Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  Hope you all are having a fine and thankful day.  Even though many have fallen on hard times in one way or another... we all still have at least one thing to be thankful for.  I'm thankful to still be alive, I'm thankful for my friends and family, and I'm especially thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Pic by Caressa...

I am planning to do an update blog entry as soon as I get a chance.  Got lots to update about the cancer stuff.  Until then here's a picture my niece Caressa colored for me...

Happy Birthday Marine Corps!

November 10th is a big day for Marines. It's the 236th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.  My dad was a Marine in Vietnam. I believe this day is more important to him than his own birthday.

This is my dad.

Dad when he was in the Marines.

(he's the dark one in the cap, American Indian ancestry on his father's side, he gets so dark when exposed to the sun; I got more of my mother's fair complexion)

Football: Wake Forest-Rolesville Hammers Millbrook

CJ Shaw is my nephew, he played a great game last night and was interviewed after the game.


BY NATE TAYLOR - ntaylor@newsobserver.com

WAKE FOREST -- One by one, Wake Forest-Rolesville players praised C.J. Shaw before celebrating their 55-23 victory over Millbrook.

Though many players performed well Friday night, the fourth-ranked Cougars (9-1, 6-0 Cap Eight 4-A) knew this game belonged to Shaw.

He played a central role in keeping WF-R's chances of winning a conference title alive. Shaw, a backup defensive lineman who had never played a snap on offense, was forced to start at center with Jacob Baucom sidelined by illness.

"I knew I had to push hard," said Shaw, who learned WF-R's Wing-T offense this week. "I was trying to get everything done right."

The snap-exchange from Shaw to quarterback Cameron Fray never produced a fumble. And once Shaw started to get comfortable, WF-R's offense started gaining yards by chunks.

In the second quarter, the Cougars increased their lead on Millbrook (5-5, 2-4) with runs to the outside. On consecutive drives, running backs Petey Williams and Casty St. Louis each broke through Millbrook's defensive line for long runs. Williams ran for a 52-yard touchdown and St. Louis raced for a 67-yard score.

"Surprisingly, I enjoyed it," Shaw said. "If we open up a hole up, (Williams and St. Louis) are gone. It's awesome when you look up and they're 20 yards down the field."

Williams was impressed with Shaw's ability.

"To me he looked like a natural at it," he said.

Coach Reggie Lucas knows the offensive line is the most important aspect to the Cougars' success on offense. Though WF-R entered Friday's game averaging 35 points, the Cougars haven't thrown the ball more than 10 times in any single game. Lucas relies on this lineman to move defenders out of the way to create paths for the running backs.

Lucas said that's why Shaw was so vital to the Cougars game plan.

"He stepped in, and I thought he did a phenomenal job," Lucas said. "For the coaching staff to make that adjustment was key for us."

When Shaw found out Monday that he was going to have to learn a new position, he sought guidance from many of the same teammates who were proud of him after the game. After all, Shaw helped the Cougars score seven rushing touchdowns.

"At first, I didn't want to go to offense, but this is really fun," Shaw said. "I loved it."

Now, the Cougars will get their chance to win their sixth consecutive conference title when they play Leesville Road (9-0, 6-0) on the road next week.

Even if Shaw, a junior, doesn't play at center against Leesville Road, this is still his first season playing for the Cougars. So, how would it feel to know he helped the Cougars win it?

"It would be like ... the most awesome thing," Shaw said.


Taylor: 919-829-4538


http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/22/1585980/wake-forest-rolesville-hammers.html

Port Surgery

Had my port surgery Friday morning.  It was successful... I now have an arm port.

As soon as I got in there I told him I hadn't gotten any sleep and if he gave me anything I might go completely out.  This would probably set off my sleep apnea and I would probably start moving around.  "Just want to let you know, you have been warned.", I said.

He said we could just do a local instead, if I wanted... instead of a light anesthesia (or twilight).  I agreed saying we could always go deeper if we needed.

He gave me the local... and as usual when I get numbed... I started giggling.  I was trying so hard not to shake.  I had everyone laughing.  They're not used to this kind of reaction.  It made for a very light and fun surgery for all.

He measured out the line by inserting a wire first, he did mention something about my vein being *something* (I can't remember the word he used, but it wasn't good).  Said it was probably because it had been messed with before.  *This is the same place I had a port back in 2005.*  He threaded the line in, but for some unknown reason, it was a little short.  He thinks he knows why, and he would have to start from scratch if he took it out, he tested it and it worked fine.  Said it didn't quite make the last bend, but that would give it less reason to kink.

