Thursday, December 15, 2011
Well Said
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodResourceCenter/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-link-personality-disorders/story?id=12102316#.TupULnKwWDYI found this article very interesting, wanted to post it after the "blood treatment" - it shows the constant controversy of what the illness actually even is - my treatments are aimed at killing the high levels of staph and strep and candida in my blood. The treatment acts like a massive antibiotic, it wakes up the body to what clean healthy blood is like, many new articles are adding an autoimmune component, and that would explain the syndrome like quality of this illness, not everyone is equal.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
This is the "Blood Treatment" I have referred to
http://www.scottsdalenaturalmed.com/services/ubi.shtml
| Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation or Photoluminescence Therapy Written by Cheryl M. Deroin, NMD | |
| The wavelength of light used in photoluminescence treatments, wavelength C, corresponds to the wavelength of light from the sun that is known for its healing properties. Dr. Gurwitsch, who researched photo-biology in the 1930’s, demonstrated that body tissues gave off tiny emanations of light in different wavelengths, all in the ultraviolet spectrum. It has also been found that the blood of people who suffer from chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes and arthritis give off much more light than the blood of healthy people. However, those who are sick have an internal deficiency of ultraviolet light. The cells of those who are chronically ill are not able to transmit their synthesized light inward due to cellular disturbances. Ultraviolet light has been used in this country since the 1930’s, and in other countries much longer to combat bloodstream infection. The benefits are much greater than the simple destruction of bacteria, viruses and other foreign substances. Because only 200 ml of blood are taken out and passed through the UV light, about 1/25th of the body’s supply of blood, there is no direct destruction of foreign substances, but rather it is the effect of the light in the chemical energies of all cells which creates the strong response in the body. Photoluminescence corrects cellular imbalance in the blood. One such method of correction is the normalization of white blood cells, whereby high levels will decrease and low levels will increase. Ultraviolet blood irradiation (UBI) tends to build red blood cells in cases of anemia. It also enhances the removal of fat from the liver, which if left untreated can cause elevated triglycerides and cholesterol. UBI can increase cell permeability and is very effective in stimulating the immune system by enhancing the body’s own ability to produce antibodies. One of the most significant aspects of UBI is that it increases oxygen levels in the blood. Oxygen deficiency blocks the basic physiological oxidation processes in the body which can cause fermentation of sugars leading to abnormal cell growth and blockages in the vessels. Research done as early as 1925 demonstrated the increase in venous blood oxygen levels after photoluminescence that accumulates in the body with repeated treatments. |   |
Check Mate
The only time I ever attempted to play chess, I was being taught by a second grader. It was my freshman year at the University of CO at Boulder and I volunteered at a grade school just off campus. It was a progressive charter school, the teachers names were Penny and Polly - there was a lot of free play. I distinctly remember little blonde haired Jake patiently trying to tell my the rules of chess. I even resorted to pulling out the "instructions" from the game box - after many attempts, we switched games.
But like most non chess players, I get the gist. It requires patience, and mapping out a plan, but I have also seen it in the movies, that one wrong move, after hours of play, and the other players eyes light up, they take their time and then hop hop hop they jump all over you and yell check mate.
That's a bit how I have felt over the past few weeks. Phoenix was a huge leap and bound of improvements. I was patient, and I was a patient. I stuck to a monotonous day, breakfast, lunch, doctor, home, dinner, bed. I didn't see some of my friends there, I just didn't have any room for any other energy than the task at hand. When I returned to Milwaukee, I was rewarded with many good days. I ran into a friend of mine and she couldn't believe how good I looked. She couldn't pin point it, your eyes are brighter, your skin looks great, just overall whatever they did to you its a noticeable difference. And that 's how I felt - just lighter. One of my favorite days was taking my niece to the grocery store - so simple. But its what I always thought it would be like having a niece or nephew, just chilling. She came over, we played, got in the car, she helped me grab all the items, checked out, it felt more like a scene from Mary Poppins - were the birds singing to us - felt like it.
So after being back, a few bad days slipped in here and there - that's okay, to be expected. Then the cold that was circulating made it to me, again - did I really think I would go all winter without a cold? I managed to deal with it, with only a daily dose of Pulmacort, as a preventative measure for my reactive airway disease - but I didn't need to be breathing in and out of the nebulizer - progress. I was being patient, of course I was hosting my virus longer than others, but I was managing.
