It’s no secret and certainly no surprise that men and women are different on a number of levels. From the way we think and process information to the way certain aspects of our bodies function, our experiences are often like night and day. My friends and I often joke - and sometimes complain - about how womanhood ain’t for the weak or faint of heart. It seems that when it comes to certain issues, we somehow tend to get the proverbial short end of the stick.
Don’t worry - this isn’t meant to get you frustrated about our reality but rather is intended to educate and hopefully encourage anyone who may have a similar story.
A report done in 2020 by the National Library of Medicine reported that women make up 80 percent of all people affected by autoimmune disorders. For background, autoimmune diseases are described as conditions that cause one’s body to attack itself.
I had just turned 30 and decided that I would be more intentional and responsible about staying on top of my health. I’ve always been pretty good about paying close attention to my body and seeking medical attention if needed, however, I didn’t follow up on my health with regularity. I wanted to be aware of any changes happening in my body and wanted to give myself the opportunity to intervene early on, if necessary. I was also new in my career as a registered nurse and felt it was important to practice what I preached. In my mind, I was picturing routine appointments with a primary care provider, routine wellness exams, and lab work to make sure all things were functioning as they should. That sounded simple. I went in with a positive attitude and looked forward to what was ahead.
I scheduled my first few appointments and completed some lab work. As I waited for the results to trickle in, I went on about my usual routine. When the test results finally came in, I don’t think I had ever seen so many exclamation points signifying multiple abnormal results. What I thought would be an extra appointment here and there turned into months of appointments with specialists and a whole lot of tests. One of the more pressing results was related to the function of my thyroid. The thyroid is described as a butterfly-shaped gland found in the neck and to say that it’s role is important would be an understatement. It controls our metabolism and when it isn’t working quite right, it can affect the entire body and many of its vital functions.
After more blood work and and other tests, my endocrinologist discovered that I had hyperthyroidism due to Graves’ disease. She explained the different treatment options available to me and what I can appreciate about her is that she gave me time and space to think about what I actually wanted to do. I was nervous and afraid of how this diagnosis would impact my life. I was also concerned about the possibility of being on medication for the rest of my life. I spent hours and hours researching and reading about other people’s experiences with Graves’ disease - many of them failing to provide the consolation I had hoped for. I prayed and I cried. I cried and I prayed some more. I sought advice from people I trusted to tell me what I needed to hear - not what I wanted to hear. But ultimately, I still needed to make a decision about how to proceed. After months of deliberation (yes, months. Don’t judge me!), I finally decided to start the medication my doctor discussed with me in a previous appointment. We talked about the different side effects and things I would need to monitor while taking the medication. That was roughly three and a half years ago and I can honestly say that this journey and the experiences that have shaped it have changed my life for the better.
We have a tendency to expect the worst and fail to acknowledge the fact that there are other possibilities. Good possibilities. For some time, I allowed fear to control my outlook and perspective. I worried about what could happen and carried that burden for years. In many ways, I had already mapped out what my experience would look like based on the experiences of others. Not being in control makes us so uncomfortable that we are willing to accept negative ideas and realities we’ve created in our own minds. We convince ourselves that not knowing automatically means the outcome is unfavorable and that is far from the truth. This is when it becomes extremely important to have a circle of influence that can not only encourage you but remind you that your story can be different - will be different. A mentor of mine would say to me “if there is no guarantee of failure, that means there are other possibilities.”
On my dining table sits a little tiny jar holding an itty bitty mustard seed. I got it at a young adult event at my church and I’ve held onto it ever since. When I have moments of doubt, frustration, or fear, I let it remind me that God said even a little bit of faith can move mountains. Truth be told, some days, a mustard seed of faith is about all I can find. But God still honors that.
If you’ve reached the end of this story and you’re wondering why any of this is significant, it’s because of the numbers I reference at the very beginning of this article. It’s possible that there are other women who have a story just like mine and I believe it’s important to share this kind of information because you just never know who will benefit from hearing about your experience. And unlike some of the stories I read during my research, my story is one I hope will inspire someone to shift their perspective to the best possible outcome - not the worst. Even if this isn’t your story or you just simply can’t relate, let this be a reminder or example for why we shouldn’t wait until something is wrong to check in with our bodies.