The swine flu is the pits.  Influenza A, pretty darn horrible.  A few weeks ago, I contemplated several ways of ending the horrible headache that filled every crevasse of my head, the least of which was to cut it off at the neck.  Literally.  I’m one of those people who doesn’t “ride out” a headache like a hurricane or big wave.  I don’t head for the bed or drink extra glasses of water waiting for the excruciating pain to pass.  I take medicine.  You know the stuff scientists spent years of research discovering and designing according to FDA standards?  That.  In the military I learned two 800 milligrams of ibuprofen can cure even the most horrendous of pains.  A string of knee, back, head and body aches made me a believer.  Well, that’s not totally true.  I was a believer long before the 13 mile road marches with a 50 pound ruck sack on my back.  It began when I was just a tiny tyke.  As a kid, my mother would say, “Open wide.”  I would readily swallow liquid goop on a spoon.  I knew it would make me feel better and I trusted her.  That’s a good equation.  So, when I thought my head would split into four separate alien nations and take flight as I lay on my sofa writhing in pain, I reached (over the counter) for the drugs.  First acetaminophen, then ibuprofen, then Rimantadine – the prescription meds given to me by the doctor who wore a face mask when she examined me.  Smart.  I laid there helpless.  As the pain subsided, I thought about my husband.  Since I’m single, I guess I was hallucinating to a certain extent.  So, let’s just say my future husband.  Humor me. 

I believe in times of need we seek human comfort.  As I lay near uncertain death of my immune system, I could think of no better reason to have a husband than to hear him say, “You’re gonna feel better, sweetie.  Here’s some OJ, vitamin C and hot tea.”  Oh those sweet words of glory!  Who wouldn’t want their significant other tending to their every need?  An in-house nurse at their beck and call?  Boiling chicken noodle soup and reminding you that fluid intake is essential?  CARING???  Show me that person and I’ll show you a masochist at heart.  I like people, for the most part. (I really like babies and old people.  I’m still trying to figure out everyone else in between.)  I believe that most people are inherently good and the kindness of strangers transcends race, color or creed.  I found this to be true as I traveled the country in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and I find it to be true now in my dealings with people in the vast city of angels.  If given the opportunity to choose hatred or love, I sincerely believe most people choose love.  Call me naïve.  Call me optimistic.  Call me sucker for a story with a happy ending.  Whatever you call me, you can’t call me void of feeling, empathy, hope or love.  It is my desire to know a world where positive overrides negative, good conquers evil, and the desire to build up overcomes any penchant to tear down.  It is my glass half full.  Sometimes 40 proof and sometimes not.  In that vein, I strive to be the best me that I can be – to keep my perception of life free from jealousy, discouragement or doubt.  No, it doesn’t always work.  Are you kidding me?  Everyday some fool tries to cross my path with a garden hose to rain on my happy parade.  It’s up to me to keep a smile on my face.  It’s up to me to play the hand I’ve been dealt with surety and skill.

Right now some would say I’m sitting on a royal flush.  I’m cute.  I’m single.  I’m… a really good age.  I have one daughter, a really nice job, and a virtually drama-free life.  Sometimes I’m lonely for male companionship.  Then, I stroll through my rolodex.  No… Seriously.  I get lonely and I call a friend (a married, female friend) to vent about my frustrations with being single.  What did you think I was gonna say?  Yeah, later for that one.  ANYWAY.  She usually listens and gives me wonderful advice or words of encouragement: proof of why she’s my friend.  Without having to list the pros and cons on either side, I remember her life struggles and how marriage is no cake-walk.  Afterward, I feel better.  THEN, I stroll through my rolodex with marginal expectations knowing some lucky bastard will reap the pleasure of my testosterone deficit without having to fill my emotional one.  He has no idea.  Knowledge is power.  Lucky bastard.  Now that I am well, I tip my hat to those of you who endure relationship highs and lows day-in and day-out, giving and taking, reaching and building.  My charge to you is this: Live your life free from jealousy, discouragement or doubt.  Strive to be the best you that you can be.  When you are under the weather, reap the benefit of human comfort within close proximity; and water your own lawn.  Never underestimate the power of the game.  The stakes are higher at the other table.  Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten.  Read ‘em and weep.  Or not.

