Hello!
I know I have a problem with not updating my blog very often, I attribute that to being busy and forgetful! I have good intentions but when it comes down to it I falter.......I'm sorry for that, I really am!
So, it's been a year since I had my thyroid removed and I can tell you that I notice nothing different. My levels are still wacky, I'm losing hair by the handfuls, I still lack energy and god forbid I want to lose a little weight - it takes an enormous amount of effort and it always comes right back. So, having my thyroid removed didn't help me with any of my major issues. At least I don't have growths anymore but my levels still have not leveled out. I started on 150 mg of Synthroid last year and am now on 100 mg - I continue to be adjusted to lower levels without it helping.
So since it's been a bit since I've updated let's see what's been happening:
January-March 2016 - I started back to college at an online University - Ashford University. It's been 7 months and I'm doing great! I have straight "A" grades and just last week was invited to become a member of Alpha Sigma Lamda Honor Society. This is an honor society for exceptional adult learners. It was such a great surprise and honor. So being that I have such great grades should also tell you I spend a lot of time with my schooling. I haven't had time to be sick or tired or sore or anything other than focusing on school. My intention of going back is to complete the degree I started right out of high school - which was a long time ago.........I'm studying "Social and Criminal Justice" and will graduate with my BA in 7/2018.
Regarding my FMS and CFS I'm still holding steady. I haven't had any major flare up of either condition. I have learned to just listen to myself and if I'm tired, I go to bed. I still have issues with my hips being achy and locking up after sitting down for a bit but overall I can't complain. I have a lot of contact with people who have FMS really bad and I feel terrible for them but at the same time am grateful I have been able to reverse a good majority of my issues with FM and keep it under control.
April - July 2016 - I ended up in the ER on my birthday, April 5th - with what I thought was chest pain - it was bad, had me convinced I had a blockage - after a night stay and many tests that came back negative I was sent home and referred to a cardiologist. A few more tests and nothing. I still get these weird chest pains but haven't gone back to the cardiologist because he already determined it's not my heart but of course, as with most things they don't know why I'm having these pains. I thought maybe heartburn but I really don't think so since I never get it. So chalk it up to another strange thing related to FMS I guess.....
I was just talking with my mom about when I first got sick back in 2010 and took up juicing to get better. It definitely worked after a period of time - between juicing AND taking many supplements I brought my nutrition levels back to where they needed to be and was able to reverse a lot of my symptoms that had me bedridden for several months. Everyone also is different so what worked for me may or may not work for another - but it's all worth a try! In fact, coming back to my juicing information I've decided to juice a metabolism boosting juice and see if it helps me shed a few lbs like it says it does.
In other news, I've been off work since the first week in June and it's been great! Since I work in a school, I have the same schedule as the kids do and it's fantastic. We go back in just 3 wks from now......summer vacay goes way too fast! But it will be good to get back on a schedule. When I have no schedule not much gets done because I don't have to....it's bad.
My daughter is going into her senior year of high school - I can't believe in just a short year she will be going to college. My "baby" girl is grown into such a beautiful young woman. Makes me sad that she will be leaving but I know it's coming quickly. My son is starting his sophomore year - he is another one that I can't believe has grown so much both physically and mentally. The past several months have been big in the growth area for him. My daughter will be playing volleyball with the school over the next few weeks leading up to try outs - in fact next week we go to a big college camp with some girls who were invited from the school - should be fun!
I hope this update has found you all well! I would like to say that I will update in a month but, I've said that before and 7 months later I show up ...... I know I suck at this but I'm trying! I will be back soon, how is that???
Showing posts with label FMS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FMS. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
January round up.....
To summarize this first month of 2015 I would have to say it's been so, so....
I've been feeling ok but not optimal. I'm having pain in my hips again, which was the original thing that started me on the road to get a diagnosis of FMS. I've also been fighting getting sick, which right now has me home under the weather.
Both my kids have also been fighting health this month. Days out of school due to not feeling well add up for sure and effect them where school is concerned. It's so hard to catch up after being out a day or two.
Hopefully February and beyond will bring better health for the family.
We do have a big trip planned in March that we are all looking forward to. We are going on a cruise and can't wait! This will be the first for my kids (15 and 13) and the first for my husband and I since our honeymoon 20 yrs ago. So as you can see, it's a trip that we are all looking forward to - very much! We will be cruising to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and Cozumel over 7 days. It's going to be great! I just wish I was 30lbs lighter for it!
Speaking of my weight, oh what a terrible time I've had trying to lose it! I honestly believe it's because my thyroid isn't functioning correctly. I do have an appt with my endo this month to check it. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this but I have several large "goiters" consuming my thyroid. Every time I've had it checked the tests come back "normal" which I don't trust one bit. I am going to try to get my Dr to put me on a hypothyroid medication this time to see if it helps any of my "symptoms" that I think are totally related to my thyroid. The symptoms for Hypothyroidism are listed below and the ones I have are highlighted in Yellow:
I've been feeling ok but not optimal. I'm having pain in my hips again, which was the original thing that started me on the road to get a diagnosis of FMS. I've also been fighting getting sick, which right now has me home under the weather.
Both my kids have also been fighting health this month. Days out of school due to not feeling well add up for sure and effect them where school is concerned. It's so hard to catch up after being out a day or two.
Hopefully February and beyond will bring better health for the family.
We do have a big trip planned in March that we are all looking forward to. We are going on a cruise and can't wait! This will be the first for my kids (15 and 13) and the first for my husband and I since our honeymoon 20 yrs ago. So as you can see, it's a trip that we are all looking forward to - very much! We will be cruising to Jamaica, Grand Caymen and Cozumel over 7 days. It's going to be great! I just wish I was 30lbs lighter for it!
Speaking of my weight, oh what a terrible time I've had trying to lose it! I honestly believe it's because my thyroid isn't functioning correctly. I do have an appt with my endo this month to check it. Not sure if I've ever mentioned this but I have several large "goiters" consuming my thyroid. Every time I've had it checked the tests come back "normal" which I don't trust one bit. I am going to try to get my Dr to put me on a hypothyroid medication this time to see if it helps any of my "symptoms" that I think are totally related to my thyroid. The symptoms for Hypothyroidism are listed below and the ones I have are highlighted in Yellow:
- Fatigue
- Increased sensitivity to cold
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Unexplained weight gain
- Puffy face
- Hoarseness
- Muscle weakness
- Elevated blood cholesterol level
- Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness
- Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints
- Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods
- Thinning hair
- Slowed heart rate
- Depression
- Impaired memory
You would think when a patient has 11 out of 16 symptoms the Dr would look at that in addition to the blood work. We'll see! I will definitely update once I see her in Feb.
Of course, a lot of these symptoms also go hand in hand with FMS and CFS - at this point, who knows what's what?!?
What I do know is that I would love to have energy, feel good and lose the weight I've put on. I feel like I do all the "right" things to lose weight but nothing happens. The only thing I don't do is exercise due to my fatigue and lack of energy to get out and do it! I keep telling myself "tomorrow" but tomorrow comes and goes without the exercise. It's a vicious cycle I live in.
So this month has been full of ups and downs in my health and the health of my family. I'm hoping February brings us all many more good than bad days.
Volleyball has started up and we have games almost every weekend. We love watching my daughter play so I look forward to those long days in the gym.
That's all for now, until next time......to your health!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Seems like nothing has changed but when you look back, everything has changed updates for June, July, August, Sept, Oct, Nov.....
Greetings friends! Has it REALLY been since MAY that I've updated my blog?? UGH I'm terrible I know! So here comes a big update on what's been going on........
June, July and August proved to be busy with the kids and their variety of events. School was out for the summer and that meant daily volleyball practice, camps and games. That in itself keeps me on my toes. We spent nearly everyday at the school for volleyball and a couple times went on trips related to the school volleyball program. My daughter has such amazing dedication to the sport.
