Drinking That Water

I don't have a problem with water. It's just that I'm too lazy and don't like to pee so much.

My naturopath is always asking if I'm drinking enough water. I think I am, but when I try and calculate it in my head, it's probably not enough. I asked my naturopath if juice counts. He said no. I asked about vitamin drinks- like EmergenC. No.

Crap. Then I'm definitely not getting enough.

One of Those Days

A very frustrating day in general. Had a dental appointment for a cleaning and find out I have the start of a cavity, two teeth they want to put sealant on to prevent cavities, and damage from clenching. They want to file down some of my teeth to improve my bite. And I need a night guard.

Keep in mind- I've never had cavities! I am in my 30's and never had a cavity. Several years ago a dentist told me he didn't think I would ever have a cavity.

I think this is related to the Vitamin D deficiency which affects calcium absorption. I don't think it's a coincidence that I've never had teeth problems and now I do while dealing with low Vitamin D.

Apparently the last time I was at the dentist they saw on the xray that I was starting to get a cavity and they would watch it. I don't remember them telling me that. Why not be proactive and let me know? I would've taken extra care. I can't help but think they want you to have cavities so you'll be a repeat customer.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Maybe it's because I was diagnosed with a vitamin d deficiency that I notice vitamin d more. It's now in orange juice. And commercials for vitamins seem to point it out.

If you live somewhere where you don't get a lot of sun, or you are covered up when you are out in the sun, I recommend getting your vitamin d level tested. Unlike vitamin c, vitamin d is stored in the body and can be measured.

My levels were so low, the lab couldn't test for it anymore! They just said <7. When since school did you ever think you'd see a "<" symbol?

Back From Trip

I came back to no kitties, no tv, just a mess of stuff everywhere. The guy who started the sprinkler that caused water damage to my place does not have insurance. I am currently tv shopping, which is not in my genes.


I had a tube tv, which are now obsolete. Go to Best Buy and you'll see maybe 3 tube tvs, I guess for the nostalgic? Just looking at the hefty thing sitting on my deck hurts my back. The new flat screens come in a cardboard box with a handle that you can carry like it's your lunch box.

We live in such a disposable society, it almost pains me to see a bulky zenith, 9 years old, completely unusable. How can something so massive not work? The thinner our electronics become, the smaller the parts, the more likely we will replace them (in my opinion). But something of such magnatude as a tube tv should last forever. While I do think the heaters that were used to dry out my place caused my tv to stop working, a friend brought over his old tube tv...and by old I mean 8 years...and it didn't work. It had been sitting in his garage. Who knows why it didn't work, but I can only guess that even humongous electronics aren't made to last.

Out of Town

I have recently returned to my place after being evacuated. Floors and walls are torn up and stuff is everywhere. I had a planned trip for tomorrow anyways- so that will be a nice break from the stress of this situation.

While I'm gone, people will be walking through my place to estimate the damage. I don't like people in my things while I'm gone, but that's how it is.

When I get back, I hope to have more health discussions, so others don't go through the lengthy process that I have.

I've Been Evacuated

3am Saturday morning someone set off their fire alarm/sprinklers in my building. The loud, nuclear war, sounding alarms caused me to flee outside. After about a half an hour we were allowed back in. We were told to look for water. I thought "I'm going to have water".

Sure enough, water was dripping from my sprinklers and light fixtures. I thought cleaning up the water would make everything fine.

Wrong.

An hour after I get to sleep the building manager calls to say the repair people are there to assess the damage. Water had gotten in the walls and floor. So, even though it looked fine to me, it wasn't.

I had to pack up the kitties and take them to someone's house. I had to go to someone else's house (she is allergic so the cats couldn't stay). Heaters are everywhere to get the place dry.

I am exhausted.

Great News For Lazy Washers

My dermatalogist says you just have to use soap on armpits, groan and feet.

I like to pass on tidbits when I hear them to you.

Even Seattle People Need Sunscreen

Earlier I had reported that I liked Jason brand face sunscreen, but I knew I still had to read up on all the ingredients. Well, today an article discussed sunscreens, as reported by the Environmental Working Group. Not all of the Jason sunscreens got good ratings.

I don't know anything about the EWG and if they have any biased (you know how studies that say oatmeal is good for cholesterol are sponsored by the oatmeal companies?), but it appears to be a good resource for checking your cosmetics.

Got Weird Symptoms?

The reason for this blog is to help those that have weird symptoms. I also like discussing skin care, nutrition, alternative therapies. But first I want to reach those that have not been getting a lot of help from conventional doctors.

Pass this on to people you know who are suffering from weird symptoms. That's my official word for it! Weird symptoms.

If I can share my knowledge so that someone doesn't have to spend more time or money or anxious moments on whatever ails them, that would be so fabulous!

Where Have All the Nice Managers Gone?

In my last job I had a manager that I referred to as the scowling manager. She would glare at me. In the bathroom she couldn't even look at me and when I tried to make small talk, she gave me the "are you talking to me?" look. Not in a Taxi Driver way, but in a jr. high way. This is a long story as to what the manager's problem was, but let's just say for normal people, there was no problem with me. She was odd.

Previously I had a non-carb eating manager who would go crazy around 3pm and chomp on dry cereal. I would hand her some pretzels I had and she would devour them like a wild animal. (you would think she would catch on and integrate a few carbs into her lunch) Oh, we shared an office. She had me sitting at a table 1 foot from her desk with a shelf that was above my head. I had to sit hunched over, and if I forgot and sat up, I would bang my head on the shelf.

