Did I tell you about the time I was a vegan?

Written 2.27.2025 Hello! I haven’t done this in a long time, you know, written a blog posts. I used to write a lot but I guess I needed some time to heal and think and grow.

If you don’t mind, I’m just going to be real here. I’m not a professional blogger. I don’t have a fancy degree. However, I am on a health journey that really started years and years ago.

I guess I’ll just tell my story. Maybe you’ll relate, or maybe you know someone who might relate a little or a lot. It kind of started Monday, June 16, 2014. We hadn’t been in our new house for a year yet, and we were really enjoying all the beautiful flowers in the garden, and exploring our new neighborhood. But something was wrong. I was having three week long cycles, and a week long break, and then I would start another one or two week cycle. I had been going through this for months and months, and my doctors didn’t know why. Their solution was to schedule a partial hysterectomy. The night before surgery, I had been questioning my sanity, and the severity of this surgery. I really did not want to go through with it, but I couldn’t keep living this way. It was Father’s Day, and I remember looking out the back door, where my family was hanging out on the balcony. I asked, “Do you think I should go through with the surgery?” It was at that moment that I doubled over in excruciating cramping pain, and was forced quickly to lay down on the floor, in a fetal position, crying. I guess that was my answer. It hurt so bad. Then the flooding started, so I ran to the bathroom to address that situation. The next morning I went in for surgery. I told my doctor that I had “started” the day before, and I was so embarrassed and sorry. He graciously explained to me that it was quite alright, and might even make his job a little easier. Doctors are weird.

A couple hours later, I was in recovery, and my doctor explained that everything went perfectly! He had successfully removed my “angry” uterus that had continued hemorrhaging, even after being removed! And He removed my cervix as well. My ovaries are still healthy and intact.

My recovery went really well. I had pain, of course. I rested, took my prescription pain medicines, and by day three I was reluctantly walking to the end of my driveway, and by the end of my six weeks of recovery I had walked several miles. Now, I will say, the prescription pills made me a little goofy, and I made ten lap quilts on the floor, with my tiny $100 Sears sewing machine. I’m told that is not normal. That’s okay, I’m typically not normal.

I also experienced temporary depression. I couldn’t see a pregnant woman or a baby without sobbing quietly to myself. It broke my heart that I’d never have another baby again. Which is insane! I had a tubal ligation in 2007 after my fifth child was born! I had already made the decision not to have any more babies! I had five babies of my own! But I was sad, nonetheless. And I missed my angry little uterus. After a few months these feelings subsided.

It was November and December of that year when I noticed something new. I was wearing tank tops! I live in Washington state and the temperature was dipping into the 20’s and I was so freaking hot! I didn’t realize I’d start having hot flashes six months after surgery, while I still had my ovaries! Then there was the business of figuring out my hormones, and why certain days I was irritable and felt crazy! I couldn’t handle my kids breathing next to me! Which made me feel awful! This was the result of still having my monthly hormones, but without the “mess” to warn me that I might feel extra “off” today!

Then I started putting on weight. Not a lot. But I was still trying to get rid of extra baby weight from having carried five precious bundles of energy! My oldest was now 14, and my baby was 8. I shouldn’t be packing baby weight! But then I was also gaining more weight! I walked. I ran. I hit the gym. I dieted. I cried. Nothing seemed to work anymore.

So I started looking at our “Owner’s Manual.” The Bible. Now, please, stick with me. I was grasping and learning as I went! What I’m writing about is my history. What I thought, what I did back then! So you’ll have to stay tuned to learn what I think and what I am doing now. I read about how Yehovah (I’ll call Him Yah for short, you might call Him God) created the earth and all that was in it in just six days, and on the seventh day He rested. He made man and woman, and put them in a garden. Yah instructed them to eat the fruit of the trees. (Genesis 2:16) After the man and women had sinned against Yah, they were removed from the garden and instructed to eat the fruit of the field, they would eat bread. (Genesis 3:18-19)

Then we read about the flood. There was great sin on the earth, and Yah sent a flood, and saved Noah and his family alone. After the waters subsided, Noah built an altar to worship Yah. Then Yah instructed Noah to eat animal meat with the green herb. (Genesis 9:3)

In my understanding, our Creator, Yehovah, designed us to eat the “fruit of the tree,” and the bread and the meat and the green herb were consequential meals due to the sin of man. So I did what any sane person would do- I went vegan! I attempted to eat only plant based meals for four years! But I lived in a “meat lovers” house, so to fill the void, I ate a lot of faux chicken nuggets, veggie burgers. The drawback of all those fake meats, is they are full of vegetable and seed oils, and I packed on even more weight! I was also a junk food junkie, and loved candy, cookies, cheesecake, and honestly, any dessert I could get my hands on, that was vegan, of course! I guess I should go ahead and tell you that just before I went vegan, I decided to do a spiritual fast, where I quit chocolate! Yep. Cold Turkey! I did not eat chocolate for 4 years, 9 months, 27 days! I may still be traumatized. So I justified eating all the other candies and desserts, because I couldn’t eat chocolate!

Where’s the WIN here? What did I take away from this experience?

• I learned about being kind to animals in a deeper, more spiritual manner.
• I learned how to be kind and patient with people who didn’t understand what I was doing or why, because “Bacon!”
• I learned that I do have will power, and I can use it!
• I learned that there are healthy and unhealthy ways to approach every diet.
• I learned about all the toxic foods I was putting into my body, while trying desperately to do the “right” thing.

I still believe in the beautiful nature of veganism! I really do! And I’m grateful for, and applaud those who participate in this way of life for spiritual, ethical and or health reasons! If you’re reading this, and you are a vegan, hats off to you! I’m proud of you! And thank you for your sacrifice!

I didn’t stay on the vegan journey a full four years. It was with much devotion, prayer and supplication that I slowly began incorporating meat into my diet again. And scrambled eggs on occasion- it still felt weird to me. (Which is bogus, because I grew up on a farm where I ate meat, eggs and milk from our own animals!) However, as I began to eat animal products again, I was studying scripture several hours each day. And I began to follow the Torrah, the instructions Yah gave to Israel to be His people. You likely know of the Ten Commandments, There are approximately 603 more. But it’s not as bad as that seems! Many of them are only for men. Some are only for women, and many are priestly or temple duties.

But my point is, for the last 5 years, I have chosen to eat only the Scripturally “clean” animals. I eat beef, chicken, turkey, elk, deer, and fish with scales and fins, like salmon. I know, what about the bacon?? I make my own beef brisket bacon that is more delicious and healthy than any pork bacon I’ve ever had! So that’s a solid win!

How do I close this…. I’ll be up front. I’m still on my health and weightloss journey! In fact, I am 5’ 2.5” and I am 30 pounds heavier than I was when I was so desperate to loose 30 pounds! I’m currently 180 pounds. But I’m learning so much, and I need to tell my story. I’ve only begun to scratch the surface. I hope you’ll stay tuned, and help me be accountable! Help me do my best! And maybe we will learn something together!

Love,

Anne Marie