Never Give Up On Yourself

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

Theodore Roosevelt said that. He may not have been born into a lower-class family and had the financial struggles that many of us have had to bear but he did struggle with health issues as a boy. Health issues are one of the things I can relate to him on.

Although my childhood was primarily a healthy experience, other than every other kid's normal illnesses, my adulthood was a different story. 

As I matured certain small signs of ill health began to sneak up on me, starting with migraines that eventually became chronic. After that blood pressure and uncontrollable heart rate entered my life despite not being overweight or having issues with sugar levels. Because I ignored them like an idiot my situation became more and more dire, until I had the first of my three strokes starting in my mid-twenties. Ignoring my problems was no longer a choice, and never should have been. 

After a six-month sabbatical following the first stroke, I returned back to work without the doctors being able to tell me what caused the symptoms that led to the Ischemic episode. With more questions than answers they just treated the symptoms the best they could. It would take another 15 years, a dozen different doctors, and more poking and prodding than any human should have to experience before they finally diagnosed me with Dysaudianomia. 

If you never heard of Dysaudianomia you're not alone, most doctors haven't until a few years ago. Simply put, it's a nervous system disorder that disrupts the autonomic body process. These are like automatic functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, kidney, liver, bladder, and the list goes on and on even including the lubrication of the eyes. If you don't have to consciously instruct the bodily function to do something, Dysautonomia can disrupt it. So how do you treat it, well there is no cure so the average doctor just treats the symptoms the best they can. 

The doctors treated the symptoms with the best knowledge they had but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to prevent two more strokes. With each stroke, I was introduced to new symptoms contributing to both my physical and mental health decline. By this time, I was placed on work restrictions and was left with no choice but to fight for disability benefits. Im not sure what is worse, the chronic debilitating illness or fighting the government for something that you have already paid in for.

However, as Red said in The Shawshank Redemption, "You can either get busy living or get busy dying." Im not ready to leave my family just yet, so I'm not giving up. Going back to the words of the 26th President of the United States, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." 

This brings me to why I have started this blog named Resurrected Roamer. As a former Professional Photographer and world traveler I long to be behind the lens and hitting the road again. As I alluded before health issues are only one of the things I can relate to Teddy with. Don't misunderstand me, I'm only relating to him not comparing myself to him. I just wouldn't measure up. President Roosevelt expanded the Navy, brokered the end of the Russo-Japenese war, and was the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. However, Teddy and I both share a love for our great country and the natural beauty within its borders. 

I've had the privilege of visiting and photographing 15 foreign countries and 45 US States including a dozen National Parks that he helped preserve. 

To be honest, I don't know if holding my Canon camera steady to capture God's beauty is in my future again. I do know I have a lot of photos and stories to tell. With the help of family, friends, and technology Im doing what I can, with what I have, where I am. Im going to share my images and the stories behind them here. Maybe they will inspire others to practice the art of photography, get out and enjoy nature, and never give up on themselves.