Anemia

A few months ago, I was growing very frustrated.  I worked out five days a week and did not see any improvement.  In fact, the cardio equipment at the gym was having fits and kept telling me my heart rate was jumping over 190 when I was maxing out at a steady 170 for months and months before then.  I also was getting tired quickly and my workouts were getting shorter by necessity.

A couple months after I noticed an elevated heart rate, I started getting ocular migraines.  The first time anyone has an ocular migraine, I would imagine they go through a period of panic.  I did!  I watched as a dark amoeba shape swam into my left eye, eventually spreading until I was blind.  Instead of rushing to the hospital, I at least had the sense to immediately call my ophthalmologist.  Fortunately for me (not so much for her), the gal at the front desk gets this kind of migraine fairly regularly.  She told me to take pain killers and caffeine ASAP and find a dark room, because within 30 minutes, the pain would hit.  And it did!  I was hit first with nausea, but fortunately only retched a few times, then hid under my blankets for several hours.  Dark sunglasses became my friend.  The sun I'd waited so many months for was something I started avoiding.

Dark glasses are a girl's best friend!  That and 

cute puppies with big ears.

The surprising thing about migraines is how exhausted they can leave you.  Usually I'm abnormally fatigued the day before, and it can take up to four days after the migraine to recover, depending on the severity.  If I have a migraine without ocular phenomenon, I usually only notice that I'm tired earlier in the same day and feel slightly hungover the next morning.  With a bad ocular migraine, I feel sluggish and dull up to two days before, and my brain becomes addled after the migraine pain fades.  Immediately before and then after my first migraine, I would mix up words, not be able to concentrate, and generally stare at my boss without comprehension when he asked for anything but staring at my screen to be completed.  He'd have to explain things multiple times, and I would find myself making mistakes or mentally wandering several times throughout what would have normally been a fifteen minute project.  Light sensitivity usually only continued for 24 hours after the migraine pain stopped, and my stomach was often queasy.

The ophthalmologist was great and had me come in to check my retinas for any abnormality, just to make sure it was a migraine.  All veins also looked normal.  It gave me piece of mind.  The migraines hit at least every other week, which was very frustrating.  In addition, I had fatigue, was irritable, craved "Crunchy" foods, was dizzy and easily carsick, and my nails started breaking off.  I started researching health issues and mineral/vitamin deficiency that could contribute to the problem.  I went into the doctor, convinced that I had a storage issue with Iron.  In my mind, that meant an excess of iron.  In reality, I had too little ferritin, or the protein that binds to iron that has been stored in the body for any period of time.

A diagnosis of Anemia was a relief to me.  Finally, something "normal!" I was prescribed B12 and iron picolinate (I'm told this type of iron causes less side effects and is more absorbable).  I also purchased a heart rate monitor with an audible warning.  Any time it gets up to 180, I slow down or stop what I'm doing.  With an abnormally high heart rate, there is potential for long term damage, and who wants to throw up at the gym?  The monitor has been quite useful.

As with all things, I have no patience and was expecting my heart rate to normalize and workouts to get easier after the first few weeks.  Apparently it takes 6-9 months.  So I get to continue to wear my heart rate monitor.  Some days are easier than others and my heart rate won't crack 170.  Days like today I have to stop what I'm doing pretty frequently and take a breather.  I have noticed that I'm actually improving at some of my exercises, like chin-ups.  In the weeks leading up to diagnosis, I was actually getting worse at everything I did in the gym.

Vacations that involve a comfortable bed, a cute

puppy with big ears, and a book are the best.

 

I have to wonder why I became anemic.  I suppose it could be as simple as being vegan.  But it could also be from malabsorption or extremely heavy menstrual periods.  Most likely it's a combination of all of the above.  I need to be more careful with food combining to make sure I get the iron I'm exposed to and learn to recognize the signs when I'm getting low.  When I think back, it's all quite obvious. 

Low Dose Naltrexone - Again

Mount Rainier in June

Things have been going pretty well!  I've been working out with a personal trainer three times a week.  I try to get to the gym on my own at least two other days per week.  I'm very fortunate to work for a company that has a gym in the office.  My boss is also very encouraging - he actually tells me to go take breaks.  Begs actually.  I'm much more productive when I can take a break and get my endorphin levels up! 

