40 and still going

While hiking through the forest yesterday along the Marianne River, looking at nature and all its challenges, I overcame them with minor difficulty. I always thank God for helping me make the impossible possible. While sitting on a rock at the edge of the river, I realized something and asked myself how much more I can push myself, how much my body can take? How much is too much? I normally use the phrase '' It won't kill me to try, but it can if you are not careful...... Yesterday, my bag was packed with every possible medication required if anything was to go medically wrong with me, from diabetes medication, asthma pump, to Singulair to open my lungs in case of restriction, which I took in advance, and then some Neurobion Forte, which contains several B vitamins required for normal metabolic processes in the body, which in my case helps with nerve pain. I take the risk at times to keep myself active and to take control of my body I can't let my body over-rule my mind ....So I took the challenge and survived the rain in water-soaked clothes, my heart racing, me having to pull my own weight up at times and needed help on two occasions, from avoiding myself slipping of ledges into the river some time 10 -15 feet down, my lungs feeling at times as if it will burst... and with shoes water- soaked that crossed the river and after all that I plunged myself into the cold river water for a short swim. All this makes life awesome, exciting, and worth living. Truly, God has blessed me with a strong will, determination, and some craziness, and I won't trade that for anything! Not forgetting this morning, my legs were hurting from all the stretching and climbing, minor things, 40 and still going ‪#‎Fribrofighter‬

My Fibromyalgia Letter

My Fibromyalgia Letter

February 5, 2015 at 10:58am

My Fibromyalgia Letter 

The Fibromyalgia Letter "Hello Family, Friends, and Anyone Wishing to Know Me! How do I explain this to you my family and friends? This is very difficult to do as my illness is "unseen." So allow me to begin by thanking you for taking the time out of your day to spend some time with me and get to know me better. A person's time is their most valuable asset and yours is appreciated, So from the start of my illness when the doctor thought I had Rheumatoid  Arthritis (R.A.) I thought Oh God now I had to deal with organ damage apart from the twisting and atrophy of my joints and body! But could not understand all the other symptoms I was having ... So three years later and February 2nd 2015 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I thought okay this must be good news compared to Rheumatoid right ? I was wrong it's not that simple ! As you read further on you would see why my life had not been easy.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points - places on your body where slight pressure causes pain. Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic form of muscle pain. The pain of Myofascial pain syndrome centers around sensitive points in your muscles called trigger points. The trigger points in your muscles can be painful when touched. And the pain can spread throughout the affected muscle.
I want to talk to you about fibromyalgia (FM) and Chronic Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS). Many have never heard of these conditions and for those who have, many are misinformed. And because of this, judgments are made that may not be correct. So I ask you to keep an open mind as I try to explain who I am and how FM/MPS has assaulted not only my life but those whom I love as well.
I cannot show you a physically open wound to show how much pain I'm in.

However with Fibromyalgia, you will hear from many people that they would rather have a broken leg any day than suffer the kind of pain these disorders inflict. To me, a broken leg is even a poor example to compare suffering to these disorders and an insult to those of us with those disorders.
You see, I suffer from a disease that you cannot see; a disease that there is no cure for and that keeps the medical community baffled at how to treat and battle this demon, who's attacks are relentless. My pain works silently, stealing my joy and replacing it with tears. On the outside we look alike you and I; you won't see my scars as you would a person who, say, had suffered a car accident. You won't see my pain in the way you would a person undergoing chemo for cancer; however, my pain is just as real and just as debilitating. And in many ways my pain may be more destructive because people can't see it and do not understand....

You must see with your ears and your heart what your eyes cannot see. You must listen carefully to what I am telling you. What I describe to you may not make much sense to you and may be difficult for you to understand. Sometimes it may seem to you to be a different universe that I discuss. Know that it probably is. You don't have to fully understand my universe and you cannot possibly.  However hear my pain, listen for red flags always of any danger signals where you may need to help with added assistance. I like to call it "sending in the troops." Anytime I do not seem in touch with reality.

Please don't get angry at my seemingly lack of interest in doing things; I punish myself enough I assure you. My tears are shed many times when no one is around. My embarrassment is covered by a joke or laughter, but inside I want to die. You will hear many things from me that to you seem as easily resolvable. You may wonder why I make the same "wrong" decisions over and over again. Why haven't I learned by this time? Why can't I see the senselessness of my behavior? I may seem to be getting my life together and them bottom out all over again.

