If April showers bring May flowers....(updated)

...this year should be a bumper crop!

Y'all. It has rained an insane amount this spring. We went from having a hard winter (for us) to everything blooming within about a week. It was crazy, even by Texas standards. (If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute)

Since everything bloomed just about at once, my allergies went off the rails. And I ran out of Allergra. I thought I was doing ok but I finally came down with what I think is a sinus infection.

I have been trying really hard to kick it on my own WITHOUT antibiotics. (antibiotics make me sick to my stomach most of the time, which affects my immune system worse than being sick..and then comes the yeast infection). So yeah..I was hoping to avoid.

I have been taking...

• Garlic tablets - antibiotic and antifungal
• Lobelia - dries drainage
• Elderberry - general upper respiratory
• oregano oil - antibiotic and antifungal
• marshmallow - does many things including general upper respiratory
• licorice root - does many things including general upper respiratory
• tart cherry - great antioxidant with dinner. Promotes sleep.
• Eucalyptus essential oil - breathing in the vapors in hot water/shower
• various pharmaceuticals..advil, allegra, mucinex

I have tried enough things and waited enough time to now know that it's lingering and I need some help. Most of you remember that I had a serious run-in with my GP during my VCD days. They were so rude and unhelpful when I needed them most. So I have been searching for someone that perhaps is more holistic. East/west. Functional. Integrative. Something. I found a small clinic in the area with an m.d. that is more functional and integrative. I have been wanting to "try her out" to see if she's all that and a bag of chips. And since I can't kick this crud, today is my lucky day. (I love my integrative dr but I cannot afford to pay cash for all of my health care, which is unfortunate because I love him. And this office takes insurance..and they have a chiropractor and my girl needs to get started with one this summer.)

I don't know whether I'm going to like her. I am also window shopping because I need to move the girl over to a grown up GP at some point. After all, she's 20. 

But alas, it's not snowing anymore (like it was in my last post lo a many weeks ago). We've moved on to the pestilence of rain. Today enjoying the warm temps and sun. Word is its more rain starting next week. Fun times. Hoping by then, I have some sort of relief from my head and throat. 

Hugs and love, y'all.

Update..I liked her. It was an odd visit. A bit confusing. I ended up seeing a chiropractor that is also a nurse practitioner. Weird. But she was nice. She did a nebulizer treatment with colloidal silver and sent me home with it to quirt up my nose and take some by mouth a few more times and I can do one more neb treatment tomorrow if I feel the need. She says that should do it. Jury is out on all of this but I am willing to try it. The alternative health care world is a different animal altogether!

Ice and snow

I'm sitting here waiting on my leftovers to reheat in the toaster oven. A salmon croquette...or salmon patty..or as we call it, CRABBY PATTY. There goes my 4th grade humor for the day. You're welcome.

We have missed two days of school for ICE. So that was fun. Hubs stayed home the first day but ventured out the second (and did ok..no wreck). And then last night they issued a snow warning. And despite my best efforts to warn the girl that school would probably happen, she set her hopes WAY high that today would be a triple play and we would miss yet another day of school.

It was raining when I woke up way too early to potty. I was all see I told you so.

And then a bit later she got up all excited that it was snowing. But grumpy that school was indeed happening anyway. And I was all see I told you so.

So it was dark and very cold and snowing early this morning. I was also grumpy about having to get out in this awful weather. But I tried to keep it to myself.

And then I needed to run a couple of errands. So I trudged out in the gray skies and wet snow flakes.

But then a funny thing happened. It stopped snowing and the sun came out. I ditched the coat for the rest of my errands and ended up enjoying being out and about...with less grump and a little more spring in my step.

Let's hope spring weather isn't far behind.

I made...

So I wrote a post the other day and then never got around to finishing it. Here goes anyway so I can get it out of my drafts folder. : )

I hope your Christmas and New Years were safe and happy.  Ours was quiet and nice. And as always, I'm glad it's over. I guess I'm sort of a grinch but I am always happy to pack it all up and be done with holidays for a while. : )

I am happy to say that I have not been having problems breathing. I would say 'at all' but every now and then I will notice it for like A breathe. But it really has felt nice to just feel ok in that regard and not have to put so much mental effort into correctness in that area.

When I started feeling better, I started thinking about all the things I hadn't felt like doing when I couldn't get a breathe. One of them was cross stitch. I started a project a couple of winters ago and got bogged down on this one part and just stopped working on it. So I picked that up and got past the tricky part and finished it.

I did learn making this project that I have major anxiety over french knots. I dotted both the "i"s but did not do any of the decorative knots...I kept obsessing over them looking exactly alike, which they do not, so I knew doing the 20-30 other ones was a lost cause.

INSERT PHOTO HERE..yeah it never happened. : /

I also started putting more effort into my meals again. I have lots of cookbooks but you know as well as I do that it always comes back to the simple stuff. I have lots of recipes for 'raw' foods and salads. And there are some foods I'm trying to learn how to eat raw. One of them is cauliflower. So I played around with several recipes and came up with my own. I had to come up with a name so I went out on a limb and decided to call it Cauliflower Salad. I know, right.