Persnickety Self-Adjustment:  My single grass may be green, but when I’m sick my rolodex has limited value.

Brendan got me the Avett Brothers’ CD for Christmas. The one I’ve been longing for since it came out on September 29th.

I’m listening to it now in Mrs. Propp’s room, and I probably won’t stop listening to it until I know every beat, word, and tune to every song. This is my December and January music. A little melancholy and a little rockin’, a little vivid and a little sad. These boys really know how to sing to my heart, even if they don’t know me.

I know I’ve been really stressed and working (all the time) as of late. I remember when a melodic line of Avett would send that stress flying back where it came from.

I’m sitting here tense and headachy and sore and listening to the Avett Brothers. My heart’s still crying because I miss summer (still), but I understand now that it’s gone. And it will be back soon enough, and bring a new fresh vital wave of change. I should be enjoying the time here, the time now. Shouldn’t I?

I hope the Avetts will help me change. Help me to accept that it’s never going to be June, July, August 2009, ever again. Those are days I can’t get back, and I don’t want these to be bland and fraught with sadness: I can’t get back this December, either.

It’s so hard to live.

ScienceDaily (Dec. 22, 2009) — Headaches and heartaches. Broken bones and broken spirits. Hurting bodies and hurt feelings. We often use the same words to describe physical and mental pain. Over-the-counter pain relieving drugs have long been used to alleviate physical pain, while a host of other medications have been employed in the treatment of depression and anxiety. But is it possible that a common painkiller could serve double duty, easing not just the physical pains of sore joints and headaches, but also the pain of social rejection?

A research team led by psychologist C. Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology has uncovered evidence indicating that acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) may blunt social pain.

“The idea — that a drug designed to alleviate physical pain should reduce the pain of social rejection — seemed simple and straightforward based on what we know about neural overlap between social and physical pain systems. To my surprise, I couldn’t find anyone who had ever tested this idea,” DeWall said.

According to a study due to be published in the journal Psychological Science, DeWall and colleagues were correct. Physical and social pain appear to overlap in the brain, relying on some of the same behavioral and neural mechanisms.

DeWall and colleagues investigated this connection through two experiments. In the first experiment, 62 healthy volunteers took 1,000 milligrams daily of either acetaminophen or a placebo. Each evening, participants reported how much they experienced social pain using a version of the “Hurt Feelings Scale” — a measurement tool widely accepted by psychologists as a valid measure of social pain. Hurt feelings and social pain decreased over time in those taking acetaminophen, while no change was observed in subjects taking the placebo. Levels of positive emotions remained stable, with no significant changes observed in either group. These results indicate that acetaminophen use may decrease self-reported social pain over time, by impacting emotions linked to hurt feelings.

“We were very excited about these initial findings,” DeWall said. “The next step was to identify the neural mechanisms underlying the findings.”

In the second experiment, 25 healthy volunteers took 2,000 milligrams daily of either acetaminophen or a placebo. After three weeks of taking the pills, subjects participated in a computer game rigged to create feelings of social rejection. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) employed during the game revealed that acetaminophen reduced neural responses to social rejection in brain regions associated with the distress of social pain and the affective component of physical pain (the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula). In other words, the parts of the brain associated with physical lit up in the placebo subjects when they were rejected, while the acetaminophen group displayed significantly less activity in these brain areas in response to rejection.

