Un-noticed moments of change

This is something that just occured to me at the store yesterday.  


We are so busy with living our lives that many changes around us and in our lives go un-noticed or we just take them for granted.  We, well many of us boomers at least, remember having reel to reel tape players and then came along the 8 track players, then cassette players and then on to the cds and yet again we now have digital players. i-pods and mp3 players.  Oh, and not to be forgotten, our 45 collections we used to swap and trade with eachother.Remember the first transister radios with their painfull ear pieces?   I had one tucked under my pillow many nights just to listen to the music. 

Remember going to the grocery store and seeing near the door the Tube stands?  Bunches of different tubes for different TVs and Radios and there was usually a tube tester next to that.

Film for our cameras went through lots of changes as well.  I had to close myself in a dark closet to load my Brownie camera and then we got the 110 cartridge cameras and Poloroid cameras and those really expensive 35mm cameras. (I have a package of flash bulbs in my collection)  I always thought it was fun to try to catch those bulbs as they popped out of the camera but then the cubes came along and ruined that fun.

The way we keep our photos has gone through changes as well, from licking those little white corners to hold your pictures to a page, to those "magnetic" pages (that turned out to ruin your pics), to albums with Pockets you just slide your photos into. During Thanksgiving I was loading my Mothers digital picture frame with the pictures we took while visiting while listening to some of my favorite music on my i-pod.

I embrace and love most of the changes in technology and look forward to other changes to come.  Somehow though, it seems that no matter how I try I can't remember the change over. The point where you no longer saw the tube testers, or the reel to reel tapes, the 'cube' flash bulbs or the 45 records in the stores.

What got me to thinking about this stuff was I kept noticing that something was missing near all the registers this year (at least at the stores I was in).  Film for Cameras!  During the holidays we'd see those portable racks on every other aisle or register loaded with film in multi packs.  I had totally forgotten about digital cameras replacing film.  

Maybe this is a leason to us all to keep our selves alert to the changes around us and not take so much for granted, after all nothing lasts forever and who knows what else we are missing while we are so distracted by all the progress of our time?

Wishing everyone a warm and watchful Holiday Season.

Feel Good Foods or We Are What We Eat?

I can’t describe just how much I love food.  I think I can safely say that we all have our “feel good” meals or what some refer to as comfort foods.   Meatloaf with scalloped potatoes?  Clam Chowder? Chicken and dumplings?  Ham hocks and Greens?

I love all food. I suppose you could call me a foody.  There’s only a couple of things that just aren’t on my love it list. Cactus, I tried it once and the taste wouldn’t leave for days.  Anchovies straight up,  way toooooo salty and fishy for me, and I love seafood.   I do confess, my number one favorite is Italian food.  Not the stuff you find here in the States, though I’ve had some that came close to actual Italian.

I love the simple way of cooking in Italy and the fresh ingredients that are used.  Nothing had me so ecstatic as walking through the open air markets.   The smells, I sure wish we had smell o vision just to relive it, were wonderful.  Cheeses, smoked and hanging on racks. Olives, I never thought I’d fall more in love with olives until I tasted them in Italy. I haven’t found the same here yet and believe me I’ve hunted every olive bar in every store I’ve shopped in.
Then you come to the fish, oh my, fish heaven,  Salted in bins, fresh on ice.  Clams, muscles and squids waiting to hit your pot.  The vendors would take insult if you didn’t try their wares before buying it.
A side note here, if you really want to learn about the country you are visiting, go where the locals go, shop where they shop and eat where they eat.

The reason I’m discussing “feel good foods” is because we really don’t put much thought into what we eat or even why we are eating it.  I have inflammation problems in my joints and sometimes the pain of it can be unbearable.  I began to notice that I had certain cravings depending on how I was feeling that day.  Some days when I’m feeling tired and run down I will want nothing but fruit.