Mr. Champ has been excellent.  He is still on his low dose naltrexone and we haven't seen a recurrence of cancer.  He did have a pretty bad elbow injury (from slipping on a wet dock) that led to us discovering that he has lived his life with elbow dysplasia.  He has always liked his walks, but we've had to be careful not to jog or do much running, even when he was young, to avoid limping.  He is still on a glucosamine and MSM supplement and we did Adequan shots for several weeks.  The shots helped, but what really got him back into shape was swimming at Wellspringk9 in West Seattle.  Champ is one spoiled pup!  He is a nervous dog that doesn't usually like people he hasn't accept in his immediate pack touching him, but I could tell he really got into his massages and swimming sessions.  I would drop him off and then sneak back into the pool and see him lounging luxuriously by the side of the pool in Gretchen's arms.

For your viewing entertainment, I've included a video of the dueling puppies.  Annie is a bit of a stinker and loves trying to steal Champ's food.  No dogs were harmed in the filming of this video and Champ ends up the victor.  He is one smart dog!  I love a happy ending...

 

I recently decided to take a creative writing course for fun.  I've noticed that the quality of my writing really tends to dip when the material is difficult.  It's much easier to write about the weird, the funny, and the enjoyable.  But - sometimes things need to be written regardless.  I thought I would share my "epiphany" assignment.  

Exploring the Alternatives

“Between your test results and how many systems the disease appears to be impacting, I’m prepared to diagnose you with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.”

I sat with my mouth gaping open stupidly as my brain struggled to process what the rheumatologist was saying.  Even though eight months of pain and illness led me to suspect lupus as a possibility, hearing it as a diagnosis was devastating.  I could only manage a raspy squawk when the doctor said she wanted to prescribe an antimalarial drug and wait until the disease progressed further before moving to medication that was more powerful.  

A few months before, I was diagnosed prednisone after a trip to the ER.  I was surprised at how quickly my pain diminished and energy levels skyrocketed.  I was also amazed at the things that would come out of my mouth at the slightest provocation.  Part of my consciousness would quietly suggest that I just stop talking while the dominant, cave-woman-like consciousness would grunt and yell because I wasn’t getting my way.  It took weeks for my normal temperament to make a re-emergence while my illness swelled back to overwhelming proportions.  

I was conflicted about starting a medication.  I was in constant, agonizing pain, and had even considered whether I wanted to go on living if that torment was what I had to look forward to every day.  At the same time, I was hesitant to start any medication with a long and serious list of side effects.

“Do I have to go on medication now?” I asked.

The doctor looked me up and down, then flipped through my medical chart.  “No.  Your white blood cells are almost back up into normal range now.  Your other indicators are OK.  Come back if you have any more changes.”  The doctor looked thoughtful.

I smiled at her and said, “I just need some time to think.”

“OK, but we have options.”  She stood up briskly, said her goodbyes, and hurried to her next appointment.  My mom helped me up from my chair and supported me as we walked out to her car.

The previous eight months were spent talking to doctors that offered conjecture and insults when I sought answers. It started with a 15 pound weight loss in one month.  A nurse asked me if I was anorexic.  Then I came back with sores in my mouth and throat, low grade fevers, another 15 pounds gone, and exhaustion.  The doctor asked me if I was a drug addict.  The throbbing pain in my knees and hips started next and my fingers would turn colors in the cold. I was frightened when my vision would tilt 45 degrees.  My hair fell out in small clumps, my complexion was gray, arthritis came and went, capillaries burst on my arms and neck, I dropped 45 pounds, exhaustion ruled my days, and it hurt even to have a sheet resting on my tender abdomen.  All of this, and the doctor tells me, “Depression hurts.”  Honestly, I wanted to hurt her, but I started doubting myself, wondering if it could really all be in my head.  How could it be?  I felt like a 27-year-old woman trapped in a 95-year-old body.  

As my mom and I drove home, I blurted out, “There’s got to be a better way to treat this.  I don’t think I’m going to find my answer with traditional doctors.”