According to the academic paper detailing the experiments: .” ..findings suggest that at least temporary mitigation of social pain-related distress may be achieved by means of an over-the-counter painkiller that is normally used for physical aches and pains.” Furthermore, many studies have shown that being rejected can trigger aggressive and antisocial behavior, which could lead to further complications in social life… .If acetaminophen reduces the distress of rejection, the antisocial behavioral consequences of rejection may be reduced as well.”

Researchers caution that readers should not immediately stock up on acetaminophen to ease social pain and anxiety, noting “[t]o be sure, our findings do not constitute a call for widespread use of acetaminophen to cope with all types of personal problems. Future research is needed to verify the potential benefits of acetaminophen on reducing emotional and antisocial responses to social rejection.” Long-term use of acetaminophen has also been linked to serious liver damage, so it is important for patients to follow all package directions and consult their physicians if they are contemplating taking any medication for an off-label use.

“This research has the potential to change how scientists and laypersons understand physical and social pain. Social pain, such as chronic loneliness, damages health as much as smoking and obesity. We hope our findings can pave the way for interventions designed to reduce the pain of social rejection,” DeWall said.

Adapted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091222154742.htm

nothing much to report… checking in and out… intense headache… a migraine i think… sudden rush of ulcers… my eyes hurt… ears ringing… vertigo… TMJ…

and my mind is running running running again in yet another one of those typical aspie processing processes – oh dear… minor meltdown…

My head’s aching but I have to plod on or else, it’ll be apparent I am with a headache. In office, the golden rule is not to have a headache. That way, no one gives you unwarranted attention. But the moment, you get even a slight wrinkle on your head to indicate how horribly your head throbs with pain, you have had it.

Everyone will have an opinion about the way you should deal with it. Everyone will insist you go home, and no one will bother to leave you alone…

I think I am much better now. At least I am much better at pretending to be better. I cannot and will not stand the Grand Opinion and its cast!

Why is it so difficult to get your own unprotected music off of your ipod?

First, Apple doesn’t allow this with iTunes, and the need is obviously there as a google search for “ipod transfer software” gives hundreds of credible hits.

The files are organized in a cryptic way such that numerous 3rd party applications have been written to decode it and transform it back to something that is somewhat meaningful.  Programs I tried were the ones from this lifehacker article, and more.  I have an ipod 5G, not an iphone or a freaking itouch-myself so it should be a little easier right?

I tried Yamipod.  No go.  It gave a cryptic message about ipod database not recognized.

I tried PodToPC, and it recognized the iPod and the database and was able to display to me the contents of my iPod, but it was not free and it relied on iTunes for the decrypting, so iTunes needs to be installed.  Those were dealbreakers for me as I want to keep my system iTunes free.

Next I opened Floola, which I always confused with Joola.  A standalone and somewhat rough around the edges, the author clearly states that this is a pet project and currently he does not have the money to update the software to read iTunes 9 DB.  I don’t remember if I had updated my iPod with iTunes 9; I thought I had but Floola read it fine.  I used the software to pull the data off and onto my harddrive.

I also tried CopyTrans Manager, but since Floola already transferred the songs properly, I didn’t test it to endure another 8 hours of transfer.  It seemed like it read my iPod correctly.

But that’s only half of my battle…

As holiday revelers lift their glasses at office parties and New Year’s bashes, they may want to keep one rule of thumb in mind: the darker the liquor, the bigger the hangover. People who drank bourbon reported more severe hangovers than people who drank vodka, but they weren’t any less alert. Compared to clear liquors, brownish spirits like whiskey and rum contain more congeners. People who drank bourbon reported more severe hangovers than vodka drinkers.

Although it sounds like an old wives’ tale, it’s actually true — to a point, according to a new study. Compared to clear liquors like vodka and gin, brownish spirits like whiskey and rum contain greater amounts of congeners, substances that occur naturally or are added to alcohol during the production and aging process. Congeners — many of which are toxic — contribute to an alcohol’s unique color, odor, and taste, but they can also interfere with cell function and punish your head and belly the morning after – Read full article…

Every Monday afternoon, after I finish a class with 2-2. It’s worse than having your tooth pulled out. Slowly. Without any kind of meds.

