Normal-Person Busyness

Hellooooooo out there!

Yeah. It's been a while. But, I have reasons...! One reason is that I've been being normal-person busy.

See, sick-person busy is great. It's watching movies, eating three meals a day in bed (if you want), lots of yummy tasting liquid and chew-able vitamins, and keeping whatever hours you want. But you can only watch so much Little House on the Prairie before you're bored to tears....

But the past month or so, I've been normal-person busy - out of bed, up and around, going places and doing things.

I took up a new hobby: family history. I've sorted old pictures, spent way too many hours in the Heritage Room at the library, scrutinized old census records, squealed in excitement over discovering someone's wife's maiden name, and called churches to look up confirmation records. I've found news articles, pictures of grave sites, and obituaries. I've mentally mapped out locations where my ancestors have lived. I have discovered and read first-hand records left by my great-uncle Al who survived World War II as a German refugee. I have discovered and read letters written by my great grandparents, grandparents, father, and uncles written to my aunt while she was attending college. I found and have read a book answering many questions about my grandmother's upbringing and family life. I have a wonderful twenty-one page document, assimilating and containing all this information. My family. My roots. A living tree. It's a wonderful feeling.

Unfortunately, I've been rather stuck for about a week now. It's hard to go back past 7 or 8 generations even in a good line. Some lines I've barely made it back three generations. It's been a lot of work, but it has been good work, and I believe hours well spent.

I've also taken to doing a lot more reading than I had been recently. I re-read Emma, The Secret Garden, The Hobbit, The Count of Monte Cristo and other classics. My favorite, of course, was finishing The Most of P. G. Wodehouse. If I can write one novel in the style of Wodehouse, I will consider myself a good author, even if no one else acknowledges my literary achievement. :) The addition of a Kindle to my stash of prized possessions will ensure that much more reading will come in the near future as well!

Another activity that has been occupying time spent at home has been sewing and other crafty projects. It started around the beginning of December when I made a batch of home-made Christmas cards using card stock and brown-paper bags. I didn't have any glitter so I decorated them with Kosher salt crystals instead, which looked rather like snow, if I do say so myself.

Then my domestic ambitions were heightened and I decided to experiment with some garment alterations. I have several skirts made from good material that are simply no longer in style. So, out came the scissors and I shortened them (and skinny-fied them, since I haven't exactly been eating bon-bons and chocolate truffles...). And vwalah, I have several skirts I will be able to wear when the weather gets warmer again! Most of the alterations were very simple. The most complicated one was a tiered skirt. I removed the top tier with its waistband, skinny-fied it by taking up one of the side seams, put a zipper in the side seam (since before it had been elastic-waist) and then made a new waistband. I became very good friends with the seam ripper on that skirt. It was a pain in the neck. But now it's all done!!!

Other miscellaneous activities: going to a game night, making cookies, cooking wonderful food, taking walks, working out, teaching myself some yoga, bandying with insurance companies, decorating a demon-possessed Christmas tree, etc.

To keep from boring you, the most adventurous normal-person thing I've done has been to build a resume. One of my brother's friends has agreed to take a look at it before I submit it anywhere, so hopefully he'll be able to give me some good feedback and things will go well from there. I've spent a little bit of time looking for office assistant jobs on craigslist and some other job sites. I'm excited to start working again, getting out of the house, doing things, seeing people, making a difference in the world.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Camille

Catharsis

I've blogged about some of my favorite words before, and this is another one that I would have to put on my list of favorite words: catharsis. Catharsis means purging, purification, or clarification, as relating to an individual's emotional state. Discovering catharsis has been a huge part of healing for me. (I just spelled 'discovering' as 'descovering.' Apparently my acquired dyslexia still is hanging around....) A cathartic conversation with a friend allows me to get emotions out. Sometimes it takes a while for the emotional state to resolve itself. Other times it comes very quickly. But I have discovered one thing: if I in any way try to short-circuit this emotional process of purging, I will inevitably inhibit healing. It has happened numerous times. Showing emotions is natural. There is nothing spiritual, attractive, or realistic about hiding them. When emotions remain suppressed they can lead to physical problems as well as greater and deeper emotional ones (stress, anger, anxiety, bitterness, depression).