I asked him if he felt confident that it would not be a problem, because if so that's great and I would trust him on it.  But if for any reason he felt that a problem of any sort could arise from this... I would be that person, that WOULD be me.  That's just how my life goes.  He said he felt real good about it, he tested it, and it works just fine.  We shall see!!  *crosses fingers*

He did say there was a small blood clot at the site where my PICC line had been.  He did not seem concerned at all.  But I was a little... I had my PICC line removed on July 12th.  So just how big had this clot been to still be there now.  Figured I needed to call my oncologist as soon as I got home.  Since I didn't have any anesthesia they could let me go fairly quickly... and I could walk out instead of being wheeled.

When I got home I called the nurse line and left a message:  "Had my surgery, it went fairly well, now have an arm port.  While looking at my veins with his machine, he noticed a blood clot at the site where my PICC line had been.  He said it was a small clot and he did not seem concerned, but I wanted to let Dr. Olajide know just in case she wanted to increase my Coumadin a little for awhile.  If so, just give me a call.  Thanks."

It wasn't long before I received a call back... Great catch, that was a very good call and the doctor did indeed want to increase the Coumadin from 1 mg to 5 mg daily.  She also wanted me in for labs next Friday to check my INR levels.  Thank you very much for calling that in.  We should put you to work.  *See, I do know what I'm doing*

I heard three different times by three different people today that they should put me to work.  Two at the hospital this morning and once by the nurse who called me back. *pats self on back*

Here are some pics I took shortly after arriving home.

These were taken about 4-1/2 hours later.

The bruising at the incision has lightened a little,

but the bruising around the area has spread and

darkened a bit.

Not much pain, just a bruised kind of achy pain... Tylenol takes care of it.  Very tired.  I napped for a few hours after.

Got up around 11 am Saturday, then napped later in the afternoon for about 1-1/2 hours before being rudely awakened by CJ.  I was so out of it.  He was looking for my car keys... which dad had because they had gone up to my house, mowed the lawn and got my washer & dryer.

Got up and went out for dinner (mom made mexican), visited with CJ & Bethany.  Then Seri came over, dad took her shopping at Kohl's.

Cancer Recurrence: Catching Up (Part 2)

This is a continuation of the previous update post and is a summary of what occurred between mid-July thru to the present.

In my previous update, I forgot to include that in June after my 5th or 6th round of chemo my toenail came off. The one next to my big toe on my right foot. I was afraid I was dying or something… at least, that’s what I went out asking mom after it came off.

Here’s a photo of the cake my niece, Cianna, made me. It made me laugh because of either the misinformation or just the innocence of a child’s mind, but it read “No More Cancer” as if I was cancer free. I thought, “Well, we could always hope.”

Roughly two weeks after my oncologist declared that I may be in remission I had a large mass reappear in the back of my right arm. Aug. 4th I had a Punch Biopsy done. It came back negative for the lymphoma, but my surgeon and I both knew that was incorrect and figured we weren’t able to get deep enough with a Punch Biopsy, so we scheduled a Surgical Biopsy for Aug. 15th. He had to go in deeper than anticipated so the incision is pretty long and deep. Got six stitches... kind of looks like a Frankenstein scar, lol. Two days later he called with the results. Positive for the same lymphoma I've been fighting.

See the white ring or lighter ring around the incision area, that's because of the pressure caused by the mass pushing up underneath my skin.  It was so tight I was afraid the stitches were going to rip through.

Saw my oncologist on Aug. 24th, she referred me to a radiologist to get started on radiation treatments. She also discussed doing chemo again… she was going to a conference and was going to present my case. Saw the radiologist for a consult on Sept. 2nd. Also had a PFT (Breath Test) to check my lungs… still having extreme shortness of breath. Starting to fear there was permanent damage to my lungs from the chemo or something. Tests showed I have good lung capacity. The nurse giving me the test was surprised, she could hear my shortness of breath just walking down the hall, she also heard the wheezing. When she listened with the stethoscope she realized the wheezing was coming from my throat/esophagus area.