This past Friday night I felt good enough to head to my alma mater high school to watch my friend's first grade daughter perform in the half time show. I felt like yelling "I'm on top of the world" you can't imagine how great it feels to effortlessly do daily tasks. I observed the students all decked out in their pajamas - something we would have thought of 20 years ago. I crammed into the bleacher seats, and despite it being hot, it didn't make me feel faint - nothing a t-shirt and water couldn't calm. And after, Steph and I headed out for a drink. I was winning this game of chess. I haven't had any alcohol in at least 6 months, but oh that Sierra Nevada sounded so good. I haven't drank hard alcohol in years, wine often left me feeling congested, and beer with the yeast never seemed that good of an idea. But I was stronger now...
Hop, hop, hop - check mate. When I woke up the next morning with hives all around my neck like an ugly red turtleneck. They were inflamed, itched, my cough was back and its like I fell down the rabbit hole. One wrong move, that blissful beer - and five days later I am still paying for it. The rash has come and gone, the cold simmered up, the fatigue increased. Much like chess its been a mental game trying to stay positive - its like they say, the higher you go the further you fall. So that's the good news, I am not used to feeling so good, so this tumble seems magnified. I know its not, but its overwhelming, to map out and plan every move so carefully gets exhausting, on an occasion I want to forget about it and just go with the moment. Not analyze every decision of every day like I am playing Bobby Fischer - but it seems as soon as I the opponent against this myriad of symptoms take a break, all the time, all the planning, in one second can come crashing down.
So, its off to a new board. Start where I am at - rashy, uncomfortable, dealing with acute illnesses on top of the chronic, and a new adjusted plan. My original one was to go back to Phoenix in February, but I got that glimpse of not exactly my "previous" self, but close enough, that waiting here all January seems like I am just wasting time, that I cant' bear to waste. So, Jan 10th, I am off again, and despite knowing that I am going to be homesick, I am tired of watching on the sidelines, and hoping that more treatments, more time, my well self will stick around a bit longer.
But like most non chess players, I get the gist. It requires patience, and mapping out a plan, but I have also seen it in the movies, that one wrong move, after hours of play, and the other players eyes light up, they take their time and then hop hop hop they jump all over you and yell check mate.
That's a bit how I have felt over the past few weeks. Phoenix was a huge leap and bound of improvements. I was patient, and I was a patient. I stuck to a monotonous day, breakfast, lunch, doctor, home, dinner, bed. I didn't see some of my friends there, I just didn't have any room for any other energy than the task at hand. When I returned to Milwaukee, I was rewarded with many good days. I ran into a friend of mine and she couldn't believe how good I looked. She couldn't pin point it, your eyes are brighter, your skin looks great, just overall whatever they did to you its a noticeable difference. And that 's how I felt - just lighter. One of my favorite days was taking my niece to the grocery store - so simple. But its what I always thought it would be like having a niece or nephew, just chilling. She came over, we played, got in the car, she helped me grab all the items, checked out, it felt more like a scene from Mary Poppins - were the birds singing to us - felt like it.
So after being back, a few bad days slipped in here and there - that's okay, to be expected. Then the cold that was circulating made it to me, again - did I really think I would go all winter without a cold? I managed to deal with it, with only a daily dose of Pulmacort, as a preventative measure for my reactive airway disease - but I didn't need to be breathing in and out of the nebulizer - progress. I was being patient, of course I was hosting my virus longer than others, but I was managing.
This past Friday night I felt good enough to head to my alma mater high school to watch my friend's first grade daughter perform in the half time show. I felt like yelling "I'm on top of the world" you can't imagine how great it feels to effortlessly do daily tasks. I observed the students all decked out in their pajamas - something we would have thought of 20 years ago. I crammed into the bleacher seats, and despite it being hot, it didn't make me feel faint - nothing a t-shirt and water couldn't calm. And after, Steph and I headed out for a drink. I was winning this game of chess. I haven't had any alcohol in at least 6 months, but oh that Sierra Nevada sounded so good. I haven't drank hard alcohol in years, wine often left me feeling congested, and beer with the yeast never seemed that good of an idea. But I was stronger now...