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 than ever. Please, don't say, "Oh, you're sounding better!" I am not sounding better, I am sounding happy.
What is happening here? Am I lazy, stupid, etc? Nope. My physical brain and body is very different than yours. I experience life different than the way you do. I feel different than you do. Most of my "friends" are gone; and yet I don't think family members fully understand.

I have been accused of "playing games" for another's sympathy. I have been called unreliable because I am forced to cancel plans I made at the last minute because of the burning and pain in my lower back, neck, legs or arms and shoulders. The pain can be so intense that I cannot put my clothes on I still sit to put my  pants on and I am left in my tears when I am alone as I miss out on yet another activity I used to love with enthusiasm. Do I experience mood swings? If I am hurting I may be angry, sad, depressed, or any of the hundred moods in the world. I'll never know what mood I will wake up with? I may treat you cruelly and say horrible things to you; I may ignore you completely, or cry on your shoulder unstopping when I'm in Fibro Flair. You may wonder what you said or did that made me this way.  Well you did nothing it's the Fibromyalgia and all its underlining factors causing this.

While the most predominant symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread pain and persistent fatigue, the resulting cognitive impairment of this condition may be it's most maddening. Commonly referred to as Fibro fog, this symptom is a conglomeration of cognitive challenges. Fibro fog is understood to be a physical symptom of fibromyalgia, not a psychological one. Just as no two individuals experience fibromyalgia in the same way, Fibro fog also has a varying range of indications, including: Mental confusion, Fuzzy thinking, Short-term memory loss, Inability to concentrate or pay attention, and Language lapses.

This is why I feel like a child at times. When I talk to people, many times I lose my train of thought in mid-sentence or forget the simplest word needed to explain or describe something. Please try to understand how it feels to have another go behind me in my home to make sure the stove is off after I cook an occasional meal. Please try to understand how it feels to "lose"  stuff, only to find them infront of you or in a strange place like the fridge. As I try to maintain my dignity the Demon assaults me at every turn. I have a physical illness and it isn't my fault and I didn't ask for it I don't want it and I don't deserve it.

Occurring at the deepest level of the sleep cycle, individuals with fibromyalgia typically lack sufficient restorative sleep. We know that at the deeper levels of sleep, called delta wave sleep, a person's mind conducts internal housekeeping. During delta wave sleep, newly acquired information is assimilated and integrated into the brain. The inability to get sufficient delta wave sleep impairs the ability to recall information and operate at a normal level of mental efficiency.

When I do get some sleep, I am restless and I wake often because of the pain or i am either hoh or feeling cold mainly hot because of the sheets on my legs or because I twitch uncontrollably. I walk through many of my days in a daze with the Fibro-fog laughing at me as I stumble and grasp for clarity.
Just because I can do a thing one day, that doesn't mean I will be able to do the same thing the next day or next week. I may be able to take that walk after dinner on a evening; the next day or even the in the next hour I may not be able to walk to the fridge to get a cold drink because my muscles have begun to cramp and lock up or spasm uncontrollably, there are times i can cook and other. There are those who say "but you did that yesterday!" "What is your problem today?" The hurt I experience at those words scars me so deeply that I have let my family and friends down again; and still they don't understand.
On a brighter side I want you to know that I still have my sense of humor. If you take the time to spend with me you will see that. I love to tell that joke to make another's face light up and smile at my wit. I am fun to be with if you will spend the time with me on my own playing field; is this too much to ask? I want nothing more than to be a part of your life. I have found that I can be a strong friend in many ways. I am your friend, your supporter and many times I will be the one to do the research for your latest project; many times I will be your biggest fan and the world will know how proud I am at your accomplishments and how honored I am to have you in my life.
All I ask is that you become educated about fibromyalgia. I am someone in your life that suffers from fibromyalgia. You may think you know everything there is to know about it, but there is more information out there than you think. It is more complicated then you think, and it is more life changing then you think.
Lend a helping hand. If you want to be helpful to someone with fibromyalgia, just ask what you can do. Be flexible with invitations and plans that you have made. Understand that sometimes the pain of fibromyalgia is overwhelming. Be active. Accompany them to a doctor's appointment and take an active interest in their treatment. You can take notes at the doctor's office and then review your notes together at home. Don't take things personally. Some people with fibromyalgia suffer from sudden mood changes. Try not to take these mood swings personally as they are part of the syndrome.