“OK,” was my mom’s initial reply.  She appeared a little startled by my sudden statement after nearly twenty minutes of silence.  She took a few minutes before saying, “We’ll get grandma to do some research.”

My grandmother had her family on vitamin supplements and herbal concoctions well before it was trendy to do so.  When we got home from the doctor’s office, grandma started pulling out her tomes on natural healing and thumbing through her journals she orders through the mail. She unburied an article from her pile of papers and sticky notes on Low Dose Naltrexone or LDN by Dr. Julian Whitaker.

“Says here people are having success with MS and AIDS.  Maybe you should look into it,” she said as she thrust the article at me.  “Be sure to have your mom make copies.  That’s my original.”  Grandma is stingy with her information.

I went home to research LDN online and was impressed with what I found.  There weren’t too many research articles at the time, but there was a strong online community and plenty of people willing to give testimonials.  The research studies I did find from Penn State related to LDN and Crohn’s disease were impressive, with a high percentage of patients responding to the therapy.  Reported side effects at the 4.5 mg dosage were minimal.  While I couldn’t find any cases of people taking the drug with lupus, enough people and doctors were willing to vouch for its effectiveness with AIDS and congenital autoimmune diseases that I felt I didn’t have much to lose.

I went to a medical doctor I hadn’t seen since I was a child who was known for alternative therapies.  He wasn’t surprised with my lupus diagnosis because of all of the issues I had when I was younger.  Fortunately, the doctor was very open to prescribing the LDN.  It took a couple days for me to notice a change in my energy levels with the medication, and about three months before I could use that energy without my body screaming at me if I tried to do too much.  I was excited when the pain decreased along with many of my other symptoms.  I went on to read about dairy and gluten interfering with the medication and cut them out.  I felt so much better, I started researching alternative diets to treat inflammation and decided to go vegan, cutting out all processed foods.  My energy levels improved to the point I could work a full work week and still have energy to pursue hobbies at the end of the day.  I decided to start exercising, only able to start at 5 minute intervals of light activity.  Now I work out for an hour four to six days a week, alternating cross training and cardio.

It has taken me years to get back to feeling normal.  I have set backs and small flares, which are frustrating, but I’m convinced the path I chose was the correct path for me.  I work closely with my doctor and follow his instructions, but encourage others to be informed patients and explore their options.  You never know where it may lead you.


Sources:

www.ldnscience.org

www.ldnaware.org
www.lowdosenaltrexone.org 

www.lupus.org

Staycation, The China Study, Celebrity Diabetes

Champ - Frisky in the snow. Still doing awesome 1.5 years after mast cell cancer

I am enjoying the first few days of vacation. My last post was about stress, and it was appropriate. I have just finished a couple of huge projects at work and had the wits about me this time to schedule some vacation after things wound down. I have been enjoying several books and down time with the pups. I probably have not been as good as I should be about working out, so I'm going to try a few of the drop in classes available in my neighborhood in Seattle. Zumba is a great cardio work out, and I may try a Pilates class as well. Yoga was my go to when I had less energy and was not feeling well, but unless I'm engrossed in a book or trying to garden, I don't sit still well and tend to fidget.

For the first time in several years, my health hasn't exploded as a result of a stressful project. One of the VPs at work commented on how happy she was that I'm doing so much better than the past. She and others had been watching to see what kind of toll the project would take and were all really pleased that, while I looked exhausted and had some break through symptoms, I didn't spiral or lose 20 pounds. That's usually one of the first signs that I'm going into a large flare-up - dramatic weight loss. I lost about 5 pounds during the last couple weeks of the project, but it required very long hours and work over the weekends, so that isn't too surprising. I missed a week of being in the gym and my neck seized up for a day, but I was able to get into the chiropractor and get a couple massages, and that worked wonders. After we deployed the new CRM, I was able to get right back in the gym for an hour a day.

