Living In An Allergy Free Safe Room, To An Inspiring Leader ~ A Transformational Story with Author Amelia Hill

In case you missed it, my hubby lost his toe in an accident a few weeks ago. Life’s been extra full. Between appointments, caring for Tom & keeping up with the usual farm, Mum & Naturopath life roles, there’s not been much free time for me.

There's been some lessons on my part to learn along the way, like allowing myself space to be still, cuppa in hand and just be with the stress, the squirmish events that took place. I caught myself out, as I was trying to push through and be 'strong' and actually kept myself busy to avoid dealing with it all. So when I did sit and reflect, I cried, I released & it felt good.

Yes, it is just a toe, but it's ok to be vulnerable, sit with the emotions that bubble up and oh so important to release them.

I have also had a timely gift sent to me in the post from Author Amelia Hill. It's her new book 'AND THEN ONE DAY, 90 days of inspirational new ways to see your one precious life'. I naturally wanted to hear more from Amelia of her transformational journey from being bedbound in a single allergy free room for years, to the inspiring Author, Coach and Speaker she is today.

Here's our chat...

Tell us about life before you became ill Amelia.

I first became ill when I was 14 years old. My family had moved into a house which had recently been sprayed with insecticides, primarily in the bedroom I slept in. We didn't realise this at the time, but it was later thought to have been the trigger for my decline in health. I was diagnosed with severe CFS/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and told there was nothing I could do.

Talk us through your experience with declining health. What were days like for you?

As someone who has lived with chronic, complex illness, I've experienced multiple episodes of severe unwellness over the years which have all been incrediblely challenging.

When I first became ill in my early teens, I was completely bedbound for the best part of a year, before I slowly improved my energy levels to where I was able to finish high school, enjoy a busy social life, start my own fashion label and move out of home. I was never 100%. I was always managing fatigue and environmental sensitives but I was able to live a relatively normal life.

In my late 20’s and early 30’s I suffered major setbacks with my health, resulting in me developing severe MCS/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. This meant I suffered physical reactions like muscle weakness, respiratory difficulties and excruciating fatigue when I came into contact with many common chemicals found in fragrance, laundry detergent, personal care products, deoderant and shampoo etc to the ink used in books and newsprint, along with fabrics used in clothing and bedding and most foods.

I also experienced EHS/Electro Hyper Sensitivity, leaving me unable to tolerate using a phone, computer, tv, heating or cooling. I spent every day inside a custom made, allergy-free ‘safe room’ at my parent’s house, stripped bare of furnishings. I slept on a metal bed frame topped with cotton towels as a mattress, survived on only a handful of foods and twice filtered water and spoke to visitors through a glass wall.  

Other incredibly challenging health related experiencs have included a bout of acute IBD/Ulcerlative Colitis which I reversed using natural methods (a book about my experience is on the way) and multiple corneal ruptures in my right eye, causing nerve pain and light sensitivity so excruciating I was forced to cover my windows with black plastic and wear sunglasses indoors for almost a year.

What treatments did you endure & how did you make this possible with your limitations at the time? What do you feel had the most impact on your recovery? 

 Over the years I’ve undergone many treatments from alopathic to alternative medicine and everything in between both here and abroad. 

My biggest obstacle to health care besides a financial one, has been access. I’ve had numerous doctors refuse to help me because I was too sick to get to their consulting rooms and they wouldn’t offer telehealth either.

When I was trying to find a dentist to perform an extraction at my home because I was too unwell to go to a dental surgery, I contacted 20 physicians, many highly regarded with years of experience. Those that would take my call, told me what I wanted to do couldn’t be done and I would never find anyone to help me. It turned out they were all wrong because I eventually went on to have 5 dental surgeries at home in my kitchen including 2 extractions without anesthesia. That experience alone taught me more about courage, determination and self advocacy than any other.

A similar thing happened when my gastrointestist told me it wasn't possible to reverse my sky high IBD/Ulcerative Colitis gut inflammation without drugs or surgery, but that's exactly what I did.  

After years of navigating my own healing journey and witnessing many others do the same, I can honestly say there is no one-size-fits-all approach or a list of must-do treatments. But what I can tell you is this …

An experience like serious illness will test you like nothing else.

You'll be required to do things you never thought you could do and face things you never thought you would face. You’ll have to dig deep and find the inner strength and courage to start over more times than you can imagine. You’ll have to decide that there is a way forward, even when you can’t see one yet.

It’s absolutely essential that you not only do everything you can to maintain your mental focus and stamina, but also educate yourself about your body, do your own research, develop your own protocols, think outside of the box, be willing to do whatever it takes and believe in yourself and your body’s ability to heal even when other people do not. 

I've encountered too many people who have told me something wasn't possible or that there was no hope for me or a particular treatment wouldn’t work or those tests that I was pushing for were a waste of time. So you must learn to never stop advocating for yourself and be prepared to fight for your own life over and over again if necessary. I know it's hard and I know you wish you didn't have to, but you must.   

What was the turning point, where you decided you were ready to turn your health story around? Tell us about this journey.

On a journey like this one, there’s never just one rock bottom moment, there are many.

The moment my world shrunk down to one single bare room and I decided I wouldn’t let it defeat me and that I would somehow become a stronger person because of it. 

The moment I was discharged from hospital and thought I was going home to die. I was terrified and there was absolutely nothing left I could do but pray every night for a miracle.

The moment when I realised it was up to me to reverse acute Ulcerative Colitis without drugs or surgery after being misdiagnosed by 7 specialists. 

The moment I was at risk of losing my eye ball, I had exhausted all of my treatment options and decided to believe my body knew how to turn things around.

These moments of mine, along with the rock bottom moments of many other chronic illness warriors, all have one thing in common.  

They might be desperate, scary and challenging, but they will be the ones which gift you the most valuable lessons. Lessons about courage, perseverance, inner strength, the incredible vast nature of your own brilliant potential and the power of having a very clear vision of your future self to which you are uncomprimising. 

We’re all stronger and more capable than we realise. We think we can't do something. We think we don't have what it takes. But the truth is … we can and we do. 

What have you been up to since?  

Along with publishing 2 books, I designed my own low-tox eco cottage which I now live in and call home. I love to sew and bake and create inspiring content and love, love, LOVE to coach and mentor people.

I’ve seen and experienced first hand the incredible inner resources that we all have access to and I help people tap into those. Mentorship is powerful and it’s a privilege tor me to help others completely transform how they see themselves and their life but also build within them the kind of fierce mental and emotional resilience and unshakable self belief which makes them unstoppable.

That brings a smile to my face. Tell us more about about Amelia Hill today...

 I'm a completely different person now than who I was. Not just physically, but my entire perspective has changd. How I see myself, the way I move through the world and what I believe is possible. I’m continuing to support my body as it gets stronger while simultaneously rebuilding my entire life. I’ve been sharing some of these joyful milestones on social media which has been fun and I'm excited about what's up ahead in my future. 

Where can the readers find more from you & read your new book “And Then One Day”?

You can always find me on socials - come say hi! 

IG @amazingameliahill  

FB @ameliahillwriter 

TikTok @digdeeprisehigh

My new book AND THEN ONE DAY 90 Inspirational New Ways To See Your One Precious Life …. which is written especially for women on a journey of healing and self discovery, is available now on Amazon and Booktopia. 

You can learn more about my coaching and mentorship on my website.

https://ameliahill.com/workwithme

Thank you Amelia, you are a true inspiration and I know your story will help so many.