On Sept. 7th I went to Rex Radiology for my Radiation Simulation which is setting up for my radiation treatments. On Sept. 13th I saw my oncologist again, she was told to hold off on the chemo for if and when I really needed it. There is a new drug out now that targets my type of lymphoma, but it just came out and is very expensive. Hopefully if I do eventually need to do chemo again, this is what they want to use and at that time it will come down in cost… but for now just stick to the localized radiation. She also was setting me up to see an ENT about the lump I feel in my throat and the trouble with my breathing. ENT appt not until Nov. 15th. I started radiation on Sept. 14th and I’m scheduled for 17 treatments. I go every weekday at 1:15 pm at the Rex/UNC Radiation Oncology, Rex Cancer Center of Wakefield.

Into my second week of radiation, I noticed the mass under my armpit seemed to be getting bigger, when I saw the radiation doctor that Wednesday I asked for his opinion to make sure I wasn’t feeling more than what was really there. He said he felt something. So I called and scheduled an appointment with Erin on Sept. 27th.

On Saturday, Sept. 24th I had an appointment for my car… the brakes hadn’t been feeling right and figured I should get it in for new brake pads. Joe picked up my car on the way to work (it’s his garage), worked on it during the day, then brought it back to the house. He lives near us and knows what I’ve been going through, I’m friends with his wife also. That was incredibly nice of him to go out of his way like that… and, he ended up needing to replace the rotors too. Then he and his wife gave me a truly amazing gift, he did not charge me a dime… it was a gift from them as a way to help me through my financial struggles. At first I said, “No, you need to feed your family.” But then he went into this spiel about feeling led to do this, situations he’s been in, vague situations his wife had come up against, and that they really wanted to do this. It was so sweet and he sounded a little uncomfortable and he had me tearing up… so I told him, which I have been told, that I needed to be more gracious in accepting gifts. (I’m uncomfortable accepting gifts or help, almost like I don’t deserve it.) So I would accept their gift graciously. I am truly blessed to have people like this in my life. I am blessed in many ways.

On Sept. 27th I saw Erin, she felt the mass. I had an appointment for a PET scan already scheduled for my 3-month check-up, so we just bumped it up from Oct. 5th to Sept. 29th. Erin called the next day, the mass under my armpit lit up… so did the bone marrow in my pelvic area. The cancer has moved into my bone marrow. Fortunately it has just started, it was peppered and not large spots. So after radiation they want to start chemo with that new drug. It was tentatively set up for Oct. 10th, but they wanted to wait 2 weeks after my radiation ended and they needed to get me approved for the drug financially through SeaGen (Seattle Genetics), which I was last Friday, Oct. 7th. So now I’m tentatively set up to start chemo on Oct. 20th.

On Oct. 1st I took my nephew, CJ, driving to teach him to drive a stick shift. He did really well.

On Oct. 4th, mom had to put her cat Fluffy to sleep. She had a brain tumor. Her leg was spasming, found out her pupils were enlarged and she was howling all the time because she was almost totally blind, she started throwing up the night before and did not eat that morning.

On Oct. 5th I saw the radiation doctor again and we decided to extend the radiation treatments for (at least) 3 more sessions. We’ll reassess the situation on Tuesday.

Now that I’m tentatively scheduled to start chemo on Oct. 20th… AND since I found out that my treatments will be every three weeks… AND I’m scheduled for 16 sessions… which means approximately once a month for a year and four months… I have scheduled an appointment with a Vascular Radiologist about getting a port in my arm like I had back in 2005. There is no way in hell I’m going through 16 months of this with a PICC line as first discussed (before I knew the time table). I’m trying for an arm port first, if not, then inquiring about another chest port, then the PICC line would be a last resort… if ALL else fails.

My appointment with the Vascular Radiologist was supposed to be Monday, Oct 10th, but someone screwed up and wrote it on the wrong day, it was put in on Tuesday… but the doctor doesn’t do this on Tuesdays and Monday was all booked up now… so I had to be moved to Wednesday, Oct. 12th. Which I am also scheduled for my Chemo Education class. We also made an appointment for the surgery on Friday, Oct. 14th. just in case we get a thumbs up for the port. We can always cancel if needed.

My oncologist said I should have a bone marrow transplant, but without insurance no one will even discuss it until we have the money.  I was told it would run a couple hundred thousand dollars.  The procedure itself is about $35,000., then you have doctor fees, hospital fees, medications, follow-up care, etc.  So I need to research foundations and organizations to see if I can find any help there, I will also need to raise donations to help fund it.  I am in the process of setting something up so that anyone can donate any amount they like through paypal, with a credit card, or bank account, and possibly checks.  Even if all you can donate is $5, if I get enough people to donate $5 or $10 dollars... I might just be able to raise enough.  I will have the donation button on my blog and will post it on my Facebook page.


