Day 113 & 114 | Why I’m Thankful for Mold Avoidance

July 1, 2017

The last two days have been a little more “normal.” I’ve had enough energy to do most of the laundry and cooking but I’m still struggling. I feel like every last drop of energy gets used up just on the basic things we need to stay alive and then I have none left over for anything else. Even really important things like relationships and spiritual growth. I get so drained by the end of the day that I feel like curling up in the fetal position and crying.

With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful for me to spend today’s writing time reminding myself of all the reasons I’m thankful for mold avoidance. It’s important not to get so caught up in the work that I forget to give thanks to God for all the beautiful blessings he’s provided through this stange “treatment.”

While my gratitude is primarily directed towards God, I also want to express my thanks to the family, friends and strangers who have supported us both financially and emotionally, and also to those who have shared their mold avoidance stories and knowledge with us. We couldn’t have done it without you!

So, without further ado here are 15 reasons I’m thankful for mold avoidance…

  1. I’m thankful that I no longer have to spend my days in bed.
  2. I’m thankful that my chronic pain has come down enough that it stays in the background most of the time.
  3. I’m thankful that I’ve regained my ability to hike and bike and run.
  4. I’m thankful that I can do cartwheels again.
  5. I’m thankful that my mold avoidance story has given me a platform to encourage and inspire others.
  6.  I’m thankful that my sound sensitivity is gone and I can sing and listen to music again.
  7.  I’m thankful that my Mast Cell Activation Syndrome has resolved. No more hives. No more wondering if my throat is going to swell up and kill me.
  8. I’m thankful that I can actually do the hard work of hand washing our laundry.
  9. I’m thankful that I no longer have to see my body as the enemy.
  10. I’m thankful that I can cook again.
  11. I’m thankful that my chronic nausea is gone and I can actually enjoy eating again.
  12. I’m thankful that I no longer have to take antibiotics for my Lyme Disease.
  13. I’m thankful that quick decontamination has given me a lot of control over my symptoms. Especially panic attacks.
  14. I’m thankful that I’ve regained my cognitive functioning. I can read and write again.
  15. I’m thankful that my body is healing enough that I am finally able to start thinking about how to heal emotionally.

What are you thankful for? I would love it if you shared one thing you’re thankful for today in the comments section. Let’s spread the gratitude!


By the way, Brett and I made a beautiful PDF of my favorite resources for suffering souls. I created the content and he made it look fancy with his superduper graphic design skills. It’s available for free to my email subscribers. Click here to sign up and receive 5 Resources for the Suffering Soul.

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37 Comments

  • Grandma Zimmerman

    Ana, I’m thankful for the improvement in your health, it is so great to read of your progress. I’m also thankful for the godly husband the Lord gave to you, one who was willing to sacrifice to care for you. And I’m thankful for the protection and the provision the Lord has given you on this mold avoidance journey. May He bless you with continued healing!

    July 2, 2017 at 4:55 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! Thank you so much Grandma. 💕

      July 2, 2017 at 7:12 pm Reply
  • Ellyse Bergeron

    Ana,
    I appreciated reading about your health recovery story. I will be praying that you continue to heal and gain strength and mental clarity. We went through a similar struggle with Mental illness and came to realize that so much of it was a reaction to chemicals in our environment and our foods. I am so thankful that we trusted God to lead us everyday and give us help to find answers. We found two things that I want to mention that have helped us tremendously. If you have not heard of them and would like information, email me.
    The first is Thought Field Therapy or TFT. I will be teaching a free class for a small group of health minded friends and would be happy to include you in the zoom call if you want to get an introduction. We used it everyday to recognize what is triggering us and then to do a tapping treatment to remove the energy toxin from our bodies. It works. I am a Christian and I feel a calling to share this with people that need to find more help for their challenges. The second is a product that has really helped us. We heard about it from someone that had Suffered from a tic bite for ten years. His Dentist shared this product with him and his body started healing at the cellular level. I can send you his testimony or you can call him if you want to hear about his journey. He is a wonderful young Christian man. So, keep walking by faith and we will be praying for you and we will following your blog. Thank you for sharing your story and the resources.

    July 2, 2017 at 5:44 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thanks for sharing Ellyse! I’m so glad you found something that worked for your family. 😊

      July 2, 2017 at 7:13 pm Reply
  • Alex

    Ana, I’m so thankful for all of the progress you have made! It is extraordinary! Even as so many hard challenges remain, you have come so far. Continuing to cheer and pray!