So you see, you and I are not that much different. I too have hopes, dreams, goals and this demon Do you have an unseen demon that assaults you and no one else can see? Have you had to fight a fight that crushes you and brings you to your knees? I will be by your side, win or lose, I promise you that; I will be there in ways that I can. I will give all I can as I can, I promise you that. But I have to do this thing my way. Please understand that I am in such a fight myself and I know that I have little hope of a cure or effective treatments, at least right now.Thank you for spending your time with me today. I hope we can work through this thing, you and me. Please understand that I am just like you.
So I Need You To Please Understand Me.

ALKALINE FOODS

I also drink alkaline water from my water ionizer machine that is hooked up under my kitchen sink. Diseases grow in an acidic environment. Alkaline water and foods neutralizes the acidity environment inside our body to prevent growth of a disease.

Heart Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Heart Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis almost doubles the risk of having a heart attack within the first 10 years of getting an RA diagnosis, according to the American College of Rheumatology. The good news is that a heart-healthy lifestyle and certain medications may help protect the heart.

Inflammation Link

Inflammation is a major part of rheumatoid arthritis. It's also linked to heart disease and the risk of having a heart attack.

Some researchers think the inflammation in RA may cause higher levels of inflammation in the body generally, including in the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with blood.

Some RA treatments may also make heart disease more likely.  They include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Prednisone and other steroid drugs

Reducing Your Risk

You can take steps to help make a heart attack less likely:

• Don't smoke.
• Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat protein (such as poultry, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy), and whole grains.
• Avoid foods high in sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
• Get plenty of physical activity and exercise.
• Get regular checkups.
• Get regular tests for high blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and high cholesterol; Talk to your doctor about your health history and your family history of heart disease.
• Stay at a healthy weight; obesity makes heart disease more likely.

Can RA Medications Reduce the Risk of Heart Attack?

Medications such as methotrexate, other DMARDs, and biologics -- all used to control RA inflammation -- may help reduce the risk of heart disease, according to findings published in the journal Arthritis Research and Therapy. Your doctor can help you see if your medications and doses are appropriate for your heart's health.

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may also prescribe statins.

WebMD Medical Reference

View Article Source

Reviewed by David Zelman, MD on March 13, 2013

© 2013 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Backache/Back pain

Almost everyone has low back pain at one time or another. It has become an occupational hazard in many different kinds of work (like sitting at a desk in front of a computer, lifting heavy loads etc). Low back pain is often caused by overuse, strain, or injury. Most sudden back pain is due to a sprain or a small tear in a muscle or ligament. Having a nagging ache in lower back or a sharp, localized pain and stiffness is due to a muscle spasm in the area. The usual causes of back pain and sciatica include lifting awkwardly or sudden twisting, but factors such as poor posture, pregnancy, and being inactive or unfit may make the back more vulnerable. Less often, low back pain is the result of arthritis, compression fractures caused by bone loss (osteoporosis), illness, or a spine problem that you may have had since you were born. Emotional factors can also lead to back pain. People who aredepressed, under stress, or unhappy in their work are more likely to have chronic back pain. Most back pain can be effectively treated within 4 to 6 weeks of home treatment, but a ruptured or slipped disk often requires intensive medical care.

Home Remedies

• Cold pack: Apply a cold pack (bag of ice) to the painful area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Apply at least three times a day.
• Garlic: Take two or three cloves of garlic every morning.
• Ginger: Apply a paste made of ginger powder mixed with sufficient water to the affected area. Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, wash it off, and then rub the back with some eucalyptus (Nilgiri) oil.
• Garlic oil: Rubbing the painful area of the back with garlic oil is also effective for relieving the pain. The oil is prepared by frying 10 cloves of garlic in 60 ml of mustard oil or sesame oil on a slow fire till the garlic turn brown. Then, the cooled oil should be applied vigorously on the back, and allowed to remain there for 2 or 3 hours. Take a warm bath afterwards. It should be done for atleast 15 days.
• Lemon: Take the juice of one lemon mixed with little common salt twice a day.
• Potato: Application of raw potato in the form of a poultice is very effective, especially in a low backache.

Do's

• If you are overweight, lose weight.
• Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes/sandals.
• Make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you.
• Use a chair with a good lower back support.
• If you are sitting for a long period of time, try resting your feet on the floor, or on a low stool. Take frequent breaks to stretch.
• If you have to drive long distances, try using a pillow or rolled-up towel behind the small of your back. Also, be sure to stop often and walk around for a few minutes.
• If you have trouble sleeping, try sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees, or sleep on your side with your knees bent and a pillow between your knees.
• Sit quietly and meditate, or observe your breathing. This will help to relax tense muscles.
• Get regular, low-impact exercise. Some gentle yoga exercises can help to relieve the pain.
• Practice safe ways of lifting and moving heavy objects to reduce the risk of straining your back. While lifting, bend your knees and keep your back straight, keep the object you are lifting close to your belly button, and avoid lifting and twisting at the same time.