Today was no exception. And now I have a raging headache.

We got new doorbells put in and just lately…the batteries to go in them. Somebody keeps ringing my doorbell then disappearing.

I tried to tape over the doorbell, but that just makes it ring non-stop. The chime is above a door. I struggled with taking the cover off. The whole thing (3 D batteries plus cover) fell on the area of my lip/teeth/nose and I am bleeding and crying hysterically. I’m quickly getting a fat lip. Blood is coming from my gum and nose.

One of the maintenance men said he wanted to go down the row and push them all. Has it been him? If so…he is dead meat!

I am having a tough day

I hurt. I am scared. I am tired of doctors and tests and procedures.

Remember when I said it felt like something broke in my kidney? I have been peeing blood ever since. I was trying to ignore it. Trying to wish it away. Now it hurts more

When I first woke up this morning I thought I was going to be well enough to drive to church. Quickly the dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath and double vision took over. Instead of getting dressed, I went back to bed.

I’m awake again, but have a killer headache and backache. I listened to and watched Music and the Spoken Word on BYU TV.  It was uplifting When it ended, I burst into tears. I’m not coping well with feeling crappy. I’m tired of it all.

Zeke was being a pest. He wants Aleka’s cat food. I told Zeke I was going to beat him up. I pretended to. He really liked it He went over to the bed and Aleka playfully smacked him. Zeke smiled and laid down. Then Aleka rolled over and over in bed, wiggling all over and looking happy. The pets had me laughing. Now I’m laughing and crying at the same time…..

It snowed today! Not that little shower of snow where it melts when it hits or shortly after it snows, but the snow that pours down, sticks, and while its sticking more snow piles up on it. Last time I checked on the sidewalk it was 4″, while the yard came up to around 5″!
It was still fluttering out some but had mostly stopped, but they are calling for more snow Saturday and Sunday! In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I love the snow. I just need to get used to driving in it, since I need to hit up the Shell station but it will have to wait til the day time after the roads have been used a bit more.

Apparently the power lines around here do not like snow. There was some major arcing on the lines below the house, causing me some power problems (losing power for just a moment, to over an hour). It lit up the sky though this awesome green and blue colors. The noise is nice too. (You can check out a video I made of the same lines arcing from a year or two ago on my  YouTube.)

The hospital had to go on generator as they lost their power (Not sure on that one, I thought I saw/heard a transformer go boom), they were on emergency power for awhile and may still be. The local papers site was/is down so haven’t been able to get much of an update.

For your viewing pleasure, I have uploaded some pictures from the early part of the snow storm on my Picasa gallery. I took a few more pictures since then (camera is acting up now, hopefully it might’ve just been the water and has dried out and will work again). Leave some comments on here letting me know what you think of my pictures.

Walking earlier when it hadn’t been snowing too long, was nice. That snowy crunch under my feet, my ability to slide and skate around and freak passerbys. I tried a little walk (to get some night time pictures) but it was fairly difficult to walk and snow was going into my shoes too much for comfort. I need to find my boots (several military issue/police style) so I can walk without snow and junk getting in there.

I suppose that’s all. I’m still sick. Been nauseous pretty much 24/7 lately thanks to my GERD. I’ve also have been having some really bad headaches off and on (though some last a few days). I’ m so fed up with being sick anymore…

Time for sleep…

I did not want to admit this to myself or anyone else…but I am seriously sick

I am humongously swollen from head to toe. I feel sick and feverish. I feel like I weigh a bazillion pounds. Any strength I gained after the IVIg is gone and I’m worse off than before it. My head hurts. My guts hurt. My skin is creepy all over. The worst part is shortness of breath. Every little movement starts me gasping All my joints hurt. All my muscles hurt. Even with my o2 cranked up to 4, I still feel like I am suffocating.

