Well, my wife and I were introduced to the documentary Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead a few weeks ago and it really made an impact on us. We had been discussing juicing for health and had talked about a juice fast to "reboot" our bodies. Both of us know that our bodies are full of toxins, waste and other things that are causing our bodies to not work properly. So, today is the first day of the beginning of incorporating juice into our diet. We have tried this before but not with the research, information and support we have now. Over the past week my wife has bought a new juicer, created a 10 day juice plan, and shopped for all the nutritious fruits and veggies to make the juices.
Today we drank a combination of kale, ginger, celery, apples, lemon, and cucumbers. I have to say that I wasn't excited about how I thought this juice would taste, but it isn't that bad. We both downed 20 oz of this "green" juice this morning and I really am full. We will be drinking 4-6 glasses of juice a day along with plenty of water, coconut water, detox tea and homemade almond milk at night to carry us through with a full feeling. I will try to post the juices, weight loss and a general feeling as we go through the next 10 or so days. We are both very excited about detoxing our body and seeing how our health changes over the next few weeks.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Year With Multiple Sclerosis
Well, 2012 is here and with it new joys and challenges. Who knows what kind of discoveries will happen this year with MS treatment and what lives will be restored through those discoveries. With a new year comes new hopes and dreams, which I know my wife has already started working on her goals for 2012. We have already found a new Naturopath we are going to see this year, and I know my wife has her eyes set on running a 5k this year. As we look forward we can't help but look back at 2011.
The end of 2011 brought all kinds of MS issues and new challenges. For the last 8 months we have lived in Kansas, and every time we move it brings with it new challenges and a new learning curve for my wife's MS. Over the last few months she has fell more than any other time in our marriage. We are not sure what is causing her to drag her leg so much, but we have been very concerned because the last time she fell, she fractured a small bone in her hand that is still causing her pain.
In addition to the falling, she has struggled with some other odd symptoms. For over a week she would wake up every morning to an upset stomach. After being sick for a few hours, it would all pass and she would spend the rest of the day with a little queasiness. The other symptom that we have noticed is eye sight issues. We've noticed her eye sight is better some days than others. For instance, last week we painted our daughters room and my wife didn't notice that she was leaving paint runs on the wall because she couldn't see them. This really surprised me because she is very detailed and painting has been a strength for her. I know it frustrates her when she struggles to do things that she has been able to do for years.
So, as we look forward we have to look back and learn from our experiences. We have huge hopes and dreams for this year and we are both committed to doing whatever we need to do to make those dreams come true. Our hope is also for all the readers of this blog to find some hope and healing through our experiences and life. May your 2012 be amazing and you find some peace in the chaos that is MS.
The end of 2011 brought all kinds of MS issues and new challenges. For the last 8 months we have lived in Kansas, and every time we move it brings with it new challenges and a new learning curve for my wife's MS. Over the last few months she has fell more than any other time in our marriage. We are not sure what is causing her to drag her leg so much, but we have been very concerned because the last time she fell, she fractured a small bone in her hand that is still causing her pain.
In addition to the falling, she has struggled with some other odd symptoms. For over a week she would wake up every morning to an upset stomach. After being sick for a few hours, it would all pass and she would spend the rest of the day with a little queasiness. The other symptom that we have noticed is eye sight issues. We've noticed her eye sight is better some days than others. For instance, last week we painted our daughters room and my wife didn't notice that she was leaving paint runs on the wall because she couldn't see them. This really surprised me because she is very detailed and painting has been a strength for her. I know it frustrates her when she struggles to do things that she has been able to do for years.
So, as we look forward we have to look back and learn from our experiences. We have huge hopes and dreams for this year and we are both committed to doing whatever we need to do to make those dreams come true. Our hope is also for all the readers of this blog to find some hope and healing through our experiences and life. May your 2012 be amazing and you find some peace in the chaos that is MS.
