Taking a Leave - 111 - Colonoscopy - No Yard Sale

My life has been a bit crazy lately as I am trying to get all the medical tests I need done as soon as possible.   

I haven't had medical for so long, that there are many things I need to check out, and my age brings a few tests into being. I had the sleep study last week that I shared about in a post, and then starting the next morning, did a prep for a colonoscopy. I have never had one and had NO idea what the cleanse routine would do to my system. I wanted to help it along, so I ate a grapefruit which makes everything clean out as well. I don't eat red meat so there isn't lots of stuff stuck in there for much time anyway, and eating no gluten and only one meal a day. I figured it would be fairly clear. 

Let's just say that they should give you a diaper when telling you how to prep for this. I went to the store and barely made it home, but didn't quite get to the bathroom. So, I decided to stay home from that point on. I had cramps and was in the bathroom all night. So, not much sleep the night before due to the sleep study, and then in the bathroom most of the night of the prep, so I maybe got five hours of bad sleep in two nights. 

I go get the procedure and my sister is a saint for taking me there and back. They said it was super clear and no concerns at all, it looked boringly normal! All my friends that have had them done had polyps and had to have them removed. I was so grateful everything went well and things looked so good. I woke up wide awake and the orderly told me my blood pressure was like a teens and that I woke up abnormally fast and happy. So, all in all, it was a great day. However, I started to have cramping and gas from the procedure that evening. I climbed into bed early and woke an hour later to a pop in my neck and then couldn't get back to sleep. I guess maybe the position I was in on my side caused my neck some issues. Not being able to sleep, I got up and started going through things as I was going to have a yard sale this week. 

I was feeling so horrible Saturday, I was crying with so much bloating, cramping, and a headache as we have had rain every day. I was supposed to have a yard sale this past weekend but with the rain and the procedure, I just didn't have the energy to do it. I was going to put it out on Saturday, but couldn't. 

I was going to put it out on Sunday after church, but there was LOTS of wind, and a meeting on how to use the scripture app and I wanted to learn that but my phone was dead. I charged it for a few minutes after a video chat with my girls and went to the meeting. I got home feeling so horrible and tired after only a few hours sleep in four days that when my sister came to pick a few items up I needed delivered to family as she was heading to visit some, I told her I just didn't have the energy to do it. She called her husband and twin daughters to come over and help me put them out. 

I just am so exhausted that after they left, I just couldn't do it. I had told my sister prior to that, that I may leave town for a few weeks to just get away from everything and regroup on my life priorities. I have so much I want to do relating to my mom and it has been getting more and more clear that I need to fulfill the promises we made to her on her death bed to publish her book. I stopped working on it for a few years as her stuff was getting overwhelming and now I have nearly two bedrooms and some garage area with her items in it that I need to finish organizing, cleaning, refinishing, scanning, transferring to digital etc. 

I have decided that I am taking a break from my blog. I clearly haven't done much with my YouTube channel or blog, and I keep getting notifications from Google telling me there are issues with my blog but GOOGLE owns Blogger and I can't even reply to comments anymore. It takes so much longer to post as the action buttons don't work. So, it is nearly impossible to find my blog posts on google due to the issues with blogger that I can't fix, so I will be taking a leave for now. I have over 3000 posts on there, and over 1000 videos on my YouTube channel. I have 81 I have uploaded and never taken the time to list as it takes about an hour per video and I still have lots of videos that I haven't even uploaded to YouTube that may never get uploaded or posted on YouTube. 

I keep sending YouTube suggestions to allow people to republish videos that are old and not getting views without the algorithm putting and keeping them at the bottom. I think if they would allow a "republish" button for people who have older videos on there, they would get more views as the videos would now have tags and could be found. 

I started YouTube in 2010 and so much has changed in the nearly 13 years I have been posting on YouTube. I think kids now don't want to read a blog, they want to watch short videos as their attention spans have gotten down to seconds. The most popular videos are the ones that add cuts to recapture their audiences attention every few seconds. It is a sad state for our society that people can't focus for more than a few seconds, but I feel it is time to focus on other things rather than blogging. 

I have enjoyed watching my children grow as the blog was like a journal for my family. I may pick it up again at some point, but it won't be with blogger as it is beyond help, and I think Google gave up trying to fix the bugs hoping people would move on. 