Nothing here is exact...chop up a head of cauliflower..if it's a large one I use about 2/3. Chop into small pieces. I used to try to make it tiny but now I just go for small. Call me lazy. Then chop up a couple hand fulls of parsley, half some tiny tomatoes, add black olives, some onions and or green onions, some lemon juice, garlic powder,  olive oil and salt and pepper. Just chop everything up in the amount and size that is your liking and add the flavorings etc and you're done. It is so yummy and bright. And super healthy. And there isn't a recipe. Just put a bunch of stuff together. And you could swap out other veggies altogether if you want.

INSERT PHOTO HERE...yeah this never happened either. : /

Anyway...I hope you and yours are enjoying the first days weeks of 2015. : )

just a little cooking and health and vcd update all in one

Last night and this morning I made out the grocery list for the early part of the week. And since today it is very cold (unlike yesterday when it was down right delightful..almost 80*), I thought soup would fit the bill for dinner. I've been making lots of soup. Growing up we called it stew but I think it's more of a soup, but whatever. Last week I made some soup. Found it on Pinterest. Healthy delicious bla bla bla. And it was terrible. Hubs made a pbj and I didn't want the leftovers and threw them out.

So today when I was making out the list, I reminded myself of the words of my oncologist at my last visit recently. Eat simple and healthy. It doesn't have to be all this out there kind of stuff. Just eat simple. So that's what I'm going to do today. I love the soup I've made forever...with a few healthy additions. It was already healthy whole food, but I add a few more things now. I'm thankful that his words pop into my head when I'm tempted to get a little carried away.  And as my folks used to say on occasion... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Lesson learned. No more 'fancy' soup. : )

And also, VCD is an ever present 'friend'. Sometimes it's a friend that I hardly notice. Easy breathing. Love it. And other times, I have to remind myself to take a chill pill and breathe. So because of that, I have been slowing things down in the kitchen and not trying to go all out when simple (and healthy) will git 'r done.

I was able to call this morning and cancel my last speech appointment. I skipped (part of the plan) last week but had this week in my back pocket just in case. But I called this morning and cancelled. Woo hoo. Glad I'm far enough along and life has been able to return to some normalcy...even though there are those times I have to stop and 'do some breathing' to get things back on track.

And also...just something I can't remember if I shared this or not..regarding my last onc appointment. I am so happy to report that my tumor marker went DOWN an entire point. Woo hoo. I was always well in the safe zone but I like to see it going backwards! I credit the sauna for this...along with eating healthy and the other healthy things I do. And I had only been going in for about 6 weeks when I had my onc appointment. Will be interesting to see what happens after 6 months. Also thankful that my breathing is allowing me sauna time again.

I had done a drug therapy thing with the crunchy dr for about 9 months and I was super unhappy with where I was physically...even though it was supposed to be very cancer protective for me...so I pulled the plug a good while back.  I was nervous to stop on it even though it wasn't really helping me. That made me extra grateful for the downward turn in my numbers this time around.

So that's a fun little update and a reminder to keep it simple and healthy. Your bod (and your sanity) will thank ya for it. : )

here we go again with the VCD stuff...

I think I am finally making some headway. Finally.

When I would go to speech therapy she would comment on getting on the floor and doing belly breathing and then I should be ok for a while and maybe have to come back later and do it again to get back to center etc. I was all 'do what?' because as soon as I would get up, I would be struggling again.

I went to therapy Tuesday and once again we started the session on the table breathing. And then we talked more about changes I could make at home to help relieve stress.

And then Wednesday came and I had a massage. {cue angelic music}

Wednesday's massage was with the owner and was very different from the one last week. There was more stretching and she worked specifically on opening up my rib cage. And from then on I was breathing better.

And since Wednesday I could do some breathing on the floor and really get up and enjoy some 'good time' when I wasn't solely focused on breathe in, breathe out. Lather rinse repeat. Also I have been adding in some chamomile tea and some passionflower tea...both of which are very calming and stress relieving.

I am not there yet. Not by a long shot. But I am finally improving and that is encouraging to me.

Can't wait for early next week. Another massage. And perhaps this week, my speech therapist will release me.

So I am making the move from surviving to thriving. One breathe at a time. One speech session at a time. One massage at a time. One cup of tea at a time.

I am looking forward to putting this chapter of my health behind me. Except for the massage part. I'm hanging on to these gals. : )

the massage

So I went for a massage Friday. I will start with, yes it was nice. I told the hubs that I will want to continue those even after I get well. Made hi$ day. ; )

I went to a small place...my daddy would have called it a hole in the wall joint. It is located in the 'old'/historic area of one of the suburbs near me in a converted house. The waiting area 'out front' is really the old living room. And behind the front desk, is the kitchen etc. Not super fancy but very clean and well appointed for the task. And the entire office and their therapy is very medically oriented which is what I need. Kind of like a compliment to speech therapy. Another therapy.

