thorninmyside

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When I look at pictures of myself (and resisting the urge to compare the image to Cindy Crawford or Heidi Klum), it is more recent pictures where I feel I look healthy.  Take picture 1 for instance:

I was eighteen and was enjoying my first Mother’s day.  Yes, I started a little young.  The problem is that I was thinner than I am now and was five months pregnant with my second son.  I had an issue with food (not eating it) that was not healthy.

Picture 2- I look better physically than I do now but I was working 50+ hours a week, skipping meals, not dealing with emotional issues and I believe it was this lifestyle and way of coping that has brought me to the health situation I am in now.

Now, picture three.  I wish my face was not as round and I weighed 15-20 lbs. less.  But, emotionally and physically speaking I am doing better now than ever.  So, to me this is what the healthy Melissa looks like.  And, by goodness, with the focus I am putting on taking care of my mind, body and soul in the upcoming year- the Cindy’s and Heidi’s of this world better look out

Today’s theme for Thankful Thursday is the precious words found in the Bible. Join us at Grace Alone for more TT posts.

One of the things I value the most is peace.  Peace in our hearts, particularly during difficult circumstances, only comes from a relationship with Christ.  Here is one of my favorite verses about peace:  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.  I do not give peace to you as the world gives.  Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27 NIV

And here is another of my favorites- short, sweet and what a promise!  Thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  I Corinthians 15: 57 NIV

I don’t know about you but I am so thankful for victory!  The victory that comes through a relationship with Jesus.  The victory over depression, chronic pain, fear, pity parties- all of that is avalable to us through Christ and for that I am soooo thankful!

Be Blessed, my friends!

We have all heard that it is important to eat breakfast- particularly if you take medications in the morning that you are supposed to take with food.  I am not much of a breakfast eater.  I like my coffee but have to be really interested to eat anything.  However, in keeping with my health resolutions/goals for the year I am trying to eat something every morning.

Here are some of the quick and easy ideas that have been working for me:

• Mixing non fat yogurt with frozen blueberries (great antioxidant food) and granola.
• Whole grain waffle with almond butter and all fruit spread
• Smoothie- frozen mangos, peaches, ice cubes and orange juice
• Whole wheat english muffin with scrambled egg beaters and peppe jack rice cheese
• Egg beater omelet with salsa
• Oatmeal with almond milk and cinnamon     (oatmeal is good for lowering cholesterol)                                                                                                                         
•  Do you have any healthy breakfast ideas?  Quick and easy as well as tasty is the key to getting me to eat in the morning!  Please share!

My naturopath, who is also an M.D, recommended several dietary changes for me recently based on my CRP (blood marker of inflammation in the body) and my whacky HDL and LDL levels.  In a nutshell, I am eliminating red meat, peanuts and dairy (except for yogurt) from my diet.  In addition, I am avoiding trans fats, reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates (meaning carbs not from whole grains and that have had all the good stuff processed out of them).  Oh, and just so you know, I avoid green leafy vegetables- not because I don’t like them (I doooo!)- but because they affect Coumadin levels.  I lead a complicated life

I have been in search of recipes that taste good and meet my requirements.  Here are two that I found and liked (the other list is longer LOL) and I hope to share more in the future.

Quinoa/Veggie Pilaf   (this recipe was found in Woman’s Day 2/1/09 issue)

2 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup quinoa (I found this at my local grocery store)

1 TB. olive oil

1/2 cup each, chopped onion, diced red pepper, shredded carrot

2 tsp. grated ginger

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1. Bring water and 1/4 tsp. of salt to a boil.  Add quinoa, reduce heat; cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until tender, drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, pepper and carrot with ginger and remaining salt.  Cook, stirring often for five minutes or until onion is tender.
3. Stir cooked quinoa, orange juice and cilantro into veggie mixture and mix until well combined.

I did like the taste of this recipe.  I am weird about consistency so that consistency of quinoa will take some getting used to (it is chewier than rice, that is if I cooked it correctly).  All in all, a tasty side dish.

Okay, onto the next recipe:

Lima Bean Mash (this recipe was found in Southern Living Magazine, January 2009 issue)

This recipe was intended for use in a layered lima bean dip, but I made just the mash and ate it on triscuit crackers- delish!

2 cups frozen lima beans

2 garlic cloves, chopped (I used a food processor)

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 TB. olive oil

1/2 tsp. lemon zest (I omitted this so I don’t think it is that important)

2 tsp. lemon juice.

1. Combine beans, garlic, salt, and one cup of water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid.
2. Process lima bean mixture, olive oil, reserved liquid and remaining ingredients until smooth.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes to an hour.

Yum, yum is all I have to say!

