… but the health food store sure can!

Tonight, I dropped the girls off at Tae Kwon Do and dashed over to the neighboring shopping center where there is a health food store. I am determined, one way or another, to reclaim my health and as we are just about a week before Ostara (and more importantly a few days ahead of Gamer Dude’s monthly check) it seemed a fitting time to start making some major changes in what I’m putting in my mouth each day.

I bought a bunch of supplements. Green tea and chromium to boost my metabolism from its present slow as a slug rate. I plan to (hopefully) be able to have the caffeine in the green tea replace my morning coffee (and the fat and chemicals it contains). An omega 3-6-9 supplement for heart health. Nature’s Plus – Animal Parade Kid Greenz since with my digestive issues (no gall bladder and bowel adhesions) often cause any intake in greens to cause an increase in pain.  And I finally broke down and spent the money on supplements I can found in my research several months ago (Nature’s Plus – Source Of Life Green/Red Bilayer Tabs) because they contain all kinds of trace levels of whole foods.

I also bought some fat free strained Greek yogurt (love this stuff!), local honey (to help the allergies), an acai-pomegranate-cranberry juice blend, and some whey protein powder.  The latter two will be used to make smoothies for breakfast every morning along with frozen and fresh fruit I have to buy tomorrow at my supermarket.  I also picked up raw almonds (a few a day for “good fat”), Guiltless Gourmet Blue Corn Organic Baked Tortilla Chips, and some ingredients for some dishes I’m making this coming weekend.

In other news, GamerDude and I are talking again about a home business idea we came up with 5 years ago and, right now, this is looking like not only do I have to get off my tail and start blogging more regularly here again, but I am going to have a whole new blog/website to get up and running too.  Thus, my motivation for jumping on the bandwagon with both feet and trying to get myself on the path to wellness.  On the bright side, this probably means I’ll be getting a new laptop sooner as opposed to later.

Finally, my thanks to those who took the time to leave kind words on my last post, or who have held me and my family in your thoughts. Words alone cannot express how much it means to me.  The wonderful thing about the Internet (as was summed up in a recent episode of House) is that no one ever has to be alone again.  All of you …  every day … keep me from feeling alone …. and I love and bless you for it.

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:diet, health, life, supplements

As usual, when I am feeling soul-sick, my blog posts dwindle down to the level of little to nothing. For that, I apologize. This is exacerbated by, as Lady Rose mentioned, the lack of a laptop which lessens the time I have to actually sit down and blog. Hopefully, in another couple of months this will be resolved (if nothing else I hope to be able to do it for my birthday in June)

Unfortunately, there are a number of other things that take precedence. There are the family issues to still resolve, the monthly medical bills (a total of 9 prescriptions (and counting) for 3 people, doctor visits, and therapy sessions), getting the taxes done, and hopefully getting a resume together at some point so I can look for a better job.

We first need to do some costly repairs on the car, we need to finally break down and purchase a second vehicle (so that I CAN actually look for another job), and we need to take care of some other impending expenses such as registering Princess Nature for summer camp.

In addition, I am still in the midst of playing catch up with my health. In addition to starting Prozac, I am now also on a cholesterol lowering drug. I went in for my eye exam (and am now the proud owner of a script for bifocals) and will be getting my eyeglasses in mid-April. My sleep study is set for the end of the month and I am trying to make peace with the knowledge that I may just wind up needing a bedside buddy (I think I’ll name him Henry). My follow-up appointment with my primary is on the 19th, where we’ll go over all of my lab results, talk about other aspects of my symptomology, and probably wind up with orders to see other Drs (i.e. a cardiologist). The gynecologist is on the list as well (though I am waiting to see if my labs still show me as non-menopausal in spite of a total hysterectomy and ovary removal).

Additionally, the girls need to get to the dentist (technically so do Gamer Dude and I as we haven’t been in YEARS) for their check-up and cleaning. And, we have to start the process of getting Miss Artistic evaluated for a breast reduction. Which, right now, we are hoping to do right after school lets out in June.

