ON THE SURFACE, everything seemed perfect: I had a lovely family and a beautiful home. But rather than feeling buoyant and productive and grateful, I felt sluggish and uninspired and generally unhappy with my life.
So I went to see a doctor. He ran several tests, which included a basal metabolism test related to the thyroid gland. When the doctor gave me the test results he said that my metabolism rate was so low he was not sure why I was still alive. Oddly enough, his diagnosis gave me a sense of relief. After years of feeling I was just one of the unlucky ones who never had any energy, I felt comfort in knowing I had a reason for being so lethargic and unproductive: low metabolism caused by a malfunctioning thyroid gland. He handed me a prescription with the warning that if I wanted to live, let alone function normally, I would have to take the medication daily for the rest of my life.
I left his office feeling hopeful, but several months passed and little seemed to change. I soon slid back into my old routine of coping with lack of energy and all its ramifications. But I continued to be obedient to the doctor's instructions, hoping that my energy level would improve with time.