Bad headache days I crave carbs like breads and pastas.  Days that I feel like I’m coming down with something, you know, that achey icky all over feeling, I want chicken soup (has to be homemade).   When my joints and muscles are flaring in pain, I crave fish and cheeses.  There have been some unexplained cravings too. Mustard, can’t seem to lather enough on a sandwich some days.  Then it could be cinnamon one day, I add it to my oatmeal, on my toast and even in my coffee through out the day.  Oh, and what’s up with my salad days, breakfast lunch and dinner.

This brings me back to my love of Italian food. I was looking into what foods are good for inflammation and the number one was Mediterranean foods.  I found a really great site for recipes at ‘Mediterranean Food’   lots to find and try.  I must be having inflammatory issues on a pretty regular basis if I listen to my cravings.

Maybe it’s time we all re-think the how and what we eat?  Are we ignoring our ancient instincts that play a role in our survival?  Apparently someone has already asked that question.  In a 2003 article in the New York times by Bruce Grierson,  it’s discussed that in the future we will be going to the doctor get a blood test and have our nutritional panel determined based on our DNA.  Full Article Here

 Ignoring natural inclinations of what to eat in some cultures has caused major health damage. One example is on the Navajo reservation and possibly other native american cultures, diabetes is a number one health issue and in higher percentages then the surrounding cultures.
In Japan, obesity is becoming more and more common as they are introduced to the addictive western foods.  Many other cultures have developed major health issues when they are no longer eating their native foods.

So, next time you pick up that bagel with cream cheese on it, think about what is it that your body is asking for.  

 Happy and healthy eating my friends,  

Cheryl

Related articles

• Navajo Book on Food Terminology Promotes Healthy Eating, Bridges Native and Western Worlds (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)
• What to Eat in Italy: 7 Personal Favorites 

IDSA Conference Boston October 22, 2011

October 22, 2011 marks probably one of the most exciting and empowering days I've ever experienced.  

     Myself, my Daughter and grand kids made the trek from NJ to Boston Mass. where the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) were having their 49th annual conference.  We arrived in Boston on Friday and met up with other Lyme patients from other states.  I cannot describe fully what it means to finally see people you've been friends with online.  Easily 70% of Lyme patients are housebound or too broke to travel so our lives revolve around our support network on the internet, so we don't get to do this often.  


Lots of hugs and conversations and laughter was to be had in the hotel lobby where we gathered to work on the protest signs. 

                                             Why are we going there you ask? 

      The IDSA writes the guidelines that doctors refer to when diagnosing an infectious disease such as Lyme disease or the many other Vector borne (transmitted by biting flies, fleas, mosquitoes and ticks) diseases.  In the case of Tick borne diseases, Lyme disease is the most common disease transmitted by the little blood sucker.  
Several other diseases can also be transmitted when bitten by a tick and they are referred to as co-infections  (read more on co-infections here).  


     The problem we are having as patients is that the IDSA guidelines make some very bold statements that are turning out to be not true in the life of a patient. One such statement is that Lyme disease is difficult to catch but easy to cure, if caught early.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Patient after patient report that they were bitten by a tick and couldn't get a diagnosis of what they were sick with for a couple of years or more.  Tests, by the admission of the IDSA, are not reliable and not very accurate.  


     Doctors look at the criteria the IDSA put out for a diagnosis of Lyme disease and if the patient tests negative, even with confirmed rash and other symptoms. The doctor does not treat the patient with antibiotics, instead he/she orders more tests to rule out other things.  
My own personal experience with the testing went on for at least 2 years. Blood tests, scans, x-rays, and so many different doctor referrals I can't even remember now.  


     Lyme disease is a gram negative spirochete bacteria, Very closely related to Syphilis.  Those types of bacteria are known to burrow into cartilage, muscle tissue, the brain and hides very well in the central nervous system.(more here).  


    So, the IDSA says Lyme can be cured with 14 to 30 days of antibiotics "if caught early",  What of the hundreds and possibly thousands of patients that did not get a correct diagnosis "early"?  Nothing in those guidelines tell our doctors what to do then. 


