Hope & Support Circles

 

There are 80-100 different Autoimmune Diseases. There are possibly 50 million Americans living with one or more of them. Whether you have been newly diagnosed, or diagnosed many years ago, let's be honest. It is frightening. The unknowns plague our thoughts regularly. On a bad day, moment to moment.

 

What if?
Why me?
When will?
How long?

 

 

Hope begins to slip away, and we find ourselves sinking deeper into mere existence day after day. We give up our dreams of living a full life and all the possibilities of our life’s potential dies as we succumb to a new reality. 
 

Most people who are diagnosed with an Autoimmune Disease co-battle numerous Chronic Illnesses. It becomes mentally, emotionally and spiritually exhausting. The continual medical appointments, doctors, specialists and tests. The procedures, treatments and scheduled lab workups. Physically we battle fatigue, chronic pain, and tens of required medications and their accompanied side effects. Your life no longer is your own. It has been confiscated by the afflictions.
In addition to the constant fear, there is loneliness. How can we attempt to explain an invisible illness to those we love? How do we make them truly understand what is happening in our body, when we are still struggling to understand? How do we handle the frustration when someone stares and states, "But you look fine to me." 

 

You are not in this fight alone. Believe in the hope of an army of warriors. There is healing in uniting. We hope to see you soon.

 

 

HOPE TO COPE
 

meets every Thursday evening at 6:45p.m. 

 

Many women live with the unfortunate reality of infertility. Fecundity affects 1 in 6 women globally. Fecundity is defined as the biologic capacity to reproduce irrespective of pregnancy intentions, while fertility is demonstrated fecundity as measured by live births and sometimes stillbirths. According to the CDC, the percentage of women ages 15–49 who have impaired fecundity, by parity with zero births is 13.8%, of married women ages 15-49 is 19.4%. 

 

Infertility can be caused by any number of health conditions including, but not limited to:

 

Autoimmune Disorders such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis
Endometriosis
PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
Uterine Fibroids
POI (Primary Ovary Insufficiency)
Obesity
and many more.

Every year of attempting to conceive with no success, a small piece of hope dies. For women who have undergone a partial or full hysterectomy, hope dissipates altogether. Many of us have found solace in standing as Stepmothers, Godmothers, Aunts, Foster Mothers and other maternal roles.  We can heal the void. We do not have to settle for the emptiness. Let’s talk about it. Validation can reward reconciliation. We hope to see you soon. 

WOMB WARRIORS

meets every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month at 6:45 p.m.
 

 

Grief is a strong, at times annihilating emotion for people, regardless of whether their sadness stems from the loss of a loved one or from a chronic diagnosis. The restorative purpose of grief and mourning is to get you to a place where you can live with the loss healthily. This is easier said than done. There is no specified time limitation on the grief process. It is a journey unique for the individual and the loss they have endured.

 

The 5 Stages of Grief 

Denial

Anger

Bargaining

Depression

Acceptance

 

However, these stages are not linear, and people may experience them in different orders or at different times. The time it takes to move through the stages can also vary, from weeks to months or years.

 

Grief has been shown to cause immune system dysfunction in some people, raising general inflammation and the risk of infections. According to a 2019 review of research, grieving people have lower levels of certain immune system cells, including natural killer cells and lymphocytes. It can further cause physical phenomena such as tightness and heaviness in the chest or throat, nausea or stomach upset, dizziness, headaches, numbness, muscle weakness, gastrointestinal upset, tension, or fatigue. It can change your appetite, disrupt your sleep, and cause anxiety attacks and depression. And for those who already have Chronic Illnesses, it can worsen them. 

 

There is no cure for grief. It is not an injury or minor illness to recover from. The realism of loss can be lifelong. But you can find hope in life again. You can discover new ways to honor the memories of the loss. Furthermore, there is no such matter as becoming your old self again. The self you were before the loss is no more. But you can become a new version, one who finds a greater perception of purpose and joy. You must permit yourself the space to grieve freely, on your terms. Let’s take a few moments every Tuesday and define what that space looks like for you. We hope to see you soon. 

 

Freedom's Strength

meets every Tuesday at 6:45 p.m.
 

 

It is not. It was not. It will never be. Your fault. There is nothing you could have ever done to deserve the pain that was forced upon you. A violation by a clear definition is the action of violating someone. This action has caused a major reaction in your life. In your relationships. In your spiritual journey. In your self-confidence. According to the CDC, over half of women and almost 1 in 3 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact during their lifetimes. One in 4 women and about 1 in 26 men have experienced completed or attempted rape. About 1 in 9 men were made to penetrate someone during his lifetime. This means there are more than 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse in the U.S.

 

When we unify in the Freedom’s Hope Circle, we expose what is no more. We will no longer hold back the embarrassing details of the pain inflicted upon us. We will make our voices loud and validate every experience. We will cry. For some, we might scream. But we will heal. Completely. Finally. And reclaim the freedom we deserve. The freedom God intends us to have. 

We hope to see you soon. 

 

Sick and Loved

meets every 2nd and 4th Friday at 6:45 p.m.