Hop, hop, hop - check mate. When I woke up the next morning with hives all around my neck like an ugly red turtleneck. They were inflamed, itched, my cough was back and its like I fell down the rabbit hole. One wrong move, that blissful beer - and five days later I am still paying for it. The rash has come and gone, the cold simmered up, the fatigue increased. Much like chess its been a mental game trying to stay positive - its like they say, the higher you go the further you fall. So that's the good news, I am not used to feeling so good, so this tumble seems magnified. I know its not, but its overwhelming, to map out and plan every move so carefully gets exhausting, on an occasion I want to forget about it and just go with the moment. Not analyze every decision of every day like I am playing Bobby Fischer - but it seems as soon as I the opponent against this myriad of symptoms take a break, all the time, all the planning, in one second can come crashing down.
So, its off to a new board. Start where I am at - rashy, uncomfortable, dealing with acute illnesses on top of the chronic, and a new adjusted plan. My original one was to go back to Phoenix in February, but I got that glimpse of not exactly my "previous" self, but close enough, that waiting here all January seems like I am just wasting time, that I cant' bear to waste. So, Jan 10th, I am off again, and despite knowing that I am going to be homesick, I am tired of watching on the sidelines, and hoping that more treatments, more time, my well self will stick around a bit longer.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Serendipity
We were all set to head on out of Phoenix yesterday....then things changed. Mainly, my boyfriend got a hole in one at a charity event here which qualified him for next week Sunday's million dollar chance. Secondly, Sophie has been battling either pancreatitis of other complications from a IBS flare up, so has spent two days at the vet with IV fluids and pain meds. So, when the hole in one went down, coupled with Sophie's less than stellar health, a generous offer from friends to stay at their condo for free - add it up and we're now her until next week Tuesday.
I was a bit unsure of the decision, homesickness setting in, tired of doctor appointments but all evidence from the universe seemed to be pointing in the direction of staying put. My cousin had posted a funny message on Facebook regarding a heart email being sent to her 11 year old son. So I had messaged her, wondering if she had gotten the monkey Andrea Z off her back, or had she shown up under his window holding an ipod overhead! She laughed and appreciated the John Cusack reference. So after getting her message, I was in a John Cusack movie mood, wishing for Serendipity, and low and behold - I turn on the E channel at 8:59 pm, and no joke 9pm - wait for it, drum roll, Serendipity was starting at 9!
Hoping this extra week, is serendipitous all the way around!
I was a bit unsure of the decision, homesickness setting in, tired of doctor appointments but all evidence from the universe seemed to be pointing in the direction of staying put. My cousin had posted a funny message on Facebook regarding a heart email being sent to her 11 year old son. So I had messaged her, wondering if she had gotten the monkey Andrea Z off her back, or had she shown up under his window holding an ipod overhead! She laughed and appreciated the John Cusack reference. So after getting her message, I was in a John Cusack movie mood, wishing for Serendipity, and low and behold - I turn on the E channel at 8:59 pm, and no joke 9pm - wait for it, drum roll, Serendipity was starting at 9!
Hoping this extra week, is serendipitous all the way around!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Be Fancy
When all else fails, be fancy. I'm heading out of Phoenix tomorrow, have last treatment today until February. Ran into a woman in the clinic who I had met last February, it was so good to see her, I had been worried about her, but didn't want to ask about her prognosis. I felt so sick sitting in the waiting room, and she came out, and was equally happy to see me - she has an inoperable tumor of the tonsil, looking at her you would never know. Her and her husband have re-located from Pennsylvania and are living with their daughter here in Phoenix. Her options for traditional care were bleak, some doctors said they couldn't touch the tumor, others said they could with removing part of her jaw. She didn't know it - but her smile lifted my spirits. She talked about how difficult it is to choose care that is against traditional medical advice, and that you often don't get the same amount of empathy when you take a different road. I know what she means, when you take the path that hasn't been illuminated yet, you get a lot of opinions, that you would you be better, if you just went to the "mainstream" approach. I have tried that approach, and they have no answers. I know a lot of the "criticism" comes from love displaced as fear, but sometimes you feel you are fighting two battles. I don't try to convince people anymore of why I am doing the treatments I am, I have done all the research, all the options, and can only do what I think is best at this time.
The woman and I bonded over jewelry, she commented on my rings. And I had to smile, because its my little mantra inside, when all else fails, doesn't hurt to be fancy!