    Here's where it gets even more insane.  If a doctor does feel that the patient has Lyme disease based on bite history and symptoms and proceeds to treat the patient with antibiotics until he/she sees improvement (which most often takes much longer than 30days in late infection) in those symptoms, the doctor is at risk of losing his license or faces disciplinary hearings of a med board for not following the IDSA guidelines. Read here for more on the conflict between the IDSA guidelines and the Treatment Guidelines of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).  


We want and need treatment options. (each person is attacked differently by the bacteria and we are not carbon copies of each other)


We want informed consent between patients and their medical care providers.  (the same informed consent cancer patients are allowed for chemo)


We want the insurance companies to cover the recommended treatments our doctors prescribe.


We want the IDSA to listen to US! the Patient! not some failed, half completed studies that say antibiotics won't work.


We want better testing for Lyme disease and co-infections.

     
 I can't possibly cover the whole subject of the failings of the guidelines in this small post, but this gives you a general overview. 
    
     We arrived at the Boston Convention Center at around 11:30am on Saturday.  What a pretty day it was with the sun shining brightly.  

More hugs and encouragement among everyone as we lined up facing the building.  

     As our chants rang out you could hear it echo under the giant over hang of the building. It amplified our voices ten times over. How could they miss hearing what we had to say now?  Almost immediately we got the attention of people coming and going from the convention center.  

Them, Watching us, Watching Them

I swear, it looked as if everyone of them pulled out their cell phones to snap off our pictures and we could see people looking out the second floor windows taking pictures.  

(The Final plea at the end of the protest, a Die-in.)

I want to say a great big THANK YOU to all of you that went to this protest and a great BIG Thank you to those of you that couldn't go but were our cheerleaders and helped us to maintain the strength needed to be there.

    All of you are Heroes! and by golly we will finally get listened to one day soon.  

Getting Your Body Ready to Fight

    First of all, I must remind everyone reading this that I am not a doctor and I don’t promote any particular protocol or treatment. All I’m relaying to you here is what has worked for me and what I trust for my body. Always, always discuss your treatments and decisions you make with your doctor or health care professional.

    I want everybody to make educated and informed decisions regarding their health. Mainstream medical will always dispute the use of supplements, herbs or holistic types of medical care. Western medicine is pretty much always in conflict with other practices. I’m striving to find a balance between both and the decisions I make regarding my care is a very personal one. At the end of the day, I decide what’s working for me based on how I’m feeling.

     I found out that I needed long term antibiotic treatment for a chronic bacterial infection. This infection went undiagnosed for so long that it had invaded my central nervous system, my brain, my joints and possibly other areas of my body. I had contracted 3 different diseases from the bite of fleas and ticks, Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis and Epstein Barr Virus. Found out later that I also had Babesiosis.
Debate rages on about treatments, causes and durations of vector borne illnesses which I will not dwell on here. This is about healing and caring for your body while fighting infection.

     So, your doctor has told you that you may need to take antibiotics for a minimum of a month to maybe several months. It's very important to know that antibiotics will kill all bacteria, good and bad. Your intestines and skin are your first line of defense in keeping infections away.
 It’s a jungle out there with products that make claims to protect you and it can be very expensive during your learning curve. I made it a rule of thumb long ago that “expensive” is not necessarily the best.

      First line of defense would be to find a good quality “probiotic”. I’m the type that even with a baby dose of antibiotics I get a yeast infection within just a few days. Yeast can not only be a genital infection or and oral infection (Thrush) but also a systemic infection, meaning in your blood. Read more Here about yeast infections and treatments.
     After trial and error I look for the highest number of ‘Live’ cells in capsule form or powder form (don’t worry about taste, it’s rather pleasant really and easily hid in food if you want to take it that way). The better ones can be found in the refrigerated section of you area health food store. You can’t over dose on it, though when I took too much it resulted in loose stools.