Speaking of the girls. Both Princess Nature and Miss Artistic have some kind of bug. It “feels” viral to me. Sore throat with no obvious signs of infection (redness, swelling, pus pockets), malaise, nausea, and a cough. No fevers, but still I am considering a trip to the pediatrician as it is the time of year for strep. The bulk of the weekend (so long as my Netflix shipment cooperates) will be spent watching Glee with one or both of them (in-between my usual marathon style cooking) while they rest and I force fluids into them.

In other news, I attended a wake last night for a friend of the family. “A” was one of my older cousin’s oldest friends. Since they grew up together and remained friends into adulthood, “A” was often in attendance at family functions over the years and while I didn’t know him well, or consider him a friend of my own, I still knew him my entire life. So, it was incredibly sad to hear that his car was struck on his evening commute by someone who ran a red light.

Beyond that I keep hearing this nagging thought in my head that reminds me of my own mortality. The voice that whispers that none of us know when the proverbial lightening bolt will fall from the sky bringing us to the end of this life. The voice that with increasing volume speaks to me not only of my regrets but of the realization that I have now been living with my life on hold for almost a decade, waiting for our life circumstances to allow me to be the person I want to be in full sight of the world.

Which brings me back full circle to one of the factors of my having been, to one degree or another, soul sick for the past too many years. Too much stress, too much heartache, too much hardship, with too little in my life to fill me back up. Hopefully getting myself back on track with my health will play a role in not only my feeling better physically but also in helping me have the energy to do the things that need to be done in order for me to reclaim the life I want to lead.

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:depression, family, health, life, stress

Well, I finally made it in to the Dr today. I went without my check list of issues, but managed to remember most of them.

He is starting me on Prozac for my depression and is strongly recommending therapy.  I don’t have a problem with the idea of a therapist, it’s more the finding room in the budget to pay for it on top of other ongoing medication bills and frequent Dr co-pays I am already juggling.

He is ordering a sleep study, not only because I am having multiple issues with getting any significant amount of restful sleep but because Gamer Dude says that I choke and stop breathing in my sleep.

He is ordering a bunch of blood work (including hormone levels to check on my ovarian remnant situation and tests for rheumatoid arthritis because of the crunchy joints) and has me scheduled for a follow-up visit with him in 6 weeks to go over all results.

Additionally he gave me a muscle relaxant script for my all-too-frequent headaches that don’t respond to anything over-the-counter, told me that I have to get a handle on the stress because its starting to affect my blood pressure, and was very firm in stating that I am in no way to sign up for Tae Kwon Do at this point and simply work on using our Wii Fit to gradually work on getting in shape.

When I go back just before Ostara I will address the other issues that I forgot to mention today.

So I may have failed to honor Imbolc in a circle or with a coven but I did honor part of my goal for myself this year which is to reclaim my true self – my health, my spirituality, my dreams.

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:anxiety, depression, health, pain, sleep disorder

As I am still down for the count with a nasty upper respiratory bug – one that includes a diagnosis of both a sinus infection and bronchitis (as well as a delightful fever) I thought I would post the recipe for something my late grandmother used to make for me when I was young.

1/2 cup fresh squeezed (and strained) lemon juice
1/2 cup honey
1 shot whiskey, brandy, honey liquor etc.

In a small saucepan heat honey and lemon juice together until it blends into an even syrup consistency.

Pour honey-lemon mixture into a heat proof mug.

Add 1 shot of liquor and stir well to incorporate.

Take by teaspoons as needed to soothe a painful sore throat and/or to control a dry cough.

Note: This is a family recipe and is posted for informational and entertainment purposes only. This is not intended to treat any particular illness. Please consult your own medical professional to get an accurate diagnosis and to determine the safety of this “home remedy” for your own situation.

Caution: Alcohol should not be used by children, pregnant women, or those for whom it may aggravate a chronic health condition.

