Chapter 22 – Bonus

We went to Canberra for Christmas and we took things very slowly over the Christmas holidays, it was heaven! When we got home, just before New Years, I decided to look at ways to ‘starve’ the inflammation in my body. 

I’d re-watched the documentary Heal, and somewhere in there someone mentioned (I think it was Dr Joe Dispenza) that to reduce inflammation we need to starve it, take away it’s ‘fuel’ so to speak, so I started swimming.

The aim was to help improve my lung function. If we don’t use it, we lose it, so I wanted to see what I could create there, plus it was movement, which would be great for my body.

Chapter 21 – Thank you & Goodbye

Thank you for coming on this journey with me, and I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved. Most of all, I’m super excited about what I’ve learnt and where my journey has led me. 

At the time of wrapping up Project 22, I was studying a gut health course (which highlighted some big things for me), started studying Human Design and I was spending more and more time with my sound bowl.

My life had really slowed down, even though the work I was doing had taken off and I was flat strapped project managing myself, my time and making sure I delivered what I needed to (and then some) for my clients.

Chapter 20 – Shifting Sands

Everything was going really well, I no longer had SIBO, my energy levels had increased, my period pain was no more, sure I still had some slowness around my first and second day, but it was fine. I had 2 cold sores through the year, and both of them had been the result of stress, so I could manage that and know that if stress appeared in my life, I could manage it ahead of time.

My lung issues were still an issue, but I knew that everything I was doing was helping them. I was moving my body, I hadn’t had a UTI (that’s gold) and my hair was still thinner than I wanted, sometimes it looked thick and new hair was growing, it was a journey and one I’d been on for a while.

Chapter 19 – My August Blood Test Results

I went back for my next round of blood tests in August 2022. Almost everything was on the improve, with my iron moving up again to 19 – I was super excited about that. However, Ferritin had gone down to 15, but given the iron in my blood was up, there could have been a flow on effect to my iron stores, so it wasn’t something to be worried about, just something to be aware of.

My CRP (short term inflammation) was also down to 5, this was HUGE for me given I’d been up at 36 in January. 5 is still on the ‘high’ side but it’s at the top of GP range, so I was really happy with that.

Chapter 18 – My lungs

My lung journey has been long and is still ongoing. I hope to, one day, no longer associate with it, but for now it’s with me and I’m attacking it from all angles – or so I thought. 

I had a conversation with my beautiful friend Kylie Wolfig recently and she said ‘you’re doing everything physical, but what about the emotions?’

Yes, what about the emotions?

Chapter 17 – My witch and her cauldron

2016 was my year of yes. It came about because of a phone call I had with my sister where she asked me if I wanted to do a 5km fun run. I laughed and said no.

Overnight I thought about why I said no and why I’d said no so quickly.

Sure, I hadn’t run in ages and I’d never done a fun run – never. I’d run 5km, I’d even done Couch to 5km App (not fully finishing the app but I did finish the running). So why had I said no?

Chapter 16 – Spiritual awakening

I’d been a fan of Human Design for a few year, it makes sense to me and I can see how it plays out in my own life. 

In late 2021, my friend Kylie Wolfig was going deep into it, doing all the courses, learning all the things, it was incredible to watch.

Kylie’s Human Design type is a Manifesting Generator, like me, so when we’re aligned to something everything can move fast and this was exactly where Kylie was at.

Chapter 15 – Rising iron & my SIBO healed

The year was moving slowly but fast at the same time. I was deep in my studies for my upcoming exam and living each day consciously.

It was time for my next round of bloods and to take my stool sample.

My bloods were improving, with iron now at 15 – WHOO HOO, that was enough reason to party in itself. My ferritin (iron stores) had dropped from 53 to 30. 30 was the bottom of the ‘recommended GP range’ which also meant it was low for Brooke, but with my iron level rising it wasn’t something to worry about.

Chapter 14 – Living and loving life in the mundane

Once upon a time, during my post natal depression (PND), the whole ‘mundane’ life was a huge ‘hell no.’ I HATED it. I did it, but to a bare minimum.

It was funny to watch myself now, doing small loads of washing and enjoying taking the time to put it out, or doing the dishes – just to do the dishes.

I wondered, who was I? What had changed?

Chapter 13 – New Blood Test Results

It had been 3 months since I’d had my blood tests done so it was time to see what was going on again.

I booked in to see my Dr to get the referral when I got back from Canberra. I spoke to my Dr about my irregular period in January and asked if we could check my hormone levels for menopause. 

‘Sure.’ He said, ‘but I don’t find them reliable.’

‘Oh really?’

‘Yes, what I see are three main factors to determining if you’re in peri-menopause / menopause – is your skin dry? Are you more agitated than normal? And are you experiencing hot flashes?’