      Foods to avoid while taking antibiotics (this applies to any dose, not just high dose antibiotics) .
Grains that contain Gluten.
Sugar.
Dairy products, except Keefer, yogurt, hard aged cheeses.
I have found that following the recommended diet for sufferers of celiac disease worked really well for me. Check out this site for some excellent information on diet and recipes http:/www.celiac.com/ .

     Now that we've covered protecting ourselves from that nasty yeast infection we need to arm our selves with the right supplements for liver support. Your liver and kidneys filter the toxins produced from the die off of the bacteria you are killing with the antibiotics. See more Here for how your liver works.  And click Here to read more about your kidneys

    The only supplements I use for detoxing and liver support are Milk Thistle, Burbur extract and parsley extract and drink plenty of pure filtered water. I also do "detoxing baths", the basic one is 1-2 cups of Epsom salts and 1-2 cups baking soda in a tub of very warm water. I soak for about 30min. This has helped quite a bit with deep muscle ache and nerve pain.  I have heard of peroxide being added too but haven't tried it yet.

    During the time you take antibiotics you may experience the 'Herxheimer' Reaction and these soakings do help ease those symptoms.  Read more about the Herxheimer Reaction Here.
There is also a popular belief that you have to "Herx" to recover and that it's normal to have repeated Herxheimer reactions during the course of treatment.  I personally have serious doubts about that and my doctor has me reduce the amount of antibiotics and increase my detox when it seems that I am "Herxing" more than I can tolerate.

    A necessary reminder here that I can’t overstate, when using supplements start with the minimum dosage and increase if necessary BUT never exceed what the manufacturer recommends. Too much of a good thing can be dangerous and toxic to your system so listen to your body carefully and if in doubt talk with your doctor.

     Also remember that everybody out there with advice has a different body than you do. You are unique and what others may swear by may not work for you. There is a certain amount of trial and error during your journey to better health so don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed by all the information out there. It’s best to start your new diet and get into the habit of drinking more fluids before you start taking your antibiotics.

 This will help prepare you for the work of healing that is ahead. Read and learn everyday and share with others what’s working for you, keeping in mind our differences.





 Wishing everyone out there a rapid journey to healing and a happy life.

Love, Companionship and Chronic Illness

     This can be a touchy or at least a very sensitive subject for many people.  In light of my own circumstances I've been doing lots of reading up on this subject.  


     Many of us that are in 24/7 pain, fatigue and much more happening to our bodies on a daily basis, can't find it in ourselves to even think of having a partner in life.  Heck, I look in the mirror and wouldn't want to date myself, so how do I expect someone else to find me attractive?  


So, I then tell myself, "I'm tough" "I don't need someone else to worry about" and many many more mantras.     


     The truth of the matter is do I really want to be alone?  No absolutely not. Oh, I do have my children, my internet friends and neighbors I talk to.  That is not quite filling the spot that remains empty.  I know many of us here online can relate to having those days that you just curl up in bed and say "I don't want to be strong today".  I wouldn't say it falls into a case of depression though, just loneliness.  My back is killing me, who do I ask to rub it?  I need a hug and someone to hold me so I can have a good cry, ask the neighbor?  Hehehe....that would go over really well.  


     Do we fib to ourselves because we feel so sick, and tell ourselves we don't deserve someone?  How about we don't feel we have anything to offer?   Having Lyme Disease or another chronic illness pretty much makes us housebound so going on a date is a nearly comical prospect. 


     A very wonderful article to read is Transcending Illness.  The author makes some very good suggestions in the paragraph "Coping Strategies for Transcending Illness".  This article and many others I looked at were very informative about having a chronic illness and the impact on the patients friends and family and the day to day grind of living with these illnesses.  I could not however find any posts that resemble a "how to" guide for relationships.  


Here's a site that at least gives us hope of finding a companion or the love of our lives. Chronic Babe . com .   


     I haven't come up with any for sure answers to this dilemma but I do believe we need to keep this conversation going and maybe find a way we all can find someone to share our physical lives with.  The internet is a valuable tool in that it keeps us out of isolation but it will never replace the comfort of holding someones hand.  


