Turning Point

Blog Prompt: Tell us about a turning point in your life, however you define that phrase.

I had a major turning point in my life 23 years ago but it doesn't seem that long ago. I lost all of my hair which was devastating to me since I was only 24 years old. I went to many doctors and spent a lot of money to try to find out why all of a sudden I lost my hair. Since lupus runs in my family, I was afraid this was it but the tests were negative. I didn't have cancer or any known illness. One doctor told me I was just allergic to my own hair and to get used to it. One doctor asked me if I was under stress and I told him no that I wasn't. Another doctor told me that it all fell out by the roots and I would never have hair again. After thousands of dollars, one doctor told me with tears in his eyes, that he just didn't know why and I needed to accept it and move on.

Finally after giving up the medical route, my hubby talked me into joining a health spa and going daily to exercise. I started taking multivitamins and doing a lot of reflection and praying. Finally we realized that I WAS under a lot of stress and this was a reaction. I thought by being "under stress" meant like a nervous breakdown or depression which I didn't feel described me. After thinking about it I realized my circumstances put me under an extreme amount of stress and this was my body's way of coping. My husband lost his job because he refused to relocate, I had started a new job teaching at a new school, my daughter was exhibiting extreme emotional problems in school (she was finally diagnosed as bi-polar later), we had moved to a new house which caught on fire 3 months after we moved in. So, we had to move in my in-laws. Chirstmas was approaching and we didn't have our own home or much money. So, as you can see, I had been denying the stress!

Within 6 months of our own "cure", my hair started to grow back. I was doing daily exercising which I continue to do even now. We made some changes in our lifestyle which included moving into a rental house, and letting my hubby have more responsiblity withe the house and kids (which is hard for me because I'm such a control freak!). Every few years, I have stress spots on my scalp which means bald spots. I increase my exercise and do more meditation which helps.

I have tried to talk to many of my friends about stress because I feel that if I hadn't gotten a handle on this, stress would have eventually killed me. My hair loss was just the beginning. I hope my turning point can help others learn from this too.