Written by Mama KellyTags:cold, flu, health, illness, recipe

Greetings one and all.  I know it has been awhile since I’ve posted here, so let me catch you up on what’s been going on and some of the fun things I’ve been up too lately and other fun things planned for the future. 

Since my gastric bypass surgery on Aug. 6th, I’ve been focusing on creating a healthy eating plan that works with the “pouch” (the 2 oz stomach created by the surgery), constructively dealing with emotional and mental obstacles and overall generally putting all my energy into getting healthy, enjoying life and taking one step at time to achieve my goals.  It’s been a time where I feel I needed to withdraw a bit and just focus on my top priorites – my health, my family and the day to day challenges as well as the daily surprises and the general ups and downs.  I have also been reflecting on what in life brings me joy and contentment, and focusing my energy, not just on physical health, but on spiritual well being as well, which for me includes spending quality time with family and good friends.  

The first few weeks after the surgery were a roller coaster at first, with a bit of weight gaining for a few days followed by struggling to lose, then gaining a few pounds again and ending up frustrated because I wasn’t making any progress.  Not exactly what I had expected.  However, my body seems to have calmed down a bit and healing well, and finally I’ve seen some weight loss  (I’ve lost 25 lbs in the past two weeks, and overall since I started with the pre-op process on March 3, 2009, I’ve lost a total now of 79.5 lbs).  If any one is interested in more details about gastric bypass and\or my journey to get healthy, feel free to stop over at my blog Diet Pulpit.

Overall life is going along very well. Angelgirl is enjoying the 8th grade. Teacherman’s leg injury, from the fall he had on Aug. 6th, is healing well.

Last weekend Angelgirl and I attended a small Native American Indian Event at a local farm about 15 minutes away. We spent the morning listening to stories and music, browsing booths, looking over artifacts, and admiring beadwork, especially a bead project the woman was working on a bead loom (oooooh I so want one – but will resist the urge for now - I have too many crafts around already that I don’t have time for). The Lenapi Indian reservation is not far and they hold larger events there on a regular basis. I hope to be able to attend more often and learn more about their culture. Native American traditions are very close to a wiccan way of life and it is always spiritually renewing to be around others who also respect and honor the Earth. 

We have a lot of fun events to attend coming up this month and through to December and beyond. Hubby and I will be enjoying with friends the comedian Billy Crystal and a Bruce Springsteen concert. I am also planning to go Medieval Times (medieval dinner and show) some time around my birthday which is Oct. 30th. I’ve invited a couple of my girlfriends from work and my mom to come along, but we haven’t set the date yet (most likely early November).

In December we are going  with another couple to see the Paul Winter concert held at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine In New York. It is an awesome Winter Solstice performance and this year is their 30th anniversary so it’s just going to be stunning.  I have wanted to attend this Annual Pilgrimage from Darkness into Light for over 17 years ever since I first heard Paul Winter in concert. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the solstice than with good friends, awesome music and watching the huge sun disk floating across the ceiling of the cathedral.  We are going to make a day of it in New York to see the holidays lights, the big Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, and a nice dinner.

Teacherman is looking forward to it and he thinks it will be a grand idea if we can round out the experience to balance out the year by attending the Summer Solstice Sunrise Drumming Event in Philadelpia in June, it is held on the roof top of the theater and everyone brings a drum (link for the 2009 event).

I am looking forward to enjoying these awesome events with family and close friends.  It is a double bonus for me for many of these events because they are closely related to wiccan themes and they are renewing to my spirit as well.

Some long term possible future plans include attending Womon Gathering next June and possibly taking a Qi Gong class or two (if I can find one locally, so far I haven’t been able to find one, but I’m still looking).  

Mama Kelly and I had such an awesome time when we attended Womon Gathering  in 2008 (one of many posts about our experience:  Friday at Womon Gathering 2008), that I definitely want to go again, and hopefully every year or every other year if need be.   Plans didn’t work out to attend this year, Womon Gathering 2009, so I’m not taking any chances for next year and planning early.  Teacherman and I discussed it and  I decided that I am going to go in June 2010.   I know it’s a bit early to be thinking about next June, but registration is in December so it doesn’t hurt to plan early. 