What was different this time? I took some time to think about it and I truly believe diet and exercise played a huge role here. I had some break through symptoms - stomach pain, spinal pain, and fatigue. These were more evident when the project was really ramping up and I didn't make it down to the gym. If I made it down to the gym mid-day, I didn't get spinal pain later on. If I missed working out, my neck was stiff without fail. It was a weird feeling, like my head was too heavy for my neck to carry. I stuck to a 90% raw vegan diet, and the amount of cooked I did eat was strictly vegetable based. I stayed away from grains of any kind, including quinoa or rice, and just loaded up on leafy greens, fruits, and other vegetables.

A couple months ago, I picked up The China Study for the first time. People had been telling me to read the book, but I just never took the time. I wish I had picked that book up a lot sooner. I don't know how people with extreme health issues could read that book and not want to make some lifestyle changes.

T. Colin Campbell dedicated much of his life to researching the effects of diet on many chronic diseases that plague Americans and other richer societies. He was involved in a 20 year study in China, documenting several aspects of diet, environmental exposures, and taking blood, tissue, and urine samples to measure different values like cholesterol, fiber intake, and blood glucose levels and their correlation to different diseases. It was a rare opportunity to study a fairly consistent genetic population to determine why certain diseases were more prevalent in specific areas of the country. Health issues tended to cluster in certain populations, and while other regions may have similar toxin exposure, they may have different levels of disease. The diseases were more active in populations that had higher animal protein consumption and lower plant and fiber consumption, even when all other factors were fairly constant.

Lance and Annie - promoting an active lifestyle

The book does a phenomenal job of explaining how diet plays a role in many prevalent diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, auto-immune, and several other ailments that plague us. The book is based on scores of research studies, including the most comprehensive epidemiology study that been done to date, the China-Cornell-Oxford Project. It explains that we are not doomed by genetics. It is very empowering to read a thorough explanation of why we have more control over our health than perhaps we'd like to admit. While genetics may determine which diseases we are more prone to, we can largely control disease activity through diet and positive lifestyle choices. It was discouraging to read his synopsis of auto-immune and how it is really not completely possible to reverse it by diet alone, but we may be able to minimize, if not put the disease into remission. I have witnessed that myself to a large extent through strict diet and an exercise regimen that works for me as an individual.

I have met many people in my life who have learned of a disease or allergies and chosen to ignore them because they felt it was simpler than addressing them head on. This always makes me very sad. Celiac, as an example, is a very dangerous disease to ignore. Continuing to eat gluten causes the immune system to break off the villi that are instrumental in nutrient absorption in our intestines. This leads to death by starvation! I don't think doctors emphasize enough how dangerous it is to continue eating gluten as a Celiac, and I think many of them do this because of the number of people they have watched ignore their advice and carry on doing irreparable damage to their intestines rather than hoist up their shorts and throw a little effort into meal planning. If they see people doing this day in and day out instead of heeding their advice, I can understand why they become discouraged, but I think it should still be emphasized for the one or two people who would rather spend additional hours a week prepping food and feel well rather than walk life through a bloated, uncomfortable fog. This day and age, we have numerous options out there that are gluten free and convenient, so the excuses really need to stop.

I also wish celebrities like Paula Deen realize that they are role models and could set a wonderful example by doing some research and making life style changes. I would much rather watch her go through a personal transformation and preach to us about the pleasures of healthful food that also tastes great rather than how to make a pound of steak per person with tomato puff pastries and canned peas soaked in a stick of butter. After being on a plant based diet for years, my tastes have changed to the point of feeling overwhelmed and queasy when I walk by a hot dog stand or the cheese section in the grocery store (your tastes change - I gravitate toward clean, whole foods and can't stand anything that is overly pungent). Every time I have the Food Network on in the background and Paula Dean's show comes on, I feel sad and have to flip the channel. It is her choice. but it is simply not true that she is only hurting herself. People look to her as an example and she personifies Southern Hospitality and Living. I am certainly not blaming her for coming from the region of our country that is most plagued by Diabetes, but does anyone stop to think that the epidemic might be because of the soul food that is high in cholesterol and low in fiber?

"A can of peas and a stick of butter?! WHAAAAA???"