This morning I was in need of a good bit of catharsis. I have been growing increasingly more frustrated with our insurance company and the manner in which they have been handling some of the bill submissions. For each provider, I am required to fill out a certain form, provide proof of payment, and make sure that certain information is present for each item. Today I worked on gathering and resubmitting some of this information for the third or fourth time. To make things more frustrating, some of the information that was alleged to be missing has indeed been on all the forms I have submitted. I am not submitting anything new this time around (except for a few new bills...) and yet I am being required to re-document and re-submit information which has already been provided. I'm also being asked to provide justification for my prescriptions, which has never been required before. The frustration boiled over in tears and a few outbursts of anger at the company itself, but now it's over. The forms are all in order, and I hope this time they will be accepted. If not, I might have a bit more catharsis to get out in a bit of a more robust manner, because sitting at a desk filling out forms isn't very cathartic. It was useful, but I think a half-hour session with a punching bag might have been more appropriate.

What I don't understand about these insurance companies and their nit-picky requirement is, don't they understand we are sick? Don't they understand how time-consuming these forms are? I have too often met with negligence, miscommunication, and a lack of clarity when working with these companies. Maybe I should cut them more slack than I do, because I genuinely don't understand how their systems work, but really? Not looking forward to health care becoming even worse when it becomes a socialized industry regulated by the government.....

Three Reasons Today is Important to Me

Today is important to me for a number of reasons.

First, it's Election Day, and I am excited to cast my first presidential ballot. I've always been a bit of a political idealist. I love reading how politics are supposed to work based on the Constitution, electoral college, checks and balances, and the view that the best leaders would naturally rise to the top, like cream on milk. The political corruption which is reality saddens my heart, but I am still thankful for the moorings provided by the Constitution and the conscience of the American people.

Second, it's another day in NaNoWriMo - another day to write a story I feel has been pent up inside of me for a long time. Already my novel is at 12,000+ words on day six of this challenge, averaging a little more than 2,000 words a day. Writing this novel, is, in a sense, part of healing for me. This is not a novel that I ever think will be made available for publication (get real; I'm writing it in a month. It's going to suck!), but the experience of writing and the themes have nonetheless become very therapeutic.

The third reason today is important to me is a very sad reason, as today marks the funeral of an ME sufferer from the UK, Emily Rose Collingridge. I hope you will take a few minutes to Google her name or read an article about her case. Emily suffered from ME from the young age of 6 all the way to her death at 30 years of age. Her symptoms were many and very extreme, including periods of blindness, paralysis, and double incontinence. But in spite of being worse than bedridden, this extraordinary young lady became an advocate for ME sufferers and even wrote a book as a guide to living with the illness that claimed her life. Hats off to Emily. Her story has motivated me to raise what awareness I can in order to help severe ME patients know that they are not alone.

What makes today special to you?

Academic Plans

One aspect of my appointment that I didn't mention in my appointment review a few days ago was that Dr. Conley and I discussed my academic plans. Going back to school in January had been something my parents and I were still discussing. While I am anxious to return to school, there were a number of areas where healing needs to take place before I feel I am ready to go back.

I want to know I will be able to walk around campus, for one thing. I know a number of students who bike, but that hill going down from Hotchkiss scares me, and the idea of carrying a bike up and down all those steps isn't particularly appealing either. I have taken two walks so far, but the difficulty of doing even that was readily apparent the following day due to some strained or pulled muscles. I need to start doing baby-step workouts and build my body back to its old strength. 

Second, I'm still working on various aspects of social life, such as being able to handle seeing a lot of people in a short time (which inevitable happens in a college setting). Along with this consideration I include church attendance. Mine has been more consistent the past two weeks than it has for a long time, but it still has a long way to go. 

Third, with as disturbed as my sleeping patterns have been, I don't feel that living in a dorm (even one as quiet and well-behaved as Dixon) is in my best interest just yet. If off-campus living arrangements were feasible, I would probably take that option, but my inability to drive limits me in that respect, because I would have to live with someone who has a car and wouldn't mind taking me to campus. However, my special dietary restrictions also complicate living off-campus. 

Finally, there are certain spiritual aspects that make a return to Master's difficult at this point. In spiritual terms, this ongoing situation has been a trial of faith that has rocked my world and threatened my belief system. I do not pretend to have emerged unscathed.