I have no clue what is wrong. I need to call the doc. Tonight is the last straw. I am not coping well.

Like I said, I feel like a failure….as if it’s my fault that I am not better. While listening to scripture studies on BYU TV, something made me aware of the hopelessness about my health. I realized I was holding my muscles more rigid than I ought to. The more it hurts to breathe, the more I try to avoid it. I was unconsciously sort of holding my breath. That surely can’t be helping things.

IVIg was going to be what made me better. I’m feeling very discouraged right now.

Typical day in retail.

I’ve gotten to the point where the first thought out my head when I wake up is “do I call off today?”  That’s a very dangerous step because it tends to lead to me deciding to do the right thing but developing headaches on the way or as soon as I step inside my place of employment and then I start to do the wrong thing (i.e. call off, slack off on duties, etc).

I can’t afford to have bad employment experiences down here though. Because of my tendencies, there is only one job from my time in Massachusetts that I can count on for a good reference (maybe….they hired someone for another department before hiring me…which made me doubt my worth but apparently they had been trying to eliminate that position for a while (found out on my last day)…I probably should have talked to my rep at my temp agency about it and maybe I wouldn’t have felt like a waste of space since they didn’t hire me after one year but hired that other person directly).

I’ve been in retail for almost 10 years at this point and I think we should get mental health check ups just like cops. Cuz some days I feel like I’m going to choke a bitch.

Then I remember “hey they’re doing you a favor, not the other way around” and that pisses me off and makes me realize that they only hired me because I was the best of what they had at the time and they only keep me because I haven’t done anything that would be considered a termination-worthy offense.

Really not appreciating just now finding out how the world works.

Sometimes I feel because of my age I should have answers to some of life’s questions and the fact that I feel more clueless now makes me wish I never started to see the world.

Sometimes because of my age I feel I shouldn’t be behaving a certain way or thinking certain things…but then I turn on reality tv and realize I’m more mature than the majority of people on there who are older than me. I envy their ability to just do things because they want to and not think of the consequence or what they should be doing according to society. Like as skanky or whatever Tila Tequila is, you have to envy her sexual freedom and her unabashed way of life. I do envy those people who can go out, have fun, and not worry about what people think or what happens next. And I understand her drive for attention. Hell if I had a body like hers I’d show it off too. When I listen to some of my “stripper songs,” I imagine myself putting on shows and broadcasting them to the world but I don’t have near the confidence to do so.

I don’t know….I just know I’m not a prude but I don’t know how to reconcile who I used to be with who I am now. I don’t want to slut it up or anything but at the same time when I think about men finding me sexually attractive, it still kind of weirds me out. I don’t know how much of that is because of the stuff with my ex. I never saw myself with anyone else besides him and I guess I’m still dealing with all the issues that come with a sexual infidelity. It’s like “well I wasn’t enough for this person that loved me so why is this guy behaving this way…he can’t possibly think of me in that way.” For the most part, I just can’t picture it. Pretty annoying actually.

I don’t even know that I want to go back into a relationship…..I just don’t want to be…celibate…abstinent…one of those words…I fear the reasons behind that aren’t the reasons they need to be though. I’m still at the point in….healing… I guess would be the word….where I see meeting random people off the internet for sex as morally repulsive. I’m sure that wasn’t the thought before being cheated on in that manner though. Maybe when I get back to that point, I’ll be ready for a no-strings type situation. If I were to be honest in sharing my experiences, I’m sure that’s what Stephan and I boiled down to. I think we went on like two real dates in the….4….5 months we dated. But I met him in a club…I guess that’s about as bad as the internet huh? *shrugs*