Having driven there once before, I feel comfortable with the idea of going by myself if I needed to, but I’d be happy to have friends or family come along if they wanted to attend also.   I’ve been getting the word out, so folks can start thinking about it and let me know what their plans are in case any one wants to  corrdinate registration and cabin accommodations (need to put on the form names of those you want to share a cabin with), and later on driving arrangements (I can only fit one other person in my car, but if more then that end up coming along, could always split the cost of renting a bigger car or just forming a train of cars).  

So if any one is planning to attend Womon Gathering 2010, let me know in case you want to corrdinate cabin arrangements or travel plans together or arrange to get meet and get together at the event.

As my 54th birthday approaches, Oct. 30th, and as part of my overall journey to wellness in all aspects of my life, I am making sure that I put time and energy into taking care of me and not letting the bumps in the road of life  or the negativity of others drain away my energy or focus.    A big treat I gave myself was getting a new car (a 2009 Ford Focus, it is a cute little 2-door silver coupe).  My old car was a 14-year-old Prism, that needed repairs, the air conditioner no longer worked and it really needed to be replaced.   Teacherman said he would get me Vanity Plates as a birthday gift if I wanted them - I am hoping that LDYROSE is available – if it’s not, I’m not sure what else I would chose.  I don’t want something too witchy, since in a few years Angelgirl will mostly likely be also driving this car.     I also treated myself to a trip to the hair salon – for a wash and very small trim (only about an inch or two).  The ladies at the shop down the street were very nice and amazed that I hadn’t been to a salon since my wedding in 1991 and that I never, ever plan on getting my hair cut.   The woman who washed my hair said it was the longest she had ever washed.  For me, it was definitely a luxuary indulgence but one I gave myself as a treat to celebrate the weeks of recovering from surgery being over and feeling good.  Who knows, maybe I’ll even get my nails done one of these days in the not too distant future.  It would be a first, since I’ve never had manicure.

I am also enjoying the sense of empowerment and appreciation for life that comes from the wisdom of the Crone.  Fall is my favorite time of year, even though it is a mixture of sadness over some past events, it is also for me a time of year that fills me a renewed sense of spiritual awareness, reflection, and connetion with the Goddess.

At this time of year, the Crone’s energy is all around us, the cool breezes, the blazing colors of the leaves, reminding us that there is light and there is darkness, but we are capable of wisdom, strength, and love; our spirits can endure and thrive if we open ourselves to being in harmony with nature, staying grounded and balanced, and sharing the warmth of love and friendship with others.

May the blessings of the Crone heal your spirit and fill your life with wisdom, 

Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:concert, family, gastric bypass surgery, health, life in general

The thing I am most grateful for this week is Lady Rose’s successful surgery.  Words cannot express how worried I was about her and how relieved I was to see her today.  I hope that her gastric bypass gives her what she wants most – more energy, less pain, and increased health – regardless of what the scale has read in the past and what it may read in the future.

The family and I drove over to her house bearing food for Teacher Man and Angel Girl.  I spent Saturday doing once-a-week cooking in an effort to keep down my supermarket costs this week as well as to give the family a break from the grilled food that has been our staple this summer.  The side benefit of my efforts was that I was able to, with just a little more money and effort cook a bit more than I needed and bring down enough food to keep them in dinners probably for most of the week.

We brought down macaroni & cheese with ham & peas, pasta sauce with sausage, an asian-inspired chicken meatloaf with an orange glaze, and some homemade potato-egg salad.  We also stopped on the way to pick up some edibles for Lady Rose herself – a bunch of calorie free beverages in a wide assortment of flavors and some sugar-free gelatin.

