Myanmar

More than a decade ago, my struggle with depression began. My beloved cat died, which added to my fragility. In 2003, I started to suffer from insomnia. The downhill slide continued. By 2011, I had to take a sleeping pill and an anti-anxiety pill nightly in order to fall asleep.

Her hands had become deformed. Her knees were swollen and painful. No longer could she carry groceries upstairs. She needed help with the simplest of tasks. Medications caused her to suffer stomach problems. It seemed that surgery was inevitable.

To my amazement, my weight decreased from 190 to 170 pounds (77 kilograms). My waist measurement dropped from 42 to 38 inches. My body felt relaxed and my spirit carefree. I felt really joyful.