Monday, December 19, 2011
20 Hours
20 hours is how long my wife slept over the weekend. The insomnia, stress and our crazy life finally caught up with her. After falling on our trip to Thanksgiving and breaking a bone in her hand, we have both been very aware of the toll our current life is taking on her body and MS. On our trip back to Texas we were walking across a parking lot when a speed bump got the better of her. She thought she lifted her foot high enough, but it caught her foot and she wasn't able to react fast enough and hit the pavement. She hit the side of her face, bruised her shoulder, side and hip, and felt like she might have broken her hand.
After having her hand x-rayed, she found out she had a broken bone in her hand. Her body is still sore even this long after Thanksgiving, but it finally seems to be going away. In addition to her hand, we have been swamped with trying to take care of things at the children's home. This time of year is great for donors to think about us and support the Home, but that also means that we all have to work overtime to keep up with the groups that want to come to the Home. My wife has been the contact point for all of these groups and that has put a lot of extra stress on her. Since our Home is 100% privately supported by individuals that want to help kids, this time of year is vitally important and my wife is not one to hold back. She has been giving 110% and working everyday and most evenings.
Since Thanksgiving, we have only had a few days off so it has really stressed both of us. Her body began to show the stress through insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog and other issues. She kept the numbness away with regular massage and chiropractic, but the other symptoms weren't going away. So, over the weekend she laid down and slept for hours and hours. We know how important this is and are willing to shut down things when they need to so that she can let her body recover. She is doing much better today, and this week will be much less stressful. We are even planning on taking the whole last week of the month off to recover and take a break. This time of year is tough, and we are trying to be vigilant about resting, watching the stress and making sure we take care of our health.
After having her hand x-rayed, she found out she had a broken bone in her hand. Her body is still sore even this long after Thanksgiving, but it finally seems to be going away. In addition to her hand, we have been swamped with trying to take care of things at the children's home. This time of year is great for donors to think about us and support the Home, but that also means that we all have to work overtime to keep up with the groups that want to come to the Home. My wife has been the contact point for all of these groups and that has put a lot of extra stress on her. Since our Home is 100% privately supported by individuals that want to help kids, this time of year is vitally important and my wife is not one to hold back. She has been giving 110% and working everyday and most evenings.
Since Thanksgiving, we have only had a few days off so it has really stressed both of us. Her body began to show the stress through insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog and other issues. She kept the numbness away with regular massage and chiropractic, but the other symptoms weren't going away. So, over the weekend she laid down and slept for hours and hours. We know how important this is and are willing to shut down things when they need to so that she can let her body recover. She is doing much better today, and this week will be much less stressful. We are even planning on taking the whole last week of the month off to recover and take a break. This time of year is tough, and we are trying to be vigilant about resting, watching the stress and making sure we take care of our health.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Emotional Stress of MS
My wife and I recently celebrated our 16th anniversary. Through those years, we have had some very tough struggles with MS and some joys that could only happen through the struggles. At this point, I know that my wife's MS has only made our relationship stronger because through the mess we have been forced to rely on each other and God. There have been moments when we have felt completely out of control, and other times we found specific treatments that helped us to feel like we had some control. The emotional roller coaster of this ride can be very draining, and there have been times when my wife and I have had to be intentional about taking a sabbath from Multiple Sclerosis.
For my wife, the emotional stress of MS can come out in days of being tearful, extreme headaches, mood swings, fatigue and a lot of other ways. There are times when she just has to sleep, no matter how busy we are or how behind we are in life. This can add to the stress, but we just see it as a necessary part of life with MS. There have been times when we put our whole life on hold because the stress on my wife's body has become too much. The stress can also come out in pain in her legs or other parts of her body, numbness in body parts, stiffness in body parts, sour stomach and general feelings of being ill.
Sometimes life can get so busy that we neglect the rest that my wife needs, and there are times that we pay dearly for it. The thing we have learned is to take action when we need to and not put it off, and try to be proactive and build in down time in our life. The problem is that we are both very driven people with a desire to do more than probably what we need to, so we get ourselves overwhelmed pretty often. I guess the morale of the story for our family is to be aware, be proactive, and know our limits. Emotional stress in life can be overwhelming, and MS just seems to add to the issue, so we try hard to limit stress and live life as fully as possible.