Most of us know people who have been stricken with Diabetes, and it is a scary, ugly disease that often leads to amputations, blindness, kidney disease, and other horrible complications. The factor with the highest correlation to diabetes is increased fat intake. Even low-carb, high fat diets have been correlated to increases in diabetes. Several doctors have had great success reversing the effects of diabetes (type 1 and 2!) through a plant-based low fat diet, even to the point of reducing insulin requirements by over 50%. Now, why would you plan to forge ahead with medication only, continuing to eat the foods that damaged your body in the first place, only to slow progression instead of trying to turn it around? Well...maybe you want to stick the lifestyle you know. Or maybe you have a pharmaceutical endorsement deal... Nice, Paula Deen. Very Nice.

LDN, Plant Based Diets, and Lupus

I've gotten a lot of really nice questions asking how I'm doing since I haven't posted in quite a while. I am doing pretty well! Work has been extra stressful, and some personal things popped up that were just as (read MORE) stressful, but my health has held up pretty well. I started having some break through symptoms - primarily fatigue, nausea, pain, and a bit foggier mentally. I went back to a raw vegan diet, started staggering the LDN to every other day, and have upped the B12 with good results.

Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) has worked wonders for my autoimmune disease. Over the last year, I have been noticing more breakthrough symptoms. Things are still very manageable, but it was starting to interfere with work. I read an email posted by Dr. Zagon about the potential benefits of staggering doses. The benefit of LDN comes from binding to opiate receptors for short periods of time. While bound to the receptors, the body picks up the message that there is a deficiency of endorphins. The body begins producing more opiate receptors and boosts endorphin production. This causes the endorphins to turn around and help moderate the immune system. This is called a rebound effect, and low dosage size and short duration in the body is critical to achieve the effect. If the body can't clear the medication in a short period of time, the benefit declines. Lately I've been taking the medication every other day (I wouldn't recommend this for folks just starting out that don't have a cause to try this), and it's been helping. I've been having more sleep disturbances, but have more energy still.

We had a couple fuzzy visitors - Annie was fairly gracious about it

One of the problems I was have in December and January was vertigo and nausea. I thought it was just a symptom of my lupus, but my chiropractor suggested that I get muscle tested for B12. Muscle testing is something I don't whole-heartedly believe in, but I started taking the B12 and after a week felt much better. I have started taking Biotics B12-2000 lozenges in addition to a patch of B12 behind my ear once a week. I've still managed to avoid shots for now.

Everyone needs a sock monkey hat! Champ demanding another walk.

While being stressed out, the benefits of making it to the gym every day have become more apparent. My boss even tells me to go - my productivity and mood improve afterwards. My energy levels tend to drop around 2 or 3, but instead of going with the wave of people to the coffee shop to get a latte and cookie, I head down to the gym for my lunch hour and come back to my desk ready to work a couple more hours. It's worth eating at my desk. Instead of getting off the bus and greeting my husband exhausted, we can spend some time walking the dogs and chatting.

Champ, enjoying the snow!

Champ has also been doing really well! It's been quite a while since his Mast Cell diagnosis (at least a year and a half), and he has been a frisky boy. He's been playing with Annie and demanding several walks a day. We haven't seen any signs of recurrence. I've got him on curcumin, a mushroom blend, and COQ10 in addition to a joint supplement.

I have been reading The China Study lately, and it is amazing. I plan to post more on that later. If you're interested in learning more about LDN I recommend the following links:

http://www.ldnscience.org/low-dose-naltrexone-ldn/how-does-ldn-work

http://www.ldnscience.org/low-dose-naltrexone-ldn/questions-and-answers

Exercise or Stress?

Doctors would repeatedly tell me that I should work out, and I would laugh. It didn't make sense to even try. I was always exhausted and body parts hurt. Back in June, I went in for a bunch of tests and didn't get a whole lot of answers. I read some articles about different kinds of stress and how to cope with them. Food is one source of stress - foods that are highly processed, high sugar, and hard to digest make our bodies work overtime on processing them. There's work stress, relationship stress, and then there's stress from putting strain on the body. A weird thing happens when we work out. The body gets stressed, but putting the body under a small amount of stress repeatedly makes the other normal stressors in our life seem smaller. Walking up and down stairs between meetings no longer causes cortisol levels to rise. Getting stressed out about a work project becomes more manageable. As stress levels decrease, health is bound to improve. Right?