So, for the time being, I will be at home at least until the Fall semester of 2013. The adventure continues.... :)

Gluten Free Options

So I've decided to post on a bit of a rabbit trail today, partially because I promised a friend I would e-mail her some information about gluten-free diet and I decided to kill two birds with one stone by blogging about it as well!

In today's world, many of our foods are contaminated by common allergens: wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, and corn are just a few examples. Others include nuts, chocolate, tomatoes, certain kinds of fruits, as well as natural and artificial sweeteners. Walk into a fast-food restaurant today and try to find something that does not contain one of these allergens and you will likely be able to find something. Try to find something free of two of these allergens and the task is close to impossible.

Thankfully today's world's food choices are wider than a fast-food restaurant! Most grocery stores (and even places such as Walmart and Target that sell more than just groceries) have a small or large gluten-free section. These selections will oftentimes include crackers, cookies, chips, pastas, cereals, breads, bread-product mixes, waffles and pancakes, and varieties of gluten-free grains. If you have a corn allergy you will need to watch that corn has not simply replaced wheat in some of these products, but you can generally find what you need or want. I could go on and on about the variety of gluten-free products you can find, some ready made, some in kits. Pizza crusts, ready-to-bake pizzas, muffins, frozen burritos, granola bars... you name it, I can help you find it.

The trouble with some of this is that all these foods (even some organic products) are just as processed - if not even more so - as their gooey-gluten-infested counterparts. So, you can eat gluten-free one of two ways:  naturally gluten-free, or processed gluten-free. Examples would be, making a toasted sandwich on gluten-free bread for lunch, or baking a potato and eating that with a side of meat and some other condiments. It all comes down to personal preferences, nutritional convictions and education, and price-range. Eating naturally gluten free (rice, potatoes, and vegetables instead of breads and pastas) is not only cheaper, but also better for you. There are dozens of kinds of potatoes, beans, rice, and lesser-known vegetables that taste great once you find your favorite ways of cooking them. Here are a few of my favorite ideas:

• White jasmine long-grain rice (naturally white, not bleached) with Cuban-style black beans
• White jasmine long-grain rice with Jamacian-style red kidney beans
• Cilantro-lime rice with refried beans, tortilla chips, and fresh salsa
• Spanish-style rice with beef and tomatoes

For potatoes, I usually eat them with pan-sauteed chicken breast or pan-sauteed turkey burger. (Aldi has bags of frozen chicken breast, and I found a package of turkey burgers at a local fresh market.)

• Roasted sweet potato with coconut oil and honey
• Diced sweet potatoes and beets, tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and baked
• Salt potatoes (boiled in a salt-water brine)
• Grilled potato fries (you can use a crinkle-cutter blade and do these on a counter-top grille if you like)
• Pan sauteed potatoes (regular or sweet) with onions (yellow, sweet, or red)
• Baked redskin or Idaho potato with coconut oil, honey, salt, and pepper
• Baby or new potatoes, boiled

I'm usually a raw-veggie-dipped-in-ranch sort of person, but when you can't have ranch dressing, you become creative with some new ways of eating vegetables.

• Celery with almond or cashew butter
• Celery, carrots, and peppers with humus
• Roasted broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts (chop broccoli heads into bite-sized pieces like you would serve on a veggie tray. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast on a cookie sheet in the oven at 375* F for 30 minutes until tender-crisp)
• Bake beets in a glass pan, also tossed in olive oil and seasoned. Goes well with sweet potatoes and onions baked in the same way.
• Asparagus or green beans sauteed in oil or water with garlic and onions
• Steamed broccoli seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice (I think this is tastier than the usual Parmesan cheese topping now!!)
• If you can still have dairy, but can't have gluten-containing products such as pastas, try replacing noodles with cauliflower or spaghetti squash. I have tried spaghetti squash, and know someone who has made a modified beef stroganoff recipe and served it over cauliflower instead of egg noodles. I would like to try this some time when I am allowed to have dairy products again. 
• I'm not a fan of spinach as a general rule, but I do like it steamed with salt and pepper, sometimes olive oil or garlic as well

One of the trickiest things about going gluten free is snacks and meals on the go. Here are a few ideas for both of those.