Special Note:

My cousin Kelly is having a double mastectomy today. Praying that it goes well.

Family Photos

Mom borrowed some family photos taken at our Frisbee Family Reunions. (Click on photos to view larger images.)

Cat Doors Galore

My dad, bless his heart, got two pieces of plexiglass and glued them together to put a cat door in so they could have an exit out my bedroom window.  I didn't want to use a piece of wood and block my whole window.

He also cut a hole in my bedroom door for me so I could put one in so I didn't have to play doorman for my cats... now I can sleep with my door closed.

And check this out... finally tolerating each other. The gray one is my mom's cat, Apollo (we tend to call him Pillow most the time); the black & white is my Simon.

Another Tiring Day and More Job News

Another tiring day... or evening.  My sister is selling her house and is in the process of moving.  Still too hot to be doing all this moving and cleaning.  Sweating buckets... constantly wet and uncomfortable.  Such is life.  Hopefully we'll get finished up tomorrow.

Still have another load or two... DO NOT know where she's gonna put it!  New house is crammed full.  It's gonna take her six months to go through and unpack and organize everything.

Before I left to go help my sister, I received a call from the job I'm hoping to get.  Wanted to know if I was still interested... they hadn't received my application packet yet.  This freakin' town sucks when it comes to mail and shipping.  I dropped my packet in a FedEx box on Friday and they still hadn't received it... I'm pretty sure the label they sent me was an overnight label.  I let her know I had sent it out and I appreciated her calling.  She said if it doesn't come in tomorrow then she'll send me the application through email.  She did want to set me up for an interview though... so I have one on Thursday morning at 10 am.

I could kick myself... I usually make copies of everything.  I wanted to make a copy of my application and the FedEx tracking number, but I was in such a hurry to get it out ASAP that I didn't.  I could of just scanned it in and emailed it to her today.  The one time I don't do something turns out to be the one time I needed it!!  Isn't that just the way.

I'm very glad that they are interested enough in me that she called... she could have just tossed my resume aside thinking, "She must not be interested."  That gives me alot of hope that I may get this job!!!

Thank you Lord for watching out for me.

Easter BBQ

For some reason it was decided that we would have the family Easter dinner on Saturday instead of Sunday... okay, I'm flexible. That's why I was doing the lawn on Easter Sunday.

I only took a couple of pictures... I did get some video, but the software to convert it doesn't work on my new computer.  I've been saving the files to my computer until I can afford to buy something.

 

Mom's Visit

Mom came for a visit today... I believe this is the first visit when she has come without a reason, a "just stopping by" visit...  we had a nice lengthy visit.

Yesterday I spent the day mowing and weed-eating the yard.  It was soooo HOT!  I drank a whole pitcher of ice tea and a bottle of gatorade... without having to stop for a bathroom break... I sweated it all out.  I was so tired by the end of the day, I barely had enough energy to take my clothes off and get into the shower.  And, oh man... I was feeling it today!  I was gimpin' around all day.  It hurt to get up, it hurt to walk, and it hurt to sit down.  *LOL*

Saturday night Missy was on the deck chasing bugs... which she would bring in.  She brought a june bug in and then her and Simon chased it around the kitchen floor like an air hockey puck.

It Was My Birthday!

My birthday is over now. I waited all day and my 'dear' sister did not bother to pick up the phone and call me... thank you very much!  Nor did I hear or get any messages from her children... my nieces and nephews.  A little acknowledgement would have been nice... that's all I'm saying!

I did get a couple of very nice gifts from mom & dad.  Thank you very much.

The knife block I've been wanting for a while.

A Keurig Coffee Brewer

Dad got a Keurig for his place at work, then he got mom one for the house.  When I was over there I fell in love with it.  It was out of my budget range and never expected to get one for my birthday.  It is AWESOME!  I love that I can get hot water for hot chocolate or my chai tea without having to boil a pan of water.

Casting Out Demons

I was reading my friend Beth's blog post this morning... and it was a wake-up call for me. Somehow I let a demon into my house and it's been opening the door for it's buddies.

Usually, when I sense their presence, I cast them out immediately. Many times I have been attacked, although usually in an immediate struggle.  A few times it has been a physical attack. The feeling of being held down, like someone is pushing you down or sitting on top of you... for anyone that has gone through this, you know how terrifying and overwhelming it is. The feeling of powerlessness (is that a word?).