In July I tried to start exercising again- I was doing great for the first week, walking 3 miles a day on the treadmill at the gym. I set out to try and be more active, try to drop a few pounds, if nothing else, just walking a bit. After a week of doing this I was in so much pain and I couldn't walk! I ended up at my chiropractor, IN TEARS because of the pain in my hips. My right hip was the worst, with burning pain and literally every time I took a step it felt like it was locked up - it was terrible! I had some acupuncture, some cold laser therapy and an incredibly painful adjustment on the first visit. It felt so much better after that, I could actually walk out on my own with much less pain. After two days of this treatment I was so much better but you better bet I wasn't getting back on that treadmill!! FORGET THAT SHIT! I continued with this course of treatment for 3 days and the pain was finally gone. The Dr said it was my bursis in my hip flaring up from lack of use to sudden over use - whatever, I wasn't doing it again!
August 12th school started up again which also meant I went back to work with the kids going back to school. I love having the same schedule as the kids during the year and the summer off to be with them. Even though the pay working at a school is crappy, it's better than nothing and gives me a schedule to follow, otherwise I would literally not do much of anything day in and day out - that I know! It's hard sometimes to get up and go to work, really hard, but I do it because I know it's what I need, not only for the income I do get but for the schedule to follow.
September was a non-eventful month just getting back into the swing of a normal schedule everyday. I was extra tired trying to get back to waking up early and working all day but that's nothing new really, I don't think I ever really get use to it. Still not exercising - can't take the chance of having a major flare like I did in August - oh god that was awful! We are looking forward to a trip in October for fall break.
October we took a trip over fall break to California. We've been really looking forward to this. We planned to see family. We went and saw my husbands mom for a few days and then went to visit my dad as well as my sister and her family in Palm Springs. It was so great to see everyone and the kids. We all live in different areas so we don't get to see each other but maybe once a year. That's the drawback of living so far away from family. I am in Colorado with my family, my sister is in California with her family, my husbands family is in California (1 brother in Colorado but 8 hrs away) and my dad is in Oklahoma. So as you can see we are all spread out.
We were able to get some family pictures done while we were all together and that was wonderful.
Pretty good looking group if I do say so myself! I'm in the yellow shirt next to my handsome hubby in the blue - my son is in the light yellow shirt and my beautiful daughter is holding her baby cousin.
November to current
Thanksgiving was great, I cooked a nice meal with the help of my daughter. It was just us 4 but we had a feast and enough to feed us for another week to come!! I need to learn to cook a little less on holidays! Now it's that time of year again, the holidays are upon us. For some of us this is a time of great fun, visiting with friends and family and going to party after party......... and for others it's a reminder that we aren't what we use to be.
I use to go shopping, now I shop online for 99% of the gifts I give....I can't physically go to the store and be on my feet for hours on end walking around browsing and picking out that perfect item....I use to attend many parties during the months of November and December...now I simply have to RSVP a NO because I really don't have the energy to smile and be "merry" for several hours at a time...Trust me when I say it's not because I don't want to or that I don't enjoy the company, it's not even close to that.....it's because my body just won't handle it and I'll end up paying for it for days to follow with pain and exhaustion. It's just who I am now and I have to accept this as my reality. As I like to say "It is what it is"...........it's been and has, more than ever, become my life motto.
I know I've been terrible at keeping my entries current and for that I am truly sorry - I really need to figure out how to just get it done......honestly after I am done working each day I am just so exhausted to do much of anything. I'm sure the words "I'm tired" are over used in my home by me and my family is sick of hearing it, but it's true. I'm always tired, exhausted actually. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) has ruined me. I've dealt with the CFS longer than I have the Fibromyalgia (FMS) but the two combined is a doozy as you may know or can just imagine.
I have yet to find anything, natural or otherwise, that gives me any kind of good, long lasting energy or the feeling that I can take on my days without the lingering feeling of pure exhaustion. I did take Adderall XR for many years but it took a toll on me and my goal is to be off all RX medications and only treat my conditions as naturally as possible. It's really turning out to be difficult. I've tried everything I'm aware of that's out there. Maybe I'm missing something or maybe my body is just not "normal" and doesn't respond to traditional things. Vitamin B12 does nothing for me - I've tried regular injections with no luck. My chiropractor couldn't believe that I really had no luck with the weekly injections over a course of 5 weeks. Nope, nada.......abnormal response for most people
If anyone out there knows of something that could be helpful, I'm always willing to try if I haven't already. I really feel desperate at times. Along with the lack of energy comes a little weight gain because of the lack of motion. I could, if life with 2 teens allowed, sit in my recliner day in and day out, only getting up to eat, visit the bathroom and maybe get a drink. It's really sad for a 44 y/o to feel and act like a 94 y/o day in and out. I do my best with the cards I've been dealt.
As for my pain related to FMS....it's always been primarily in my hips, That's where it started and that's where it pops up the most. As I shared from August, I had a terrible flare from exercising and it was in my hips. My lower back and shoulders also have flares. The most common thing I'm dealing with now is numbness and tingling in my right arm and hand. At times the nerve that runs down the arm feels like it's on fire and that is just miserable. Aside from those things I'm doing ok, the exhaustion from CFS seems to be worse now than the FMS but both are ever present, every day.
I still see my chiropractor every week when possible, in reality though it's more like every 2 weeks when I'm feeling well enough. Without those treatments I don't think I would be in very good shape. Adjustments really help so much. More than anything else I've tried, keeping my body "straight" with regular adjustments seems to be the best treatment for ME. I highly recommend you give it a try if you aren't having any relief of your FMS pain. Find a good Chiropractor who is familiar with FMS and can effectively treat you. It's worth it!
I'm looking forward to a 2 week break coming up. December 19th - January 3rd is our "winter break" - we will of course be celebrating Christmas and New Years during that time. I'm most likely going to cook a nice meal for Christmas - probably just a ham, mac and cheese and salad. Nothing too terribly extravagant. My family will go to The Outback Steak House on Christmas Eve - it's a tradition we started a few years ago instead of cooking a big meal at home. I like having someone else do all the work and clean up! Since it's just the 4 of us, it really makes sense.
I hope this update finds you well and coping well. I know some might be having a hard time and I sincerely hope you find relief for yourself. If there is any advice I could give it would be to not give up on finding what helps you! Since FMS effects everyone so differently, you need to find what helps you - I know that what I suggest might not be your thing, I just know it's helped me get as much of my life back as possible and I will continue to search for more until I feel that I've exhausted every avenue.
I am going to leave you with a recent article I found - To your health and until next time!
FMS linked with Coronary Heart Disease
I find the above article interesting. I have heart palpitations pretty regularly but my Dr has never been too concerned about it. I also have family history of heart disease so I suspect as I get older I will start having regular heart check-ups to make sure my heart is not misbehaving.
June, July and August proved to be busy with the kids and their variety of events. School was out for the summer and that meant daily volleyball practice, camps and games. That in itself keeps me on my toes. We spent nearly everyday at the school for volleyball and a couple times went on trips related to the school volleyball program. My daughter has such amazing dedication to the sport.
In July I tried to start exercising again- I was doing great for the first week, walking 3 miles a day on the treadmill at the gym. I set out to try and be more active, try to drop a few pounds, if nothing else, just walking a bit. After a week of doing this I was in so much pain and I couldn't walk! I ended up at my chiropractor, IN TEARS because of the pain in my hips. My right hip was the worst, with burning pain and literally every time I took a step it felt like it was locked up - it was terrible! I had some acupuncture, some cold laser therapy and an incredibly painful adjustment on the first visit. It felt so much better after that, I could actually walk out on my own with much less pain. After two days of this treatment I was so much better but you better bet I wasn't getting back on that treadmill!! FORGET THAT SHIT! I continued with this course of treatment for 3 days and the pain was finally gone. The Dr said it was my bursis in my hip flaring up from lack of use to sudden over use - whatever, I wasn't doing it again!
August 12th school started up again which also meant I went back to work with the kids going back to school. I love having the same schedule as the kids during the year and the summer off to be with them. Even though the pay working at a school is crappy, it's better than nothing and gives me a schedule to follow, otherwise I would literally not do much of anything day in and day out - that I know! It's hard sometimes to get up and go to work, really hard, but I do it because I know it's what I need, not only for the income I do get but for the schedule to follow.