• Gluten-free crackers with your favorite nut butter, cheese, etc.
• Rice cakes dipped in hummus
• Fruit, such as apples, grapes, bananas, oranges, etc. Certain ones are also good with nut butters.
• Sprouted (soaked) almonds, other kinds of nuts
• There are some great gluten-free bars available, such as Larabars, made from just a few ingredients. My favorites are blueberry and cashew cookie. These are my middle-of-the-night life-savers. A few times I've woken up quite early, starving, and having one of these by my bed saves me from having to venture downstairs to get a snack from the refrigerator. They are kind of tricky to find, but I found them at Wegmans in Erie. Whole Foods Coop also sells them (they are more expensive there). Some Sam's Clubs and Costco's also sell them.
• Tortilla chips and fresh salsa
• Roasted, seasoned chick-peas. Best hot.
• Popcorn! I just season mine with tons of salt. And, if you must have a butter substitute, a little melted coconut oil is alright. 

Worried about not being able to eat out? Here are a few recommendations and websites to help.

• Gluten Free Registry.
• Gluten Free On the Go.
• Chick-fil-A - some restaurants advertise the grilled chicken nuggets, others do not. You can also request chicken strips grilled, or order just a char-grilled fillet. Obviously fruit cups are gluten free, and I don't remember if the fries are, but they have a fantastic nutrition guide with all that information that should be available at the restaurant. 
• Five Guys - you can order your burger without a bun, but I recommend bringing your own bowl to eat it out of, and I also recommend ordering messy condiments such as ketchup, mustard, and relish on the side. Getting all of that mess inside foil just requires too many napkins.
• Moes, Chipotle, or Qdoba - I love a good burrito, but I've had to give up having it in the tortilla. Most places will just give you the burrito ingredients in a bowl. I think it's called a naked burrito. 
• Olive Garden - I hate going here with my family because I always want the bread sticks and the pasta looks soooo good! However, some of the soups (the zuppa tuscona is my favorite) are gluten-free, so you can always fill up on soup and salad.

I was specifically asked about brand recommendations by my friends, so here are some. 

• Gluten-free oats: I buy in bulk from the Whole Foods Coop in Erie. They have both organic and non-organic available.
• Gluten-free bread: I buy Glutino Fiber Bread from Wegmans and keep it in the freezer and toast slices as I need them. I have tried a white rice bread from Udi's, which is commonly available wherever gluten-free products are found. I was trying to make gluten-free, dairy-free grilled cheese (riiiiight). So I used this bread, a soy-based cheese replacement, and grilled it in a pan in coconut oil. I was NOT a fan of the cheese, and the bread seemed to get soggy quickly. The texture is smoother than the fiber bread, but I still prefer the fiber bread anyway. 
• Gluten-free crackers: I found Mary's Gone on my most recent trip to the Coop. The are made primarily from seeds and have a strong flavor, but they are good with almond butter or goat cheese on top. 
• Gluten-free pasta: I recently tried a quinoa/corn pasta that I found at Giant Eagle. I have tried Tinkyada brown rice pasta (elbows as well as penne). I was not a fan of the gummy-texture. The skinnier the noodles, the better they taste, it seems. 
• Gluten-free cereals: probably the easiest and cheapest cereal is rice chex, corn chex, or plain cheerios made from oats. I have tried some gluten-free cereals from Glutino, but I didn't like them and didn't think it was worth it to pay that much. 
• Gluten-free flour alternatives - a brand I would recommend is Bob's Red Mill. I have tried their rice flour before, but I know they have many, many mixes, flours, and other items. 
• Nut butters: Justine's, Maranatha, or in bulk from Whole Foods

Just a few assorted tips, some gluten free, some for other allegies...

• Adding xantham gum to a recipie with your gluten free flour can help the taste and texture
• Don't try using egg-replacer to make egg-free brownies. I'm not sure how it can be done. I'm sure it can, but egg-replacer is NOT the way to do it! =)
• You can find coconut and almond yogurt in some places (I found it at Whole Foods Coop, and I'm sure Wegmans carries something similar). The brand I tried for almond yogurt was Amande, and I have heard the So Delicious makes a pretty good coconut yogurt. Amande was not organic or anything. 
• Of soy, rice, flax, and almond milk, my favorite by far is flax milk. However, it is difficult to find, so I usually end up getting rice milk (Rice Dream brand). It tastes similar to skim milk in cereal, but it's still difficult for me to drink a glass or have some with cookies. It's just not quite the same. 
• Coconut oil makes a great substitute for butter, and it is very healthy for you. Depending on which brand you get, it doesn't really smell or even taste like coconut! Usually we by Spectrum, which is an Organic brand, but if there is a sale on something else, we will sometimes change to a different brand. These come in glass jars or bottles, which is a blessing, because coconut oil will often harden, but can be melted again. I usually boil some water and pour it into a glass bowl, set the coconut oil in the hot water, and wait for it to melt so I can use it easier or pour it into recipes or dishes.

