When I was just 14 years old, I started feeling a strange, heavy sensation-like someone was choking me. I told my mom, and she immediately took me to the doctor. Before I even knew what hit me, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease.
In the beginning, I was put on medication right away and had to get check-ups every single month, if not more. I had my blood drawn so often that my veins felt completely destroyed.
I have been living with this autoimmune condition since I was 14, and I am 31 now. That is more than half of my life. So trust me when I tell you: it ain’t easy.
The Season Without Medication
I have been taking my thyroid medication for most of my life, but there was a specific season where I tried a different path. Before my childbearing years, I decided to try a strict vegan diet and completely stopped taking my medication.
To my surprise, I actually did really well without any medicine for a while, but I was just so exhausted. Ultimately, a purely plant-based diet didn’t fully work for me. While it allowed me to stay off the medication temporarily, the chronic fatigue was overwhelming.
Everything changed in 2019 right before I had my first child. When I got pregnant, my body needed that extra support, and I had to go back on my thyroid medication to protect my baby and myself.
Healing, Obedience, and the Holy Spirit
Now, I am no longer pregnant, and my deep desire is to truly heal. I pray about this constantly, and I know with absolute certainty that He is all-powerful and capable of performing a miracle in my body.
But I also believe that faith requires action. I cannot eat a bunch of processed junk, neglect the body He gave me, and just expect a miracle to happen. Scripture reminds us:
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I want to take care of my body mentally, spiritually, and physically. I pray to God, but I also want to obey Him by stewarding my health well.
Our Ways vs. His Ways
Ultimately, He knows best. He knows exactly when it is the right time to heal us, and He knows if it fits into His perfect plan. We have to surrender everything to Him, because as the Bible says:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8-9
This broken earth is not our permanent home. As mamas dealing with chronic illness, we have to remember that our ultimate healing and comfort aren’t found here. We are called to look upward:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven… For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:19-21
I am embarking on a journey to care for my thyroid naturally, alongside my medication (for now), treating my body with the respect a temple of the Holy Spirit deserves.
Let’s Do This Together
If you are a mama struggling with Hashimoto’s, chronic fatigue, or just trying to navigate an autoimmune condition while raising a family, I want you to know you are not alone.
I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below and share a piece of your own story. Let’s lift each other up and pray for one another!
Thank you for being here!
With love,
Ivana