Early spring of 1999 was difficult. Bodybuilding was impossible. My body just felt too weak. My plan was to start back once I got enough sleep. I felt unwell and couldn’t wake up refreshed, no matter how early I went to bed. Each flu I caught now had gastrointestinal symptoms — stomach aches and diarrhea that lasted too long. Many days, my throat hurt. It seemed like I’d get over one flu and have another within a week or 2. I was still trying different arch supports from Walmart, with no relief. My legs were getting weaker, and my feet kept hurting. Also, I’d worked very hard to eat healthy foods for over 19 months, and suddenly I was eating sugar like it was going out of style. My joints were starting to hurt, and I was only 48. Way too young for an active person like me to develop arthritis.
In addition to needing a silent house, reading for pleasure was no longer in my life. I barely had the strength to read what was necessary for my classes. Always before, I’d manage an afternoon every week or so to read for fun. Watching TV was out, too. I fell asleep every time I tried. I was even having trouble reading my Bible.
I didn’t see any connection between my inability to walk with foot pain, extreme exhaustion, catching one flu after another, my unrefreshing sleep, gastrointestinal problems, arthritis, needing a silent house, no longer reading for fun, and uncontrolled sweet eating.
Some doctors today would figure out what was wrong with me, though I don’t think many would. But back then my symptoms fell into the black hole of “overweight,” “no known disease,” or even worse, “It’s all in your head.”
By now I was taking caffeine pills every day and drinking at least 4 diet Cokes each day just to function.
Little did I know, the answer to all my health problems was just around the corner. As May approached June, I would learn what was wrong.