Finally, a few ideas of where to find gluten-free foods.

• Health food stores (such as Whole Foods Coop in Erie)
• Whole Foods (an actual grocery store, not to be confused with the coop mentioned above)
• Giant Eagle
• Krogers
• Meijer
• Trader Joe's
• Online (Paleo bread, Larabars)
• Farmer's Markets

I hope this has been helpful to someone out there!! :)

Appointment Review

Summary, in case the medical details bore you:

• Good appointment with Dr. Conley by phone yesterday
• Valtrex update - will remain on it until Christmas
• I'm not gluten intolerant (yet) but I have high sensitivities to gluten and so I'm officially GF (gluten free)
• I have some bloodwork coming up this Thursday
• I'm going to write a novel. This November. Yay for NaNoWriMo!!!

Yesterday I had another phone consultation with Dr. Conley. I'm getting rather used to phone doctor's appointments, I think. I set up the desk with my binders of test results, other paper information, all my current supplements (so I can update him on any changes), and my computer as my own personal researching center. Today's appointment I had a lot of good news for him since my October 2nd appointment. I told him about Progressive Medical Center and Dr. Agolli and the vitamin IVs and how much better I am feeling now. After I'd told him everything he said, "Well, whatever works, that's what we'll do!" If it turns out that I need more IVs, I can go back to Atlanta for more treatment. Dr. Conley thinks it is likely that the IV solution was saline (salt) based, which increased my blood pressure and helped take care of some of the other orthostatic symptoms, and the vitamin B increased my energy levels.

Although I've been feeling better, Dr. Conley thinks I need to be on Valtrex at least until Christmas. Possibly after the current round is finished, I can switch from Valtrex/Valacyclovir over to Acyclovir, which is a little bit older of an antiviral drug and a little less expensive. I still want to do some research on Phoenix Rising about the difference between the two, so I might blog about that later.

The saliva test revealed some interesting things. First, my adrenals are actually not in too bad of a condition. Second, my saliva shows high gluten antibodies (indicating a possibly food allergy or intolerance) despite the fact that my blood does not display any adverse reaction to gluten. In Dr. Conley's experience, saliva is an 'early indicator' of gluten intolerance. There has been no permanent gut damage, but if I were to continue eating gluten, it is possible it could cause some real problems down the road. So, looks like I'm gluten free for good. I'm thinking about blogging about some gluten free brands and food options soon. Let me know if there is anyone out there interested in hearing anything specific on that!

We also talked about a blood test useful in diagnosing how well my natural killer cells are functioning. (I don't remember what those are or what they do... sorry.) When I had my first round of bloodwork done the lab ran the wrong test. So, I called the supervisor and it took about two weeks to make sure the right test would be done. It was drawn again last week, but something happened that contaminated the specimen, so the lab called me to come in yet again for this test on Thursday. I just hope this is the last time for sure!! If those come back low, there is a very effective way of raising natural killer cell function by as much as 200%, and it is natural and has no side effects. Whoop-de-doo! Already ordered some of that, because it sounds like even if they come back just fine, it wouldn't do any harm to take them anyway, and it could help my struggling immune system.

I am looking forward to my time of recovery. It is almost November, and that means that NaNoWriMo is almost here!!! I participated in National Novel Writers Month in 2010 when I was recovering from mono. I'm looking forward to now participating in it as a recovering CFS/ME patient. If you are friends with me on Facebook, I will be posting photos daily with a word count update. If not, I will sometimes probably post updates here. Just don't count on as much blogging. I'm going to be writing 1667 words a day at least, so I don't know if I'll even want to blog!