I met my therapist and she took me to a room. We chatted about what was going on with me and talked about what she wanted to do etc. And the best level of undress. So I undressed and crawled on the HEATED table (yes please) and under the covers..and cradled the pillow she had for me. I can't lie flat on my tummy so she modified everything to make it more comfortable. One shoulder side and then the other. And then some time on my back while she reached under and worked on my neck and back some more and then my neck and arms from my back. It did hurt some, but I am tied up in tense knots. She was barely applying pressure at times and it was still touchy but it was ok. I asked her to lighten up her touch a few times, but I also tried to balance that with her trying to do her job on me.

This week I am going to see the owner because she works on people differently than the girl I had last week. And one of the guys there is great with neck work, so I may end up seeing him at some point. I am more comfortable with all of 'it' since I've been there and met them. I don't think I would feel too weird having a man work on me at some point. I think both the males that work there are super good and very ethical workers. So if I need a guy at some point, I can be open to that.

Did it help? Yes. But not long term. I'm simply not loosened yet. But I could see that it did help some. I am thinking about dropping the crunchy dr for this because it's quite expensive to go to him and then there is massage on top of his fee. Yikes. I can replace him with a chiropractor that takes my insurance and then I'm down to the cost of the massage. (and drop the acupuncture part) Much better. I can get many massages for one crunchy dr office fee. (we file and get a minimal amount back, so it is always a consideration). It's not that I don't love him, I just can't afford that every week or two.

My therapist noted that one part of my shoulders was supposed to be pointing in another direction but it was pointed at her. My muscles have pulled my bones way out of whack. And she said that chiro is very complimentary to this work because she can pull my muscles to where they belong and watch them go right back because of the bones. I have a couple of good leads on a chiro. One very near by and the other about a half hour away. Next door to crunchy dr, coincidentally. And his chiro, coincidentally. So I know he is good. So those are all things that may take place in the future.

I have some good moments. Few. I can get relaxed when I lie down and breathe easier but as soon as I get up it's a struggle again. Boo.  I also quit my scrip for sleep and melatonin is doing the trick and I am able to fall asleep decently. So that's an improvement. I know I will get there. It is just hard. Sometimes I really want to just cry..and I have...but it makes my breathing worse. But I have faith that I will get there. Keep praying for me. Hugs and love, my friends. : )

boring VCD update

Another boring update on my VCD...this is mainly for me so I can remember everything. But feel free to follow along. ; )

So the past week and a half haven't been so great. I had therapy Tuesday and it was mainly discussing what I'm already doing and thinking about some things differently. She set me up to have four additional sessions, because I have all the mechanics 'but I'm not there yet'. yeah.

Right after my therapy session, I called my crunchy dr to see about coming in for another adjustment and some more acupuncture. So I did that. The acupuncture was much more comfortable this time than last. Needle placement different. Weird, but much better. He also wanted me to do some saline nebulizer treatments to moisten things up. I tried it some tuesday and yesterday but breathing out of my mouth makes me feel like I'm hyperventilating by the time the neb treatment is over. Say it with me...in through the nose and out through the mouth. I caught myself doing that with my neb and that's not going to do me much good. lol

Then yesterday my VCD was out of control. And I cried off and on all day. Several reasons. Some of which I can't go into here, but I also read that things can be worse the next day after acupuncture including being weepy and feeling worse.  So I don't know what to make of that.

And today is better. So maybe it has to get worse before it can get better. I dunno.

I have been taking a scrip that is really for drainage every night to help me sleep. I wasn't very fond of needing to do that. So last night I took a melatonin and hoped for the best. I was able to rest decent. Cat was tearing around on the bed and that woke me up. I also woke up with a headache in the middle of the night. Not surprising since I was awake/asleep/awake/asleep several times. I didn't really want to 'take' anything so I took some ginger. On an empty stomach. Which might have been a mistake. Feeling off today, even though my breathing is better.

Tomorrow I am getting a massage. I'm hoping I don't have to go through the same 'next day is worse' routine like I just passed through. My speech therapist encouraged me to get a massage at a place like Massage Envy which is a chain. They were kind of afraid of me. So I found a place in a nearby suburb that specializes in dealing with people with medical issues through massage. Much better fit. That is tomorrow morning bright and early. Kind of excited but nervous too. Kind of awkward. Never had a massage. Never really wanted a massage. But I also want to breathe.

She also recommended that I look into restorative yoga which is fancy for a lot of breathing with some manipulatives. I looked into it but I was not comfortable with it and knew I would not be able to 'relax'. So I am passing on that one. Kinda dread having to tell her I skipped out on that.

My therapist is a breathing nerd so she has done many of these things and overcome many challenges in regards to her own voice in her lifetime. She is such a sweetie.  This really isn't a journey I would wish on anyone but I'm thankful there are people like her with the knowledge to help.