    July 2, 2017 at 6:46 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thanks Alex! You’re so right! Thank you and Courtney for all your support through this.

      July 2, 2017 at 7:14 pm Reply
  • Melissa

    Ana, I’m thankful for you and your writing of this blog. Just a few moments ago, I was so upset, not wanting to carry on with being sooo sick from mold and not improving. But you reminded me to be thankful to God for other things just now. I’ll make it through another day.

    -M

    July 2, 2017 at 7:02 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww, Melissa! It’s comments like these that make me want to keep writing. I know just how hard it is! Don’t give up! 💕

      July 2, 2017 at 7:15 pm Reply
  • Melody

    I’m so thankful for 3 hugs I got to give you! <3 Love you bunches!!!!!!

    July 2, 2017 at 7:37 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! Me too! 😘

      July 2, 2017 at 8:01 pm Reply
  • Mom and Dad

    We are so thankful for a daughter who remains thankful in the midst of great trial and suffering, and for a son (Brett) who remains hopeful and persevering by her side, and for a God whose grace sustains them both. 💕

    July 2, 2017 at 7:43 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! We love you both so much! 💕

      July 2, 2017 at 8:21 pm Reply
    • Martín Fernandez

      I’m thankful to have a family like you

      July 3, 2017 at 7:52 am Reply
  • Amber Mason

    I am super thankful for my church family and the body of Christmas that I get to interact with and be encouraged by. And of course, I am always blessed by your blog and have been keeping you and Brett in my prayers as you go on this journey. Thank you for sharing.

    July 2, 2017 at 7:45 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thanks for sharing Amber! I’m so thankful for the body of Christ too and for your prayers.

      July 2, 2017 at 8:22 pm Reply
  • Amber Mason

    I definitely meant body of Christ. My autocorrect must have been thinking of Christmas in July!

    July 2, 2017 at 7:47 pm Reply
  • Katherine Forster

    I’m so thankful for your recovery, and how you can share your ongoing story on this blog. =) And I’m thankful for God’s word and how He chose to communicate with us through the Bible.

    July 3, 2017 at 6:07 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! I’m thankful for God’s word too!

      July 3, 2017 at 7:53 am Reply
  • Leslie

    I am thankful for a great many things but this isn’t my story. One of the things I am thankful for is that as I enter the seriously-getting-ready phase for becoming a mold-avoiding van dweller, I have your stories and your lessons to help me.
    On your last post you said: “Will I ever have time to … serve and help people? ”
    Ana, you ARE serving and helping people. Like me.
    Thank you.
    I hope you can figure out and solve the triggers that have been making you sad the past few days. There is one mold (commonly found in bathrooms) that makes me feel as you describe. When exposed, my thoughts quickly turn to how I don’t know if I can face the future if it will be as I fear. When out of exposure, I worry about the logistics of now and the next few months, but can let the future be unpainted; I have faith that I will have enough control that I can live inside whatever that future is.

    July 3, 2017 at 8:01 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! Thanks so much Leslie! What an encouraging comment! I’m so humbled that I get to play a small part in your story! Good luck! 💕

      July 3, 2017 at 11:52 am Reply
  • Jen

    Ana, I recently started following your blog. I’ve had similar experience with mold and lyme. I’m thankful for your progress and your willingness to share your mold avoidance journey. You’re helping a lot of people by showing how to do this. I’m also thankful for insight into this illness after years of being in the dark as to the cause of so much sickness. Praying that you find healing, encouragement and joy in the midst of these trials.

    July 3, 2017 at 11:47 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! Thanks so much Jen!

      July 3, 2017 at 11:53 am Reply
  • Chris Barratt

    Ana, I’m thankful for my family, clean water and healthful food everyday. For being able to worship freely in our country, for a comfy bed and the ability to get up everyday out of it and do the work the Lord sets before me. I’m also thankful for the work that Brett does, teaching young people to write for the Lord. And for you, sharing your story and being open and transparent, giving hope to so many and making others who are suffering feel less alone. (Oh, and one more thing. I’m thankful Ramona was able to stay behind and keep you company and remind you that “normal” life happenings are beginning to occur more and more!!! YAY!) And I’m thankful God answers prayer!!