Cyber hugs to all my beautiful and loving friends and supporters on this journey.    

The Gifts Within

     The word "Gifted" when used in context of describing someone, brings to mind someone who is mega talented. They could have the Gift of gab, the ability to put words together to bring people to the same understanding and the speaker. The Gift of sight could mean someone is very artistic and draws or paints spectacular pictures. The Gift of Touch, a comforter or healer like a doctor.

      I believe we all are Gifted in some way or another. It’s just a matter of finding what our gift is and nurturing it. If a child is ahead of the other children in the learning curve and can retain information much easier than others, they are able to be in the Gifted program at their school. As children we have little control over our path in life, so those that are gifted are given a boost to move forward, and the others carry on at the pace dictated to them. Pretty much until adulthood we are following the speed and path of our development, intellectually and emotionally that is dictated to us by others.

    Now, here we are… adults. Now, able to take charge and guide our own destiny. We indeed do find out that we are gifted, some in small ways and others in large ways. I’m 53 years old and still seeking my own gift or gifts. It has taken me a long time to come to this point because I was busy working at what jobs I could get to raise my family and keep them fed and sheltered. My sense of self, my gifts I thought I had, were merely actions of survival and not actions of living. Well, maybe not everything I did but my thoughts were not on doing these things as a way of sharing my talents. I never really even thought much about gifts or talents until recently.

     Just how do we define our talent or gift? Do we really need to define it? I see someone who volunteers their time at a nursing home as having the gift of compassion. In fact, that gift is one I see most often in others. Is a gift something that makes us feel good about ourselves? Lots of people have jobs based on the gifts they have, photographers, writers, actors, doctors and more.

     I think my gift is still rattling around in my head somewhere. I’m super passionate about writing but I loose something between my brain and my pen. My guess is that I need to keep it up and practice and eventually the flow will happen. For some reason it’s also so much easier for me to recognize someone else’s gifts than my own too. That’s alright with me really. I joke about being a cheerleader quite often but cheering people on and maybe somehow helping them achieve their goals makes me feel super great inside. 

     So as I wrap up my mundane blabbering I have one request. Share your gifts with anyone who will accept it. That grouchy store employee at the super market, give him/her a smile and tell them what a great job they are doing. You never know their story and you just may make someone’s life much more livable. Pay forward your gifts, each and everyday.

Hello Doctor! I have something to say!

I copied the entire statement here so that I could comment to certain points.  Highlighted in  Yellow are points I'm speaking to. My comments are in Blue.

Pennsylvania Medical Society Statement to House Human Services Committee regarding HB 272 

Read Full Text Here:

http://www.pamedsoc.org/MainMenuCategories/Government/NewsfromHarrisburg/Statements/Testimony-on-House-Bill-272.html

Testimony on House Bill 272

Chairman DiGirolamo and members of the House Human Services Committee, I am John Goldman, MD, an Infectious Disease Specialist practicing here in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In addition, I also oversee the internal medical residency program at Harrisburg’s Pinnacle Hospital.

I wish to thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today on a topic that I believe merits your careful consideration. To begin, I should tell you that the Pennsylvania Medical Society opposes House Bill 272.

In a nutshell, House Bill 272 attempts to come to the aid of those with Lyme disease. If passed, this bill would create the Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Education, Prevention, and Treatment Act. While the desire to help these patients is laudable, the bill as written may actually be harmful to those with the disease.  

(Throw in a little Fear Mongering for added effect.)

(Laudable..That word was thrown in to help belittle the situation and belittle the people involved in the passing of this Bill.)

As a result, the Pennsylvania Medical Society opposes it.

Within the bill is language that would statutorily endorse the use of long-term antibiotic therapy for the treatment of Lyme disease by mandating that health insurance policies cover that treatment.

(Laws do currently exist that mandate insurance coverage for the treatment of many other diseases including cancer and aids and TB.  This is not a new practice and not just regarding Tick borne diseases.)

