Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of my health avalanche. The day seemed typical at first. I took my usual prayer walk and felt great. But a few minutes into my shower everything came crashing down. I could feel the energy drain out of me and severe fatigue set in. The words “Call in sick” popped into my brain like a pre-programmed emergency message. Within an hour we were at the ER.

This avalanche had been rumbling for years. In the fall of 2013, I felt depression for the first time. Until then I enjoyed a sunny, optimistic disposition as my default. To feel nothing, even dark thoughts, was an entirely new experience that I could have lived without. Over time Rachael and I found natural remedies that could keep the anxiety, overwhelm, and depression at bay. We made dietary and environmental changes. But at best we were managing symptoms, never getting to the root cause. [ . . . ]  [read more]