Beth Sturdivant - Backyard Secret Exposed: A Journal Of My Healing Path Back To Life

BACKYARD

SECRETS

A JOURNAL OF MY HEALING PATH BACK TO LIFE

BETH STURDIVANT

O N E N A M I L L I O N , L L C

Copyright 2013 by Beth Sturdivant. All rights reserved.

This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without per- mission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by ONENAMILLIOLLC

PO Box 455

Pineville, NC 28134 U.S.A.

www.backyardsecretexposed.com

Title ID: 4466088

ISBN-13: 978-0989840217

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013917121

Printed in the United States of America

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal professional advice. If legal advice or medical expert assistance is required, the service of a competent professional person should be sought. (From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of American Medical Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations)

Photos are reprinted with permission. Book production: ElevitaMedia.com

Cover Art and Design: Tracey Coon/noondaypublications.com

This book is available at quantity discounts for bulk purchases. For information, call 704.458.1010.

This book is dedicated to:

My phenomenal children, Brandi and Brandon, who acknowledged the nature of my sickness, and aspire to live this lifestyle change with me as well as help educate the people around us.

My husband, Johnny, thank you for keeping our family afloat financially while not giving up trying to grasp all the drastic changes we endured.

My parents for unconditionally supporting me through all my endeavors.

I love you all!

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I was the middle child out of five who could do anything my mind was set to do. My parents used to say, Beth is our can- do girl. I started early as an entrepreneur. In the ninth grade, I sold candy to my classmates. By the time I got to high school I was turning over $200 of candy a dayand I never ate my profit. I had two book bags: one for books and the other for fifty pounds of candy. I eventually earned enough to buy a new Nissan Sentra and pay for my own insurance too. You can read more about my school days as an entrepreneur in a section ahead.

Shortly after high school I became the youngest bail bondsperson in the state to start her own company. A local TV station followed me around for eight hours and did a news feature on me taking a bond skip to jail. But after three years I needed more to do so I opened the first of two Subway restaurants I owned and operated. A couple years later I remodeled a building and opened a salon with ten styling booths, three nail booths, a tanning room, and a massage room. With the bail bonding company, the Subway restaurants, and by then, a coffee shop, and two small children plus a husband at home, you could say I was the definition of high-energy. I was a multi-tasking perfectionist too. I painted my baseboards twice a year, vaccumed my furniture weekly, and kept all drawers neat and tidy. My husband once said he married a plumber, painter, and landscaper who could fix anything as well as prepare meals quickly without making a mess. When we moved into a beautiful new housethat changed our lives forever. I was very busy and endorphin-happy keeping my yard perfect and my house nice. From painting, plumbing, building a playhouse on stilts, changing carpet, you name it. They called me Project GirlI always had a project going.

But my attention and desire changed. I went from being all that I could be to not caring so much. I felt like I was going crazy in my body. I became very sensitive. Angry and annoyed. Then I couldn't remember things, like numbers, which was particularly unusual because that had always been my specialty. My daughter would say, Mom what's going on with you? Things got progressively worse until I couldn't even go to my store; it just made me feel anxiety. I was starting to experience all these pregnancy symptoms and I would swell more while I was in the storeeven my employees were getting a little concerned with how I was acting. Then the big day came when I literally felt my brain shutting down.

Looking back on my experience I'm amazed that I survived this nightmarebecause there was no help available for me from anywhere. No one understood what was going on with me. I'd go to doctors and they couldn't tell me anything. I almost gave up.

Don't ever give up. If you're going through something you don't understand, you can survive it. I pray that my story will not only help you become aware of the invisible entity which almost took my life but that you, too, will come to realize that you can overcome forces greater than you.

2009

FEBRUARY 2009

Lonesome Highway

Blue lights appeared out of nowhere! I did not know where I was. Should I pull over or should I not, I wondered? Thank you, Lord, that there is a gas station. I needed gas anyway, so I got out to pump some gas. The policeman told me to get back in the car. I told him I needed gas. He said to wait and get back in the car. I was driving a nice Pewter H2 Hummer. I wondered what he wanted. Maam, do you know why I am pulling you? he asked. No. You were speeding, he replied. Well, I did not realize that, I said. I am kind of lost and can you tell me where I am? He said we were in Troy, NC. I wanted to know in case something happened. I am always cautious. Especially, since I was a bondswoman for 13 years. I am always thinking deceive and protect. I had been riding for at least an hour because the area looked familiar. He asked me if I had been drinking and I wondered why he was asking me that because it was only 11:30 PM. However, I was wearing an I.D. bracelet showing I was of legal age to drink. I said I had a birthday toast but nothing really to speak of. He said to wait and that he would be back. I was thinking, What in the world is happening? I had never been asked the question if I had been drinking. He said he smelled alcohol. I thought that was impossible. Well, he had me blow into the Breathalyzer. I blew .09. The legal limit is .08 in North Carolina. He told me I was under arrest and I needed to step out of the vehicle. I told him I needed to get gas in my vehicle. He said I would have to get it later. I knew the gas station would be closed when this episode was over, so I was thinking of how rude he was for not letting me get some gas in my car since I was already parked at the pump. Another officer pulled up and the first officer had him move my H2 to a parking spot.

I was escorted to the local jail, which was also the police station. I was dressed in my skinny jeans, wearing a nice top, with boots having 4-inch heels. I looked very nice. One officer even said, Those are some good-looking boots. I said Thank you. He asked if he needed to help me. I replied, Absolutely not, you are not going to say I cant walk. Therefore, I sat down with two officers as they played on their Breathalyzer machine, trying to get it to act right. I will add that they never searched me or took any- thing from me. I was not fingerprinted, nor did I go into the back of the jail to a holding cell. I spoke with a magistrate who let me sign myself out on an unsecured bond.

I texted my daughter and told her I was in jail. She called immediately because she did not believe me since I still had my cell phone. So, I let her speak to the officer. I then called my husband, Johnny, but he had been out with some of his friends and they had been drinking, so that would never work in getting him to pick me up in Troy, NC. Well, I then called my girlfriend Missy, and the official gave her directions to come and get me. I really did not know where I was, but it took Missy a very long time to get there. The officers left me in the waiting area of the jail; no one was anywhere around as I waited for my ride.