Fight to Grow, Become Curious

Many years ago, as a child, I learned to fight. In the beginning, I learned to fight gravity, and I took my first steps. As I grew, I learned to grow physically and mentally to fight and resist to live, much like every other human being who has lived.

However, these challenges were, in a way, expected. It was not different, or it didn't challenge the status quo. I learned to fight through my illness. After they said they wanted to give me surgery, and I was going to defecate in a bag the rest of my life, I decided against it.

That moment when I said no, I had no clue what I was going to do. Even the doctor at the time said, " Well, don't go too far before you call me so I don't have to build you up for the surgery.

I was scared and felt lost. I figured he was right and almost gave in. Until one moment I said to myself, "Fuck this! I'm going down fighting." One simple question haunted me: why, at 18 years old, I was fine, and at 19 years old I was sick and pretty much dying mentally and physically.

To fight, I first had to get curious and ask myself the right questions, challenge conventional wisdom, and explore outside-the-box ideas. This shift kept me focused on my own path.

Fast-forwarding to today, 40 years later, I have a new health issue where I need to become resistant, which has made me curious, and I need to think outside the box.

I know it's tempting to rely solely on doctors' studies and charts, but my curiosity about my health led me to question and verify, helping me balance skepticism with caution and avoid blind trust.

I know it sounds like it was easy for me to do what I have done in my life. It was not. It was a sleepless night wondering if I was doing the right thing. Think about how the decision I made might affect my future.

The key is not to go into this halfheartedly, but to educate yourself thoroughly and ask why, which empowers you to make informed health decisions. When you seek knowledge, you regain control and confidence over your choices.

We have been groomed to be complacent. From school, religion, government, and the social norm, we have been taught not to question. Encouraging curiosity can empower you to challenge these norms and take control of your life's direction. 

With my first illness, 40 years ago, there were no computers or internet, so my information was limited. I believe that was a blessing because we live in a world of information overload. Everyone has an opinion about everything. Quick story: I remember one day a doctor came up to me and challenged my beliefs about my Crohn's Colitis. My health improved greatly doing what I was doing. He went on to tell me how he was going to solve my illness by giving me medicine that was going to save me. So, I listened, and when he was done. I asked a question. Did this medicine work for you? He said, I don't have Colitis or anything like it. Then how do you know it's going to work for me? I asked.

My cure for my Crohn's Colitis has been about being curious. My life has been about how to reduce my stress so it doesn't affect my body. My curiosity has led me down different paths, and I had to make changes in my life that many people in my life didn't understand or even believed in. However, I live with those changes, which have made me healthier and a better person. My new health challenge has done the same; it made me curious once again. Maybe my mind said Hey you need a new challenge; let's

get curious!