Well, I think that's about it. Have a fantastic day, y'all! :)

More Healing Hints

(1) Even more ability and willingness to socialize! Last week my mom and I went shopping for bathroom accessories (the actual remodeling will begin next week!!!), I went to two soccer games (okay, one was at the Y, but...), and my likkle bru-vah's youth rally.
(2) Starting to be able to sing sometimes. Or at least lip-syncing, if I'm not actually singing. Usually while I'm by myself and feeling a little on the crazy side.... :) Haha, I'm doing a music research problem for my friend, and I find myself dancing along, playing air guitar, and being generally ridiculous. It's fantastic, really.... :) There used to be certain kinds of songs I couldn't listen to when I was tired because they would make my heart race or blood pressure go up, but now that doesn't happen anymore either.
(3) Enjoyment of old hobbies, such as reading and writing letters, is coming back. Beth, your note is finally written and in the mail!
(4) Two short walks while we had some good weather last week.
(5) Ability to maintain and renew friendships. It's been so great to spend more time on the phone, writing e-mails, writing notes to those who I correspond with by mail, etc.
(6) Feeling like I could start a job soon, at least in the afternoons a few days a week. Not ready for full time yet, but soon I will be!
(7) Not only loving food, but helping out in the kitchen (my mom, or making myself food since I require a special diet still).
(8) Last night I had a really bad headache - the worst one since my headache that started after my appointment with Dr. Conley - but it went away with sleep! Yay! No more Horrible Horaces!
(9) People say I'm looking good... and I don't have to tell them I'm faking it. I don't feel like I really have an invisible illness anymore, because I am truly feeling so much better.
(10) I can't wait for November to get here, because it means my brother Ian will be home soon, I can't wait to make sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, and I am looking forward at being crazy and attempting to write a 50,000 word novel for NaNoWriMo.

I have a phone consult with Dr. Conley this afternoon. What are you folks doing this Monday? :)

~Camille

The Big Green Monster

My first exposure to Lyme's Disease dates back to early childhood. When we first got our pets (Kep and Sandy) and were taking them to the vet, I remember seeing posters of a big lime-green monster with the words "LYME'S DISEASE" printed in all caps. I think it was supposed to be a picture of the Lyme-causing bacteria, borrelia burgdorferi. At that time, I thought it was something only animals could get. Then when I went to North Carolina for my year at the Mission, my aunt cautioned me to be careful about dressing with long sleeves and tucking my pant legs into my socks to avoid ticks. (I didn't... but I never remember seeing any ticks either. Interestingly, the deer population of Graham County, North Carolina is 0, but that doesn't necessarily mean there aren't deer ticks or other Lyme-carrying creatures, according to Dr. Mercola.)

Some have asked me about the possibility of Lyme's Disease as a root cause or contributing factor to my illness. I have had two Lyme tests done (April '12 and October '12). The results of the first were negative, and I'm pretty sure I would have heard back from Dr. Agolli's office by now if the second one was positive, so I think it's safe to assume both were negative.

But does that mean anything? Apparently not. Most Lyme tests come out as negatives - some say as many 90% - but it is believed that many of those patients do in fact have Lyme. Lyme is now being diagnosed more based on symptoms than on blood test results.

It is possible for me to have Lyme and ME/CFS at the same time. When I asked my friend Heidi (to whom I refer to affectionately as my medical genie) to explain this relationship between Lyme's and ME/CFS, this is what she wrote back:

Here's my personal experience with the whole Lyme thing...

Among the ME/CFS community, it's often accepted that you can have both Lyme and ME/CFS, so getting a Lyme diagnosis doesn't necessarily change anything.

Among the Lyme community, it is known that the diagnosis of Lyme is often given even in the absence of any positive Lyme test, and they tend to be of the opinion that all severe ME/CFS cases are Lyme's.

So you can see how everything gets murky.

Yes... I can....! It is so tricky! To add to the trickiness factor, Heidi tells me that you can also get Lyme from a spider or mosquito bite in some rare cases. Hmm.... I've never been bit by a tick, but I've sure as shootin' been bit by both spiders and mosquitoes. Lyme is not completely ruled out... however since I am seeing so much improvement with treating the fatigue side of my illness, I still believe it is fair to conclude it is not a viable option for an underlying cause of my illness.