We only stayed about an hour … enough to reassure ourselves that our dear friend was well and sound and would be back to her usual self in no time.  The kids played around a little bit with Lady Rose’s new video game – Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for the WII. It looks like a lot of fun and I can’t imagine a better diversion for my fellow Potterphile than to spend her recovery period wandering around the grounds of Hogwarts.  Before leaving we invited Angel Girl to spend a couple of days with us next week to give her a bit of a break from playing nursemaid.

Insofar as the rest of the details I will allow Lady Rose tell you herself over at her other blog, The Diet Pulpit.

In the meantime, I want to thank everyone who came by and left comments.  I want to thank everyone who lit candles, said prayers,  and held her in their thoughts.  I especially want to thank those of you who sent allies to her bedside, I told her to be on the lookout for them and believe that when complications arose leading to her being kept in a medication induced coma for 24 hours that they kept her safe.

Blessings

Mama Kelly

Written by Mama KellyTags:gastric bypass, health, surgery, weight

Good morning everyone,

I have finally completed all the hoops I had to jump through for the past six months in preparation for gastric bypass surgery, which is scheduled to tomorrow.  I will spend an overnight at the hospital and will be home by Friday afternoon.  Teacherman (hubby) has Mama Kelly’s phone and will give her a call with an update sometime in the late afternoon or early evening Thursday.

I have been blogging for a few years now about my diet up and downs over on my other blog Diet Pulpit.  I plan on continuing to updatie over the next four weeks during recovery and beyond on my progress.  I also plan to include more information on the whole process and preparation for the surgery, if any one is interested in finding out more about it.  

I have researched gastric bypass surgery for years and the surgeon I am going to is the best.  This decision was made after a lot of thought and soul searching and I know it is right for me.  It is not a magic bullet or quick fix – all the work that goes into losing a lot of weight (over 150 lbs) still has to be done by me.  Gastric bypass surgery is a tool that can help, but only if I put in the work required. 

My reason for deciding to have the surgery is to improve my heath.  Due to my congestive heart failure and rhumatoid arthritis since the age of 2 which casues a great deal of joint pain I have never been able to do much physically, which means I gain weight extremely quickly if I eat much over 800 calories a day.  Being over 150lbs overweight only makes these health conditions worse and can lead to even more health problems.  (Starting weight on doctor’s office scale 308 lbs, preop weight loss required – last weighin was this past Monday, 253 lbs, a totall of 55 lbs lost so far.)

I know some folks won’t understand and some even feel it is the easy way out.  All I can say to those people is they obviously do not have all the information about gastric bypass surgery, they don’t know me very well, and they are not in a position to make decisions for me or know my personal health issues and life experiences.

Most folks though have been very supportive and I truly appreciate their good throughts and positive energy.  Of course, family and friends have the usual concerns about surgery.  All surgery does have some risk, however, gastric bypass surgery is very safe.  Also the professional staff and surgical team that I am going to are extremely qualified, have over five years of experience and an excellant record. 

These past few months have been a whirlwind with all the preparations for surgery I had to do.  Work has been absolutely overwhelmingly hectic because I have had to train someone to do my job while I’m on sick leave for a month recovering while at the same time get the huge workload of stuff done that crosses my desk.  All this has totally consumed most of  my mental and emotional energy, leaving little left over for other things and unfortunately that included blogging.  However, I our readers here mean a lot to me and thank you all for your continued support of our blog.  I truly hope I can get back to blogging a bit more over the next few weeks once I recover a bit and hopefully life will be a bit calmer.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:health, surgery, weight loss

Good morning one and all.     This week I have new obsession – Fairies!   And it’s all Mama Kelly’s fault.    LOL  

Fairies – For some reason I decided to check out facebook.  I never had anything going on there since I only had two friends on facebook – and I communicate with one by email and the other was Mama Kelly who I email and see in person at least once a month.  Well, this time I noticed that Mama Kelly was playing an application called Fairyland – where you grow a garden with various flowers and herbs to go up in levels, discover the secret combinations for alchemy and herbalism, and to attract various animals to stop by your garden and it has wands and fairies dust.   Well I started my fairy garden on Sunday, and I’m hooked.    It’s so cute, totally stress free and playing helps to save the rainforest too.

