We are Beautiful Magazine WRBM Jan Feb 2018 Issue | Page 70

- BOLD & BEAUTIFUL WOMEN -
of exhaustion learn how to tune in, trust themselves, and live vibrantly no matter what
their circumstance is. I’m a Master Trainer for The World GROOVE Movement, some-
thing I’ve been involved with for over a decade. And besides truly loving myself and ap-
preciating my body, I’ve found the love of my life. The adventure is just beginning and
it’s exciting!
Judith Richardson Schroeder
Guidance From Within Coaching, Fibromyalgia
The very first symptoms were stabbing pains across the palms of
my hands and “bursitis” in my right shoulder occasionally. These
showed up a few years before I was in a low impact vehicle accident
in 1993. Two weeks after the accident my entire left side of my body
was paralyzed with severe pain and within a month I was no longer able
to work at my high demand career.
Over two years passed from the time of the accident until I was finally given a diagnosis,
although the very first Rheumatologist I had seen in 1993 had actually diagnosed me,
but not shared that with me. I learned of the initial diagnosis almost 10 years later,
when I gained access to all my medical records. The Doctor who did give me the diagno-
sis two years after the accident changed my life for the better by simply telling me there
really was something physically wrong and now, I had the opportunity to move forward
and discover what I could do to help myself.
I felt lost to say the least.
My career was on hold, my
family was on hold, tests
were coming up negative
and I was being consid-
ered as just a woman who
wanted to “check out of
life for awhile.” I dealt with
a myriad of symptoms
which included short term
memory issues, sleep dis-
turbances, extreme fa-
tigue, severe debilitating
full body pains, as well ass stiffness and tenderness that grew in intensity.
I was prescribed medications that were new to me and also caused side-effects that in
a few instances literally threatened my life! The Doctor didn’t think that small levels of
medication could result in the exaggerated reactions my body was having. It wasn’t until
one of those medications had me sitting on my kitchen floor planning to commit suicide
that very day that I was taken more seriously. Fortunately, rather than carrying my plan
out, I contacted him to report my experience. Physically I was unable to be the energy
powerhouse I was used to being. Emotionally I felt useless and worthless with no value
to anyone any longer.
My biggest scare was not that I was seriously ill, but that I would not be able to return to
my career that I loved or do many of the things I took for granted, like lifting my children,
having tons of energy to play with them or go on outings that involved climbing or run-
WE ARE BEAUTIFUL MAGAZI NE
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