I am exhausted, falling asleep more and more as I have tried to blog these past few months, and it has lost is enjoyment in my life as I have had some nasty stalkers write dirty things about my family members as there are perverts everywhere, having been online for such a long time, I got a few pedophiles commenting and have had to delete a few posts due to the attention they drew. 

I thank those of you who have followed me for so many years and am sorry to those that I haven't been able to reply to these past many months, but appreciate all the comments you have all given me over the years. 

I thought it was so funny that two of my video's yesterday got 111 views. I took it as a sign that the choices I am making in my world are the best for my family.

I am grateful to my sister and her family for helping me put the tables out and I am sure tomorrow, he will help me put them back as I am planning some visits to my kids since I am taking this break, I want to connect with those who bring JOY into my life! I am so blessed with healthy and happy children and want peace and joy in my life. They are the peace and joy in my world! 

I will maintain the horsehairinhumans website and my YouTube videos as I feel a need, but taking this break will be such a relief. Can you imagine writing an hour or more blog post every day and a few weekends for almost 13 years! I had hoped it would bring me some financial relief, but I make less than $20 a month on the blog and I spend at least 5-10 hours taking photos, editing them, transferring them, and adding videos sometimes and then writing the post. 

If I have helped anyone, it was worth it, but it is still a fun history for my family and my kids will look up their favorite recipes at times. I think they will be happy I am not blogging anymore, but it has been a good outlet for me to share those things in a way that will allow them to be there for my grandchildren as well. 

I feel truly blessed to have this in my world and know it helped in other ways I can't share publicly, but I feel that God put it in the right hands at the right time to bless me in so many ways! I am grateful for the gratitude moments that are now there for my family to see. My 111 moments, and my "Trust in God" posts, that they can know the ways that my Father in Heaven speaks to me, and has blessed my life! 

I want to thank those friends who have been with me most of the way. Sara for suggesting I write a blog, Julie and Julie for their many generous comments and gifts, Jay for teaching me so many thing I would never have thought of on my own etc. My kids for their patience in allowing me to post their good days and their bad. My friend Katie who gave me one of my "Biggest Wins" and always has a kind word for my posts and videos. My siblings for the many times they have helped me with weddings, activities, crafts, family history projects, reunions etc. I truly love that God gave me a place to share my gratitude for so many things! 

And possibly for the last time, I hope you have a BLESSED DAY!

Sleep Study Takes Time

I talked to my Dr. many months ago about getting a sleep study as I think it may be part of my health issues. I got a referral to the pulmonologist and I met with him several months ago. 

The pulmonologist gave me a referral for a sleep study. I waited for a call from them as they told me I needed to just wait until they contacted me. A month or more goes past and I don't hear anything. I then call and get the number for the sleep study people and call several different times to schedule something. 

I finally get a teleconference with a PA and the soonest I can get a consult to discuss even getting a sleep study is December 21, 2022. I couldn't believe that it wasn't even for the study itself, but just a consult to discuss a study. Even more crazy, is that I took any appointment I could get in the state in that hospital chain. It was the first ANY of the hospitals had! 

I went recently to my Primary Care Physician and asked him if there were any sleeps studies more local. He made a referral and the place he tried doesn't take my insurance, so they referred me to another place out of a city a few hours away, but they have a deal with the local hospital to do the local tests so people don't have to travel far. 

I was able to get an appointment within a few weeks and yesterday, I picked up the kit to do the sleep study at my own home. I put it on, but didn't enjoy having it around my chest all night. There were chords going every which way and I got tangled a few times, and the oxygen tubes up my nose were really irritating, so I hope I don't need to repeat the test as I didn't get much sleep. 

I am really grateful that I didn't have to wait until December to get my test done and also don't want to have to deal with it over the holidays. They told me that it would take a week or two to get the results.

I am interested to hear back and hope that we can figure out something that can work to help with my apnea as the c-pap machines have never worked even after trying several different face masks. Here is a post to one I tried many years ago. I would love to start feeling better! 

Have a blessed day!

Addisons Disease - Possible Adrenal Issues

I was able to get in with a new Endocrinologist and was VERY grateful that he listened to my symptoms and concerns because the first women I went to see was pushing her friends weight loss clinic (which I think she may have shares in due to her behavior) and never did any testing other than the thyroid. I clearly have some thyroid issues, but she didn't look at anything else to look for any other concerns. 