The woman and I bonded over jewelry, she commented on my rings. And I had to smile, because its my little mantra inside, when all else fails, doesn't hurt to be fancy!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Scuba
I have always loved the water - this summer my trips to Western Racquet Club, lifted my spirits in more ways than one. First, when I swim, I feel free. I don't hurt, I don't feel the like I am trudging through mud as I often do walking. My hope was to get up to 25 laps, (one being one length of the pool) - I didn't make it, but I tried. For awhile most doctors recommended a graduated exercise program for chronic fatigue patients, so for example you might begin with as little as one minute of walking, do that for a few days, then add a few more minutes and continue carefully taking baby steps of incremental increases. However, now what has been found is each individual should find you own personal maximum exercise tolerance. I have found this the better approach, although frustrating, it seems to be the best way to get maximum good days. Too often with the graduated program, you push yourself too far, and then do the typical phrase two steps forward, but ten steps back. So for walking I am grateful to have the beautiful Elm Grove park that now has walking paths. There are two paths, a small circle and a large one around a pond. On good days I can do one large loop, on marginal days the small loop. But swimming, I was hoping that I could once again try the graduated program. There is something about the water that I believe helps more efficiently stimulate your lymph system, and have lesser side effects than walking or biking, etc.. The beginning of the summer, I started slow, and on some days I would drag out of the house at 7:40, knowing the pool closed at 8pm - but that was okay, because I could get in and it only takes about 3 minutes to do 2 laps! I swam as long as the humidity was too high, and I really thought I would be able to get up to that magic number of 25 - I got to 15.
The other wonderful aspect of swimming this summer was the social aspect it provided. I repeat, I am very blessed in many ways, and I have numerous friends since grade school that have returned to Elm Grove, and while we "suffered" at the small public pool, they have been lucky enough to join WRC. One of the most frustrating aspects for a social person with this illness is the isolation it often imposes. Its extremely difficult to make any advance plans, and now with so many friends having families, spontaneity is not the easiest of tasks. Thus the club offered me a way to see friends and acquaintances without making plans to do so. I also loved bringing my best friend and her family, watching the kids advance to jumping off the high dive this year!
Swimming has always brought me a bit of peace, and what made me think of this tonight was a report on the CBS nightly news. A young woman who is paralyzed noticed after she was scuba diving, she had some feeling on her legs. She was able to convince some open minded neurologists at John Hopkins to take others that were paralyzed and measure their sensory responses before and after scubaing at specific depths. What they found was amazing, individuals markers improved, not only immediately after scuba diving, but the effects lasted about 30 days. What the research is looking at are the increased levels of nitric oxide that the body produces while diving. They believe this then increases serotonin levels and which find a back door route to stimulate the nerves in the spinal cord. Fascinating! The reason this sparked my interest even more is because today I was extremely nervous to get my "blood" treatment as I call it, and was working on a post that I didn't complete before I left. I was second guessing my treatments again because they are out of the norm, and now as I lay in bed resting from the treatment, seeing the scuba piece made me smile and once again gave me hope. It proves what I already know in the truth of my heart, just because everyone isn't doing it, doesn't mean it won't work.
The woman who first discovered this phenomenon on herself, while she is convinced she will walk again, she also felt much pride in her persistence and sharing her story that research may come out to help so many others. I have always found the hope of those paralyzed a group unwavering in their determination to walk again, or find amazing ways to re-capture the joy of movement any way they can, thus they inspire me once again tonight.
The other wonderful aspect of swimming this summer was the social aspect it provided. I repeat, I am very blessed in many ways, and I have numerous friends since grade school that have returned to Elm Grove, and while we "suffered" at the small public pool, they have been lucky enough to join WRC. One of the most frustrating aspects for a social person with this illness is the isolation it often imposes. Its extremely difficult to make any advance plans, and now with so many friends having families, spontaneity is not the easiest of tasks. Thus the club offered me a way to see friends and acquaintances without making plans to do so. I also loved bringing my best friend and her family, watching the kids advance to jumping off the high dive this year!
Swimming has always brought me a bit of peace, and what made me think of this tonight was a report on the CBS nightly news. A young woman who is paralyzed noticed after she was scuba diving, she had some feeling on her legs. She was able to convince some open minded neurologists at John Hopkins to take others that were paralyzed and measure their sensory responses before and after scubaing at specific depths. What they found was amazing, individuals markers improved, not only immediately after scuba diving, but the effects lasted about 30 days. What the research is looking at are the increased levels of nitric oxide that the body produces while diving. They believe this then increases serotonin levels and which find a back door route to stimulate the nerves in the spinal cord. Fascinating! The reason this sparked my interest even more is because today I was extremely nervous to get my "blood" treatment as I call it, and was working on a post that I didn't complete before I left. I was second guessing my treatments again because they are out of the norm, and now as I lay in bed resting from the treatment, seeing the scuba piece made me smile and once again gave me hope. It proves what I already know in the truth of my heart, just because everyone isn't doing it, doesn't mean it won't work.
