Friday, March 30, 2007

The Donkey

by G.K. Chesterton

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born;

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

'--shall we finish Cleopatra?'

Eliza gave a jump and clasped her father's arm. 'Oh, let's--we've got all the most glorious bits to read yet...Daddy, what would people do if there weren't books to get inside?'


from Eliza for Common, O. Douglas

Thursday, March 22, 2007


A Prayer in Spring
Robert Frost

OH, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
To which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends he will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Monday, March 19, 2007

happenings in california

We treated Erin to her birthday present on Thursday - a trip to Broadway LA to see Wicked. We didn't have to go to the doctor that day, so we were able to rest and prepare all day. We left to go at 3:40 and were parked in the parking lot next to the Pantages by 5:15. Before getting off the freeway, we excitedly spotted Hollywood Hill with the Hollywood sign. Last year, we had seen the back of it from Warner Bros. (the back of it is Walton's Mountain, we found out on our tour.)

After walking around for a block or so looking at the stars below our feet (the Walk of Fame - and yes, we found Audrey Hepburn's much to E's delight,) we decided to eat a little something at the Hollywood and Vine Cafe. Eating out is a major treat in itself - we hadn't for almost 15 months! Of course, what most gluten-free people know, is that you need to be content with bare meat and a salad. We ordered two 10 ounce hamburger plates, (without the buns) replacing a side salad for the french fries. We also ordered a salad called a wedge - which was a large wedge of iceburg lettuce with chopped vegetables on the side. The three of us shared parts of these dishes. It was all pure delight.

And the play was beyond words as Erin said. Amazing acting, singing, stage sets - it just doesn't get any better than that! I had prayed that we would all be able to enjoy the entire evening and performance, as we often start feeling badly part way through our outings, no matter how pleasurable they are. God blessed us with the ability to enjoy our night in every way. We were so very grateful.

We were feeling completely drained the next day. Erin started coming down with a cold and Brady had some asthma problems. And the day after that was the same. Thankfully, we didn't need to go back to the doctor until Monday, so we were able to get a lot of rest. I was able to get to Trader Joe's and Blockbuster Video which are both close by. Yay! Saturday night, Brent flew in. His flight was an hour late, but his arrival was just in time ;-) We all thought we'd try to go to the beach on Sunday, but Erin was still feeling pretty poorly, and I felt like I needed to rest too, so just Brady and Brent went out in the afternoon for a little sightseeing. Erin and I stayed home and watched a movie (the third in three days.) We did get the urge to go for a walk later on. We discovered a large park near us with a couple of ponds. Unfortunately, we walked a bit too far, and Erin was feeling pretty miserable before we were even close to being home. Thankfully, our knights in shining armor drove up when we still had a couple of blocks to go and gave us a ride to help us finish our journey.

The kids held their adjustment over the weekend. We may get them checked one more time tomorrow. The doctor is advising us to maybe come in 3-4 months next time because so far, Brady has not yet held an adjustment up to 5 or 6 months. If we catch it early, it would help his health not to decline so much. Maybe we will come sooner and not stay as long next time. Our adjustments are holding well immediately afterwards, (not counting our initial treatment) and so it looks like we won't have to stay for a whole week to "watch it" next time.

We were wonderfully surprised to bump into T.C. at the doctor's office this afternoon! He is a friend whose family use to live in the same town as us. His sister is one of the case studies in a new booklet the doctor's office just published, that documents successful cases from their treatment program. We're so glad for continued reports from their family that F. is able live a normal life again and is making plans for college studies in the near future.

HHV-6

Many who are diagnosed as having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are testing positive for the above virus. I asked our doctor for us to be tested last year. On our first visit, he did not have the test in his office. He ordered it in, but when we visited him next, he was so sure (because of results from our mold antibody test) that just getting away from our home would help us to get better, that he didn't really encourage us to take the $300/person test.

After all the "to do" about mold in our home, I forgot all about HHV-6 for quite some time. But a couple of months ago, when I was researching the latest news for chronic fatigue sufferers, I was reminded of it.

When we were on the biofeedback machine, I had the technician look for it. Sure enough, all three of us were showing that we had it. The kids' numbers showed a level for concern.

A new piece of the puzzle we'll need to find out more about.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

The latest

So we're in California visiting our doctor once again.

And I haven't even written about our treatments we went out of town for a month ago.

Here's the scoop:

Our test and treatments were done using a biofeedback machine. Many people use these types of machines for cancer with much success. We don't have cancer, but the machine works for many, many other conditions. It is quite amazing, and like anything that is unfamiliar and new to us - hard to comprehend.

We had been tested and treated with this machine a few times two years ago, but with all the fancy tests that our doctors performed last year, we didn't think it was necessary. Unfortunately.

But we are glad we were able to get on this machine last month. It showed that we still are fighting an amoeba infection and it also showed that our candida was indeed in the blood. Neither of these things showed up with the blood, stool,and spit tests sent to some of the best labs in the country the last year and a half.

I knew, from what was happening in our body and the studying that I've done, we were fighting a candida overgrowth problem that was systemic, and (without much help from the doctors,) we were trying to treat it on our own. (Many doctors don't believe that candida overgrowth can become systemic - so hence, the lack of help. That's another post.) But we didn't suspect that we still had an amoeba problem, and so we have not addressed that problem since the very beginning of our illness.

These two problems have wrecked their havoc in our bodies and we have several things to be concerned about. I suppose that is why I haven't posted about it sooner. Action and thought had to take precedent.

The reason we're in California this week is because of physical symptoms that we were all experiencing, but what gave us the extra push to get here sooner rather than later was the results of tests on Brady's biofeedback treatments. It gave us concerns about Brady's atlas and the nerves that run through it. (Our doctor in California is a chiropractor who adjusts our atlases.)

Again, I am truly amazed at the provisions God has shown us. Not only in getting us to the biofeedback machine when He did (we were really trying to push the next doctor visit past the 6 month mark,) but giving us affordable tickets during the spring break price hike. Also, we were able to find an affordable townhome, not too far from the doctor's office and airport, which has beds for everyone ( sofa bed pullouts are basically unacceptable after our treatments,) a full kitchen so we can cook all of our food (because of limited diet,) and Internet access which gives us (especially the kids) something to do while we rest.

Brady and Erin were both needing an adjustment (mine has held for 10 months now!) I'm so thankful I didn't need a treatment, as Brent couldn't join us right away and anyone who gets a treatment really needs to rest quite a bit for the first 24-48 hours afterwards. We stay a week to make sure that the adjustments hold, and Brent will be joining us for the last half of the week...knowing that helps me immensely!

Back at home, friends have gone into action making meals not only for Brent, but also a few meals (with gluten, sugar, and dairy) for next week, when Brent's folks will be visiting. We all will be landing at the airport within an hour from each other. My in-laws are coming to help with a little spring cleaning. These tangible gifts of encouragement and support "keep my chin up." God is very good.