September was a non-eventful month just getting back into the swing of a normal schedule everyday. I was extra tired trying to get back to waking up early and working all day but that's nothing new really, I don't think I ever really get use to it. Still not exercising - can't take the chance of having a major flare like I did in August - oh god that was awful! We are looking forward to a trip in October for fall break.
October we took a trip over fall break to California. We've been really looking forward to this. We planned to see family. We went and saw my husbands mom for a few days and then went to visit my dad as well as my sister and her family in Palm Springs. It was so great to see everyone and the kids. We all live in different areas so we don't get to see each other but maybe once a year. That's the drawback of living so far away from family. I am in Colorado with my family, my sister is in California with her family, my husbands family is in California (1 brother in Colorado but 8 hrs away) and my dad is in Oklahoma. So as you can see we are all spread out.
We were able to get some family pictures done while we were all together and that was wonderful.
Pretty good looking group if I do say so myself! I'm in the yellow shirt next to my handsome hubby in the blue - my son is in the light yellow shirt and my beautiful daughter is holding her baby cousin.
November to current
Thanksgiving was great, I cooked a nice meal with the help of my daughter. It was just us 4 but we had a feast and enough to feed us for another week to come!! I need to learn to cook a little less on holidays! Now it's that time of year again, the holidays are upon us. For some of us this is a time of great fun, visiting with friends and family and going to party after party......... and for others it's a reminder that we aren't what we use to be.
I use to go shopping, now I shop online for 99% of the gifts I give....I can't physically go to the store and be on my feet for hours on end walking around browsing and picking out that perfect item....I use to attend many parties during the months of November and December...now I simply have to RSVP a NO because I really don't have the energy to smile and be "merry" for several hours at a time...Trust me when I say it's not because I don't want to or that I don't enjoy the company, it's not even close to that.....it's because my body just won't handle it and I'll end up paying for it for days to follow with pain and exhaustion. It's just who I am now and I have to accept this as my reality. As I like to say "It is what it is"...........it's been and has, more than ever, become my life motto.
I know I've been terrible at keeping my entries current and for that I am truly sorry - I really need to figure out how to just get it done......honestly after I am done working each day I am just so exhausted to do much of anything. I'm sure the words "I'm tired" are over used in my home by me and my family is sick of hearing it, but it's true. I'm always tired, exhausted actually. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) has ruined me. I've dealt with the CFS longer than I have the Fibromyalgia (FMS) but the two combined is a doozy as you may know or can just imagine.
I have yet to find anything, natural or otherwise, that gives me any kind of good, long lasting energy or the feeling that I can take on my days without the lingering feeling of pure exhaustion. I did take Adderall XR for many years but it took a toll on me and my goal is to be off all RX medications and only treat my conditions as naturally as possible. It's really turning out to be difficult. I've tried everything I'm aware of that's out there. Maybe I'm missing something or maybe my body is just not "normal" and doesn't respond to traditional things. Vitamin B12 does nothing for me - I've tried regular injections with no luck. My chiropractor couldn't believe that I really had no luck with the weekly injections over a course of 5 weeks. Nope, nada.......abnormal response for most people
If anyone out there knows of something that could be helpful, I'm always willing to try if I haven't already. I really feel desperate at times. Along with the lack of energy comes a little weight gain because of the lack of motion. I could, if life with 2 teens allowed, sit in my recliner day in and day out, only getting up to eat, visit the bathroom and maybe get a drink. It's really sad for a 44 y/o to feel and act like a 94 y/o day in and out. I do my best with the cards I've been dealt.
As for my pain related to FMS....it's always been primarily in my hips, That's where it started and that's where it pops up the most. As I shared from August, I had a terrible flare from exercising and it was in my hips. My lower back and shoulders also have flares. The most common thing I'm dealing with now is numbness and tingling in my right arm and hand. At times the nerve that runs down the arm feels like it's on fire and that is just miserable. Aside from those things I'm doing ok, the exhaustion from CFS seems to be worse now than the FMS but both are ever present, every day.
I still see my chiropractor every week when possible, in reality though it's more like every 2 weeks when I'm feeling well enough. Without those treatments I don't think I would be in very good shape. Adjustments really help so much. More than anything else I've tried, keeping my body "straight" with regular adjustments seems to be the best treatment for ME. I highly recommend you give it a try if you aren't having any relief of your FMS pain. Find a good Chiropractor who is familiar with FMS and can effectively treat you. It's worth it!
I'm looking forward to a 2 week break coming up. December 19th - January 3rd is our "winter break" - we will of course be celebrating Christmas and New Years during that time. I'm most likely going to cook a nice meal for Christmas - probably just a ham, mac and cheese and salad. Nothing too terribly extravagant. My family will go to The Outback Steak House on Christmas Eve - it's a tradition we started a few years ago instead of cooking a big meal at home. I like having someone else do all the work and clean up! Since it's just the 4 of us, it really makes sense.
I hope this update finds you well and coping well. I know some might be having a hard time and I sincerely hope you find relief for yourself. If there is any advice I could give it would be to not give up on finding what helps you! Since FMS effects everyone so differently, you need to find what helps you - I know that what I suggest might not be your thing, I just know it's helped me get as much of my life back as possible and I will continue to search for more until I feel that I've exhausted every avenue.
I am going to leave you with a recent article I found - To your health and until next time!
FMS linked with Coronary Heart Disease
I find the above article interesting. I have heart palpitations pretty regularly but my Dr has never been too concerned about it. I also have family history of heart disease so I suspect as I get older I will start having regular heart check-ups to make sure my heart is not misbehaving.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
I knew this would happen, was just a matter of time...
Since my last entry on April 7th things have been crazy…..just crazy………….and I'm certainly paying for it with a major flare.......god I hate fibro, I hate chronic fatigue - I HATE IT!
So our insurance called to let us know they totaled the van as the crash had done some damage to the frame. With that they sent us a settlement letter requesting the title be signed over to them and offering us some money to replace the car. They offered us a little more than we expected so we were happy with their offer and just wanted to get it done. Of course the amount is not enough to get the same vehicle or even anything close. It’s a shame, I went from no car payment and a car that still had plenty of life in it to looking to replace it with something that was similar – good luck right? Not exactly what I was looking for but it is what it is.
Let the stress begin – all I can hope is that I don’t end up going into a major flare over this entire process…….fingers crossed as we embark on the car search…financial worries and all that comes with it…fun times!
So I stared off by doing a lot of research online and looked at a lot of different cars. We knew we wanted something 4WD or AWD to start. Nissan, Subaru, Dodge, Jeep, Ford……the list I’m sure goes on, honestly I have really forgotten all the different brands and styles, at this point it's all just a blur.
I was initially set on a Jeep Patriot – however, after looking at the reviews and sitting in it decided it was not the right car for us. Too boxy for starters…..although I do love the way it looks on the outside, it’s just not the right fit on the inside. In fact, every time I see one I take a double look, I just like the way they look.
We sat in many cars over the past 2 weeks – the Murano and Rogue were nice – I really liked them both – it’s hard to get use to going from a mini van to a much smaller car but it’s time ……nothing really struck our fancy much……so the search continued…….
At one dealer we were introduced to the Dodge Journey – this car was one that did strike us as something we liked. It is very similar to what we had in both color and options but yet different enough – it was a 2013 and had 28k miles. We drove it – enjoyed it’s power and comfort. We left that dealer with the Dodge Journey as our top pick from the day. But we still wanted to check out some other cars so we weren’t quite ready just yet to make a commitment on it.
As the week went on we continued to search – looking for used vehicles between 2010 and 2014 that weren’t priced too high or with too much mileage – that really narrowed down the field for us. I looked at a Ford Escape – BLEH – the 2010 model I sat in felt so cheap – the 2013 had bad reviews. It felt like it was very cheap plastic inside – while it was the size I was looking for and the price – I couldn’t get over how cheap it felt and I knew I wouldn't be happy with it. Probably because I’m use to the nice interior that generally comes with Dodge vehicles.
So needless to say, the Ford Escape was now off our list. At this point our options were getting much more narrow and I was getting really tired of looking – literally tired. All the walking around, talking with people and internet research was catching up to me – we weren’t getting home until late every night and our entire “normal” schedule has been off really since the crash on April 3rd. I’m now feeling the effects of it all in full force – my fatigue is off the charts this week.