I don’t even know how I got on this subject. I’ve just been thinking about the like sexual rebirth I’m going through and it being a sign of for the most part being de-stressed and over all of the drama of September (and October 2007). I tell myself it is what it is. We may have been incredibly compatible but not where it counted. Most days that resolution is enough. Six years is a long time to be involved with someone so I’m sure I’ll have good days and bad days. I just have to not freak out about sliding backwards a little bit. I think that may be part of my “ewww slut around?” attitude. Cuz on the days where I’m good, it’s like “if that’s what you want to do,” and then on the bad days it’s back to calling loose women “you fucking slut” so….yeah…..I mean one of my best friends had her moments (including being the other woman) and I don’t hate her. She also told me that she and her husband have only had sex twice in like four months (or vice versa) but I didn’t have the heart or feel it was my place to tell her what I now know about men.

That reminds me. Some guy on the news said that people didn’t think Tiger would do what he did because he was sort of seen as a nerd…seriously dude? A true nerd is used to the instant sexual gratification of the internet so if anything I think they would be more prone to cheat. I could be biased though.

Christ it’s 3:45! And I don’t remember the original point of this entry so I’m gonna wrap it up, write some tags, and call it a night.

this is what i’m doing. omg. i want to finish this essay by 1130pm and then draft my presentation and then be in bed/couch by 12am. hopefully i’ll be doing the presentation draft in bed/couch. PLEASE LET ME MAKE THIS HAPPEN! ARGH!!!!

UPDATE [1:13AM]
Still writing the essay. Around 3ish pages, but I have yet to talk about the hypermasculinization of Asian American males in hip-hop and car cultures. Nor have I mentioned mixed-Asian Americans and the effect of globalization on the Asian American experience. The best part? I think I have pink-eye! Otherwise, my right eye is just extremely irritated because it’s bloodshot on the left side. Hm..

UPDATE: [1:43AM]

UM. At four pages, and I still haven’t really gotten into depth about Asian American car culture. Still need to talk about globalization. Not sure if I can fit in mixed-kids. Not even sure what I would be able to say without stuff being hypothetical, you know? Sigh. fuck.

UPDATE: [2:39AM]

Finally finished. Now I can go warm myself up, lay down in bed, and start tentatively drafting for presentation. I have to wake up at 8am tomorrow =(. Here’s the end result, now goodnight:

Recently I read an interesting article written by one of my favorite doctors, Dr. Joseph Mercola, and he was discussing the power of baking soda.  I wanted to share some of the info with you.

Baking soda (also know as sodium bicarbonate), popularized by Arm & Hammer some 155 years ago, is derived form a natural occurring mineral, and is one of the safest and most versatile substances around.

Some of it’s potential uses are:

• Household cleaner
• Sunburn remedy
• Alternative to toxic antiperspirants
• Sports performance enhancer

Few people realize, however, that baking soda also has potent medicinal properties.  Taken internally, it helps maintain the pH balance in your bloodstream.  For this reason, it can be used against both cold and influenza symptoms, and even cancer.

Yes, It can help fight off the flu and cancer!

In 1924, a booklet was published titled: “Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Medical Uses,” where Dr. Volney S. Cheney recounts his clinical successes with sodium bicarbonate in treating cold and flu:

“In 1918 and 1919 while fighting the ‘flu’ with the U. S. Public Health Service it was brought to my attention that rarely anyone who had been thoroughly alkalinized with bicarbonate of soda contracted the disease, and those who did contract it, if alkalinized early, would invariably have mild attacks.

I have since that time treated all cases of ‘cold,’ influenza and LaGripe by first giving generous doses of bicarbonate of soda, and in many, many instances within 36 hours the symptoms would have entirely abated.

Further, within my own household, before Woman’s Clubs and Parent-Teachers’ Associations, I have advocated the use of bicarbonate of soda as a preventive for “colds,” with the result that now many reports are coming in stating that those who took “soda” were not affected, while nearly everyone around them had the “flu.”