Unfortunately, research on this type of treatment is not proven and the overwhelming consensus of the medical community does not agree with it. Ironically, more and more physicians are significantly curbing the unnecessary use of antibiotics given the serious and growing problem of antimicrobial resistance.

(What happened to the recognized problem of incomplete treatment of a bacterial infection being the cause of resistance?  Syphilis, TB and other infections were proven to survive past the usual 10-14 days of antibiotics.  It was proven then that the surviving bacteria became resistant, therefore it was recommended to use antibiotics until infection was completely clear.  That begs another problem doesn’t it?  How to prove or disprove current infection?  This doctor is basically saying if it can’t be proven; even if the patient is still obviously sick, do nothing.)

I feel my IQ Shrinking Part Two

Today I realized what use is it to do all these exercises with out a baseline of my brain function to begin with.  

   If I do and IQ test first then I should be able to see if there are any improvements along the way.  There are many options on the world wide web. 

   So, maybe I should take a few?  IQtest.com is one that seems to be popular, we shall see. IQ tests give us an idea how we process information, solve problems and use our critical thinking.  Having a high score does not necessarily make a person "smarter" than someone with a lower score. 

   I have met people with extremely high IQs that couldn't operate an electric can opener.  So, if you are following along in my journey and want to see how you do, keep in mind we aren't numbers ok?


Update:  Golly batman!!  I should have known LOL. I took the test at the one listed above.

Here's what it said before I started:
Welcome to IQTest.com, home of the original online IQ test.

Click here to take our free, private, and fun IQ test.

Our original IQ test is the most scientifically valid IQ test available on the web today. Previously offered only to corporations, schools, and in certified professional applications, it is now available to you. In addition to measuring your general IQ, our exclusive test assesses your performance in 13 different areas of intelligence, revealing your key cognizant strengths and weaknesses.

Developed by PhDs and statistically sound, our test reflects the best research available.

I feel my IQ shrinking

            Can it be possible? Can I really feel my brain shrinking!

     I've suffered from Lyme disease for many many years but it seems like as I get older the symptoms take over and don't recede like they used to.  Neurological Lyme for me is more unbearable than the joint and nerve pains it brings.   

     It seems that I'm having more days of not being able to think one foot in front of the other.  Really getting annoyed because I have projects want to be involved in but I've not been very reliable these days.  I get a good start it seems then I fizzle, mentally crash and that is getting more and more noticeable.  I volunteer to help with things and the tiniest of stress throws me out of whack and loose my momentum.  How is it that others seem to be able to overcome this?  

Well, I've decided to try some programs I saw online that claim to boost your brain power.  

Crossword puzzles used to be one of my favorite pastimes but I can't remember any answers nor can I comprehend what I'm reading to be able to answer them. So, it's off to look for "Brain Games" and see if I can slow the damage down or at least train other areas of my brain to compensate. 

     I went to Lumosity . The site has you answer some questions and sign up for a free account. After answering some questions they give you an exercise program. Only catch is, you only get 3 sessions free, then you would need to pay a membership to follow the rest of your program. I went ahead and did the first session and it kept me interested enough to go ahead and do the rest of my 'Freebie' program.  

    Do I look smarter yet?   

I will be adding to this post as I find more worthy sites to use to help exercise that grey matter.  

I want my brain back, I'm not done with it yet! 

US Postal Service Protected by Federal Law?

I should not be surprised or even the least bit upset because I knew there was a law about putting fliers and other stuff in someones mailbox.  I was not aware however, of just how all encompassing the law really is.  Even if the United States Postal Service (which is not a government agency) goes broke, can't keep it's business running and folds up like a withering flower on a hot day, you can still face a fine for using those mailboxes.  (Read more here)

This law also applies to any box attached to your home that the post office can deliver to.  The only loophole is the slot in your door.  This law was passed in the 1930s and passed again in the 1980s.