If any one is interested in their own Facebook Fairyland garden and wants to favorite mine let me know and I’ll favorite yours too – my garden’s name is Full Moon Magic (fairy’s name is: Celinette, it means full moon) or if you want to link up as friends – leave a message here and I’ll contact you by email to exchange info.

Friends - This weekend I will be visiting with Mama Kelly for our monthly overnight visit.  As always I am really looking forward to spending time together.   Don’t have anything specific planned but I’m sure we will be discussing the blog, family updates, and a wide variety of topics that come up between two best friends of over 20 years.

Future Plans – I have been really unfocused lately with no major plans.   My time and energy has been mostly focused on getting through all the doctor appointments and tests required for the gastric bypass surgery.  

The lastest test results I got this past Monday were about bloodwork – low vitamin D.  I didn’t think anything of it until the director said, oh well your parathyroid test is off too but that is from the low vitamin D.   Well my ears perked up, when I asked him about it, he just said “take a calcium pill with vitamin d.”   Well of course I had to look it up – and guess what – it seems that the only reason that vitamin d gets low is because of parathyroid problems (usually a tumor) – not the other way around – and that taking extra calcium would cause problems.    Plus I have all almost all the symptoms of a parathyroid problem – exhaustion, high blood pressure, kidney stones, etc. etc. etc.   I am going to have to do more research, but I am definitely going to have to see my primary physician and hopefully convince him to let me see an endocronologist to determine the problem – especially since it may involve major surgery (two long incisions down either side of the neck).    I’ve often thought I had a thyroid problem or soemthing for many, many years – one really odd thing I have is a frequent sharp pain in the side of my tongue radiating up from my neck, and I can often feel a tiny hard lump in the side of my neck.     but since I’m female overweight, any time I mention thyroid tests to a doctor – they just tell me to stop eating and exercise  (considering my calorie intake is 800 to 1000 calories a day and I have rhumatoid arthritis which makes exercise very very painful their advice is not helpful).    I’m not going to worry about it – but I will do some more research and see the doctor and after that if anything has to be done, I’ll just do it.

I also have some fun things to look forward to, like my very top secret plans for Mama Kelly’s birthday in June.   ***evil giggle***    And my daughter’s 13th birthday next month – she doesn’t want anything big, no party or anything.  She is thinking over what she would like for a gift and\or an outing – like a movie with a couple friends and\or shopping for some summer clothes at her favorite stores.   She doesn’t shop a lot, and always looks for sales so going out shopping is treat.   

My husband’s nephew and his wife are expecting their first baby, a boy, next month – due date May 15 (my daughter’s birthday).   We are hoping she actually delivers that day.    I went to the baby shower this past weekend and it was very nice.   It was held at a local restaurant, brunch was served family style, the people at the table where Angelgirl (my daughter) and I sat were very nice, there were a couple baby shower games (50/50 and scratch off tickets) for little prizes, and a mountain of baby gifts to ooooh and aaaaaah over as they were opened.   One of the gifts I gave the expectant mom was a handmade crocheted blanket – done in a 12-point round pattern.  I took a couple of photos and will get them posted soon.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:facebook, fairies, family, health

You may be wondering what these three things have in common. Well they sum up my week and it’s been a doozy of a week.

Ball Bearings – Earlier this week I had to take my car in for some work. It’s a 1996 and has held up very well so far, so I’m not complaining when it does beg for a bit of attention now and then. For several weeks it had been making really loud noises while driving and some times it sounded like I was flying a crop duster. It was getting louder and sounding more unsafe by the day, so I finally said enough is enough and took it in. I’m so glad I did. The ball bearing for the driver side front tire was busted and three tires had dry rot, total was just about $600. It needs another $500 or so work done  for a leaky gasket and something else, but since the rest of repairs are not an emergency, I’m going to wait until summer to get the rest of the work done.