I asked my neurologist for a endocrinologist referral as he is in a bigger city and I didn't want to take another blind shot having had such a bad prior experience. He gave me one, but they didn't take my insurance. My Primary Care Dr. ran more thyroid labs, and called me telling me that my labs were worse than those from two months ago and recommended that I should see an endocrinologist. I hadn't hung up the phone from that call when the new endocrinologist office called! 

I made an appointment for Mid-September as I shared that my latest thyroid labs were worse than before after trying a new thyroid med. They said they would call me if they had a cancellation, and this week, they did call sharing they had an opening and that allowed me to go 2 weeks earlier than scheduled! 

I went to the new Dr. last week and he ordered a day of testing to check blood sugars and cortisol to check my adrenals. I was able to access the results online, and due to the holiday week, I don't think I will hear back for a few days, but I was able to see that clearly several things are off in my labs. 

I looked up what those lab results mean, and Addison's disease looks like it may be my issue. 

Interestingly enough, when my mother was suffering with many of my symptoms years ago, I asked my sister to speak to her Dr. about my mother possibly having Addison's. 

It would be so wonderful to have a diagnosis and treatment option to start feeling better and maybe having some energy again! 

Have a blessed day! 

Lots More Tests

I went to see a new Specialist this week and am hoping to figure out what is causing so many health problems. 

He ordered several tests. One for my adrenals, several for my pancreas, and a specific thyroid medication that isn't a generic as he thinks my reactions could be due to something in the generic medication. 

I am headed out now for some tests as I had to take this pill last night so they could test my levels this morning.

Wish me luck! 

Have a blessed day!

I Am Becoming A Woman of Lists

Many years ago, I had lists everywhere. I had daily lists, and I had long term lists. I even had a really long term lists. 

I just have gotten so forgetful lately, that I have started writing lists again. I have alarms on my phone, lists of all my Dr. appointment, lists of things I need to do long term, daily lists, and just a few piles of things needing to be dealt with soon.

I find with the brain fog, that I have been getting more done by having a list on the counter, so when I get up, I have something to focus on as it takes me some time to wake up and get my brain clear. 

I have gotten more and more done by having lists again. I hope that I can continue to figure out my health issues and feel better. It is nice to be getting a few things done and off my "lists" lately. 

Have a blessed day!

Good News From The Dermatologist

I have had some new moles showing up recently. I have several friends that have had experiences with skin cancers. 

One of my dearest friends fought it for ten years before passing due to sin cancer. Recently, one of my best friend's husbands had skin cancer on his face and nearly lost his nose. Then talking to another friend of ours, he also had almost lost his nose, and they both had a radicle surgery that took pieces of skin from the forehead and pulled it down to grow to the tip of the nose. You wouldn't even know it now. It looks great. 

I have a cousin that just had some skin cancer cut off her leg. Since everyone was so taken back by their diagnosis, I figured I should take a closer look at the moles I have been experiencing.

I made an appointment and was able to get one fairly quickly which hasn't been the case with other Dr.'s. I went this past week and had them all looked at and was very happy to hear that none of the moles were anything other than age spots. Not that I am happy to have age spots, but just that they weren't cancerous. 

So, good news! No Cancer! 

Have a blessed day! 

Test after Test after Test

I have been so frustrated with the specialists I have seen. There are no answers to what I am dealing with. 

I met with my Primary Care Physician today and we went over several situations and I appreciate him so much for listening to me and I could tell he was frustrated with us not being able to figure out certain situations, but he helped me by dealing with getting me some trials for pancreatic enzymes thinking that part of my health and digestive issues maybe pancreatic insufficiency. 

I think that makes so much sense to me as I sometimes have diabetic type feelings, but also have digestive issues as well so it can be pancreatic. I then got and EKG, and am wearing a heart monitor for 24 hours.It is frustrating, that of course, I haven't had any tonight. I will share later about what I think is causing them, but I love that he is addressing it. 

I guess they had some issues getting me scheduled for a sleep study but were working on it when I went in, and then they got me scheduled for an upper GI and a colonoscopy. I got a call scheduling those out for next month and I really felt like even if nothing changes, I am doing all that I can to try and figure out what is going on with my thyroid / weight / and health. 

