Finally, an Answer

It has been a long road with so many twists, turns, mountains & valleys. Without God and a supportive family, I would have crashed and burned, gone over the cliff, been stranded roadside, broke down, engine stalled, flat tire, lost without a map or GPS, or simply set up camp somewhere along the way and not continued on down the road. Well, you get the picture….

I am 49 years old and suffer from chronic health issues. I know what you’re thinking, “wait a minute, I thought this Blog was about photography…” Well, in part it is, but first I have to share with you why my passion for photography was re-ignited, and why I have started this Blog in the first place. I have always loved taking pictures and actually wanted to be a photographer in high school. God had other plans for me and my career path lead me to be a Registered Nurse instead. So for the past 30 years I’ve snapped a “few” pictures along the way but for the most part it was while traveling, or at a major life events – not something I thought about everyday, but enjoyed it as a hobby.

I will spare all the medical diagnosis and details with you, else I would be at risk of losing anyone that may follow this Blog-no one wants to listen to someone who has a lot of health issues. I will, however say that, I have more than one Autoimmune Disease and several chronic health issues. But the biggie is what I was told recently and that is what started this whole new look at life and desire to capture every beautiful moment in time I possibly can and share my images with the world.

So to begin, I will hit rewind about 15 years or so. It all started with a routine blood test for my job as a Registered Nurse…one abnormality would send me on that treacherous road I mentioned above. After many physicians, tests, pokes and prods without a diagnosis…I packed my bags and went north to the Mayo Clinic-Rochester MN. That’s when I was told I had Fibromyalgia. Approximately four years ago I started having abnormal test results again…of course, the whole referral to specialist and order every test we can think of started again. And when their was no definitive answer…it would be “Stop smoking, start exercising, lose weight….and, oh yeah stop complaining”.

I quit smoking almost 1 year ago…yeah!!! I still have to work on the weight loss though. One thing at a time. One might think that when you quit smoking one would be healthier and feel better right?? Oh no, not me. This year for whatever reason my “chronic health issues” spiraled out of control. So yet another specialist was summoned to work on my health puzzle. This time I got answers fairly quick. Most people would not like to hear that they have Stage 3 NASH (Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis) which is only one stage away from Cirrhosis; however, when your health is always a mystery, getting any kind of diagnosis is a relief and I was relieved. Finally, an answer...I knew why I felt the way I did and why my tests were abnormal. Being given a diagnosis helps in determining a plan of action too. Otherwise, you set in limbo…not sure what’s wrong..not sure how to treat it.

My plan is to stay active, positive, eat healthier and lose weight. A big part of physical health is mental health…so I want to do things each and every day that bring joy to me and those around me – that’s where photography comes into the picture. It gives me great joy to see something beautiful, take a photograph of it, and then share it with others.

All that being said, I feel that God has placed it upon my heart to share my story and love of photography in hopes of inspiring someone (even if it is one person) to not give up and “keep on keepin’ on”. I guess you could call it a “Road Trip”, so get a tune-up, fill your gas tank, check the air in your tires, buckle-up, slow down around those curves in the road, keep it between the ditches, and enjoy the scenery. Only God knows where this road goes and will end.

I plan to keep this Blog going for the next few years to track my progress in weight loss and efforts to stop the progression of my Liver disease to cirrhosis, and to share my love of photography. My goal is to post updates and photo/s weekly if not more. I also plan to improve my photographic skills and start an online photography business – free therapy.

Let the Journey Begin…Stay Safe & God Bless

Til we meet Again ~ JoAnne