This one snuck in slowly and quietly, then took over, almost as if it bound me before I knew it. It's like I didn't even put up a fight... like I didn't know I needed to fight or something.  Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew something was wrong, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it, I was blinded to it.  Through my friend Beth, the Lord opened my eyes and my heart which allowed me to be freed from these bindings. She named it and brought it out into the light, it was like a slap in the face.  Duh!  I already feel the sensation of a burden being lifted.

So, please, all my friends and family, say a prayer for me and keep me in your prayers. I believe I will need help with this bunch of deviant demons. Fear, dread, doom, depression, doubt... just to name a few. Causing me to want to retreat and hide from the world, almost isolating myself.

Thank you, Beth, for allowing the Lord to work through you.  And thank you, Lord, for being so persistant and continuing to knock, no pound, on this thick head of mine to be heard.  *lol*

Love and blessings to all on this beautiful Monday morning!

Thank You... and God Bless The Soldiers

This was forwarded to me by my dad, a Marine that served in Vietnam. The honor and respect shown to this fallen soldier by his community touched him.

Freedom isn't free... it is paid for by the blood and sacrifice of our brave soldiers, the real heroes of this nation! If this doesn't cause you to at least tear up, well then, there's just something wrong with ya.


A Hero's Salute: Staff Sgt. John Beale

Migraines

I had a friend who suffered with migraines. For reasons still unknown to me, she decided to cut me out her life a few months ago; but, when I saw this article it caused me to pause since it had become a bit of habit to keep my eye out for migraine help. So I decided to post it here in hope that others may find it helpful.


Foods that could trigger a nasty headache

My friend Charlene pinged me. She had a miserable headache over the weekend. It wasn't just any miserable headache -- it was a miserable headache caused by citrus.

After retracing her day, Charlene realized that the three delicious tangerines were the culprit. She thought she was just enjoying a very tasty, healthy snack, but she was also triggering pain.

Some experts say that citrus and other foods may trigger headaches because the people consuming them may have an enzyme deficiency. The enzyme they are lacking is necessary for neutralizing amines in foods. Some foods have large quantities of amines, and without the enzyme, headaches (and even migraines) can be stimulated.

Still, gobbling up an orange (or three) might seem harmless. If you are one of the 28 million Americans who suffer from migraines, taking note of how foods affect your body could be critical in preventing future headaches. One new theory is that craving certain foods could also signal a coming migraine. These kinds of migraines are also made more unpredictable because eating the food may not trigger pain every single time, and because food could team up with other triggers (like bright lights or stress) to induce a migraine.

Some other foods and beverages thought to trigger headaches include:

• Aged cheese and those cheeses containing tyramine, a natural substance that builds up as food ages. Tyramine in high levels has been shown to cause hypertension, which is a particular concern for people who take MAO inhibitor medication to treat migraines. Blue cheese, brie, cheddar, Stilton, feta, gorgonzola, mozzarella, muenster, Parmesan, Swiss, and processed cheeses often contain high levels of tyramine.
  
• Other salted, cured, processed, and canned foods that are high in tyramine. Take note of how your body reacts when you eat pickles, olives, and canned soups. Beans can also contain headache-triggering tyramine, especially fava, pinto, garbanzo, and lima beans.
  
• Alcohol, which could prompt headaches as it is metabolized in the body. Pay particular attention when you drink red wine, beer, whiskey, and champagne, which have been identified as triggers.

There is a long list of foods that headache and migraine sufferers say cause their pain. Some of them might surprise you, including:

• Peanuts and peanut butter
• Potato chips
• Pizza
• Fresh fruits like kiwi, plums, and raspberries
• Bread and crackers

Have you had a miserable headache or migraine that you thought was caused by food? What was the culprit?

Do you avoid common foods like these that could prompt pain?


Read more:
Surprising cures for migraines
5 things you didn't know about headaches
One more reason to lay off the caffeine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Foods that trigger migraines

Migraine headaches are a disease that affects a lot of people and it is not yet known what are the exact causes of migraine headaches. A lot of research institutes identified a number of migraine headache causes and among those causes they include food as a major factor. Food can certainly play an important role for the existence of migraine headaches. This article is about foods that trigger migraines and what you can do to prevent the crisis.

The food seems to affect the frequency and intensity of migraines in some people. Often, people with migraines are sensitive to some foods. However, the exclusion of specific foods is not a formally accepted treatment for migraines.

Why do some foods trigger migraines?