Electrodes – last night I went for a sleep test. It wasn’t all that bad and I managed to get a few hours sleep (enough for the evaluation they needed). The sleep test was required by the pulmonary doctor as part of the evaluation process to qualify for gastric bypass surgery (planned for around Aug. 2009). The technician at the hospital was very nice. I arrived at 8 p.m. and was given a private room with a private bath to hang out in. I was allowed to watch tv – but there was no remote and not that many channels to chose from. About 9 p.m., an hour or so before I wanted to go to sleep, the technician came to start hooking me up. It took about 30 or 40 minutes to get all the wires attached, at least 30 of them. I also had two stretch type belts on (around the chest and waist areas) and around my neck she hung a box with all the wires plugged in. I felt like I had electrodes everywhere – from several spots on my head, my face, neck, chest, and legs. I watched tv for a little longer and then the technician came back to tuck me in and plug in the wires from my box to the wall and attached another sensor to my finger. About 4 a.m. I woke up for my usual bathroom break. The technician came right away to unplug me and I had to take all the wires and the box along with me to the bathroom. I asked if I could leave yet, but she wanted me to try and get more sleep, which I knew wasn’t going to happen. By about 5:30 a.m. she came back and got me unhooked.  (In case any one has questions about sleep testing, for more information see:  Sleep Test Details, also feel free to leave questions in comments.)

On my way home I stopped and got a surprise breakfast (egg and bacon on a fresh Kaiser roll) for my daughter, Angelgirl, who I knew would be just waking about by the time I got in the door. I got lots of hugs from hubby and Angelgirl, and a big smile and thanks for the sandwich.

Big Plans – the tickets arrived for the White House Easter Egg Roll, Monday April 13th!   I’m so excited I’m bouncing all over.   We also purchased the train tickets for Washington D.C. so we are ready to go!

There are also NEW plans for Mama Kelly’s birthday.  I had posted a few weeks ago about having secret plans for her this June to celebrate a BIG birthday.  Those plans just got changed a bit and now the plans are bigger and even more exciting.   ***evil giggle***   I wish I could share with all of our readers more details, but you will all have to wait and be surprised along with Mama Kelly.   

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:birthday, health, sleep test

The other day in a Diet Pulpit post, I wrote about my diagnoses of gastritis and Barrett’s esaphogus this past Monday.  After the testing, I was released from hospital without seeing the doctor, she gave me no instructions, no information, and left me a sheet of paper by the bed with the diagnosis and a note to make an appointment with her in about two to three months.  No one at the hospital even offered me a sip of water before I left, knowing that I would not have had any water or any food if over 24 hours in preparation for the procedures.   I was a bit grumpy and shocked for awhile about the diagnosis and the overall way they deal with patients at this hospital.  Plus I have NO symptoms at all, so I really didn’t expect them to find anything serious.   The only reason I had the tests done was because they are part of the serious of checkups I need to have in order to qualify for gastric bypass surgery.  However, I’m adjusting and putting all my focus on finding solutions.

FYI:   Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining) and Barrett’s esophagus (the lining of the esophagus changes into tissue more closely resembling the lining of the intestine, caused by GERD [gastroesophageal reflux disease] which means stomach acids are backwashing into the esophagus and causing erosion). 

I am certainly not going to wait around months for the doctor to do something and let the condition just get worse. I am the type of person that believes in taking positive action.  My first step was to read up on both conditions. 

Gastritis is treatable by reducing stomach acid, eating soft bland foods in small amounts, losing weight, etc. I am more concerned about the Barrett’s esophagus because according to sources it is not curable (the cells of the esophagus have been changed), and sometimes if the condition gets bad enough it can require surgery to remove that part of the esophagus. It also requires an annual checkup to make sure that it doesn’t turn into cancer.