In closing, I want to offer a few resources about Lyme's Disease that I have found to be informative and helpful.

Documentary about Lyme's Disease (keep in mind - sometimes documentary producers have a tendency to pick out the worst case scenarios):
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/13/under-our-skin-documentary.aspx

Doctor's who Specialize in Lyme's Disease:

• Haverford Wellness Center (Harleysville, PA)
  A friend found this Dr. Braccia for me, who is located near Philadelphia. His website has some helpful information about Lyme testing that you can look into if you are interested.
• Jemsek Clinic (Washington D.C.)
  Dr. Jemsek is mentioned in the documentary, Under our Skin
• Dr. Christine Green (Northern California)
  5050 El Camino Real Ste 110
  Los Altos, CA 94022
  (650) 964-6700
  In the News: Ticked Off and Touched by Lyme

Have fun tracking down that big green monster!

Feeling Frodo-ish

Photo Credit: Accessed Online through Google Images

How do you pick up the threads of an old life?
How do you go on when in your heart you begin to understand, there is no going back?
There are somethings that time cannot mend.
Some hurts that go too deep... that have taken hold. 

From "The Return of the King"

Banner Day!

Yesterday was a banner day, energy and productivity-wise!!! Yay!! I woke up feeling tired, but nonetheless refreshed, after a not-so-great night of sleep. I told a friend, "I'm going to stay in my room and probably in bed alllll day and rest." About a half hour later I was up, had taken a shower, and was running errands with my dad. Friday and Saturday were sort of exciting for me, because I stocked up on gluten food that I can eat! I got some almond and cashew butter (cashew butter is amazing; it tastes like a candy bar!), some quinoa pasta, a soup to try, turkey burgers, goat cheese, and maybe one or two other things I'm not remembering at the moment. Tons of veggies, too, since those are easy to make and healthy.

Anyway, back to yesterday. In the afternoon (after my lunch of apples with my new nut butters and a few other miscellaneous items) I prepared and sent some medical forms out and helped my dad with some financial stuff. This year since I have some spare time I told my dad I would make an Excel spreadsheet for him so that it simplifies his tax processes at the end of the year, which makes filling out my FAFSA a whooooole lot simpler!

Then, *drumroll* I helped my mom make dinner. We were shuffling pots and pans around so many of the burners it wasn't funny!! The menu was barbecued chicken, salt potatoes, and fresh sauteed green beans. The hitch was we didn't have any barbecue sauce that wasn't loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Soooo... I made ketchup using a recipe from Skinny Taste, and then used my homemade ketchup to make barbecue sauce. (I used this recipe, but I had to modify it insanely. I didn't have the ingredients to make the sauce from Skinny Taste, although I know it would have been better if I had.) The salt potatoes turned out fantastic! I'd never heard of salt potatoes but apparently they are a trade-mark food of Upstate New York. You use about 12 ounces of salt for 4.25 pounds of potatoes and boil the potatoes in saltwater until tender. If you carefully lift the potatoes out of the saltwater, the salt will dry on the potatoes and coat them. Most amazing potatoes ever!! Deliciously salty on the outside, and slightly bland but oh-so-creamy on the inside. Erie County Farms sells bags of them if you are interested. Oh, and the salt comes in the bag, so you don't need to measure out your own salt *cough* like I did before opening our bag...... =) And then after dinner, I made cookies for my dad. Apparently it's the best batch of cookies I've ever made... but I can't eat any because I am gluten, sugar, and dairy free for another 25 days :(

After all the activity of the day yesterday, I've been more tired today than I have been in a few weeks, but I'm sure with rest I will rebound. :)

Finally, I have a shameless plug to make. I'm a member of a site called Scholarship Points. I haven't used this site too much to be honest, but I recently started paying attention to it and recognized that the system is a lot easier to use than a number of other ones. How it works is each time you log in and complete activities, you earn points. If I refer people and they visit or join the website, I earn points. If you join, I'll be overjoyed, because I'll earn 225 points, hehe. But today all I am asking you readers to do is to click the link at the end of this post, and for every click I will earn 25 points. That shouldn't be too hard to do. So, all you've gotta do is make a few minuscule movements with your fingertips. Click the following link so I can earn points, please! I'm spending them on entering a $10,000 scholarship award drawing =) http://bit.ly/SYyRXg