I felt that my mother was near today. I saw several rainbows at a store, and while there, the song by the band Bread, came on called "Everything I own" which my mother put to a slideshow of photos of Christ which she showed to youth all over the world while traveling as a professional speaker. I then found a in the package wind sock that hold a photo, and inscribed on the top is the song my siblings and I sang at her funeral which she sang performing all over while we were growing up as she was in the Tabernacle Choir and did solos all over. This was probably one of the songs she sang the most. It is called "If I Were and Angel" and the words of the first line were embroidered in the top of the windsock! 

When I got to the hospital, there is a photo of a barn with a rainbow over it in the waiting area, and I forgot that they also have another barn with a double rainbow in the lab! 

It was like my mother was saying things will be OK and you will figure out your health! I was grateful for her being near as I struggle to figure this all out! 

Have a blessed day! 

Almost $400 in New Supplements to Try

I have been studying up on my health situation and researching all I can on thyroid and what can be done naturally to heal it. 

I have been struggling so much as I tried so many different medications and they just make me feel horrible and I gained 20 lbs over the several months I tried taking it. 

In doing my research, I found many things that look like they may help. After the last round of trying the medication for my thyroid, I was having so many heart palpitations that I couldn't sleep and I was having them all day. 

I stopped the medication, and then I still had palpitations for several days, and then I took my iron supplement and had a protein bar and the palpitations got really bad. Because the only thing I had taken or eaten were those two things, I looked on the ingredients portion of both, and they both had soy oil or isolates. 

I then looked up if soy can cause heart palpitations and come to find out that soy can cause palpitations. However, it is usually in people who have an issue being able to create their own amino acids out of certain foods. 

I researched more, and there is a substance called Taurine that they put in a category along with the amino acids, but it really isn't an amino acid. Most people can get it from red meat, but some people have genetic issues with not being able to create or utilize the Taurine. 

I have taken complete amino acids for a long time now, but Taurine isn't included in the complete amino vitamins because it really isn't an amino. There is another similar substance L-Carnitine which also isn't in my complete amino acids. The other thing I figured out with this is that I have never doing well with lecithin. I have had several people tell me to take it but I never felt good on it. I realized doing this research, that lecithin is usually made from soy products! It all started making sense as to why I didn't do well with it. 

I have heard that soy acts like an estrogen and affects the thyroid but I am thinking that maybe the soy is making me react more because of my thyroid problems. 

I have been taking these new supplements for four days now and haven't noticed anything. I think it may require being on it for a few months as I may be really depleted of certain things. I was able to find Sunflower lecithin and also purchased that to try. 

I am taking handfuls off pills each day! It is crazy how many pills I am taking. I hope that these pills will make a difference. I spent about the same amount in January on different supplements. 

I see the endocrinologist in several months but they will be checking my levels in a few weeks. I am praying that something I am taking will help improve the levels. 

Have a blessed day!

Taking a Shot Backfired - Migraine Day

I woke to go to the bathroom and had a headache. I then fell back asleep hoping I could sleep it off. I woke an hour later and still had a headache.

I met with a neurologist last week about the migraine situation as I have tried so many things to try and deal with them for over 35 years now.  With today's headache, I thought it would be a good time to use the new medication the neurologist ordered. He ordered self injection shots with a medication called Sumatriptan. I have given myself shots in the past during my pregnancies so that wasn't a big issue for me. 

I gave myself a shot. Within seconds I started having a reaction. I was walking to go lay down and my arms started feeling weird, then the back of my neck was in pain in lots of spots like I could feel the medication going up into my veins, my chest tightened, and my eyes felt like they were bugging out, I was dizzy. The reaction was so quick and intense I was worried I may need to call 911. 

I went and unlocked the front door, grabbed my phone to call 911 if needed. I put the medication box and info on the floor by the door and wrote down what symptoms I was having and then I read the side effects insert to see what the situation could look like. I didn't read the possible side effects before trying it as I don't want to see all that "could" be issues and create a thought on it. 