Sorry for my absence the last few weeks.  With the craziness of the holidays something had to give and blogging it was.  But, I am back and excited to share my healthy resolutions for 2009.  You can view my recommendations for setting realistic goals/resolutions at my business site, Organized Life by Design. 

In I Corinthians 6:19,20 we are reminded that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that one of our purposes in this life is to honor God with our bodies.  I have to admit that I thought much less about that pre-diagnosis than I do now.  Cause and effect has played a large role in that.  Researching the links between foods that can actually cause inflammation in your body has helped me avoid such foods.  My CRP (c-reactive protein) levels have responded.  Eliminating foods that contribute to high cholesterol has kept me off of cholesterol reducing meds (so far).  Participating in the Feldenkrais method of physical therapy has reduced my pain and improved my balance tremendously.

When you see visible improvements you’d have to be pretty dense not to want to continue the things that are causing said improvements.  And I pride myself on my lack of density LOL.  So, I thought a lot about my health goals.  Next Thursday (which is also my 30th birthday, BTW) is the one year anniversary of my diagnosis.  It took my awhile to rid myself of the denial and then a little longer to consent to treatment and then even a little longer to take my health seriously.  And, I am feeling better.  So, my goals reflect the desire to continue on this path of wellness- mind, spirit and body. 

***Drum roll, please!

1. Take a daily nap.
2. Increase physical activity (mall walking, exercise bike, continue PT)
3. Maintain a healthy diet and eat three meals a day (no skipping)
4. Reduce amount of meds that I am on
5. Be grateful for the health that I do have and take any setbacks that may come in stride=
6. Keep a positive outlook and attitude!

So, what are your health goals this year?  Do you think I left any out?   Feel free to share!

For more Thankful Thursday posts click here.  The theme for today is random.  As you know if you read this blog regularly (and if you don’t how come? LOL) Isaiah 58 is my life chapter.  And so I want to thank God for some of the promises in that chapter today.

This is a chapter full of conditional promises.  God tells us what we need to do and even tells us what will happen in return if we are willing to do that. 

v. 6 says loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke.  The word yoke in this context means bondage.  Wow, when I think of how many of us that live with chronic illness are dealing with different issues of bondage, whether it be pain, depression, loneliness, despair, disability or all of the above, it is so awesome to also know that we can be set free.  But, this promise doesn’t say to set yourself free and you will be healed.  We are to focus on others, that is the call of Isaiah 58 and the conditional promise from God is that when we do that, when we spend ourselves on others, then our healing will quickly appear (v.8).  This healing refers not just to our physical ailments but more importantly the healing of our spiritual infirmities.

I am thankful for the fact that through my illness I have learned I would much rather be set free from my spiritual illnesses than any physical ailment.  I have been healed on the inside by the Great Physician and that is what I am thankful for this beautiful Thursday.

People are often taken aback when I say that I am thankful for my illness.  There are many reasons that I feel that my MS diagnosis has been a blessing for me and my family.  I would have probably never slowed down and lived for the moment if not for MS.  I would not have been forced to deal with the deep-seated emotional issues I had spent my whole life holding in.  I would not have learned to let go of the small stuff and be (a tad) less controlling.

In the grand scheme of things our time on this earth is not about us.  It is about how we live our lives for God’s glory.  My trials and issues are really insignificant.  When you are able to step out of your pity party and look at the world around you, it is easy to see that I we don’t have it so bad.  I have learned about the plight of chronically ill people in third world countries- hello?  How can I complain when they have no access to healthcare at all?  There are orphans in Eastern Europe that are institutionalized for life (just put in cribs at the age of four) simply because they have Down Syndrome.  Babies that are suffocated at birth because of deformities.

I think of how much this type of atrocity must pain our Lord.  How He must yearn for us to get out of our own little self absorbed box and find ways to help those that are less fortunate and more oppressed than we could ever imagine being.

What would the world be like if we all took an interest in other people’s problems rather than our own?  If we focused on loving everyone we come in contact with instead of trying to leverage situations for our own benefit?

I have been just as guilty as the rest of allowing myself to wallow in my trials.  But, the Lord is speaking to my heart so loudly lately, particularly through a passage in Isaiah 58:6-12

Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break over every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say:  Here am I.

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness and your night will become like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sunscorched land and will strengthen your frame.  You will be like a well watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 

Now, I don’t know about you but I am interested in feeling like a well watered garden and am thankful te Lord provides the guidelines for doing so.   

When you are living with someone that has limitations due to a chronic illness it can be tempting to attempt to control their behavior.  I don’t think people do this out of ill will or the intention of being upsetting but it is.  I hate when my hubby lovingly reminds me that I shouldn’t eat that piece of cheesecake because of my high cholesterol.  That I should really use my wheelchair at the mall because if I don’t I will be tired.  That I should wear a coat because of the cold temperatures outside.