However, those medical sites don’t know me, or my determination, or what is possible through postive action and thought and natural remedies.  I am one determined Witch and I plan to put all my witchy talents to work on this problem.  I will not give up until I find a way to reverse the damage or at least improve it and make sure no further damage is done. The underlying cause of both gastritis and Barrett’s esophagus is too much stomach acid so I will be focusing on reducing it as well as improving my entire digestive system.

The first step, of course, is making changes to what I digest, such as not taking aspirn any more, drinking lots of water, cutting down on diet soda and eventually eleminating it all together, eating only small amounts of bland foods, etc.   And I will also be doing self-Reiki regularly.

I ordered some over the counter medication, Prilosec OTC- Delayed-Release Acid Reducer. It reduces the acid and is a former prescription product in a class of medicines called proton pump inhibitors. It dramatically decreases stomach acid production and GERD (which is the underlying cause of Barrett’s Esophagus). A lot of folks highly recommend it and it is safe to take long term.

Another over the counter supplement I am going to take is Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus Pearls, these are designed so that healthy flora (probiotic bacteria) reach the intestines where they are needed (and not destroyed in the stomach) and also these don’t require refrigeration. Probiotic bacteria is very important to having a healthy digestive system.

I am going to the health food store this weekend to see if they carry aloe vera juice. I’m looking for something like this product Natural Heartburn Relief – 4 Pack Grape Organic AloeCure® Pure Aloe Vera Juice. Aloe Vera is very soothing and healing to the skin but it is also has the same benefits to the esophagus and GI tract.

I will also see what kind of coconut water they have, perhaps something like Vita Coco 100% Pure Coconut Water and I’ll try that also for a few weeks. Coconut water restores the normal condition of the stomach within a few hours, (recommended to have 2 to 4 cups a day). Coconut water has many health benefits, such as boosting metabolism and immune system, detoxifies the body, cleanses the digestive tract, reduce the risk of cancer, and much more.

My Blendtec Blender is going to be even more useful now because it allows me to make healing smoothie potions that will really help in healing the digestive tract.  I find it interesting that I just recently got the blender – perhaps my intuition was nudging me.  I’m glad I listened.   

One suggested remedy is drinking a daily dose of spinach-carrot juice (200 ml of spinach juice with 300 ml of carrot juice). I will probably toss in some papaya and parsley which are both good for the digestive system. 

Another natural remedy is lemon water (juice of 1 lemon in glass of lukewarm water in morning, and more throughout the day). Lemon juice is actually helps make the body less acidic and more alkaline, it cleanses the liver, aides the digestive tract and elimination of waste, and many other heathly benefits.

Honey and ginger are also recommended and good digestion, but I don’t like the taste of either. I have enough things to try first before I consider adding things I don’t to my diet or chewing on a small piece of ginger.

At the end of the month I have an appointment with the director of the weight loss surgery center and will discuss with him how this will affect my qualifying for gastric bypass surgery and what he recommends as far as treatment.   I know if you have an ulcer, the ulcer has to be cured first before surgery can be approved.  I’m not what happens if you have gastritis and Barrett’s esaphogus, which may be more permanent or long term conditions.

I’m also going to request bloodwork to check for infection (H. plyori) which could be an underlying cause of ulcers and gastritis. It needs to be treated with antibiotics otherwise there is no cure only treating symptoms (which by the way I don’t have any symptoms!).   I will also look into finding a doctor that I can see NOW to work out a treatment plan rather that waiting months for the one who did the tests.

Since I don’t have any symptoms at all, it will be impossible for me to tell if I am making progress.  I will have to wait until the doctor orders another endoscopic exam, which I am hoping can be in a few months, if there is a possibility I can still qualify for gastric bypass surgery – which is tentatively planned for July or August 2009.  However, if the doctors won’t do the test again for a year or so, I’ll just have to do the best I can and keep positive. 

I will adjust my plans accordingly as I get more information.  I am confident I can deal with the situation and restore my digestive tract to health.

Bright blessings, Lady Rose

Written by Lady RoseTags:gastric bypass surgery, gastritis, health, natural healing