I started having nausea etc. I went to the bathroom and noticed that the shot site was inflamed and raised. It was the size of my pointer finger. I read the insert and every symptom I had was in there. The one that scared me the most was the tight chest, and it was tight to breathe. I finally felt safe enough to lie down for a few minutes and my feet had pin prick pain which also was a symptom.

I was somewhat disappointed that the shots didn't work for me as they were quick to work. My headache did leave but came back four hours later. However, with the reactions I had, I think I could develop more violent reactions and it isn't worth taking that risk over a headache and vomiting. 

I will need to call the Dr. tomorrow and let him know of my reaction so we can try other things. I would love to have some relief from my headaches. The forecast is rain for the next three days or so. 

 am grateful to have a Dr. working with me as I have always avoided trying anything due to needing to be functional as the only parent and not wanting to take any chances of not being functional for my girls. Now that I don't have anyone home, I can try other things. 

For insurance, you have to do a tier situation with medication. You have to prove that you have tried different cheaper meds first, and if they don'[t work, then you can try the more expensive medications. In trying the samples, I know that the more expensive medication works but it is crazy how expensive each pill is. 8 pills are over $1000. I think they should regulate how much companies can charge for each pill as that is crazy. 

I am glad I didn't react so much that I needed to go to the hospital. I am grateful that I am working on getting on top of the headaches. I am also grateful that there are new meds that can help me not having so many non-functional days. 

Have a blessed day!

Some Kind Of Blogger Situation Kept My Post From Publishing Today

I was up late last night writing my post for today. I set everything as it should be to post. 

I got notified by my friend that I had no blog post today. I looked online and everything was as it should have been to post the blog, but it didn't post for some reason. 

I clicked on edit, checked again, everything was how it should have been. I then click on publish, and it said, "You will be posting and already published post" or something like that. I clicked "yes" and it then was posted. 

I am not sure that has every happened where it has been the software that has kept a post from publishing. It is usually "user" error like me falling asleep at the computer or clicking the wrong date or time. 

I am sorry that I didn't get a post for today, but being tired after a long day in the pool with the grandchildren, and having my first tele-health appointment with a neurologist, I am happy to have a short post tonight and will post the one from today. tomorrow! 

Have a blessed day!

Life Update - Thyroid - Weight - Liver - Lungs - Radon - Parasites

I made an update video about all my visits to three different specialist Dr.'s and how they went. 

I share how I have gained 20 lbs in the past two months trying different thyroid medications. I have not felt any better and felt worse on the medications. 

I share how I have had more testing done with liver tests, lung scans, and more labs. I also mention trying another suggestion made by a watcher and how I didn't get any results from that. 

I don't want to take tons of time to type out all that information. You can watch the video for all that information! 

Have a blessed day!

Seeing Parasite Symptoms In Others

I am constantly seeing signs of parasites in friends, neighbors, and family. Also, they share that they have symptoms without knowing they are possibly from the parasite. 

I am still getting tons of comments on my website, YouTube channel, Facebook page, and my blog. It is so frustrating. I wish I had an answer for all these people as they are all suffering so much. 

I spend much of my time replying to people and trying to give them some kindness and hope. In reality, I feel like I am at a loss as I haven't found a cure or even much relief. 

In so many of my YouTube videos, I share things I have been able to fix or great ideas that I came up with that really work. I share health things that I have figured out when medical science didn't have an answer for something. 

With this parasite, I have spent so much time cataloging the information, describing symptoms, how they come, and just trying to get the information out to the world as I know there are so many others suffering who have no idea what is causing their health problems and discomfort. 

I went to Walmart this week and my receipt wouldn't print out at the self checkout, so I had to go to customer service to get a receipt for my purchase. I was waiting and waiting as they had to go into the "office" to print one up. I was standing waiting when I realized that the worker behind the counter had the same sores on her arms as I have. I then noticed that she had sores on her neck like I have as well. So many others have the rashes and sores on their neck hairline as well. 

She also had horrible teeth issues. I couldn't take a photo of her teeth without being clearly obvious, so I just stood back waiting for the woman in the office, and took some photos of her arms and wasn't close enough to get a good photo of her neck rash, but I know this woman and have known her for about 20 years. It breaks my heart to see how it is affecting her health as I used to teach her Sunday School when she was a teen. 

How can there not be a cure for this plague? I pray I can find something soon! 

Have a blessed day!