Wednesday this past week we decided to go check the Dodge Journey again. After several days of going around looking, dealing with pushy sales people and not finding anything we liked, I wanted to see the Dodge one more time before I made a decision. We went, we looked, we still loved – so the choice was obvious – let’s talk numbers! We also really liked the sales person we dealt with.
We ended up staying at the dealership for HOURS – we had to come to grips with several things before we could feel comfortable with our decision. For a variety of reasons, our credit scores aren't that great. That right there put us in a bad situation for our APR on a loan…….the dealer worked with what they had and ended up getting us as good a deal as they could considering. I was leaning towards continuing on looking as I really wanted a lower payment, however, with our credit, we were unlikely to find a lower payment even if we found a less expensive /older car. My husband reminded me too that if we left we would put to chance that the car we want would be gone, and that we might not find another like it. So after thinking and thinking and thinking we said yes to the car! I’m now driving a nice black 2013 Dodge Journey, AWD with 28k miles. We were able to negotiate a lot of things so we ended up getting some good deals attached to the car. Our 1st 4 oil changes are free with the dealer, the entire car is covered on any problems it could have pretty much for the life of the car. That makes us feel good about the purchase and comfortable that we won’t have to shell out even more money should something bad go wrong with anything on the car – lots of electronics so that is a great peace of mind for us. At most we would have to pay a $100 deductible to get anything fixed - sounds great to me!
Here it is Friday as I’m writing this update and I can barely keep my eyes open. I’m so exhausted from everything this week. My chronic fatigue tends to flare out of control when my “normal” schedule gets upheaved like it has this past couple weeks. Between driving my husbands older truck, which is difficult for me to even get into most of the time, the stress of trying to find the right car, finding the right car and the stress involved with that purchase – it all adds up and ends up leaving me dealing with excess pain and fatigue that I haven’t had in a while. My normal aches and pains are in overdrive and like I said before, my fatigue is just off the charts. Of course life goes on so I have to push myself through and get things done - but believe me, as soon as I can, I'm down for the count!
This weekend my plans are to rest if I can. That is of course after I grocery shop, plan Easter dinner and get things ready for the kids – but after all that, rest!......is there even time to rest?
I saw my Chiropractor on Friday and he gave me a shot of B12 - historically B12 does nothing for me at all - I'm one of those who just doesn't metabolize it - but we thought to give it a try and see if anything changes - maybe my body has changed since the last I tried it.
Coming into this next week I work M-W and then my daughter and I are off to MN for the Northern Lights Volleyball Tournament. She will play with the 17’s team from her club as they invited her to join them for this tournament. It’s a great opportunity for her and we are very excited. Of course this trip will most likely not help my fatigue as traveling tends to take it out of me so I don’t suspect won’t feel much better until well into May when things finally start to settle down in my world and I can get the rest break I so much need in order to get back on track.
Through all this I’ve been continuing to see my chiropractor and getting adjustments. That’s been helping a lot – I have also had some acupuncture, which helped my ribs finally stop hurting. They were hurting so bad, I am sure from the accident. After the acupuncture they finally stopped hurting.
Today (Saturday) as I'm finishing up this post I wanted to add that I am not as tired as I was yesterday - so maybe that B12 did help a little. I went to bed early last night too. On the other hand, my entire body hurts - I think it's just par for the course with having Fibro and Chronic Fatigue - I just hope this flare leaves sooner rather than later.
Whew, that was a lot to share this week! If you made it this far, I applaud you and thank you for your continued interest in my story.
Until next time - to your health!
Gerri
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Let's visit this FMS and Herpes connection again shall we?
So if you recall in my last post I included an article I had found that shows a potential link between FMS and HSV. If you need to refresh yourself on that article, you can do so by clicking HERE - then let's dig a little deeper into this connection and see what we find.
Naturally, I've been doing some research of my own and think that this article has a lot to it and that this . I have EBV (Epstein Barr Virus) which is also known as human Herpesvirus 4. EBV is also linked to Chronic Fatigue - hmmmm interesting, I have that too. EBV can also cause infectious mononucleosis - another interesting thing, I was diagnosed with Mono when I was 16 - seeing the dots connect yet? Mono and EBV, the two seem to go hand in hand. Funny thing though, once you have it, you NEVER ever get rid of it. It lurks and can cause havoc on your body at any given time. Sound familiar? Boy it sure does to me!
So we know there is a link between EBV, HSV, CFS and Mono.....where does FMS come into play? I wonder if because of all the other things, FMS and the pain we experience is just another part of the Herpes virus boring away at our nerve ganglia which in turn causes our unexplained pain all over our bodies....something to consider as a real possibility.
See what happens when I have too much time on my hands? I start posting to my blog and researching things which leads me in all kinds of directions!
On a side note, please, please look at this product I've talked about PowerStrips - it works and the results are incredible! I've been enjoying pain free living since finding it and hope to help others who suffer from pain with this simple system.
Until next time - to your health!!!
Gerri
Naturally, I've been doing some research of my own and think that this article has a lot to it and that this . I have EBV (Epstein Barr Virus) which is also known as human Herpesvirus 4. EBV is also linked to Chronic Fatigue - hmmmm interesting, I have that too. EBV can also cause infectious mononucleosis - another interesting thing, I was diagnosed with Mono when I was 16 - seeing the dots connect yet? Mono and EBV, the two seem to go hand in hand. Funny thing though, once you have it, you NEVER ever get rid of it. It lurks and can cause havoc on your body at any given time. Sound familiar? Boy it sure does to me!
So we know there is a link between EBV, HSV, CFS and Mono.....where does FMS come into play? I wonder if because of all the other things, FMS and the pain we experience is just another part of the Herpes virus boring away at our nerve ganglia which in turn causes our unexplained pain all over our bodies....something to consider as a real possibility.
See what happens when I have too much time on my hands? I start posting to my blog and researching things which leads me in all kinds of directions!
On a side note, please, please look at this product I've talked about PowerStrips - it works and the results are incredible! I've been enjoying pain free living since finding it and hope to help others who suffer from pain with this simple system.
Until next time - to your health!!!
Gerri
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Interesting study on FMS and HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus)
My entire purpose of starting this blog is to keep my own research someplace that I can refer back to and reflect on. Another reason was to hopefully touch the lives of others who may find themselves in a similar situation as I did about 4 yrs ago - sick with no answers! It's not a fun place to be and actually a very desperate place to find yourself.
Over the course of time as I started to feel better and become more active in my own life I slowly stopped posting things to my blog - this was not intentional, just an oversight as life gets busy.
My goal right now is to keep up on this blog, continuing to add beneficial information that I have found online myself or that was sent to me. I hope to be a source of information to those out there who seek it and to keep those who wish to be kept up to date on how I'm doing with my own struggles.
Today I read an article that I found quite interesting. As anyone who suffers from FMS, CFS, and other chronic issues we don't really have any answers but all these studies being done touch on the POSSIBLE - they still have a long way to go to be proven or to even have a remedy that will work. It's a sad place to be, looking in on these things with the hope that someday in our lifetime they will find something to help us - until then, we carry on, trying new things until we find something that works well enough.
You can read the article HERE
Until next time - to your health!
Gerri
Over the course of time as I started to feel better and become more active in my own life I slowly stopped posting things to my blog - this was not intentional, just an oversight as life gets busy.
My goal right now is to keep up on this blog, continuing to add beneficial information that I have found online myself or that was sent to me. I hope to be a source of information to those out there who seek it and to keep those who wish to be kept up to date on how I'm doing with my own struggles.
Today I read an article that I found quite interesting. As anyone who suffers from FMS, CFS, and other chronic issues we don't really have any answers but all these studies being done touch on the POSSIBLE - they still have a long way to go to be proven or to even have a remedy that will work. It's a sad place to be, looking in on these things with the hope that someday in our lifetime they will find something to help us - until then, we carry on, trying new things until we find something that works well enough.
You can read the article HERE
Until next time - to your health!