One theory is that some foods may release certain chemicals, which can lead to migraines. The tyramine (found in cheese), the fainylaithylamini (found in chocolate), the tyrosine, glutamic mononatrio (used in Chinese food), aspartame, caffeine, sulphites – nitrites (found in processed meat) appears to be involved in causing migraines.

Also, different types of food cause varying degrees of vasodilatation or vasoconstriction, which can cause headaches. Another theory argues that some foods stimulate specific regions of the brain, leading to migraines. Nevertheless, the scientific literature does not lead to the formulation of clear conclusion.

What foods can trigger migraines?

A study of 577 people suffering from migraines showed that the foods more closely associated with their headaches was cheese, chocolate, red wine and beer. Another research found that the headache was common in patients with no resistance to gluten, with or without histological findings of intestinal lesions. Also other foods that trigger migraines are all nuts, the peanut butter, vinegar, prepared sauces (mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise), the avocado and animal intestines.

Second, the interruption of use of caffeine may cause headaches in some people, so consumption should not be exaggerated. The interruption of even a cup of coffee (or 2 cups of tea or 3 soft drink of type cola) can cause muscle pain, fatigue, fainting and headache.

Other established research about foods that trigger migraines showed that the following foods types are suspects for a migraine headaches crisis.

The chocolate
Cheese
Spirits
Coffee
Seafood
Citrus

Many experts also believe that those who manifest migraine after consumption of these foods may have an enzyme deficiency in fainolsoulfotransferasi (PST).

This enzyme has the capacity to neutralize a group of substances called amines that exist in large quantities in the above foods. But when the enzyme is missing from the body, then the levels of amines increase, stimulating the platelet agglutination (blood) in the brain, giving a mandate to initiate migraine.

The rates with which different foods trigger migraines are:
74% chocolate
47% cheese
30% citrus
18% fat and fried
15% tea and coffee
14% meat, especially pork
10% of seafood


Supplements to help reverse the effects of foods on migraine headaches

In the treatment of migraines a lot of supplements has been used including riboflavin, magnesium, and Tanacetum parthenium. The large doses of riboflavin (400 mg / daily) were well tolerated with minimal side effects and were quite effective, since their headaches decreased significantly. The effect is maximized after taking the supplement for at least 3 months. High dose of magnesium (600 mg / daily) can reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of migraine by 40% after 12 weeks. The most secure form of the supplement is considered the magnesium citrate. Finally, the investigations so far do not lead to a safe conclusion about the effectiveness of Tanacetum parthenium in the treatment of migraine.

Furthermore, it is believed that omega-3 fatty acids of fish and ginger can help those who suffer from migraines because of antihistamines and anti-inflammatory properties.

How to do to identify which foods help trigger migraines

The first step is to keep a food diary. Record what you eat and drink, but all your natural symptoms. It is very important to note the time you eat. After a month, read your calendar and look for recurring patterns. If you believe that you have discovered a link between eating and headaches, try to restrict the food for a month and watch the progress of symptoms. Keep in mind however that the various food manufacturers add different materials e.g. chocolate, explaining why a brand can cause you headache, and another not.

Foods that help prevent migraine headaches

The salmon, spinach, the ginger, mushrooms, according to several established research could help prevent migraine headaches crisis.

Other factors that can trigger a migraine headache crisis are:

Alcohol and red wine in particular.
Smoking.
Stress and fatigue.
Abnormal vision, misapplication of eye glasses.
Physical and sexual activity. (The headache after orgasm is usually harmless, but if it is intense and persists may indicate bleeding)
Changes in sleeping and eating hours.
Changes of time, weather, long journeys.
Hormonal changes. Menopause. Replacement therapy with estrogen.
Strong lights, strong noise, strong perfumes, and polluted air.

There are a lot of types of foods that trigger migraines. It is important to keep a dairy and log what you eat and drink before the emerge of a migraine headache crisis. You can then remove temporarily those foods from your diet and see if the problem still exists. In any case you need to get consultation from a professional doctor to help you find the right treatment for migraine headaches.

A Father's Decision

My mom sent me an email this morning. Usually I don't get on my computer before I go to work, but I wanted to check the weather and I saw mom had sent an email so I looked real quick. Wrong move!


A Father's Decision

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening. In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.

With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak. "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the pacific coast," he began. “When a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to the shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized.”

The old man hesitated for a moment; making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.

The aged minister continued with his story, “grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy would he throw the other end of the lifeline. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he threw out the lifeline to his son's friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered.”

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth.