Recommended dosages from the Arm & Hammer Company for colds and influenza back in 1925 were:

• Day 1 – Take six doses of ½ teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water, at about two hour intervals
• Day 2 – Take four doses of ½ teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water, at the same intervals
• Day 3 – Take two doses of ½ teaspoon of baking soda in glass of cool water morning and evening, and thereafter ½ teaspoon in glass of cool water each morning until cold symptoms are gone.

Further dosing recommendations and instructions for taking sodium bicarbonate can be found in Mark Sircus’ book Sodium Bicarbonate – Rich Mans Poor Mans Cancer Treatment, which is also available in Kindle edition.

According to Arm & Hammer’s dosing instructions, do not exceed seven doses of ½ teaspoon per day, or three doses of ½ teaspoon daily if you’re over the age of 60.  In addition, do not use the maximum dosage for more than two weeks.

Personally I have never used Sodium Bicarbonate in the treatment of any colds or flu but I will definitely keep it in mind next time I come in contact with it.

I will caution that there is some concern that Arm & Hammer may contain some aluminum so using a product like Bob’s Red Mill Baking Soda, which is proven to be aluminum free, may be better.

Dr. Mercola further discusses how Sodium Bicarbonate is being used with great success by Dr. Tullio Simonici and Mark Sircus, Ac, OMD in treating cancer.

He explains that they are seeing 99 percent of breast – and bladder cancer heal in just six days, entirely without the use of surgery, chemo or radiation, using just a local infiltration device (such as a catheter) to deliver the sodium bicarbonate directly to the infected site in breast and bladder tissue.

Of course, these treatments will never become mainstream because of the profits that conventional treatments provide.  Unfortunately, money will always impact medicine and is the reason that amazing natural treatments are often covered up and the doctors willing to use them are made to look like quacks.

The truth is there is tons of natural resources for all types of diseases and symptoms if you are willing to keep an open mind and look into it for yourself.

In addition, you need to begin to ask and demand from your health care professionals to help identify the causes of your symptoms and diseases and not settle for symptom treating healthcare.  Optimize your health today by taking responsibility for it and learn the natural solutions for your problems.

About the Author: Dr. Tunis Hunt Jr is a chiropractor serving the Charlotte/Steele Creek Area. In addition to chiropractic services, Dr. Tunis Jr lectures and educates the public on health and nutritional related subjects. He writes for several publications and is the author of the popular health Blog: Dr Tunis Jr’s Blog (www.drtunisjr.wordpress.com) Dr. Tunis Jr can be contacted at: drtunisjr@HuntChiropractic.com www.HuntChiropractic.com

I could not breathe very well, but I made it to the food pantry and back. Beth and Luc gave Zeke and I a ride People kept asking me if i was alright. It was HARD to breathe! I’m going to have to start wearing oxygen again if the pleurisy does not clear up. My refillable o2 tank has been hiding behind my couch since June. I was hoping it would stay there!

Interesting choices for foods today. There were two jars of caviar up for grabs…but nobody wanted it….including me. I got other yummies like stuffed grape leaves, fancy olives, Chinese food, juices, artisan breads, naan, Middle Eastern eggplant appetizer, a humongous bag of feta cheese, organic whole wheat muffin mix, a lamb roast and funniest of all…..scallop shaped seafood product Lots more goodies, too. Mmmmmmmm…..

Stupid pleurisy! It seems to be gaining on me. It now hurts a lot before my next dose of Motrin is due. It is making me short of breath. Sigh…

AND, now I have a new owie! I was peeing when it felt like something near my kidney “broke”. Oh, OWWWWWWW!!!!!! It’s not going away

To top it all off I am having one heck of a heavy period. It’s so intense that it makes me very, very dizzy and nauseous. I already went back to bed twice today to try to stop the room from spinning.

Well….at least my strength is improved

DAY 5 — headaches

Join us as we count down the days until Christmas with the American Chiropractic Association’s “12 Days of Health and Wellness.”

(Click on the image for a larger, more readable version).