Gerri
Monday, March 31, 2014
Unbelievable!!! You have GOT TO READ this!
I'm going to get right to the point - I've stumbled on a product that is nothing short of amazing! If you are like me, you have heard this before, been approached by people who claim to have what you need to make you feel better - only to be disappointed when it didn't work - well, from one chronic pain sufferer to another - I am not pulling your chain and I would NEVER vouch for something that didn't work on me!
If you are like me and live with pain all the time day in and day out then you have got to continue reading this and be prepared to share with everyone you love and know that lives with pain.
I for one don't take medication to relieve my pain. I try all natural ways to control it and most of the time am just dealing with the pain as I go through my daily life. I visit my chiropractor about every 2 wks to keep my body in line and working good. I have found that these regular visits help more than anything else.
Long story short, a friend of mine told me about this product that relieves pain. She explained that it's all natural and there is nothing like it anywhere. Like everything else my initial thought is "yeah right" - so she sent me a sample of this product to try. It's basically a patch you put on where you experience pain. You can check it out here!
For me, at the moment, my daily pain is located in my shoulder joint. It's a deep aching pain that just won't give. So I slapped this patch on my shoulder as instructed. She said to let her know how it feels in the morning. So I went about my business for the rest of the night and went to bed wearing this patch. I didn't notice anything spectacular that night after applying the patch. She had told me that some people may experience warmth where it's placed but I did not have this sensation.
When I woke in the morning I moved my shoulder expecting to have my normal aches and pain - much to my surprise there was NO PAIN.....I moved my arm in all directions to try to find the pain and at the very most I could feel where the pain should be but it was so minor I wasn't sure if it was really even pain.
The patch is worn for 24-48 hrs with most of the relief happening around the 24 hr point. This was just about 12 hrs of wearing the patch overnight and I was pain free for the first time in a good year! You read this right - PAIN FREE! In my world, that isn't something that you hear or get to experience!
AHHHHH, PAIN FREE....yes it's true! A real product, an ALL NATURAL product that REALLY takes away pain where ever you have it! This patch is brand new and only available through individuals who sell it. I can tell you right now, I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on more of these patches! I have friends all over who will appreciate the pain free living that is awaiting them in this patch! I want to make this a readily available product to anyone and everyone I know who suffers from chronic pain! I know first hand how getting even a little relief from chronic pain is - to have something that is able to keep the pain away - PRICELESS!
For about $80/mo you get 15 patches - those patches can be cut to any size so you can actually make them last a full month or two if you cut them in half and wear one for 48 hrs at a time.
$80 might seem like a high price but whats worse? Paying that much or more for a chemical RX to treat your pain or paying that much for an all natural pain remedy? I would say the later of the two. I look at it this way, I pay my chiropractor $45 a visit, per week, to relieve my pain. I can take my $80 and purchase a package of patches and see my chiropractor every other week to keep everything in alignment.....no more money than I already spend and getting full time pain relief - WINNING!
If you are interested in more information about this amazing discovery please don't hesitate to contact me - I'm telling you it's going to be a game changer for people who live with Chronic Pain - it's new and powerful!
With excitement I look forward to hearing from those of you who are serious about living pain free!
For the first 6 people who contact me, I will send you a free sample of this amazing product - I believe in it 100%!
To your health (and living pain free!)
Gerri
If you are like me and live with pain all the time day in and day out then you have got to continue reading this and be prepared to share with everyone you love and know that lives with pain.
I for one don't take medication to relieve my pain. I try all natural ways to control it and most of the time am just dealing with the pain as I go through my daily life. I visit my chiropractor about every 2 wks to keep my body in line and working good. I have found that these regular visits help more than anything else.
Long story short, a friend of mine told me about this product that relieves pain. She explained that it's all natural and there is nothing like it anywhere. Like everything else my initial thought is "yeah right" - so she sent me a sample of this product to try. It's basically a patch you put on where you experience pain. You can check it out here!
For me, at the moment, my daily pain is located in my shoulder joint. It's a deep aching pain that just won't give. So I slapped this patch on my shoulder as instructed. She said to let her know how it feels in the morning. So I went about my business for the rest of the night and went to bed wearing this patch. I didn't notice anything spectacular that night after applying the patch. She had told me that some people may experience warmth where it's placed but I did not have this sensation.
When I woke in the morning I moved my shoulder expecting to have my normal aches and pain - much to my surprise there was NO PAIN.....I moved my arm in all directions to try to find the pain and at the very most I could feel where the pain should be but it was so minor I wasn't sure if it was really even pain.
The patch is worn for 24-48 hrs with most of the relief happening around the 24 hr point. This was just about 12 hrs of wearing the patch overnight and I was pain free for the first time in a good year! You read this right - PAIN FREE! In my world, that isn't something that you hear or get to experience!
AHHHHH, PAIN FREE....yes it's true! A real product, an ALL NATURAL product that REALLY takes away pain where ever you have it! This patch is brand new and only available through individuals who sell it. I can tell you right now, I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on more of these patches! I have friends all over who will appreciate the pain free living that is awaiting them in this patch! I want to make this a readily available product to anyone and everyone I know who suffers from chronic pain! I know first hand how getting even a little relief from chronic pain is - to have something that is able to keep the pain away - PRICELESS!
For about $80/mo you get 15 patches - those patches can be cut to any size so you can actually make them last a full month or two if you cut them in half and wear one for 48 hrs at a time.
$80 might seem like a high price but whats worse? Paying that much or more for a chemical RX to treat your pain or paying that much for an all natural pain remedy? I would say the later of the two. I look at it this way, I pay my chiropractor $45 a visit, per week, to relieve my pain. I can take my $80 and purchase a package of patches and see my chiropractor every other week to keep everything in alignment.....no more money than I already spend and getting full time pain relief - WINNING!
If you are interested in more information about this amazing discovery please don't hesitate to contact me - I'm telling you it's going to be a game changer for people who live with Chronic Pain - it's new and powerful!
With excitement I look forward to hearing from those of you who are serious about living pain free!
For the first 6 people who contact me, I will send you a free sample of this amazing product - I believe in it 100%!
To your health (and living pain free!)
Gerri
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Spring Break time, family time, VOLLEYBALL and me.......
So here I thought it's been a few weeks since I've posted and when I looked I realize it's been a month already - sheesh. Things are "Status quo" with nothing really "new" to report. Well, one thing is new, my sister had her 2nd baby! So we have a new family member, Ms Audrey Rose Gordon. She is precious of course!
As most of you know I'm always on the look out for new and great things that will help with CFS/ME, Lupus and FMS symptoms. Well I have recently found a product and I want to tell you about it because I'm excited about it's potential. It's called "Aloha" - basically it's a dried green juice powder! SHUT UP! I literally was just thinking about how I wish there was a product that would give the benefits of juicing in a much easier form such as a powder or pre-made but good drink that was affordable....I know, I know, in my dreams! Or at least I thought! Then I see an ad on Facebook pop up one day that caught my eye - it was EXACTLY what I had been thinking about - weird I know!
They appear to be a relatively new company and the product is exactly what I've been looking for. I was able to get a sample of it and so far have found it to be just as good as it seems. I mix the powder into my daily protein smoothie because on it's own it's quite harsh tasting! I made the mistake of mixing it with just water when I first got it - ACK - I drank it but man, I won't make that mistake again! If you have ever had spirulina straight, that is exactly what it reminds me of - but I find mixing it with my smoothie drowns out the strong taste and it's palatable. I'm always looking for ways to easily incorporate lots of vegetables and goodness into my daily diet and this seems like a great way to do just that without the time/money/mess it takes to juice all the same things (and then some). Don't get me wrong, I love juicing and all the amazing health benefits but it is just too time consuming for me to do it on a regular basis anymore. For the same cost, if not less, I can get the same benefits out of a package of dried juice - easy, fast and most of all convenient. Check it out here Aloha - The Daily Good. As anyone who is dealing with the affliction of a chronic illness knows, the more good stuff we can put into our bodies, the better off we are all around. I really encourage you to check it out if you are like me and want to put the good things in but just don't have the time and energy to juice 3x or more a day. With this, you take it once a day and you are good to go. There are 14 organic ingredients that promise to help detoxify, energize, hydrate and best of all BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM function! The process they use to dry the ingredients doesn't take away the nutrients or fiber which a lot of the time juicing does - so there is another bonus! I've been using it just for a few days now so I can't honestly report anything over the top with it but I do plan on continuing to use it for the internal benefits I believe it will deliver. A strong immune system is a huge plus for me. I can also say I have noticed a temporary increase in my energy when I take it so that is always of course a huge plus!
