm without another one.  I NEED it to survive.

Let me start over...

I'm a Mom of 4 kids.  A wife of one husband.  A business owner of an e-commerce business.  A daughter.  A church go-er.   A pancreas.  (Yes, that's right... a pancreas.) An optimist.  An artist.  I love to cook.  I love gourmet food.  I love people.  I love... life in general.

Nearly 4 years ago my youngest daughter (who was 2 at the time) was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that destroys her pancreas, she doesn't make insulin so I'm the pancreas.  Type 1 Diabetes makes my life crazy.  Day and night we check blood sugars and deliver insulin or juice boxes.  I don't sleep much. (Insert the Pepsi need here) That was also about the time I became very depressed.  It took me two years to finally get on a medication because "I could handle it. Things would get better.  It's not like I'm suicidal so I don't need medication.  As soon as I get through this part, or this time, or get this other thing under control... then I would be ok."  After 2 years of trying to deal with it, I wasn't ok.  This is all pretty private stuff.... why would I put this all over the internet?

Well... the other day I was talking to my neighbor and good friend in front of my house.  I didn't realize it at the time but I was about to have one of those "How did I ever live without this?!" moments.  I asked about a patch that she had on her arm and she started her story.  Now... I know my friend has been in pain, severe pain, for at least ten years.  She was on several pain medications, it was hard for her to exercise, hard for her to sit for longer than ten minutes and if she had to, she had ice packs all over.  I know she didn't sleep well because of the pain and I know she was addicted to Diet Coke, like I was to Pepsi Throwback to just make it through the day.

She told me how she found these vitamins that she took in the morning, drank a shake with it and that the patch she wore also slowly released more throughout the day.  Then she grabbed my shoulders, looked me square in the eye and said "I don't have pain, I haven't been on pills in over two months and the icing on top of the cake?  I've lost 14 pounds!  The pain stopped the FIRST DAY I tried it.  I don't drink Diet Coke anymore, it makes me feel sick to even think about drinking it.  I feel amazing, better than I ever have in my life.  I have energy, I sleep better, I can sit for hours and not have pain... I can't say enough about this new thing I've been trying."

She offered to give me 3 days worth to try myself because she knows how tired I am, how I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to lose weight and well... she's my friend.  Friends help each other. 

I was reluctant.  I do not do well on any medication, even herbal supplements can give me weird side effects.  I asked if it was soy based.  "No."  I was happy about that.  I've tried Herbalife and that was one thing (besides not losing any weight) that I didn't like about it.  The soy messed with my hormones.  I swear.

I asked if it had caffeine.  "Yes, but it doesn't make me shaky at all." she answered.  I was even more leary because I've tried Metabolife before and was so shaky I couldn't function properly and couldn't sleep well at night.

I wasn't so sure about it but I accepted the 3 days of vitamins, powder and patch that she gave me and vowed to try it the next day.  I left her with a "I have weird side effects you know!  Anything that could go wrong, will go wrong on me.  I'll let you know."

The next day I took both pills, mixed my powder into a delicious icy fruit smoothie.  Stuck the patch on my upper arm and felt... great!  Actually... more than great.  9am came around and I sent my friend a text "I've made it to 9am without a Pepsi!  LOL"  She laughed back at my sarcastic remark.

10am... great.  Noon... Awesome.  Around 2:30pm I realized I hadn't eaten anything all day and I should probably grab some lunch.  I wasn't hungry. Nothing fast food sounded good so I made myself a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce on a roll.  No Pepsi, water.  I craved water. 

Around 4pm I felt a panic.  If I didn't drink a Pepsi soon, I wouldn't be able to sleep later.  I grabbed one out of the fridge, popped it open and guzzled it down.  It didn't taste that good to me.  Normally I feel the caffeine and sugar absorb into my mouth and tongue and I get this... fix.  Instead all I felt was gross.  My stomach didn't feel good and the sugar felt like way too much.   "I will never drink this again."

My second day.  For the hours I slept, I slept amazingly.  Better than I have in years.  I woke up with so much energy that I immediately thought I wanted to exercise.  I got the kids ready, lunches packed, sent them to school and hopped on the treadmill.  I did 20 minutes which only 1 month earlier made me feel tired and exhausted.  I haven't done it in the last 30 days but that's what I remember from the last time I exercised.  I had energy, I felt good, I could accomplish so much.  I felt so positive... like how I'm supposed to be.  How I was... before my daughter's diagnoses.  I could do it.  I could be everything and anything I wanted.  I thought about how my friend had gone off of her pain meds and as the time came around to take my depression medication... I just decided not to.  (This was a personal decision and I do NOT recommend anyone else stop taking any medication cold turkey.  Talk to your Doctor.)  Anyway... I felt THAT good.  I told my husband I was stopping so that if I had any weird reaction, he would know what was happening.  I felt so amazing that I called my friend.  "I want more of this and I want to sell it.  I want to tell everyone about this!"  I went from being highly skeptical to signing up to promote this product within 48 hour of trying it.

Today is my third day, I can't tell you how fantastic I feel, how full of life and energy I feel.  How happy I am.  I don't feel like eating anything much other than fruit, vegetables and lean protein.  I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!  I never want a Pepsi again.  I don't ever want to be on depression medication again.  I don't ever want to feel like I'm only living half my life because of lack of energy and stamina.  I love drinking water, in fact... I think I may need to cut back a little on the water.  I've lost 3 pounds in two days so far.   I don't expect to keep going at that rate and I honestly don't care if I lose any more (although I have it to lose).  Like my friend said, that's just icing on top of the cake at this point.  I don't get on board with stuff like this easily and I definitely wouldn't tell you about it if it didn't work miracles for me.

If you would like to try it, I'll send you three days worth of what I have so you can try it out for yourself.  I won't pressure you, I'll ask how you like it and if it's not for you, it's not for you.  If you're like me though... you won't be able to live without it.

You can visit my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/wethrivenow
My website is: http://www.wethrive.le-vel.com/