The woman who first discovered this phenomenon on herself, while she is convinced she will walk again, she also felt much pride in her persistence and sharing her story that research may come out to help so many others. I have always found the hope of those paralyzed a group unwavering in their determination to walk again, or find amazing ways to re-capture the joy of movement any way they can, thus they inspire me once again tonight.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Longevity
Today I did what I haven't done in awhile, I sought out another opinion/doctor. Here's where it gets a bit complicated - I am being treated by a naturopathic doctor in Phoenix, and I currently live in Wisconsin. First, since I too am an ND, I actually dread the term, "naturopathic" doctor - it seems to qualify the care I am getting. There are often two camps - the one that feels this is a brilliant choice, and the others who think I must be crazy, and also this is why I must still be sick, b/c I don't see a "real" doctor.
I remember the exact day I first developed symptoms of some sort of illness. I don't remember the date, nor what I was wearing - but I remember the exact moment that I realized something was very wrong. It was I believe in my third year in Phoenix, I had moved there to attend Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, and despite dreading the heat the move to Portland or Seattle seemed too far away, thus I chose the school in Phoenix for its direct 3 and 1/2 hour flight. My friend Sandy and I had started walking together. We had been doing the "Biltmore Loop" which is a circle in Scottsdale with all these crazy huge homes next to the resort for a few months. There is also a canal next to the circle, and we had started adding that in to our walks too. I at the time appeared in great shape, I was 5'7" and 120 lbs, despite never being some all star athlete, in my mid twenties I was a regular at the gym - at my best I could run seven miles, or bike for an hour and then do a thirty minute swim. I entered school at age 28 and with the demands of the program had gotten off a regular routine. I remember when I was in such good shape thinking to myself, "how do people consider walking exercise? I could walk for days" I would soon feel otherwise.
Anyways, this loop including the canal was no more than 2 miles. I really didn't like walking the canal as much, and didn't know why. Like I said, I don't remember the date, and at the time I really didn't understand the significance, but Sandy and I had been walking and I began to notice that I was so exhausted when we were done. I didn't want to mention it to her because it seemed so ridiculous, I would get in my car, and just sit there and tell myself a million excuses why I was so tired. But on this specific day, we had reached the end of the canal, and I looked at her and said Sandy, I don't know if I can walk back - I am exhausted, I feel weak and my calfs are killing me. That was the beginning, I just didn't know it yet. Like most CFS patients, I looked for all the reasons that a otherwise healthy 31ish year old would be exhausted from a stroll. It took me back in my memory to when I was eleven, and my mom, best friend Kim and I were at the State Fair (which I despised), I could barely walk through the Fair, and the next day was the exhibition Packer game, and that time I remember exactly what I was wearing - gray bermuda shorts, and a forest green ralph lauren sweater with a bright pink polo, it was a new outfit my mom had gotten me for not feeling well and a soon to be back to school clothes. The stairway to our seats and Milwaukee County Stadium felt like Everest - that Monday, I was diagnosed with mono. This canal walk felt like Everest all over again, however this time, 6 weeks of bed rest wasn't going to do the trick.
The doctor appointment today emotionally drained me, it brought me back to the beginning of this journey, where I searched and searched and searched for the magic pill - the gold at the end of the rainbow, the perfect doctor, with all the answers. However, this time, I wasn't searching for the Golden Ticket, I just need some support here in Wisconsin, so I don't feel like a fish flailing in the ocean when I am not in Arizona. He's an MD that has gone to the other side so to speak, and is quite the smarty pants, Yale undergrad, which I was going to make a joke when the diploma on the wall, all in Latin says "Yaleness" or something like that - but didn't think he would find it funny- but it kind of is, using Yale as an adjective - and then John Hopkins for Med School. Tired of not getting people better, he's like a kid on their first halloween, he's so excited with all the possibilites that go with "alternative" "complementary" etc.. approaches, and he is humble enough to work with my ND in Arizona. So while I gave any doctor a difficult task, to "kind of" be their patient, he appears kind enough, open minded enough, to possibly fit the bill. And besides, one of his clocks said 2pm, the other 9:30, when it was actually three o'clock, so yaleness and hopkiness aside, there was something about that observation that made me feel like he was my kind of guy.
