Health Update

Only two and a half more weeks left of the P90X! Woohoo! Rob has lost over 30 pounds and I'm at 136. Only one pound from my big goal... Yeah US! Since I'm so close and have pretty much plateaued, Rob allowed me to cash in part of my prize last week. Instead of a cruise or new camera equipment, I decided to purchase something that will help my health and possibly others. After the experience with my little guy, I decided to certify our home and possibly take on a few more OT cases. I'm not sure what will come of it, but I will now have another tool that I can use to hopefully help kids who struggle with detoxing. Kids including my own and myself. :)

I tried an Infrared Sauna at my friend, Michelle's, and was sold after it made my joints feel so fantastic. I went with a smaller version, so I'm still trying to talk Rob into letting me spend the rest of my "cruise" money on something photography related. I'm guessing it will take another pound at least before he takes me serious. Ha!

Welcome to my favorite new little retreat. Better than a short lived cruise, no?
The big truck that delivered it was a big hit with Andy.
Some assembly required. My friend, Carolyn, came and helped me and we had it up and running in just a few hours.
Andy loves the colored chrome lights on the ceiling. I love the Kenmore stereo system.
Suzy likes to sit in here and listen to her listening program with me.
OK, so this is gross... but it shows the nasty gunk that sweats out of me. Michelle says it is likely mold or other toxins. EEEEWWWW! (And yes, sometimes I surf the web on my ipad in the spa).
Here is some very personal health information, feel free to move on if you are feeling great and don't care to learn more about autoimmune stuff....


I debated posting this, but I'm hopeful it may help at least one person, which would make it worth while for me. I have struggled with hormones and Lupus since my early twenties. Chronic pain and fatigue are not strangers to me. About a year ago, my progesterone cream stopped working and I felt like I was just starving constantly. It made weight loss a real challenge. I was great about the exercise part, but the diet was nearly impossible. I knew it was a chemical imbalance. When my hormones were great, I could resist over eating. When they were off, I wanted to eat an entire bag of animal crackers or loaf of bread. I went to a hormone specialist and she said I needed more willpower and Prozac. I was not a fan of this woman. So, I discussed things with my sweet family doc and she said Prozac may actually be a good idea because it is known to curb hunger and help me sleep better. It has an ingredient that is commonly prescribed to women in menopause. I HATE that I am on Prozac. Of all things, depression was the one medical condition I didn't think I had. My doc assured me it wasn't for depression, but I have to admit I was heading into depression with the hopelessness that I felt with my hormones and sleeplessness. Well, for about three months, my little Prozac secret was a dream. I was sleeping better, eating less, and well... you can see from the pictures my health was looking much better. Then, all of the sudden, it seemed to quit working. My first stop was a homeopathic guy to see if I could get my hormones tested and get off the Prozac to find out what is really going on. Like my sister, Dr. Laura, says, I feel like I'm putting a band aid on a huge open wound. I needed to get to the root of it. He gave me tons of supplements and suggested I had a gluten intolerance. Great. My favorite foods are breads and cereals. I took the supplements to my doc and she decided to run a few more tests after taking a little more history and asking more questions.

So, I now have a new diagnosis... Celiac Disease. Fun stuff. It basically means that the gluten found in wheat and many grains are causing damage to my intestines and causing malabsorption. Which is weird, because my "digestion" is not a symptom. However, I do feel like I'm constantly seeking some nutrient that I'm not getting, even though my diet has been very balanced the last few months. This would explain it a bit. So, we have run some more tests and I'm hopeful we will find out what I am deficient in so that I can start to replenish what I really need. Celiac also means that I can no longer have gluten... for the rest of my life. Bummer. However, as many people have been so sweet to help educate me, there are many options out there and it really isn't that big of a sacrifice. So, I may be a bit more of a pain if I go out to eat with people, and you may see me toting my own food to your party. But it really shouldn't be a huge deal.

Since it is hereditary, we had the kids tested yesterday. True to their personalities, Andy didn't seem bothered by the blood draw at all. I gave him a lollipop and he pretty much glanced at the needle and resumed his licking. He was most upset by the coban bandage they wrapped around his arm when finished. I believe the people in the waiting room were aware that Suzy was not a fan of being stuck. She is still talking about it today.

In an effort to make this post uplifting, I will confess my coping skill from the day I found out I would have a limited diet. Granted, I am very grateful that I have been cutting back on carbs for several years now. My gestational diabetes was a good crash course and my diet has been much better since starting the P90X this summer. But, still, I was sad to hear I would have to eliminate some of my favorite foods.

I'm not really a tub of ice cream eater. Instead, I like sweets and carbs. In an effort to stay somewhat on my diet and prove to myself that I can still be completely glutenous without gluten, I ate entire bags of Pirate Booty, dried mango, and mini M&Ms. Hmmmm... maybe that's why that last little pound it sticking around...... ;) I'm better now. I have a better perspective. I am thankful for the health that I do have and the fabulous support I have of my family. I had to take a photo to remind myself that eating this much junk was indeed, a bad idea. Still, it's nice to know that three of my favorite things are still on the approved list. I just need to eat them in better moderation. ;)