july 2011

So this one is a mind-boggling subject…most of us haven’t heard of or given this a second thought…even me…until now.

After being “diganosed” with fibro and fatigue in early 2005(which is an umbrella term for “we don’t know what is wrong”), because I was almost bed-ridden from complete exhaustion, and my rheumatologist had me on four narcotics for pain because he didn’t believe there was treatment for what I had…(great doctor), it’s been a long battle for health.  So to say the least, I’ve been finding my way through doctors.

Being in Georgia for almost a year and half…I saw a couple doctors while waiting for the good one I have now (the wait list was a couple months out),  both had run the test of LYME…which came back positive, and they mentioned a couple ways to try and deal with it, which weren’t really great(like  I.V.’s of hydrogen peroxide!)… and I just figured it was something that would go away on it’s own…I kept thinking we could take care of whatever “fibro and fatigue” was, and whatever LYME was would take care of itself.  Also, within a month of moving here, I gained 15 pounds in a month, which isn’t normal, obviously!  I can barely fit in my clothes, even living off of around 1,000 calories.  They (LYME) have compromised so many things now in my body, including my metabolic function, it’s extremely not possible to lose the weight until the kill load is more, and I can detox more of them out.

Then my doctor now, who is a natural internist, figured out something that made him start to pay attention to my LYME…and start to take notice.  Then we started figuring out how really bad this stuff is…this is where it gets crazy!

After researching, he thought maybe he’d test his dad who has had Hashimoto’s(thyroid disorder) and other health issues…POSITIVE.  Then my doctor has a friend who has “chronic fatigue,“…POSITIVE.  Then, my doctor thought he would test some of his other patients he has coming to him for fibro…a husband and wife...POSITIVE…a boy with Tourette’s syndrome…POSITIVE…then he decided to test himself,  a doctor- who he himself is also allergic to gluten, dairy, and eggs, has felt moderately tired for 20 years...POSITIVE…
his nurse…POSITIVE.

So what does this mean…anything!  If you’ve ever been outside…it could be you.  If you live in any country, you could also have been bitten.  They are in every state, and throughout the world, thanks to migratory birds, and animals.

Something for you to watch, even if you think this is the craziest thing you’ve ever heard of, and probably figure you’ve never been bitten by a tick…take a closer look… www.underourskin.com.   Click on the link at the top that says WATCH…there are many free online resources to watch this…we used our netflix streaming.  This show will give info on the world epidemic that is spreading rapidly, and being overlooked for many reasons by many doctors…having tremendous negative effects on many lives-paralysis, brain damage, and even death.

Or how about this little golden nugget…www.lymephotos.com.  Not for the lighthearted.

These little buggers are entered into the bloodstream when the tick bites you, and releases the bacteria that will enter and spread everywhere in your body, becoming the “great imitator.”  Your body can’t find it to fight it, even if you take the old recommended ways of two weeks of antibiotics.  They are too smart, and can cocoon themselves.  Test results aren’t always the best indicators either.  You have to go by symptoms if you think you may have it, listen to your body, and not what a blood test says.  CDC has it’s own standards, but others follow a better standard regarding blood tests and what they indicate.

Lyme can get into all systems, imitating anything.  ANYTHING…  for instance…(the bugs spread everywhere in your body, corkscrewing themselves into your tissue and hiding, causing any health issue)!

Here are some symptoms and diseases linked to Chronic Lyme…

Fatigue
Insomnia
Brain fog
Poor memory and concentration
Autoimmune Diseases
Parkinson’s Disease
Alzheimers
Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Light and Sound Sensitivity
Seizures
Muscle Pain
Muscle or facial twitches
Tremor
Joint Pain
Back pain
Painful soles especially in the AM
Neuropathy
Neuropathic pain
Digestive problems…reflux, ibs, microbial imbalance, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation/diarrhea
Feeling hot and cold
Thirst
Hot flashes
Fevers
Sweats
Swollen lymph nodes
Frequent infections(sinusitis, bronchitis)
Hormones
Mitochondrial damage
Impairs liver detox
Mood disorers
Dizziness/vertigo
Blurry vision
Tinnitus
Restless legs
ADD
Autism
Poor Wound Healthing
Air Hunger
Chest Pain
Hair loss
Weight Problems

So the good, I know what I’m fighting now… 
The bad, it’s not an easy road to kill the buggers… 
And the ugly, it can be transmitted through the womb…if I got it before I was married,  I could have easily passed this horrible nightmare to my children.  And yes, I’m highly suspicious Jarom has it too.

