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LIVING THE LIFE YOU WANT TO LIVE STARTS WITH RECOGNIZING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH LIMITATIONS THAT STAND BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOALS. HEARING LOSS, WEIGHT gain, arthritis—no matter what health concerns you face, you can take positive steps to reach your full potential and live your ideal life. The secret to success isn't setting lofty New Year's resolutions, but rather making small lifestyle changes throughout the year that enhance your well-being. A BLESSING IN DISGUISE Brenda Goettl, AODA, Clinical Supervisor of the L.E. Phillips-Libertas Treatment Center of HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital, embodies what it means to triumph over limitation. In 2008, Goettl, a then-healthy 45-year-old woman, started having unusual symptoms that even surprised her doctors. Goettl's journey began early that year when she noticed a bump on the back of her leg. Her doctor suspected she had a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection and drained the bump. While she waited for test results, Goettl began noticing other changes, including severe pain in her right knee. The bump tested negatively for MRSA, and Goettl was told she had rheumatoid arthritis. At that point, her physician told her the chronic condition would limit her ability to perform certain activities. For the avid exerciser who loved to walk, the news was hard to hear. FINDING TREATMENT Goettl began modifying her activities, but her illness continued to worsen. By March 2008, she couldn't walk without crutches and struggled with chronic shortness of breath. A physician ordered a chest X-ray. The results were so concerning the doctor referred her to a pulmonologist who admitted her to the hospital for a lung biopsy. During her 18-day hospital stay, Goettl finally received a diagnosis: blastomycosis, an infection caused by accidentally inhaling the spores of the blastomyces dermatitidis fungus, which is commonly found in decaying wood and dirt. Goettl began taking two antifungal medications and had surgery on her right knee to remove and correct damage from the fungus, which had also infected her right knee joint. "Before my blastomycosis diagnosis, I had misconceptions about pain and pain medication," Goettl says. "But once I returned to work, I realized what it was like to live with chronic pain. I looked at how my life had changed, and I decided I wasn't willing to accept these limitations." Goettl, who had let her healthy diet slip throughout her illness, began eating better. She also started working harder during physical and respiratory therapy and began practicing yoga and swimming. "I learned a lot about myself," Goettl says. "I realized that I am stronger than I ever thought, and I started looking at people differently because I now understand how it feels to be told, 'You can't do this.'" A STEP FORWARD Although most people won't experience a life-threatening disease like Goettl, we all experience wellness challenges in our everyday lives. For Goettl, regaining control over her life started with seeking answers for her symptoms. If fatigue is standing in your way, for example, visiting your doctor to rule out an underlying medical condition may be a necessary first step. For those like Goettl who face a long recovery or chronic illness, taking time to grieve instead of hiding negative emotions is also important. "My orthopedic surgeon told me, Living 4 I N S P I R I N G H E A LT H