For my wife, the emotional stress of MS can come out in days of being tearful, extreme headaches, mood swings, fatigue and a lot of other ways. There are times when she just has to sleep, no matter how busy we are or how behind we are in life. This can add to the stress, but we just see it as a necessary part of life with MS. There have been times when we put our whole life on hold because the stress on my wife's body has become too much. The stress can also come out in pain in her legs or other parts of her body, numbness in body parts, stiffness in body parts, sour stomach and general feelings of being ill.
Sometimes life can get so busy that we neglect the rest that my wife needs, and there are times that we pay dearly for it. The thing we have learned is to take action when we need to and not put it off, and try to be proactive and build in down time in our life. The problem is that we are both very driven people with a desire to do more than probably what we need to, so we get ourselves overwhelmed pretty often. I guess the morale of the story for our family is to be aware, be proactive, and know our limits. Emotional stress in life can be overwhelming, and MS just seems to add to the issue, so we try hard to limit stress and live life as fully as possible.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Tripping, Falling and Rolling With MS
Over the last few weeks, my wife has worked tons of hours at our Children's Home, along with keeping up with our 14 yr old daughter. Too many hours and not enough rest turned into my wife dragging her right foot. This is a fairly common issue when she is tired and her body is worn out. Normally she would rest more along with seeing our Chiropractor, but time didn't allow those things and she fell hard last week.
We were heading to get a smoothie for our daughter and my wife caught her foot on the curb while hurrying up to the door. By the time I realized what was happening, she had already fell hard, rolled a few times and hopped up. I could see the look of pain in her eyes as she started heading back to the car. She banged up her knee along with tearing up her hands, and feeling very embarrassed after someone in the store came out and asked her if she needed help.
She was OK, but pretty beat up and we knew that if we didn't have her adjusted by the Chiropractor she would be headed to a lot of issues. Within hours her foot was already numb and her fingertips were numb. She was exhausted and slept for a few days to try to catch up and keep her body from spiraling downward. She went to the Chiropractor on Monday and immediately started getting feeling back into her foot and hands. By the end of the day the feeling was completely back and her body was recovering quickly. She also found a new massage therapist that she was very happy with this week which has also helped in the past.
It still amazes me how the warning signs are always there when her body is starting to get tired and her MS is starting to flair. If we ignore it, we ask for the problems to come and if we will just do what we know to do, we can create the environment for her to stay healthy. My wife commented that tonight she overdid it and that nothing was worth wearing her body out, so I have a feeling that this was a wake up call for her to take better care of herself. This last week she started the Swank MS diet again, and has been very focused on taking back control of her diet and health. The last four months have been very hard with both of us having to work long hours but the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen now. She is already doing better from her fall the other day, and I know she will continue to get stronger and healthier.
We were heading to get a smoothie for our daughter and my wife caught her foot on the curb while hurrying up to the door. By the time I realized what was happening, she had already fell hard, rolled a few times and hopped up. I could see the look of pain in her eyes as she started heading back to the car. She banged up her knee along with tearing up her hands, and feeling very embarrassed after someone in the store came out and asked her if she needed help.
She was OK, but pretty beat up and we knew that if we didn't have her adjusted by the Chiropractor she would be headed to a lot of issues. Within hours her foot was already numb and her fingertips were numb. She was exhausted and slept for a few days to try to catch up and keep her body from spiraling downward. She went to the Chiropractor on Monday and immediately started getting feeling back into her foot and hands. By the end of the day the feeling was completely back and her body was recovering quickly. She also found a new massage therapist that she was very happy with this week which has also helped in the past.
It still amazes me how the warning signs are always there when her body is starting to get tired and her MS is starting to flair. If we ignore it, we ask for the problems to come and if we will just do what we know to do, we can create the environment for her to stay healthy. My wife commented that tonight she overdid it and that nothing was worth wearing her body out, so I have a feeling that this was a wake up call for her to take better care of herself. This last week she started the Swank MS diet again, and has been very focused on taking back control of her diet and health. The last four months have been very hard with both of us having to work long hours but the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen now. She is already doing better from her fall the other day, and I know she will continue to get stronger and healthier.
