Baby Boomer Stories: Erica’s Story

My name is Erica Lewis, I somewhat fall in this category, the exception being that I am 48, close to 50. I want to start out with my testimony of how I overcame stress & various health issues.

I come from a family full of health issues: diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and endometriosis. I fortunately only encountered the thyroid disease, endometriosis, obesity and borderline high blood pressure and of course all of this triggered to the big problem -STRESS. I have had 3 thyroid ectomies, thank God today I still have my thyroid and DO NOT have to take any medication to regulate my thyroid - all three of those surgeries were actually benign tumors on my parathyroid. God sure has a plan for me.

I also had an ablation 3 years ago to help me with my problems with endometriosis, after this surgery I feel brand new, no more severe monthly pains. I think my biggest stress related problem that I had to deal with my son and trying to fix his problems, take care of all his issues, sheltering him when he should not have been.

We are at a point in our life where we are not as close as we were in earlier years. All I can say to any parent, especially single female parents, if you have a male child and they are giving trouble, YOU CAN NOT FIX THEM! It really hurt me to my heart when I had to turn him loose completely, and allow him to fight his own battles, while trying to fix him and his problems, all I was doing was putting myself deeper and deeper into stress and almost depression.

It took me a while to realize that our children are only given to us temporarily - they truly belong to God, it also took me a while to get over the guilt of blaming myself for what I thought I wasn't doing right for my son. He came from 2 loving parents, never had to want for anything growing up, I was so much involved in my son's everyday life, that I didn't realize, even after his years of being in the military, I was smothering and enabling him.

Once I let go and started focusing on myself and my health, I knew God had it under control. I changed my focus and my lifestyle by attending a fitness camp (May of 2010), not only have I lost weight, I feel good, and am loving myself more. Attending this fitness camp has given me so much hope and confidence. I am so proud of myself, when I attend any of my doctor’s appointments they are so pleased with my progress, my positive tests results and my attitude towards living a better life. I live for this camp, never in my wildest dreams would I think of going to a fitness camp 5 days a week at 5:00am - believe me - it makes a big difference in my day.

It took me a while to realize that I also had to change my eating habits. I now eat healthier and am conscious of what I eat, when I eat and how much I eat. My biggest blessing about the fitness camp (Taddas Fitness Camp) is the instructor, Tasha Lewis is not only the owner & operator but she is the instructor, a licensed and certified nurse, a Christian, motivator and she has the biggest heart that any owner of a business can have. She cares about the well being of everyone that comes through her doors. God has truly blessed her in many areas, she doesn't mind sharing her blessings about healthy living, there are many walks of people that attend this camp. They all feel like family to me. I have met some wonderful people at the camp. I feel we are all in the same boat but for different reasons and Tasha never treats anyone different than the other. She has a true passion for what she does.

I am truly blessed, I know that this temple that God has given to me, I have to give him the glory and take care of it. It is so hard for many people, but we all have to start somewhere. I try to encourage as many people as I can. I have a purpose and it is to live and to live longer. I am now (almost) stressed free, my relationship with my son is slowly getting back to the way it used to be, and God has sent me a wonderful man that loves me and that I can love.

God is also giving me back everything that I have lost. It is up to me to continue to be grateful and appreciative for every day that he wakes me. In closing, I could go on and on, but just to say to anyone that my words may have inspired, remember, whatever journey you choose to go on - take baby steps, encourage yourself, speak positive over yourself, be prayful, and enjoy life like it is your last day.

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