Despite it being an extremely positive experience, I left feeling overwhelmed - perhaps that's why its one in the morning and my head is spinning, and I can't sleep - its hard not to constantly question your decisions and he had lots of solutions that a first year ND student has, vitamin D, lots of it, Fish Oil, tumeric, all that exuberance left me a bit deflated, b/c if it was as easy as taking a gallons of Vitamin D and Fish Oil, the treatments I learned about 10 years ago, don't you think I would have swallowed that pill.
Leaving for Phoenix on Saturday - fingers crossed.
I remember the exact day I first developed symptoms of some sort of illness. I don't remember the date, nor what I was wearing - but I remember the exact moment that I realized something was very wrong. It was I believe in my third year in Phoenix, I had moved there to attend Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, and despite dreading the heat the move to Portland or Seattle seemed too far away, thus I chose the school in Phoenix for its direct 3 and 1/2 hour flight. My friend Sandy and I had started walking together. We had been doing the "Biltmore Loop" which is a circle in Scottsdale with all these crazy huge homes next to the resort for a few months. There is also a canal next to the circle, and we had started adding that in to our walks too. I at the time appeared in great shape, I was 5'7" and 120 lbs, despite never being some all star athlete, in my mid twenties I was a regular at the gym - at my best I could run seven miles, or bike for an hour and then do a thirty minute swim. I entered school at age 28 and with the demands of the program had gotten off a regular routine. I remember when I was in such good shape thinking to myself, "how do people consider walking exercise? I could walk for days" I would soon feel otherwise.
Anyways, this loop including the canal was no more than 2 miles. I really didn't like walking the canal as much, and didn't know why. Like I said, I don't remember the date, and at the time I really didn't understand the significance, but Sandy and I had been walking and I began to notice that I was so exhausted when we were done. I didn't want to mention it to her because it seemed so ridiculous, I would get in my car, and just sit there and tell myself a million excuses why I was so tired. But on this specific day, we had reached the end of the canal, and I looked at her and said Sandy, I don't know if I can walk back - I am exhausted, I feel weak and my calfs are killing me. That was the beginning, I just didn't know it yet. Like most CFS patients, I looked for all the reasons that a otherwise healthy 31ish year old would be exhausted from a stroll. It took me back in my memory to when I was eleven, and my mom, best friend Kim and I were at the State Fair (which I despised), I could barely walk through the Fair, and the next day was the exhibition Packer game, and that time I remember exactly what I was wearing - gray bermuda shorts, and a forest green ralph lauren sweater with a bright pink polo, it was a new outfit my mom had gotten me for not feeling well and a soon to be back to school clothes. The stairway to our seats and Milwaukee County Stadium felt like Everest - that Monday, I was diagnosed with mono. This canal walk felt like Everest all over again, however this time, 6 weeks of bed rest wasn't going to do the trick.
The doctor appointment today emotionally drained me, it brought me back to the beginning of this journey, where I searched and searched and searched for the magic pill - the gold at the end of the rainbow, the perfect doctor, with all the answers. However, this time, I wasn't searching for the Golden Ticket, I just need some support here in Wisconsin, so I don't feel like a fish flailing in the ocean when I am not in Arizona. He's an MD that has gone to the other side so to speak, and is quite the smarty pants, Yale undergrad, which I was going to make a joke when the diploma on the wall, all in Latin says "Yaleness" or something like that - but didn't think he would find it funny- but it kind of is, using Yale as an adjective - and then John Hopkins for Med School. Tired of not getting people better, he's like a kid on their first halloween, he's so excited with all the possibilites that go with "alternative" "complementary" etc.. approaches, and he is humble enough to work with my ND in Arizona. So while I gave any doctor a difficult task, to "kind of" be their patient, he appears kind enough, open minded enough, to possibly fit the bill. And besides, one of his clocks said 2pm, the other 9:30, when it was actually three o'clock, so yaleness and hopkiness aside, there was something about that observation that made me feel like he was my kind of guy.
Despite it being an extremely positive experience, I left feeling overwhelmed - perhaps that's why its one in the morning and my head is spinning, and I can't sleep - its hard not to constantly question your decisions and he had lots of solutions that a first year ND student has, vitamin D, lots of it, Fish Oil, tumeric, all that exuberance left me a bit deflated, b/c if it was as easy as taking a gallons of Vitamin D and Fish Oil, the treatments I learned about 10 years ago, don't you think I would have swallowed that pill.
Leaving for Phoenix on Saturday - fingers crossed.
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