Don’ts

• Avoid exposure to cold weather or cold winds.
• If you smoke, quit. Smoking decreases blood flow and prevents healing.
• Avoid over physical exercise.
• Avoid heavy lifting.
• Avoid lifting with twisting, bending forward, or reaching.
• Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Change your position frequently (every 15 to 30 minutes).

See Doctor

• Have severe Backache.
• Back pain follows an injury.
• Losing weight or have a fever.
• Have difficulty in controlling your bowels or bladder; tingling and numbness in the anal or genital area; or muscle weakness

Rhonda Gessner

A Killer In Your Fridge ~ Sweet Poison…A MUST READ

SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

tags: aspartame, diabetes, dizziness, fibromyalgia, headaches, lupus,migraines, ms, muscle spasms, nutra-sweet, Splenda

In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick She had, stomach spasms, and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain.

By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications. The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her. She was in so much pain, and so sick she just knew she was dying.

She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter’s name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of.

She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd.

On March 19, I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn’t find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.

I recalled an article a friend of mine, e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment.

I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! I e-mailed her an article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda, AND she could walk! The muscle spasms went away. She said she didn’t feel 100% but, she sure felt a lot better.

She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home.

Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind. In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet soda.. and literally dying a slow and miserable death

When she got to Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article saved her life. If it says ‘SUGAR FREE’ on the label; DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!  I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on ‘ASPARTAME,’ marketed as ‘Nutra Sweet,’ ‘Equal,’ and ‘Spoonful. ‘In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant. I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.

I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus.

Many people were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!

Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues it’s use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition. We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas.

In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We’ve seen many cases where vision loss returned and hearing loss improved markedly.

This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia. During a lecture, I said, ‘If you are using ASPARTAME (Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs,
Cramps,
Vertigo,
Dizziness,
Headaches,
Tinnitus,
Joint pain,
Unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!’ People were jumping up during the lecture saying, ‘I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?’

Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on food labels! Many products are fortified with it! This is a serious problem. Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice; a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence!

Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates.

It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!

These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve ’tissue specimens.’

Many products we use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our body!

Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the ‘diet products’ and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period. Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics. We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame. The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for a good balance.

Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE.. Especially with diabetics, the Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage, Seizures, Depression, Manic depression, Panic attacks, Uncontrollable anger and rage. Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as well. Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet.

So called ‘behavior modification prescription drugs’ (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place!  Most of these children were being ‘poisoned’ on a daily basis with the very foods that were ‘better for them than sugar. ‘It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome.

Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy. Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners.

There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.’

Herein lies the problem: There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included in 100 different products and strong objection was made concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.

Sadly, MONSANTO’S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a ‘piece of the Aspartame pie. ‘I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is.

And isn’t it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians?

This has been recently exposed in the New York Times. These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products. Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants.

The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioural symptoms.  The bill was killed. It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you’re informed now!

Note:  I have been studying health and nutrition for 35 years.  What I’ve learned in the past 3 years has been by far…the most valuable.  My husband was diagnosed with liver disease 3 years ago, and that sent me on a very aggressive search for help.  I came across an article about Dr. Otto Warburg that said…he won the Nobel Prize in 1931 for proving that no disease including cancer, can survive in an alkaline body.  From there…a friend told me about a Japanese medical device that makes alkaline water.  She went on to tell me that since our body is 70% water, drinking alkaline ionized water is the easiest way to raise your pH.  It makes perfect sense…the health “puzzle” is made up of many pieces including water, diet, exercise, sleep, etc.  But since 3/4 of that puzzle is made up of one big piece…WATER, drinking enough of the “right” kind of water will have a HUGE impact on your health.  If you’d like to learn more, click on the link and request your FREE eBook on Healthy Water:   http://www.usakangenwater.net

(just sharing the Aspartame article from another blog…i’m not the author.  i did write the Note…water is my area of expertise.)

Resistance Training

Resistance Training for my legs and arms has started with very little help from my drill sergeant, but I hope I can get out of bed in the morning thanks to Chris  — feeling exhausted at Barataria Home.
Note, you may observe a bump on my left knee .... that is my bone sticking out like that lol. just another change