'The father,” he continued, “knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus... Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son's friend.”

“How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us. Our Heavenly Father sacrificed His only begotten Son that we could be saved. I urge you to accept His offer to rescue you and take a hold of the lifeline He is throwing out to you in this service.”

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end. However, no one responded to the appeal.

Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. “That was a nice story,” politely stated one of them, “but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian.”

“Well, you've got a point there,” the old man replied, glancing down at his worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face. He once again looked up at the boys and said, “It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But, I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up his Son for me. You see... I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend.”


Now dry YOUR eyes and get yourself back together. I know I didn't need a cry before I had to drive to work. Thanks mom! But what an amazing and moving story.

Week Update

Let's see... went back to work Monday. Dead tired! About 2 AM Sunday night/actually Monday morning, I guess Jackie Cat (Jackson) attempted to jump from the counter to the top of the refrigerator to get on top of the cupboards to hide or get away from Missy Bug. What exactly happened and why... who knows for sure! All I do know that I was in bed and heard a horrendous crash. Not something where you roll over saying, "I'll see what it was in the morning." Kind of like when I hear Jack throwing up in the middle of the night, I'm not jumping out of bed to clean it up, it'll be there in the morning. Just make a mental note to watch where I walk when I do get up!

This was big-crash-need-to-check-out-NOW noise! I didn't see anything in the livingroom, or the spare bedrooms, but as I come back out through the little hall... I see stuff all over the kitchen floor. And Jack barely able to walk. I whisked him up and and laid him on the bed; gently started pressing around his leg and foot. He was making alot of noise, I knew he was in some pain. Jack has had bad injuries before but never growled at me. I was afraid he may have broken something. His leg felt like knotted muscles or something. I thought maybe torn muscle or charlie horse... you know, panicky thoughts when an animal gets injured in the middle of the night. No one to call, unless of course, you feel it is a very real medical emergency and call the vet for an outrageously high-priced emergency room visit.

Well, I attempted to put ice on it... but my ice bag was old and sprung a pretty big leak. I tried draining the water out and just put the bag of ice on it - lightly. He was having nothing to do with that. So I gave him half a diazepam then just held and petted him. Gave him a back and shoulder rub. I heard that purring causes some chemical stuff to release in their brains helping to soothe them and dull pain or discomfort. (Never assume that a purring cat is happy, he may be injured, nervous, or scared.) After about an hour and a half, we finally got to sleep.

In the morning he seemed a little better. He was limping pretty good but was walking. When I got home he was sleeping on my bed, which is pretty much where he's stayed for several days. He's much better now, slightly limping if he over exerts.

Now Missy Bug... when I came home Monday night, she was back to her rip-tearing self.

Tuesday afternoon I received a call from my radiation doctor's office. I had an appointment for this coming Monday. They needed to reschedule it because my doctor was in an accident over the holidays. He was hit buy a transit bus. I guess they were unsure about his condition there for awhile. He is doing better now, out of the woods, but he will not be able to come back to work for a few months. They had to reschedule me with another doctor. Totally blew me away. How awful for him... and his family.

On Wednesday the office had, much to my surprise, a belated birthday lunch for me. Wanda ran around getting everything. She stopped at Olive Garden and picked up a big salad, dressing, and garlic breadsticks; Food Lion, I believe, for one of those roasted chickens and some drinks. She picked up plates, silverware, cups, a tray of dessert cakes. My oh my! It was really nice.

Last night... really funny. Ever have a burp pop out, literally out of nowhere, leaving you thinking, "Where the heck did that come from? Excuuuse me!" Well I had an explosive loud one burst out last night... Missy hit the floor, honest-to-God, she's laying flat, hugging the floor, ears back, looking around for the attacker. It was hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing.

While I was sorting dirty laundry, she was diving, jumping, and snagging everything I threw. I toss a sock over to the white pile and she would come flying through the air arms flailing to snag it. Pants, shirts, bath towels... she goes after it all. I even have to fight her off to get dressed. Do you know how hard it is to get your pants on when you have a cat hanging onto the other end of them? I now sit down to put them on so I don't lose my balance and fall. She is definitely entertainment. I told my mom she's like having a puppy.

