Let's Get Physical

Everyone who does not have CF will tell you that you HAVE to exercise and when they do, you may have visions of punching them in the stomach.

Do they think you have not heard the latest report on how exercise helps folks stay healthy and gives them energy?
Do they not realize that if you had any energy to exercise, that you would be doing so?

I have found that if I push myself to do SOMETHING for 30 minutes a day, I will feel some effects. Of course on some days, that means that I will be passed out by 9 pm, but overall, it does help.

Manna from Boulder

Finally, I have found a gluten-free bread that does not taste like cardboard. I appologize to those not in Colorado, since this bread is made in Boulder, CO and I am not sure of their distribution nationwide. Perhaps you can call your specialty stores and ask for them to carry it or order direct online.


http://canyonbakehouse.com/

I like the San Juan 7-Grain bread.

I am still in the search for a good gluten-free tortilla, let me know if you find one that does not have the consistency of glue.

One angry cheese deprived women

Ok, so it turns out the Gluten-Free is a lot easier than the dairy-free.

I wish their was a CA (Cheese Anonymous) support group or 12 step program to wean yourself. This cold turkey sucks.

I miss you Feta, Goat's Cheese, Yoplait, Mountain High, and Nordica!

Give me liberty, or give me supplements for now

So you think I might find solace that I know someone working at the Dr. Oz show.
I do like Dr. Oz and respect what he is doing. He seems to have a great deal of integrity and knowledge.

That said, his show on Chronic Fatigue left me wanting to run for the hills. It was doomsday my friends. No ideas of how to combat chronic fatigue, no suggestions of anything that might help, just a report on how millions of people suffer from it.
Great, many of us already know that.

But just as I was about to turn my back on Dr. Oz, I found a doctor on their website offering new supplements specific to CFS.

I will let you know how it goes.

Backstep

Not sure if throwing your back out has any connection to accupuncture treatments, or if it could have been swimming laps at our new rec center in the boonies, but oddly I find myself at the chiropractor today. Again, not being a fan of hearing my body crack like a firecracker or be pulled like rubber man, I have to laugh.

Down with Gluten-Free

Oh lord, and there it was. . . something I never considered. . .

"It might be a good idea to eat a G-L-U-T-E-N F-R-E-E diet".
Ouch, that hurt. Have you tasted some of that stuff?

But what came next, hurt more. . .
"And a D-A-I-R-Y F-R-E-E diet, too".

NO!!!!! Not my cheese!!!!

You cannot take away my cheese!

The Patient

Well, I did feel something, after getting over the strangeness of needled flags on my belly staring at me reminding me that I am open minded.

The accupuncturist actually took time with me to ask pertinent questions about my medical history, emotional life- mind, body and spirit. An interest most other doctors have not taken to that extent.

In addition to feeling a blip on the radar after one session, I had some incredibly vivid memories jump around in my mind. Perhaps the needles jarred open my past in hopes of pulling out old unwanted memories. Perhaps they moved some protective layer allowing me to let go of years of what others told me to think about being adopted.

Perhaps this journey will lead me to many new answers, and allow me to ask other questions that I would never have thought to ask.

The Holy Grail?

What is the Holy Grail of combating chronic fatigue?
The research is scarce, and most sufferers have not found anything that spells relief.

For anyone who has had mono in your life, you likely carry the antibodies. For many of you, you may not even know.
For others, getting out of bed on certain days can present a challenge much like Alice in Wonderland trying to fit through the small door, and wondering where your potion is to allow you to continue on your journey for answers.

Researching for awhile now, there really is not a lot of consensus, but grasping at straws, I have found accupuncture mentioned a time or two, so having exhausted many other options, I am going to start there despite the fact that the thought of needles sticking out of my body does not thrill me.

But hey, at this point, with all the other craziness in the world and in my own head on some days, I am going to give it a shot.

I just hope that my accupuncturist is not a satist.

Kicking Chronic Fatigues Butt

This is going to be our year, my fellow fatigue sufferers, I can feel it.

As visions of lost dollars and different doctors with the same message flash before my eyes, I have decided to start a personal quest to find real solutions and helpful information to combat Chronic Fatigue.

Congratulations, my low energy finally has a name!

Good News: Diagnosis complete, so now I can look the enemy in the eyes.
Bad News: All the Docs say "Sorry, there is nothing we can do"

Well thankfully, those are fighting words for me, ensuring that I will indeed fight the big fight; do all I can to share new information along the way, laugh and grow a little, and pen fighting words for all of those who downplay our struggle. Perhaps the worst offenders are those closest to us.

That's ok, I love a challenge.