Reaching the top...and hitting rock bottom

A good friend of mine (McDreamy) recently traveled to Africa as part of an expedition team to scale the tallest free standing mountain in the world--Mt. Kilimanjaro. Not every member of his team was able to reach the summit due to extreme terrain, and the complex, unyielding effects of high altitude. McDreamy was one of the few to make it to the top despite lungs burning with the transparent air that exists at such an extreme elevation. Accomplishing such a formidable, daunting task was so rewarding to McDreamy in so many ways. It allowed him a glimpse of just exactly what he was capable of accomplishing. When faced with a challenge, he now has greater fortitude to take it on, just as he did the rocky, icy face of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Inspired by my friend's recent adventure, I too decided to take on a challenge so difficult, so seemingly impossible, that I had many doubts as to whether or not I would make it to the end. My challenge did not involve travel, fundraising, learning a new language, or a documentary film crew, as my friend's great African expedition did, but it was no less challenging or intimidating.

I GAVE UP DIET COKE!



Unimaginable...I know. Out of character...definitely. And yet I accomplished something I never thought possible.

Why would I take on something so completely absurd?

The past few months have seen my very slow, arduous ascent from the depths of hypothyroid hell. Though feeling better, my energy level has remained at a microscopic level. To combat the never-ending fatigue my long standing addiction to diet coke was kicked up to a level that was completely out of control. I was drinking thirty-two ouncers on a daily basis. As early as 9am I was suggesting to my kids that we run over to McDonald's for a hash brown (greasy fried potatoes for them, gigantic fizzy liquid sunshine for me). I became a connoisseur of diet coke noting the differences between beverages served at McD's, Sonic, Seven Eleven and Maverick. I focused on the ice, the taste, the level of carbonation...Every waking hour was spent thinking about where I would go to get my next DC fix...okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I was hooked nonetheless.

I finally realized that the amount of diet coke I was consuming each day was having a counter productive effect. I was drinking it to boost my energy but in fact it was causing even greater fatigue and exhaustion.

After much deliberation and soul searching I decided to give up my precious diet coke for an eleven day exhausting, excruciating, torturous, "nutritional cleanse." Along with diet coke I also gave up all sweets and carbs, even fruit. For eleven grueling days I ate nothing but leafy greens, a bit of protein here and there, unsalted raw almonds (only two at a time) and filled gaps of starvation with little antacid-like wafers and protein shakes. Going without food was difficult, but the hunger was no match whatsoever for the caffeine withdrawl. The first couple of days I thought my head would explode. I lashed out at my kids just for asking for a drink of oj, and I glared at strangers in their cars wondering if they were on their way to Sonic for a DC with lime...

Each day seemed to get a bit easier as I worked through my monstrous cravings. My mood swings became a little less extreme, and each day my body ached and groaned
a little bit less for just a teenie tiny sip of diet coke.

I made it. Eleven full days--not one drop. And I must admit...I feel much better! I am allowing myself to splurge--a little--at restaurants, etc. But, no more cups that are bigger than my head... and no more daily runs to McDonalds.

I conquered my own Kilimanjaro. I suffered just as Mcdreamy suffered on that mountain. He couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe...well, I could breathe I guess, I just didn't WANT to breathe. He took on a challenge, one that taxed him mentally and physically. I took on a challenge, one that not only taxed me, it nearly killed me...

I learned a lot as I made my way through a week and a half of pure agony...I am a much stronger person than I thought, and I have a lot more in common with drug addicts than I ever imagined.

Whether you are climbing a mountain half way around the world, or giving up something that is a huge part of your world--my advice is this...

NEVER LET GO!