I made the decision to try running, which is kind of humorous considering I decided this while reading an article on the couch while recovering from digestive issues and fatigue. I started out really small - I would run 30 seconds and walk 5 minutes, repeating 5 times. I stayed close to the house while running just in case my stomach kicked up. Each week or week and a half, I would try to increase the time running and decrease the time walking. I kept reading Brendan Brazier's Thrive Diet book and other articles my husband had laying around the house. Starting at such a small scale helped me feel like I was able to achieve something. Soon after, I ordered a Zumba workout set and started alternating days trying to run and working out to a Zumba workout.

Annie & I, before work outs began

The first few times I tried Zumba, I was exhausted after 20 minutes. I felt like it was a great workout. I would do 20 minute abs one day, run my 5 reps of 30 seconds the next, and do the 20 minute express workout after that. At the same time, I stayed on a vegan diet but decided to incorporate more foods. Some meals had cooked items (still a whole food, not packaged or processed in the traditional sense), I was eating fruit, and incorporating a few grains.

Fast forward 1.5 months and I hit a setback. Around mid-August, my knees started hurting. Each step was painful. I have chondro malaysia patella, and running with weak muscles around the knee is not good. The knee is already prone to tracking incorrectly, and as you continue to run, it just perpetuates the problem. At work, we have a great deal on our gym. It's only $15 for the membership, and the check is made out to a charity. A personal trainer there also had a pretty good deal running, so I started working out with the trainer. After working out with him in September, the pain in my knees is gone and I can run quite a bit. I was wondering if I would have to start out at a minute running and four minutes walking, but found I was able to run longer with all of the cardio with Zumba and alternating bike and rowing at the gym.

I'm not sure exactly when things started to shift for me. I hated working out. After a month and a half, I called a friend to work out with me just so I wouldn't give up. My progress was so slow, I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. I started working out at the gym at lunch and noticed that the day got a little easier to handle. I would have a bad meeting and leave frustrated, then go work out and come back to my desk smiling. Working out in the middle of the day forces me to take a lunch and breaks up the monotony after sitting at my desk and working on reports or sitting in long meetings. It started mattering a little less that my weight wasn't changing at all and I couldn't see an awesome six pack after 5 months of working out more than I ever had in my life (although honestly - that wasn't saying much).

In October I ran my first 5k. I finished in 38 minutes alternating running 5 minutes and walking 3 minutes. A week ago I beat my best time and am down to 35.5 minutes. My warm up before lifting weights today was running a mile. All at once! I've noticed my stomach is more predictable and I have a LOT more energy. I come home and want to unwind, but my boss has noticed I am much more productive and no longer crash at 2pm. I don't plan on being as fast as Lance, but if this keeps up, I may be a runner eventually after all.

Annie waiting for her 5k to start the day after I ran mine

In other news, Annie ran the Dawg Dash with Lance in October and they did quite well. Annie can now run the 3 miles at a sub-6 minute pace and would have finished at 17:30 if someone hadn't steered her the wrong way and added an extra .25 miles ;)

Lance & Annie - post Dawg Dash

Migraines, Kidnies, and Livers...Oh My!

Let's see... when we last left off, I was wondering if I had my first malar rash, but was still busy baking. I had started taking Diflucan. After 30 days, I was still symptomatic for systemic candida, so I moved back to a very strict diet and got a second prescription for Diflucan. I'm not sure if it was really a malar rash as it only really showed up for a few days when I took a shower, so I feel lucky.

Last week I started getting annoying headaches, and perfumes or colognes make them much worse. This weekend I went through a department store on the way to an adjoining restaurant and came down with the beginnings of a migraine about 3/4 of the way through the meal (I had eaten beforehand, so I know it wasn't something I ate). That turned into light sensitivity and nausea, and I staggered through a bookstore that was closing down. It was a great sale and I scored some cookbooks and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. The migraine stuck around at varying degrees (from able to function with waves of nausea to curled in the fetal position) through Monday morning. Annie took advantage of my fatigue and we had a nice long nap on Sunday.