Are we missing something here in regards to personal freedom?  If I put a planter with a lid on it at my curb and someone puts their flyer in it, will that person be up for a possible 5,000 dollar fine, just because the postal service could also use it?  what about a breadbox attached to my house, would that also earn a fine?

As home owners we pay exorbitant fees and taxes to own our home,  repeat OWN our home.  Ownership should allow us the freedom to use boxes attached to our homes as we choose to see fit.  

I sure hope that if the postal service fails to float anymore that this law will be revoked.

Bear in your backyard?

   Top of the news today in NJ,  "Bear in backyard, (see video) children coming home on the bus"  Oh, my! What will we do?  Not to knock the fear people have of wildlife but it seems that we have forgotten just who's home we are in.  City dwellers are not immune to having wildlife, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, mountain lions and yes....Bears. 

   Of course this sighting was not by accident, the bear was baited to be there unknowingly by the owner of the house.  A small bit of information left out by the media, to make a more dramatic story.  Who in there right mind that lives in an area where the deer roam free in the forrests surrounding their home, would leave a bag of garbage outside?    Aren't we taught about nature and what lives out there and what could cause a dangerous situation if you're not careful about how you use your surroundings?

   While working at the Humane Society in Flagstaff Az. I recieved some unbelievable calls.

Fear Mongering Makes Financial Sense (If you sell vaccines)

UPDATE November 3, 2011

Watch the entire documentary 'The Greater Good' FREE until Nov. 5th.

THE GREATER GOOD from BNP Pictures on Vimeo.
Sorry, not allowed to embed.  Go to http://vimeo.com/31036452 to view it there. Only available for the next two days.

 I was listening to a debate this morning on HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccines being required for girls aged 11or 12. Required, meaning becoming a law that our children will be required to have this vaccine in order to attend public schools. 

 On February 2, 2007, Texas became the first state to enact a mandate-by executive order from the governor-that all females entering the sixth grade receive the vaccine, with some exceptions.  Legislators in Texas passed H.B. 1098 to override the executive order and the governor withheld his veto. (Read More)

What? It's more than ridiculous, sitting there and arguing about my rights as a parent and saying what a lousy and irresponsible parent I am if I do NOT agree with forced vaccination of our children.


‎The Government and drug manufacturers might as well be saying "I know what's best for your children so I'm going to pass a law so you have to do what I say is best" 
 Are we a bunch of backwards illiterate empty headed people living in this country that we need laws passed like this? Seat belt laws, Sugar tax, forced vaccinations and more are now on the books to keep you "safe".  


 With the FDA and drug manufactures track records of Recalling drugs and vaccines AFTER their approval makes me want to grab up my children and grand children and run for cover!


They use FEAR to sell their vaccines. Now people die from what used to be a simple case of measles, not just a few, Thousands of people. God help you if your child gets Chicken Pox. Whopping cough was a common childhood ailment when my parents were kids. Now it's guaranteed to be fatal.

Beautiful Words From a Beautiful Friend

Ripple of life, peace and love

by Carolyn Booth Thomas on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 10:35pm

In life I think we are influenced more than we realize by the world and people around us. Circumstances that at the time seem so unfair or difficult are all just a way of preparing us for the future. We are gently formed without realizing to face what lies ahead. Each simply a reflection of the ripple of what our futures may hold. A person that may have played a part in our life was a situation we would meet again, this time with greater understanding and caring that comes with age and experience.

I believe the strength I have, may have been a direct result of the many tears that fell. So I cannot have regrets. But now in the time of greatest need I have the strength to face lifes challenges, had life been a bed of roses.... would I be able to have lived through the thorns that tear through my body and soul on many days? I think not. Had I not seen the extent of human suffering so early would I have the empathy I now have? certainly not, or at the very least not known how best to deal with it.

