After eleven days in the hospital, they gave me a choice: I could stay and
receive more aggressive drug therapies (the 60mg of IV prednisone they had
me on wasn't making a dent); or I could go home and "see what happened".

I went home. The next day, I talked my friend through Whole Foods on his
cell phone, making him read me every label on the items I needed to begin
the SCD™. With the last of my strength, I made the soup and some homemade
gelatin. And each subsequent day, I built on the little ground I had already
gained until two weeks later, I was able to go to my doctor without lining
my pockets with weights to cover the weight loss.

Within one month, I was able to do my laundry by myself again. Within three
months, I was able to get back to work. Within five months, I was off all of
my medications.

In the past year, I have had one flare, brought on by hormonal birth
control. I went on all my meds again, but this time I was able to wean
myself off of them in a mere four weeks--I was now that healthy.

A year later, I still can't eat raw fruit with abandon but I can travel and
not get sick. I haven't had bread or pasta or any other illegal but I can
work, socialize and sleep through the night. My world of acceptable
restaurants has shrunk even as my ability to be out and about with seemingly
boundless energy has increased.

I've accomplished things I never dreamed I could twelve months ago. I've
helped friends, acquaintances and total strangers find this diet and changed
their lives, too. I've learned patience (oh, boy, have I learned patience)
and as a result, am more tolerant of quirks in myself and others. This diet
didn't just give me back my life; it gave me a totally new one, richer than
I ever could have imagined.

So when people tell me how hard it must be to be on this diet with all of
its restrictions, I smile and think to myself, "What restrictions?"

I've never been freer in my life.

Thank you, St. Elaine. Thank you, Rachel. Thank you, all of you wonderful
people on this list who get up every day and fight the good fight.

Colleen

CD - 1.5 years
SCD™ - 1 year
no meds

Information published on Breaking the Vicious Cycle Web site is intended to support the book Breaking the vicious cycle by Elaine Gottschall and is for information purposes only. It is not the intention of this site to diagnose, prescribe, or replace medical care. Your doctor or nutrition expert should be consulted before undertaking a radical change of diet.
© 2005 Breaking the Vicious Cycle