The perfume wasn't the only thing that set off my headache. I spent Saturday morning going through my closet and chest of drawers for Goodwill and cleared out a lot of space. And kicking up a lot of dust! I finally ordered our wedding and honeymoon pictures and got the big pictures in frames and started moving boxes around. Streaking through a department store and then sitting in the restaurant later that day, surrounded by food full of gluten, soy, and who knows what else were the final straws.

I'm really tired, have nausea, mid-back pain, and arthritis. I was thinking about how little blogging I've been doing, and that usually means that I don't have the energy to bake and write after coming home from work. This weekend's turn of events has forced me to seriously reconsider how I am going to proceed with The Discerning Kitchen. I was planning on working full time and baking during weekend evenings and going to farmers markets. I see now that is not realistic with my health. I'm going to keep trying, but I'm not sure what things will end up looking like.

Next steps are getting blood work to check liver and kidney function. My doctor has suggested a couple of medication options if the migraines continue. I'm hoping the diflucan has done its trick, but I have a suspicion that the intestinal ulcers have continued. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

In other news, CNN and other headlines drummed up news about the new Lupus medication that the FDA has approved. I would encourage people to read the research study carefully and weigh whether the risks are worth the reported benefits. This is how all medications should be approached. While I agree it's great that people are looking into the disease, the medication is not perfect. Understanding how the disease is triggered and progresses would be a great first step. Some of the theories are laughable. Recently my mom heard on the news that doctors wondered if lupus occurred more often in girls because we are kept so clean. I spent much of my childhood covered in dirt and playing in trees. I guess they have to start guessing somewhere.

Stress and Rashes

Intellectually knowing that stress is a health problem waiting to happen and finding ways to constructively reduce stress effectively are two completely different things. Since Annie came into our home, I've definitely gotten more exercise, so that's a positive move in terms of reducing stress. Except when she eats furniture.

"Me, eat furniture?? Only because you made me wear
that shirt!"

I had to move to taking Diflucan. Nystatin didn't work and then Amphotericin didn't help my stomach woes either. For the most part I stick to a very low carbohydrate diet of mostly vegetables and plant based fats (nuts, olives, etc.), but every now and again I go wild and have some fruit.

This morning I freaked out a little when I looked in the mirror. I took a warm shower, got dressed, dried my hair, and looked in the mirror and I had a bright red rash across the bridge of my nose, spreading across my cheeks. It got substantially less noticeable a couple hours after the shower. My face feels a little tight across my face and it kind of feels like I've got a bit of a sunburn. I can barely see it now - it just looks like I got a little bit of sun on my nose and cheeks. If I move my glasses and touch my face at all, that seems to aggravate things, so I'm trying to leave it alone and hoping it was just a figment of my imagination. I have a more noticeable rash across the tops of my shoulders/back that's a faint pink with textured, raised skin. I hate to admit it, but for the first time I may have a malar rash.

I've been a bit tired the past couple days. I think it's because it's right before my period and things tend to get more stirred up then. Before then I felt like I was doing a little better. Some arthritis when a low or high pressure comes through, but alright overall. Now I feel a little worried and overwhelmed. This weekend I'm hosting a tasting party for my baked goods so people can rate them. I'm super excited for it. I'm also worried that I'll work myself into more of a flare. I've asked my boss for a couple days off next week. Work has been slower than usual, so it was a good time to ask and I can catch up on sleep.

My nephew has been spending a lot of time over at our house. He has a lot of allergies, and I'm always so happy to see him carrying around goodies. He loves my cookies and goes around the house like a little hamster with his cheeks stuffed full. Some day I'd love to have a bakery, but for now I'm happy figuring out "graham" crackers, cookies, and biscuits he can snack on during his preschool snacks and lunch.


I love having him around and listening to him run around the house with Lance yelling "Choo chooo!!!" when the pretend to be trains. Last night it was a little too much and I ended up half asleep on the couch while Lance held his hands and had him bounce up and down off the big yoga ball in the room. It would be amazing to have that much energy all the time!

Someone really liked his brand new toy truck!