Let’s establish a fact.  I am a woman, not a child.  My husband knows that.  But, he cares about me and worries about me.  Most of the time that warms my heart and makes me love him even more.  But, it is the holidays.  I may make the choice to eat a piece of cheesecake or stay up late watching holiday movies.

My advice to caregivers and spouses is to let us do that.  99% of the year I do what the doctors want me to do.  I eat bland food, I rest, take naps, use my wheelchair on outings to preserve my energy, etc., etc., etc.  But, my entire life I have loved Christmas time so if I want to make an applesauce cake and actually eat a piece- let me be.

If I want to go outdoors in just a sweater and scarf so I don’t feel overheated- let me be.

If I want to go to the company Christmas party and stay up late- let me be.

I am completely aware of the consequences of bending the rules and have probably made a back-up plan to deal with such.  Whether it be taking a longer nap the next day or going back to my fat free taste free diet January 2nd.  But, for now, in the interest of a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season- please let me be.  It is the best gift you can give this holiday season!

I can’t find my bleepin’ (oops, had an Illinois governor moment LOL) keys- AGAIN.  Now, I know that many of you that don’t live with a chronic illness can relate to this but those of you that do can relate on a completely different level.  Brain “fog” as this symptom of many chronic illnesses is known,  is my most frustrating symptom on a personal level.  I feel like I can’t trust myself to remember things that used to come naturally, such as my son’s orthodontist appointment or where the heck I put my keys, shoes- you name it.

I am a professional organizer by trade so I have incorporated tried and true methods to help me remember, much like I would suggest to a client that struggles with attention deficit issues.  Yet, here I sit.  Typing a blog post instead of driving to Bible study because I can’t find my bleepin’ keys.

I prayed and resolved myself to the fact that since it is freezing rain outside maybe I am not supposed to be driving today.  God knows my stubborn nature and knows that hiding my keys is probably the only way to keep me at home today. Or, I’m losing it. I prefer the first option.

Cognitive impairment (I prefer brain fog) occurs in approximately 50-60 percent of people with multiple sclerosis (www.nmss.org).  It manifests itself through issues with short term memory, information processing and executive functioning abilities.  Executive functioning are those mundane, everyday things like being able to balance a checkbook, shop from a list, locate your bleepin’ keys. 

The pre-frontal cortex of your brain (the frontal lobes that comprise the cerebrum) is responsible for these executive functioning and cognitive tasks.  This part of the brain also controls learning, behavior and judgement.

Other symptoms like fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, etc. can exacerbate the cognitive issues associated with MS.  And environmental and external pressures like stress (it is the holiday’s) can also worsen cognitive symptoms.

Does any of this make me feel any better?  Actually, yes.  Knowledge is power and being educated about the disease process that affects you is key to maintaining a realistic outlook on your situation.  I don’t need to sit here and beat myself up about the fact that I have lost my keys again.  I can chalk it up to a myriad of the issues mentioned above and actually chuckle that at least I have an excuse (since some of my friends have similar issues and no illness to blame it on LOL).

And, if brain fog or any other symptom does get you down from time to time (we are human and I for one tend to be emotional at times) then just remember the words to this song by Steven Curtis Chapman.  The lyrics came to my mind while I was frantically looking for my keys and are frequently of comfort to me:

His strength is perfect when my strength is gone

He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on

Raised in His power, the weak become strong

His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

His grace is sufficient~Melissa

Have you been there?  That room is spinning while you are standing still feeling that brings with it a wave of nausea and difficulty figuring out where you are in space.  Yes, vertigo is not a good feeling. 

Vertigo can have different causes.  For most people, the problem is in the inner ear.  All of the movement in your body registers in your inner ear.  When the inner ear is getting conflicting signals, vertigo results.  For people like me, vertigo is neurological.  This is trickier to treat but it is still possible.

There are different options for treating vertigo- many are similar to the treatments for motion sickness.  Technically treating the symptoms but effective nonetheless. My doctor prescribed Meclizine.  Although this makes you very tired (doesn’t everything? LOL) it is effective in treating the nausea that can be associated with a vertigo attack.

There are other things you can do to treat/avoid a vertigo attack.  Avoid foods that can upset your stomach.  A natural remedy for nausea is ginger.  I usually have hard ginger candy to pop in my mouth if I am in a setting where taking my Meclizine won’t work (remember, it makes me very sleepy).  Closing my eyes makes the feeling worse so I naturally avoid that. Stairs, riding in the car, standing up suddenly are all things that can trigger an attack as well.

Do you suffer from vertigo?  Share how you cope with us!