Friday, July 29, 2011
MS in Wichita
It's been a while since I posted, and we are now living in Wichita KS where I work as the CEO of an all girl's children's home. My wife's MS has been pretty good since we have been in Wichita and I think she is finally acclimating to the heat and humidity. Over the last week she has dealt with some headache issues where it hurts in her eye, and had some fatigue and stomach issues. These issues are more annoying than anything, and she has done very well with the stresses that have come from moving and taking over a children's home. This last week has really brought the emotional stresses as we have dealt with some girls that we took off the streets and gave homes on our campus.
Overall we have been very blessed and her MS hasn't reared it's ugly head much. Over the next months we are hoping that we are able to settle in and increase my wife's health. We will be searching for a natural doctor and continuing to along the path of natural health. We are excited to be plugged in and back in a city with healthcare options, and I know that my wife is excited that her health has continued to be good.
Overall we have been very blessed and her MS hasn't reared it's ugly head much. Over the next months we are hoping that we are able to settle in and increase my wife's health. We will be searching for a natural doctor and continuing to along the path of natural health. We are excited to be plugged in and back in a city with healthcare options, and I know that my wife is excited that her health has continued to be good.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
One of the Three Deadly Sins of MS
Dr. Swank used to always tell us that there are three main life stresses that really seem to impact Multiple Sclerosis - Moving, Death and Marriage. Well, we have made it through all of these, and are in the middle of moving once again. I have taken a CEO position with a Children's Home in Kansas, so we are loading up this Friday and moving to Wichita. We have been packing for over a week now, and the stress load is weighing on my whole family, and especially my wife.
She has been very fatigued lately anyway, and with the added moving stress, she has been sick after every meal, had bad headaches, struggled with tight muscles in her neck and shoulders, and just had to push through all of it to pack and get ready to move. It amazes me what she can push through and how willing she is to work even when she feels like she's been hit by a Mack truck. She is finishing our kitchen today, and I am so proud of how hard she works and how positive she is even during these times.
One of the reasons we even looked at this job was because of the health care available in Wichita. We have been two hours from our Chiropractor which has been a pain, and I really think it has caused her to have more issues. When she is seeing the Chiropractor regularly, she is a different person. And if we have a good massage therapist to work her shoulders and back, it multiplies the effects and she does even that much better. We have learned how important it is to live somewhere that we can have easy, quick access to natural Doctors and a good Chiropractor. We are excited for the move and will be seeking a new Naturopathic Doctor as soon as we get there.
So, we won't be able to avoid one of the big three stresses on MS this time, but we know that this will be a better place in the long term. Controlling stress in your life is vital for MS patients, and I know for us it is probably one of the most challenging things we manage. When stress is minimized, we've noticed that life is so much easier, and my wife's MS begins to take a more back seat to daily living.
She has been very fatigued lately anyway, and with the added moving stress, she has been sick after every meal, had bad headaches, struggled with tight muscles in her neck and shoulders, and just had to push through all of it to pack and get ready to move. It amazes me what she can push through and how willing she is to work even when she feels like she's been hit by a Mack truck. She is finishing our kitchen today, and I am so proud of how hard she works and how positive she is even during these times.
One of the reasons we even looked at this job was because of the health care available in Wichita. We have been two hours from our Chiropractor which has been a pain, and I really think it has caused her to have more issues. When she is seeing the Chiropractor regularly, she is a different person. And if we have a good massage therapist to work her shoulders and back, it multiplies the effects and she does even that much better. We have learned how important it is to live somewhere that we can have easy, quick access to natural Doctors and a good Chiropractor. We are excited for the move and will be seeking a new Naturopathic Doctor as soon as we get there.
So, we won't be able to avoid one of the big three stresses on MS this time, but we know that this will be a better place in the long term. Controlling stress in your life is vital for MS patients, and I know for us it is probably one of the most challenging things we manage. When stress is minimized, we've noticed that life is so much easier, and my wife's MS begins to take a more back seat to daily living.
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