In other news, it's spring break for myself and my kids - very much needed I might add! I was thoroughly exhausted by the time it came along. Last Friday was the first day and honestly I haven't done a whole lot since. We did have an all day volleyball tournament on Sunday, but aside from that I've pretty much been a lazy lounger......of course I'm still keeping my normal schedule of going to be around 8 or 9pm but I'm able to sleep in past 5:30 am which has been nice. I'm finding myself getting up around 8am, still tired but unable to sleep any longer. I also have been noticing I wake up a lot at night, which isn't uncommon and surely part of why I'm always so tired, I'm not getting restful sleep.
So I wonder how many of you feel like I do - lazy. I often feel like my illness has made me very "lazy" for lack of a better term - I feel lazy because I just don't want to do ANYTHING most of the time. It makes me feel bad because I know I "should" be outside enjoying the nice weather, exercising, taking the kids out to do things etc.......so I start to get on myself and negative thinking hits. I can sit here all day in my PJ's - easy. So I wonder, is it just me being LAZY or is it truly because it's not often that I get to do it and when the opportunity shows itself I'm all over it? Am I lazy? Some would say YES. I on the other hand am not sure at this point. While I know I'm chronically sick, it's hard to convince even myself at times.
Volleyball is coming to an end soon - this has kept us very busy and on the go most of the time. With 3-4 practices a week and an all day "power" each Sunday we find very little time to do much else. Early mornings and late nights tend to be our M.O. during the club season. As of May there will be a little break in the action before the summer camps start up with the school. My daughter loves the sport and we are so blessed to be able to give her the opportunity to play for a club and in school as well as the countless other things she gets invited to do. My husband and I love watching her too. Our son on the other hand, not so much. He isn't a big fan of noises so volleyball is really something that stresses him out. With his sensory issues it's not the most accommodating sport for him.
Now I have a question for those of you with CFS/ME and/or FMS. What strategies have you found work for you to keep you in a good place with your illness and struggles that come with it? I feel like I do all the "right" things most of the time but still find myself very tired - some days more than others. Some days it's very hard to get myself through and I can't wait to get home and collapse in my rocking chair/recliner. I'm just curious what methods or things you do that keep you on top of your illness and what things you find make you crash and burn?? Thanks in advance for sharing as I know it can be a very personal thing.
Personally, I find that every day is so different from the last, especially dependent on what I did or didn't do for myself. Things we put into our bodies will effect how we feel in the near and sometimes not so near future. I find it hard to stay away from sugary things though, which for me is a downfall as I'm sure that lends to a lot of my symptoms of being extra tired. I also have a very hard time managing my weight NO MATTER WHAT I DO....Since being on the Body By Vi challenge I have found it easier to maintain my weight and I enjoy the fact that I'm getting great nutrients from the protein shakes but I wish I could LOSE weight as effortlessly as it seems others do.
At any rate, I hope this finds you well and enjoying spring! Please send me comments if you have anything to share or say about anything I've put in my blog. Let me know you are out there! I am beginning to feel like I'm writing to a black hole! I'm off to get some laundry done (the never ending pile seems to get bigger by the day) and then spend the evening in the volleyball gym - it is our life for now!
To your health!
Gerri
As most of you know I'm always on the look out for new and great things that will help with CFS/ME, Lupus and FMS symptoms. Well I have recently found a product and I want to tell you about it because I'm excited about it's potential. It's called "Aloha" - basically it's a dried green juice powder! SHUT UP! I literally was just thinking about how I wish there was a product that would give the benefits of juicing in a much easier form such as a powder or pre-made but good drink that was affordable....I know, I know, in my dreams! Or at least I thought! Then I see an ad on Facebook pop up one day that caught my eye - it was EXACTLY what I had been thinking about - weird I know!
They appear to be a relatively new company and the product is exactly what I've been looking for. I was able to get a sample of it and so far have found it to be just as good as it seems. I mix the powder into my daily protein smoothie because on it's own it's quite harsh tasting! I made the mistake of mixing it with just water when I first got it - ACK - I drank it but man, I won't make that mistake again! If you have ever had spirulina straight, that is exactly what it reminds me of - but I find mixing it with my smoothie drowns out the strong taste and it's palatable. I'm always looking for ways to easily incorporate lots of vegetables and goodness into my daily diet and this seems like a great way to do just that without the time/money/mess it takes to juice all the same things (and then some). Don't get me wrong, I love juicing and all the amazing health benefits but it is just too time consuming for me to do it on a regular basis anymore. For the same cost, if not less, I can get the same benefits out of a package of dried juice - easy, fast and most of all convenient. Check it out here Aloha - The Daily Good. As anyone who is dealing with the affliction of a chronic illness knows, the more good stuff we can put into our bodies, the better off we are all around. I really encourage you to check it out if you are like me and want to put the good things in but just don't have the time and energy to juice 3x or more a day. With this, you take it once a day and you are good to go. There are 14 organic ingredients that promise to help detoxify, energize, hydrate and best of all BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM function! The process they use to dry the ingredients doesn't take away the nutrients or fiber which a lot of the time juicing does - so there is another bonus! I've been using it just for a few days now so I can't honestly report anything over the top with it but I do plan on continuing to use it for the internal benefits I believe it will deliver. A strong immune system is a huge plus for me. I can also say I have noticed a temporary increase in my energy when I take it so that is always of course a huge plus!
In other news, it's spring break for myself and my kids - very much needed I might add! I was thoroughly exhausted by the time it came along. Last Friday was the first day and honestly I haven't done a whole lot since. We did have an all day volleyball tournament on Sunday, but aside from that I've pretty much been a lazy lounger......of course I'm still keeping my normal schedule of going to be around 8 or 9pm but I'm able to sleep in past 5:30 am which has been nice. I'm finding myself getting up around 8am, still tired but unable to sleep any longer. I also have been noticing I wake up a lot at night, which isn't uncommon and surely part of why I'm always so tired, I'm not getting restful sleep.
So I wonder how many of you feel like I do - lazy. I often feel like my illness has made me very "lazy" for lack of a better term - I feel lazy because I just don't want to do ANYTHING most of the time. It makes me feel bad because I know I "should" be outside enjoying the nice weather, exercising, taking the kids out to do things etc.......so I start to get on myself and negative thinking hits. I can sit here all day in my PJ's - easy. So I wonder, is it just me being LAZY or is it truly because it's not often that I get to do it and when the opportunity shows itself I'm all over it? Am I lazy? Some would say YES. I on the other hand am not sure at this point. While I know I'm chronically sick, it's hard to convince even myself at times.
Volleyball is coming to an end soon - this has kept us very busy and on the go most of the time. With 3-4 practices a week and an all day "power" each Sunday we find very little time to do much else. Early mornings and late nights tend to be our M.O. during the club season. As of May there will be a little break in the action before the summer camps start up with the school. My daughter loves the sport and we are so blessed to be able to give her the opportunity to play for a club and in school as well as the countless other things she gets invited to do. My husband and I love watching her too. Our son on the other hand, not so much. He isn't a big fan of noises so volleyball is really something that stresses him out. With his sensory issues it's not the most accommodating sport for him.
Now I have a question for those of you with CFS/ME and/or FMS. What strategies have you found work for you to keep you in a good place with your illness and struggles that come with it? I feel like I do all the "right" things most of the time but still find myself very tired - some days more than others. Some days it's very hard to get myself through and I can't wait to get home and collapse in my rocking chair/recliner. I'm just curious what methods or things you do that keep you on top of your illness and what things you find make you crash and burn?? Thanks in advance for sharing as I know it can be a very personal thing.