    July 3, 2017 at 9:17 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! I love this! Thanks for sharing Chris!

      July 4, 2017 at 11:14 am Reply
  • Hannah Maynard Bartlett

    I am thankful for my husband of 10 weeks, who is self-sacrificial and always seeks to care for me, even when he is sick. I’m thankful that his Lyme isn’t a tremendous factor in our life right now.
    I’m also thankful for storytelling and the way that shared stories can bring people together and teach people.

    July 4, 2017 at 12:18 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww… praise God for good husbands! I’m so sorry to hear he has Lyme though!

      July 4, 2017 at 11:15 am Reply
  • Coretta Hedstrom

    I am thankful that God has healed me from Lyme disease to the point that I can finally leave my parents house! I am on my way to doing Urban Ministry in St Louis with a Youth Corps. I am amazed that I am healthy!!! God is so good.
    And you are an encouragement to me, Ana. I am thankful for you as well.

    July 4, 2017 at 7:12 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Oh wow! That’s amazing Coretta! I’m so glad to hear this!

      July 4, 2017 at 11:16 am Reply
  • Cheryl

    I’m grateful for your blog, for the books and websites by Erik, Lisa, Sara, Julie, Drs Shoemaker and Nathan, the CIRS 101 document by Chris and moldymovie.com by Dave. I am grateful to have a husband who is willing to embark on an extreme mold avoidance journey with me. I am grateful to doctors who ordered the Shoemaker labs for me, although they didn’t know how to interpret them. I am grateful that my landlord took the news of us breaking our lease with great compassion and kindness. I am grateful to have real hope for recovery!

    July 4, 2017 at 1:06 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thank you so much for sharing Cheryl! I’m thankful for all those things too! So glad you have the support you need to embark on this mold avoidance journey. Good luck!

      July 4, 2017 at 3:15 pm Reply
  • Ruth Meyer

    I am thankful for the YWW, that introduced be to Do Hard Things and more importantly the people behind that story, who are actually doing those hard things right now (see last 144 days on this blog)! I am thankful for every day I choose to take on a new physical/mental/emotional challenge that I know is too hard for me, but by God’s grace I walk that road anyway, and get just a little bit stronger bit by bit. There’s a lot to be said for daily grace. Maybe I’ll write my next song on that theme. I’m thankful that the same God is looking out over your family and mine, Ana, and loves us personally, and holds our hopes and eternity in His infinite hands.

    July 4, 2017 at 10:30 pm Reply
  • Charis | charisrae.com

    I’m thankful for God’s love and the gift of life. I’m also thankful and happy that you and Brett are able to grow stronger with the Lord through your illness, and that He is always with you and helping you along the road to recovery. <3

    July 5, 2017 at 9:10 am Reply
  • Sharon Cleek

    I am thankful for our all powerful God who never leaves us and will never stop loving us and always gives us hope for tomorrow. I am also thankful for you, Brett and Ana, and for your godly example of sacrifice, love, and thankfulness when the path is unbelievably difficult. It calls me to a higher level of commitment. Love you and praying for you.

    July 5, 2017 at 12:08 pm Reply
  • Bethany

    I am thankful for your faithfulness to God and how God is continuing to work in your life. I am thankful we had the privledge of having you and Brett worship with us at Grace before y’all got married. I am encouraged by you and the testimony you give each day of Gods grace in your life. ❤️

    July 6, 2017 at 9:45 pm Reply
  • Erin

    Wow, Ana. Well I would say that I am truly grateful for you and Brett!!! First of all, without you guys the YWW wouldn’t be happening…and that would be sad. Second, you are both a wonderful example to me if living the Christian life and walking the Christian walk even when it’s hard…VERY hard! And always being faithful. And that marriage is hard but can be gotten through. Yeah, you all are amazing in lots of ways! So thank you! For everything! Keep pressing on for HIM!

    In Christ,
    Erin Hill

    July 10, 2017 at 9:00 pm Reply
  • Courtney

    I’m thankful for you and Brett. Both of you have been a great example of faith, and a great inspiration to me to keep writing even though I’m going through a lot. (Meaning no offense to you, but I’m not going through anything compared to what you’ve gone through.)

    July 24, 2017 at 3:17 pm Reply
  • KAM

    I am thankful for your posts. I am thankful my brain was clear enough to find the daily posts and to be able to read them.

    March 5, 2020 at 4:46 pm Reply
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