I'm not sure why I've had such jerks for managers lately.

Don't Blog About Your Cats...

I read that somewhere.

I'm glad this site didn't listen.

Not everyone gets cat. And this is my theory- if you don't get cats you either
1)have them outdoors so you don't get to know their personality
2) are allergic
3) buy into the culture that cats are not the cool pet
4) just never been around one long enough
5) you like getting your a** kissed by your pet and that just won't happen with a cat

Fibro Can Bite Me

I'm trying to take a gritty, ballsy-chick mentality when it comes to fibromyalgia.

For too long I think it has affected my life, my aspirations, my fun. It is debilitating, and when you're in a flare it probably is best to rest. And knowing that over extending myself will cause a flare, that affects what I choose to do. So it's not like I'll be running a marathon while flipping off fibro. There are just some things that aren't going to happen.

I read that you should acknowledge what you have in terms of health problems. Don't hide from it. Acknowledge. Then vow to take it down.

I Hate Wasting Food

I had bought some salmon a few days ago, forgetting that I had holiday plans. It expired yesterday. I wasn't home. Today I attempted to cook it but it did smell. Not worth the gut ache.

Allergic to Avocados?

I have been eating avocados like a crazy woman. For months. Then today after eating one my tongue gets itchy. Then my throat is feeling tight. I take a flash light and look at the back of my throat- white bumps on my tonsils.

I text my nurse friend and ask if allergies can cause the white bumps. She says yes. I ask if it could be strep and she said I'd have a red, sore throat.

I am searcing for info on eating too much of a food can make you allergic to it. I thought I read that somewhere. I will post if I find it.

Poopie and the Medical Mystery- Part 2

I remember sitting in the theater, watching Schindler's List. I had a weird headache, it was behind my eyes.

I have had a headache every day since. Schindler's List was in theaters in 1993.

The headaches are of varying degrees of pain. One day I thought "why do I feel different?" and it was because I didn't have head pain and I had a clear head, but the headache returned seconds later.

I recently read if you can remember the very day you got a headache that was significant. Doctors were classifying a new type of headache. I think they just called them "everyday headaches". It was a bit of a relief knowing there were others out there. And when they mentioned remembering the exact day, that was interesting for me because I have always remembered the Schindler's List correlation. Of course, it had nothing to do with the movie. And it is a great movie.

I was given migraine medicine to try. No, not free samples. A $100 prescription. The doctor told me if it didn't help after taking it once, then I didn't have a migraine. If that happened to me now I would insist on a sample, since filling a $100 prescription seems like a waste. And it was. The Rx didn't help.

It was frustrating that any extra income I had (and it wasn't much) was spent on prescriptions. So many of them I didn't even take, or take for long. One prescription's side effect: a headache.

I was sent to a neurologist and given a CAT scan. I went to an allergist and started on allergy shots (one co-worker said "are you going for your shot today? they always make you grumpy"). I went to a infectious disease specialist who basically told me to get laid.

I did try biofeedback and did not like it. While hooked up to a machine you try and relax and get your numbers (shown on a screen) down. But when the numbers where going up it just made me more stressed and I couldn't relax.

My allergist (my first one, she later passed away at too young of an age), when I was telling her that my ribs hurt said there was something called fibromyalgia, and that could be what was causing the pain. This was approximately 1994 or 1995.

I did not have much access to the internet. A few years later, when I had a job where I could get on the internet, there was very little information about fibromyalgia.

I was continuing to see doctors for stomach aches and general fatigue and no one mentioned fibromyalgia. One day I said to my GP- could I have fibromyalgia? He didn't know. He sent me to a rheumatologist, who after examing me for a few minutes said "Looks like fibromyalgia. That was a great reference from your doctor."

I didn't have the balls to tell him it was all me, my doctor had nothing to do with it.

It continues...

It Clicked

I was at my chiropractor's office. A young woman was asking for directions. She was starting a new job. The receptionist and I weren't sure exactly where this place was, I asked if she had a phone number. No. All she had was a piece of paper with a first name and an address. She didn't even know the name of the place.

The receptionist looked up the address and told the young woman she was about five miles away. The young woman said she looked it up previously and had got off the bus where she was supposed to.

The young woman had tears in her eyes. I reached over and patted her shoulder "you're going to find it, don't worry". The receptionist printed up a map- she wasn't five miles away, maybe a few blocks.

And in my head it clicked- I used to be that girl. I teared up when I was trying to fly standby. I teared up when I was having a CAT scan. I teared up many times at the doctor's office.

In some of those situations people were nice, sometimes they laughed (airline counter whore), sometimes they were just plain rude (nurse at the CAT scan basically yelled at me). One time a nurse told me I was pretty. I was in my twenties and I don't think anyone had told me that before. I can't even tell you how many times, while down in the dumps, those kind words from someone who had no agenda lifted me up a little.

I'll still have those teary moments, goodness I am an emotional person.
But I'm keeping my eyes open for those that might need a little lift.

I Always Find Things in My Food

Last night I went to the True Colors concert. Before the show I was at a pizza place/bar. Had some snacks. During one bite I notice something hard. It was a staple. In my mouth.

I'm still deciding if that is something I should worry about.

I always, always, always have things in my food.