The fight continues…
Here’s to a healthy life!  Onward and Upward!

april/may 2011

So Madison’s friend party was having lunch at American Girl here in Atlanta(not one of the best of ’em for sure, I’d say New York is the best one!).

Then a little action at Monkey Joe’s, getting some energy out…they had so much fun.  We went the last hour of the day, and no one else was there…so I guess you could say we rented it out…you know, kinda…or maybe just timed it right!

Madison and Nadia have been really cute sharing a day to celebrate, which we won’t always do, but since Nadia’s birthday is April 29th…Madison’s birthday is 
May 2…and we got Nadia three days old on Madison’s birthday…it’s become a wonderful time to share between these two.

april  2011

This was great fun for Madison to participate in, especially the time she got to spend with dad building and cheering her car on.  

It’s so cute seeing Jarom having fun with buddies…he knows Ryan from the good ‘ol days of being at Rick’s College before the mission.

 

june  2011

So a wife’s intuition can sometimes be spot-on…and sometimes not…but in this case, I was grateful for Jarom listening to me.

He just seemed a little more tired lately, exercising and eating better, with no weight-loss, and honestly I would tease that he must have more estrogen than me because he was unusually moody.

Thank heavens for a good doctor, natural internist, treats the body as a whole, and tries to find out why your body is doing something, not just prescribing a medicine for it.

So, let’s cut to the chase…we are BOTH allergic to gluten, milk, and eggs.  Gluten has been a change for me for a year or two, but milk and eggs were a shock!  And then for both of us to be allergic!!!  My husband who can drink a whole gallon of milk in a day…NOT ANYMORE! 

So, from what I’ve read or been told, most americans are allergic to gluten, around 80%, and don’t know it.  The allergic reaction that happens without an outward manifestation can sometimes be worse, causing long-term damage and other effects.  Also, 60% of autistic children have been found to act “normal” on a gluten-free diet.  So, as I once read, our food is our medicine, our medicine is our food!

So, this is what we have found to be good:  Authentic Foods has the best gluten free flours and mixes.  Do NOT buy frozen gluten-free bread, gross!  The best milk we have liked is Silk Almond Milk, and their Dark Chocolate Almond Milk is delicious…I let the kids eat that with Rice Krispies or Chex. 

We are adjusting pretty well, and the girls are now on a gluten-free diet as well…their bloodwork was done, and awaiting results, but we’ll be a gluten-free family.  And for the record…Jarom’s estrogen was double mine…so we’re working on that and other things like our thyroid…naturally, teaching the body to learn to do it on it’s own, and detoxing the bad stuff, instead of popping pills for the rest of our lives.  

We are grateful, hopeful.  We want to live a long life with good health.

may 1.  2011

With a birthday on april 29, and may 2, and Easter in-between, we threw one family party for it all.  It was lovely, not to mention the yummy red velvet cream cheese frosting cupcakes.  Mmmmm, oh, and of course, gluten-free!  (Authentic Foods has THE BEST flours to bake and cook with…can’t tell any difference, and better for you!)

So one of our girls turned 3, and the other 10, but we only had a 3 and 7 candle…so there you have life, and all was fine, no big deal, and we had fun.  I love these girls, they are wonderful! 

april 2011

We have had the wonderful opportunity to go through the open-house of the Atlanta Temple as a family, to have Alex participate in the Cultural Celebration where President Monson presided, and to be apart of the re-dedication.  What a beautiful experience for our family to have together, and to be able to teach and learn how important our temples truly are.