Personally, I find that every day is so different from the last, especially dependent on what I did or didn't do for myself. Things we put into our bodies will effect how we feel in the near and sometimes not so near future. I find it hard to stay away from sugary things though, which for me is a downfall as I'm sure that lends to a lot of my symptoms of being extra tired. I also have a very hard time managing my weight NO MATTER WHAT I DO....Since being on the Body By Vi challenge I have found it easier to maintain my weight and I enjoy the fact that I'm getting great nutrients from the protein shakes but I wish I could LOSE weight as effortlessly as it seems others do.
At any rate, I hope this finds you well and enjoying spring! Please send me comments if you have anything to share or say about anything I've put in my blog. Let me know you are out there! I am beginning to feel like I'm writing to a black hole! I'm off to get some laundry done (the never ending pile seems to get bigger by the day) and then spend the evening in the volleyball gym - it is our life for now!
To your health!
Gerri
Monday, February 11, 2013
Abundant Nutrition = Abundant Healthy life!
I wanted to share my new find with you all in hopes that you too will find it, get it and use it!
You may have heard of this "Nutribullet" - it's an offshoot of the MagicBullet. This machine is a godsend! It's like a juicer, blender, chopper, dicer all in one compact little machine! You can make soup with it, you can dice veggies with it, you can purify with it - I'm not sure what it can't do! It basically extracts the nutrients from what you put into it so you get more of them in a digestible form. You can also add nuts and seeds to get even more powerful nutrients into your body.
If you've been reading my blog, then you know I love to make fresh juice - over the course of time I have gotten away from juicing due to the sheer hassle of it when you are really busy. From the prep to the clean up I found it was a lot of work and slowly got away from doing it. Unfortunately this means that I was no longer feeding my body with the amazing nutrients that are found in drinking freshly made juices. This also means I am not getting the powerhouse of nutrients that are essential in maintaining my health and keeping my FMS and CFS under control. Through all the research I've done regarding these two conditions, I am beginning to really see the link between nutrition and a healthy body overall. I think with proper nutrition, meaning nutrients in your cells, you can overcome a lot of problems. This isn't to say that all illness is caused by lack of nutrition but I would say that a good majority of problems, especially those that Dr's seem to be unable to pin point a reason for, are due to lack of the right things in your body over a long period of time as well as other factors person to person.
With the Nutribullet there is no major food prep other than the normal cutting, no major clean up as it doesn't leave behind ANY PULP and it takes a max of 10 minutes from start to finish to make a super nutritious smoothie or juice. I'm really excited about this as it allows me to get back on the juices without the time as well as no waste so I feel that I'm getting even more of the goodness that those fruits and veggies provide. I struggled for a long time with all the waste I was throwing away after making juice. I tried to figure out how I could use it but never did - all that vegetable and fruit material just down the trash.
I think juicing is great, please don't get me wrong - and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in it. The NutriBullet I believe is the new generation of juicers. It allows you to make a tasty nutrient rich drink in minutes. It also allows you to consume a lot more vegetables and fruits than you would normally consume in a day. This alone will increase your health with the added benefits. One thing I have found with juicing is that it does make your blood sugar spike from the natural sugars in the items you juice - with this nutribullet you are also getting all the fruit and vegetable materials that will help even out your blood sugar, fill you up and keep you level.
I can't say enough about this compact yet powerful kitchen machine. It's $100 at Bed Bath and Beyond, use the 20% coupon you probably get in the mail and it is even cheaper! It's worth every penny!
I have read some reviews on it that say the machine stops working after about 3 months - so be sure to keep your packaging and receipt handy just in case this happens, then you can return it as faulty and get yourself a new one!
It's been one week now since I've been using this machine, my husband makes himself drinks as do my kids! It is so worth it just to know they are getting good things into their bodies without the hassle of "eat your vegetables" or "make sure you get your fruits in" and whatever else us moms tend to say to our kids to keep them healthy. With the Nutri-Bullet they WANT a smoothie! Maybe not a GREEN one but anything is better than nothing!
For instance, my son LOVES bananas so I make him a smoothie that consists of 1 banana, 8oz milk or soy milk, 1 TBSP banana cream flavor pudding mix and 1 container of banana yogurt - all blended into a rich thick smoothie. You could also use banana flavor extract.
My daughter on the other hand loves Strawberries - so hers is Strawberries, milk and a container of strawberry yogurt and a vitamin rich protein powder if I can get it in there. The yogurt provides the protein and the strawberries are a great source of antioxidants and are actually considered a superfood. They also act as an anti-inflamatory, help fight the onset of Cancer, prevents age related eye problems, full of vitamin C, 1 cup provides 21% Manganese which also helps with bone support.
I'm telling you, if you want to feel great and get your daily dose of vegetables and fruit in your diet, get this machine and give it a shot. You won't be sorry!
If you do get it, please let me know!! I would love to hear from you about it! OR anything else for that matter!
Until next time, stay healthy and happy!
Gerri
You may have heard of this "Nutribullet" - it's an offshoot of the MagicBullet. This machine is a godsend! It's like a juicer, blender, chopper, dicer all in one compact little machine! You can make soup with it, you can dice veggies with it, you can purify with it - I'm not sure what it can't do! It basically extracts the nutrients from what you put into it so you get more of them in a digestible form. You can also add nuts and seeds to get even more powerful nutrients into your body.
If you've been reading my blog, then you know I love to make fresh juice - over the course of time I have gotten away from juicing due to the sheer hassle of it when you are really busy. From the prep to the clean up I found it was a lot of work and slowly got away from doing it. Unfortunately this means that I was no longer feeding my body with the amazing nutrients that are found in drinking freshly made juices. This also means I am not getting the powerhouse of nutrients that are essential in maintaining my health and keeping my FMS and CFS under control. Through all the research I've done regarding these two conditions, I am beginning to really see the link between nutrition and a healthy body overall. I think with proper nutrition, meaning nutrients in your cells, you can overcome a lot of problems. This isn't to say that all illness is caused by lack of nutrition but I would say that a good majority of problems, especially those that Dr's seem to be unable to pin point a reason for, are due to lack of the right things in your body over a long period of time as well as other factors person to person.
With the Nutribullet there is no major food prep other than the normal cutting, no major clean up as it doesn't leave behind ANY PULP and it takes a max of 10 minutes from start to finish to make a super nutritious smoothie or juice. I'm really excited about this as it allows me to get back on the juices without the time as well as no waste so I feel that I'm getting even more of the goodness that those fruits and veggies provide. I struggled for a long time with all the waste I was throwing away after making juice. I tried to figure out how I could use it but never did - all that vegetable and fruit material just down the trash.
I think juicing is great, please don't get me wrong - and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in it. The NutriBullet I believe is the new generation of juicers. It allows you to make a tasty nutrient rich drink in minutes. It also allows you to consume a lot more vegetables and fruits than you would normally consume in a day. This alone will increase your health with the added benefits. One thing I have found with juicing is that it does make your blood sugar spike from the natural sugars in the items you juice - with this nutribullet you are also getting all the fruit and vegetable materials that will help even out your blood sugar, fill you up and keep you level.
I can't say enough about this compact yet powerful kitchen machine. It's $100 at Bed Bath and Beyond, use the 20% coupon you probably get in the mail and it is even cheaper! It's worth every penny!
I have read some reviews on it that say the machine stops working after about 3 months - so be sure to keep your packaging and receipt handy just in case this happens, then you can return it as faulty and get yourself a new one!
It's been one week now since I've been using this machine, my husband makes himself drinks as do my kids! It is so worth it just to know they are getting good things into their bodies without the hassle of "eat your vegetables" or "make sure you get your fruits in" and whatever else us moms tend to say to our kids to keep them healthy. With the Nutri-Bullet they WANT a smoothie! Maybe not a GREEN one but anything is better than nothing!
For instance, my son LOVES bananas so I make him a smoothie that consists of 1 banana, 8oz milk or soy milk, 1 TBSP banana cream flavor pudding mix and 1 container of banana yogurt - all blended into a rich thick smoothie. You could also use banana flavor extract.