I am told so many times I have the right words for certain situations a compliment for which I do not always deserve, had I not faced so many I would be speechless. So I have to say the rocky paths I have walked have helped shape who I am.
I do not claim to have lifes answers, many lifetimes would be necessary for that! We spend so much time fearing our parenting is not perfect...was mine? no.... was anyones perfect I am sure not so. I beat myself up daily on what I should have done differently today, but the realization hit me. I survived. Doing my best I cannot always protect my children from the challenges in life. Cannot live life for them. Will they listen to the advice nooooo. But in years to come the ripple effect will certainly come into play and hopefully the difficult times will have prepared them as I was prepared.
So tonight I go to bed with a clear concience for once! I am not perfect nor is the world. I am doing the best I can and it just has to be good enough for today.

Being as today is 9/11 I cannot say that such a tragedy could possibly be a necessary lesson. It is what it is a great tragedy. I can only hope and pray the survivors have found some healing and peace and that the rest of the world certainly has experienced the ripple of love, sadness and togetherness that comes from so many losses. That the world yearns more than ever for peace and that even the hardest heart is softened by the tears that have fallen. It is humbling even in our darkest hour to imagine the children that lost parents, parents that lost children, families that every year have a chair unfilled with someone that they loved. My heart truly goes out to all. Tonight the air is thick with the feeling of sadness but hopefully with the gentle whispers of prayers for those in pain. Let there be a united thunder in the night air to the world and all that reside within it for peace and love.

The Search is Over, The Journey Begins

*Steps up to podium*  *tapping on the microphone*  "Is this working?"  

"Hi, My name is Cheryl, of Cheryl's Lyme Page and I have Lyme Disease."

     Okay, in all seriousness, I have Lyme Disease, Babesiosis and Ehrlichiosis. I also tested VERY positive for EBV. I was originally infected sometime in the early 70s in California. Re-infected in the late 80s in Northern Arizona.  And re-re-infected in the late 90s in Kansas.  


     So far in all these years and countless doctors, not a single one has taken a look at this list, nor have they tried to piece it all together.  Every complaint resulted in a separate test, separate diagnosis and different drugs for each symptom.

The symptoms I'm listing are not all on a daily basis but I will experience several daily. 

• Muscle Cramps
• Muscle Spasms and twitching (arms, left leg, face and back)
• Grinding bones in neck
• Weak bladder
• Deep Hip pain (left side, like nerve pain or deep muscle cramp)
• Low Vit. D
• Numbness and tingling on right side of face
• Sharp Pains in middle of back (between shoulder blades)
• Pain on my chest, same spot for years.
• Torn up tendons in elbows (surgery on one didn't take)
• Sharp stabbing pain in knees
• Swelling of one leg from knee down (one time left and another time right)
• Jaw pain rt. side
• Ringing in ears
• Heart flutters
• Rapid heart rate
• Sinus congestion ( always, had surgery to correct septum but infections continued)
• Black fuzzy looking floaters both eyes ( some days worse than others)
• Morning headaches
• Anxiety/panic attacks 
• Painful bottoms of feet (mostly in am. takes a little bit to get walking)
• Dizziness when moving my eyes to look up or down, with that I can hear a whoosh sound like I'm going to faint.
• Shortness of breath (feels like I'm not getting air, blood oxygen is fine though)
• Night sweats
• Swollen Lymph nodes. Groin area and under arms very painful.
• Sharp shooting pains.
• Tired, Tired, Tired.  (never enough sleep it seems) no insomnia though.
• All over body aches (feels like coming down with something but never quite happens)
• Prickly, itchy all over. (like little mites biting me, started ages ago in my scalp. now it hits everywhere)
• Suddenly I can't remember how to read or write, even the keyboard makes no sense. (lasts for about an hour or so)
• Constantly loosing words.  Simple everyday words.
• Forget where I was going in conversation or what was being talked about.

     I'm sure I'm forgetting something, as far as symptoms changing over the years, it seems that what I experienced was one symptom added on top of another. Each time I had a new symptom, the others were still there, so it just added to my list when I went to the Dr. Making me sound crazier as time went.