This morning I saw something laying on the floor at the foot of my bed. I'm thinking, "What the heck is that?" When I pick it up... it's a chunk of ceiling! My heart jumps, I start running around to see where my ceiling was falling in. We just had some bad storms go through the area. Then I realize, the flat edge has popcorn stuff on it. I had my ceilings scraped before I bought it. It was a chunk from when they did the repairs. She must have found it somewhere... probably on top of the cupboards. A good-morning jump start for the heart! LOL

And Simon is finally letting me pick him up freely. I even turned him over on his back to inspect the bottom of his paws. Whoohoo! Breakthrough.

Happy Birthday... to me!

Yes, today is my 41st birthday.

I have been off work since the day before Christmas... took Missy Bug to get spayed and shots last Tuesday. She's been quiet, sleeping all the time, and wanting me to constantly hold her since.

Have recently made contact with an old friend. She just got hooked up online again. A big shout out to ya... "Hey Sharon!"

Gotta pay some bills and go get a shower... heading to mom's for a family birthday dinner tonight. Having boiled dinner. My sister is making her bread pudding. We'll also have cake and ice cream.

Radiation Update 2

I have one more radiation treatment to go... it was supposed to be Monday morning, but they told me I could come Sunday morning instead. I really don't care to get up that early Sunday morning but for a chance to NOT have to drive down with the crazy Monday morning commuters... I couldn't pass it up. ~~rant warning~~ [We have had wet foggy mornings most of this week... I am appalled at the number of drivers that don't have their lights on! ID10Ts! I wish I could have a license to go around and bop them over the head with a big stick! Or smack them on the forehead like those V8 commercials. Maybe it would knock some sense into them! No wonder there were so many accidents. I-D-I-O-T-S!!]

Great suprise! My dad works out of state, so he's only in town for an extended weekend every few weeks; upon occasion, months. He just came in for the Christmas break, he's going to go down with me and then we're going out for breakfast. Yeaaa! That'll be nice.

Another great surprise... I didn't burn from the radiation like they thought I would. I must be one tough bird! LOL

I was told that the radiation would continue to work (stay in my body) for 10 days to 2 weeks. I have a follow-up appointment on January 12th. If the lump still hasn't completely gone away, they will possibly cut the rest out. They can't radiate it anymore; at this time, I have had the limit that can be done safely. I do have my qualms about cutting... I have heard too many people say that once you start cutting, it starts spreading. My doctor said it was nonsense... I'm still not so sure. I gotta tell ya... I am really concerned about it.

It looks like I will be getting some time off from work this Christmas. In the past, we try to wrap everything up and shut down for two weeks between Christmas and New Years. This year it looks to be from December 24th thru January 4th. We have a couple of late closings we couldn't get in this week, so there's one Monday and one Tuesday. May have one or two closings the following week, so I may have to come in for those... won't have to make a day of it, just an hour or two. It will suck to drive for 45 minutes for an hour or two... but these are the adjustments we must make. They don't have to close the office down and I would have to work that whole week. So I'm willing to make those adjustments for 12 days off (w/ pay) with a minor hiccup or two. I'm grateful to have that time off and I'm grateful I haven't gotten laid off... not yet anyways. LOL

November Catch-Up

Monday - November 24th:

I went to see my doctor about radiation treatments. He was none too pleased with me. Was not pleased with the look of my arm either. He took some pictures and said I proved to him that this was a little more than he anticipated. I told him I had taken pictures and posted them on my blog... (as he was laughing and shaking his head) he said I was warped. LOL.

He also worked some magic to slide me in for the marking and template making so I wouldn't have to make another trip down. Thank you very much... it's such a long trip down when coming from work.

I didn't get out of there until 5:30 PM... my sister showed up just after I got home. Her 4-yr old daughter saw the markings and asked me why they drew a pig on my arm. She said I should have asked for a kitty face. Too funny!

Here are some pics I took of it.

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Thursday - November 27th:

Thanksgiving! Last year on Thanksgiving morning, I was making a cheesecake to take to dinner. I stabbed my arm with a knife that was in the dish drainer. This year, I was making chocolate chip cookies and burned my arm.

Guess I should learn to stay out of the kitchen on Thanksgiving mornings!

I put ice on it but it was still very painful. When I was in the shower I noticed that my conditioner (Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp) had pyrithione zinc in it. It seems to me that was what was in the burn cream the doctor gave me, like 15 years ago, for my sunburn blisters. I put some on my burn and the pain disappeared instantly. Make a mental note.

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Friday - November 28th:

I had my PET scan today. Not fun. I hurt my shoulder moving furniture and they needed me to keep both arms locked above my head. Very painful for that one shoulder. My study was 35 minutes and I was in tears by the end of it. She had to help me move that arm back down.