My daughter on the other hand loves Strawberries - so hers is Strawberries, milk and a container of strawberry yogurt and a vitamin rich protein powder if I can get it in there. The yogurt provides the protein and the strawberries are a great source of antioxidants and are actually considered a superfood. They also act as an anti-inflamatory, help fight the onset of Cancer, prevents age related eye problems, full of vitamin C, 1 cup provides 21% Manganese which also helps with bone support.
I'm telling you, if you want to feel great and get your daily dose of vegetables and fruit in your diet, get this machine and give it a shot. You won't be sorry!
If you do get it, please let me know!! I would love to hear from you about it! OR anything else for that matter!
Until next time, stay healthy and happy!
Gerri
Monday, February 6, 2012
An Open Letter
Having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (AKA CFS) and Fibromyalgia (AKA Fibro or FMS) means many things change, and a lot of them are invisible. Unlike AIDS and Cancer, most people do not understand even a little about CFS or FMS and their effects, and of those that think they know, many are actually mis-informed. In the spirit of informing those who wish to understand..........................................................
These are the things that I would like you to understand about me before you judge me or decide that I'm just lazy..........
Please understand that being sick doesn’t mean I’m not still a human being. Sometimes I have to spend most of my day flat on my back in bed and I might not seem like great company, but I’m still me stuck inside this body. I still worry about work and my family and friends, and most of the time I’d still like to hear you talk about yours too.
Please understand the difference between “happy” and “healthy”. When you’ve got the flu you probably feel miserable with it, but I’ve been sick for years. I can’t be miserable all the time, in fact I work hard at not being miserable. So if you’re talking to me and I sound happy, it means I’m happy. That’s all. I may be tired. I may be in pain. I may be sicker that ever. Please, don’t say, “Oh, you’re sounding better!”. I am not sounding better, I am sounding happy. If you want to comment on that, you’re welcome.
Please understand that being able to stand up for five minutes, doesn’t necessarily mean that I can stand up for ten minutes, or an hour. It’s quite likely that doing that five minutes has exhausted my resources and I’ll need to recover – imagine an athlete after a race. They couldn’t repeat that feat right away either. With a lot of diseases you’re either paralyzed or you can move. With this one it gets more confusing.
Please repeat the above paragraph substituting, “sitting up”, “walking”, “thinking”, “being sociable” and so on … it applies to everything. That’s what a fatigue-based illness does to you.
Please understand that chronic illnesses are variable. It’s quite possible (for me, it’s very common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, do Zumba and play with the kids while the next day I’ll have trouble getting to the kitchen. Please don’t attack me when I’m ill by saying, “But you did it before!”. If you want me to do something, ask if I can and I’ll tell you. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel an invitation at the last minute, if this happens please don’t take it personally.
Please understand that “getting out and doing things” does not make me feel better, and can often make me seriously worse. CFS and/or FMS may cause secondary depression (wouldn’t you get depressed if you were stuck in bed for years on end!?) but it is not caused by depression. Telling me that I need some fresh air and exercise is not appreciated and not correct – if I could do it, believe me I would.
Please understand that if I say I have to sit down/lie down/take these pills now, that I do have to do it right now – it can’t be put off or forgotten just because I’m doing something. CFS and/or FMS does not forgive.
Please understand that I can’t spend all of my energy trying to get well. With a short-term illness like the flu, you can afford to put life on hold for a week or two while you get well. But part of having a chronic illness is coming to the realization that you have to spend some energy on having a life now. This doesn’t mean I’m not trying to get better. It doesn’t mean I’ve given up. It’s just how life is when you’re dealing with a chronic illness.
If you want to suggest a cure to me, please don’t. It’s not because I don’t appreciate the thought, and it’s not because I don’t want to get well. It’s because I have had almost every single one of my friends suggest one at one point or another. At first I tried them all, but then I realized that I was using up so much energy trying things that I was making myself sicker, not better. If there was something that cured, or even helped, all people with CFS and/or Fibro then we’d know about it. This is not a drug-company conspiracy, there is worldwide networking (both on and off the Internet) between people with CFS and Fibro, if something worked for everyone we would KNOW.
If after reading that, you still want to suggest a cure, then do it, preferably in writing, but don’t expect me to rush out and try it. If I haven’t had it suggested before, I’ll take what you said and discuss it with my doctor. He’s open to new suggestions and is a great guy, and he takes what I say seriously.
Please understand that getting better from an illness like this can be very slow. People with CFS and/or FMS have so many systems in their bodies out of equilibrium, and functioning wrongly, that it may take a long time to sort everything out.
I depend on you – people who are not sick – for many things.
But most importantly............................................................
.....................................................I need you to understand me.
These are the things that I would like you to understand about me before you judge me or decide that I'm just lazy..........
Please understand that being sick doesn’t mean I’m not still a human being. Sometimes I have to spend most of my day flat on my back in bed and I might not seem like great company, but I’m still me stuck inside this body. I still worry about work and my family and friends, and most of the time I’d still like to hear you talk about yours too.
Please understand the difference between “happy” and “healthy”. When you’ve got the flu you probably feel miserable with it, but I’ve been sick for years. I can’t be miserable all the time, in fact I work hard at not being miserable. So if you’re talking to me and I sound happy, it means I’m happy. That’s all. I may be tired. I may be in pain. I may be sicker that ever. Please, don’t say, “Oh, you’re sounding better!”. I am not sounding better, I am sounding happy. If you want to comment on that, you’re welcome.
Please understand that being able to stand up for five minutes, doesn’t necessarily mean that I can stand up for ten minutes, or an hour. It’s quite likely that doing that five minutes has exhausted my resources and I’ll need to recover – imagine an athlete after a race. They couldn’t repeat that feat right away either. With a lot of diseases you’re either paralyzed or you can move. With this one it gets more confusing.
Please repeat the above paragraph substituting, “sitting up”, “walking”, “thinking”, “being sociable” and so on … it applies to everything. That’s what a fatigue-based illness does to you.
Please understand that chronic illnesses are variable. It’s quite possible (for me, it’s very common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, do Zumba and play with the kids while the next day I’ll have trouble getting to the kitchen. Please don’t attack me when I’m ill by saying, “But you did it before!”. If you want me to do something, ask if I can and I’ll tell you. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel an invitation at the last minute, if this happens please don’t take it personally.
Please understand that “getting out and doing things” does not make me feel better, and can often make me seriously worse. CFS and/or FMS may cause secondary depression (wouldn’t you get depressed if you were stuck in bed for years on end!?) but it is not caused by depression. Telling me that I need some fresh air and exercise is not appreciated and not correct – if I could do it, believe me I would.
Please understand that if I say I have to sit down/lie down/take these pills now, that I do have to do it right now – it can’t be put off or forgotten just because I’m doing something. CFS and/or FMS does not forgive.
Please understand that I can’t spend all of my energy trying to get well. With a short-term illness like the flu, you can afford to put life on hold for a week or two while you get well. But part of having a chronic illness is coming to the realization that you have to spend some energy on having a life now. This doesn’t mean I’m not trying to get better. It doesn’t mean I’ve given up. It’s just how life is when you’re dealing with a chronic illness.
If you want to suggest a cure to me, please don’t. It’s not because I don’t appreciate the thought, and it’s not because I don’t want to get well. It’s because I have had almost every single one of my friends suggest one at one point or another. At first I tried them all, but then I realized that I was using up so much energy trying things that I was making myself sicker, not better. If there was something that cured, or even helped, all people with CFS and/or Fibro then we’d know about it. This is not a drug-company conspiracy, there is worldwide networking (both on and off the Internet) between people with CFS and Fibro, if something worked for everyone we would KNOW.
If after reading that, you still want to suggest a cure, then do it, preferably in writing, but don’t expect me to rush out and try it. If I haven’t had it suggested before, I’ll take what you said and discuss it with my doctor. He’s open to new suggestions and is a great guy, and he takes what I say seriously.
Please understand that getting better from an illness like this can be very slow. People with CFS and/or FMS have so many systems in their bodies out of equilibrium, and functioning wrongly, that it may take a long time to sort everything out.
I depend on you – people who are not sick – for many things.
But most importantly............................................................
.....................................................I need you to understand me.
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