The kit kat commercial where you can hear everyone crunch their kat, makes me want to grind my teeth in disgust.
On another note, I think tomorrow, after my interview with Ian (to discuss my stagecraft mark) I will play dress up and go tobogganing, and this will more than likely end up being a lone venture, unless I can convince someone left in the now lonely Deer to join me, perhaps, Emily? Everyone is gone for the holidays, almost everyone anyways.
I have a freaking headache.

Ham Gravy v. Rumsfeld

The Superstitious Clause (Article 7, § 7, cl. 7)

The Sleeping Giant Doctrine

Blueberry v. Hamilton

The “Young Master Lopez” Test

Ex Parte Ronald McDonald

Clinton v. Clinton

Whoville v. The Burning Bush

Chocolate Milk v. Madison

The “Congress can do whatever they want” Clause (Article 1, § 8, cl. 3)

Campbell Soup v. Clover Leaf Creamery

The “Garbage-in, Garbage-out” Cases

The “Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd” Clause (Article 1, § 7, cl. 2)

Evil aliens

“Let the means, er…, ends, er…, JUST BE LEGITIMATE!” (C.J. Marshall)

Justice Antonin “I’m always right and that crazy, liberal majority is always wrong” Scalia

What is Malaria ?
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by a parasite, Plasmodium, which infects red blood cells. Malaria is characterized by cycles of chills.

Common Symptoms of Malaria
In the early stages, malaria symptoms are sometimes similar to those of many other infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Symptoms may include:

• Fever.
• Chills.
• Headache.
• Sweats.
• Fatigue.
• Nausea and
• vomiting.

Symptoms may appear in cycles and may come and go at different intensities and for different lengths of time. But, especially at the beginning of the illness, the symptoms may not follow this typical pattern.

The cyclic pattern of malaria symptoms is due to the life cycle of malaria parasites as they develop, reproduce, and are released from the red blood cells and liver cells in the human body. This cycle of symptoms is also one of the major indicators that you are infected with malaria.

Aimee’s surgery yesterday went very well!  This morning, she tweeted via her crackberry Blackberry, as she was drinking milk.  The juice and crackers weren’t working for her, but if milk can, then drink it up, woman!

My dads best friend is still alive in a Western New York hospital.  That’s all I really know about that topic.

Oh, and ya know those delicious Christmas cookies I posted?  They’re all gone…as well as another batch I made last week.  Guess who gets to make more this weekend!

And because I have been asked, about my depression post.  She has upped her tattoos since receiving her check to four.  I bet her depression is going to be slowing down now since she’s finally getting her checks in the mail!  Please, feel free to go get more tattoos, and fake tan like crazy.  Did I mention she lives in New York, and having a tan in the winter is just freaking stupid?

Today also begins day number 5 of this wacky headache.  It feels as if my brain is swelling up at times, causing the pain.  This, in fact, makes me just want to curl up in a ball and cry all day.  It sucks even more when you don’t voice how you feel because you don’t want to see the eye-rolling of your family members.

If I  do not take my 800 mg Motrins in a timely manner, the pleurisy comes back full force. Owie lungs. Ouch.

Over all, my strength is improving daily. The c diff is going away. The gut pain is fading fast.

BUT….there is always a but….I am now covered in bruises. Hmmmmm…..I wonder what that’s all about? That is usually a symptom I get during a flare-up. I am still looking 9 months pregnant every evening. Luke is having sympathy heartburn with Heather, so I guess I am being copy-cat pregnant.

I hope the increased swelling up all over is just my over-exuberant period. This is another one of those turn-you-inside-out with cramps periods. I’m too old for this! I will be 54 in less than a month. Enough already of reproductive stuff! When your baby has a baby, it’s time to stop Usually my face only swells up in the morning. Ever since the IVIg it has stayed swollen. I really don’t need to look any fatter!

I keep imagining the immune systems of all those people doing battle in my body. They have a lot to work on….