sustainable systems & storytelling
Yesterday, I didn't experience any soreness in my legs all. I ascended a flight of stairs at work, as usual. I enjoyed a two mile evening walk, as usual. But one thing was notably different. I didn't stop once to rest my legs. For the first time in over 20 months, I walked further than... Continue Reading →
It's the final moments that define a journey and the first ones that make it possible. Both, we have total control over. Just over a month ago, I took my doctor's advice and made some drastic changes to my diet, in hopes of shifting my trajectory. I chose to embark on a new leg of my... Continue Reading →
On our recently trip, I felt lighter and more energized than I have in years, even though I wore huge bags under my eyes in every picture. Upon our return, the state of my health quickly returned to status quo. My boyfriend immediately suspected something environmental was to blame, hypothesizing either an allergy in our... Continue Reading →
I force a cough and it's done. The gynecologist drops a small T-shaped device on the bedside tray, its bloody tail looping into a figure eight. The petite women with blue gloves and a wide smile reminds me to call if I need anything before shutting the door behind her. I had the copper IUD... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, I got an instant message from a coworker, causally asking, "Hey, can you save me?" I agreed before inquiring what, exactly, he needed saving from. "I'm trapped," he replied, "to your right." We work in an open office plan and the sliding glass door to the conference room had gotten stuck and he couldn't... Continue Reading →
Last night, my boyfriend brought up a shocking internet prank where someone finds an adversary's address through their IP address and the places a call to the police departments pretending to be said adversary. The local S.W.A.T. team swarms an innocent victim's home, led to believe that the individual is armed and dangerous. The in-game... Continue Reading →
Four years ago this month, I was forced to spend a full month in bed while assaulted by a vicious cough, painful aches and terrifying hallucinations. I lost 16% of my body weight and gained a permanent scar on my lung. I was told it sometimes takes years to fully recover, so I practiced patience... Continue Reading →
I am not a fan of fish, never have been and likely never will be. However, according to the results of my recent food allergy test, I may need to work on recalibrating my taste buds. Some results were not at all shocking. My body has been shunning cow's milk, cereals, peanuts and lima beans... Continue Reading →
After thirteen days of relief, the low-dose naltrexone seems to no longer be working. On Friday afternoon, I felt the subtle return of that all-too-familiar fatigue, debilitating muscle pain, digestive issues, brain fog and moodiness. By Sunday evening, my magical carriage had transformed back into a pumpkin. After two days of immense struggling and far... Continue Reading →
Have you seen those videos of toddlers receiving their first tiny pair of glasses or paraplegic dog receiving a set of wheels? The pure joy and enthusiasm is tangible as these previously-hindered individuals are given a new lease on life. Today marks day ten of Low-dose Naltrexone (LDN). After five days at 1.5mg followed by five... Continue Reading →
Last week, my integrative physician recommended several new supplements to remedy nutritional and physiological deficiencies. I pulled out my wallet and said, "Take my money!" because, right now, it feels like the most empowering thing I can do for my health. Along with addition of glutathione (protects cell mitochondria by eliminating free radicals) and calcium... Continue Reading →
Last week, my integrative doctor's office called to inform me that my appointment would be extended from 30 to 60 minutes. I instantly knew that gut and micro-nutrient analyses must have revealed something interesting, and suspected it would bring us just a little closer to the root cause of my body's disease. When I went... Continue Reading →
I entered 2019 with exceedingly high hopes. Health, wealth, prosperity and new beginnings were surely waiting on the other side of midnight. Though I know that January 1st is an arbitrary date, I had dreamed of leveraging its symbolism. If healthy eating, light exercise, meditation, affirmations and being proactive weren't quite enough, maybe the promise... Continue Reading →
Last week was relatively uneventful, that is until I started compiling medical records for my new Integrative Doctor. My goodness, there are a lot. My father-in-law, a retired radiologist, reviewed my PET-CT scan back in September and didn't see anything noteworthy. My vital organs were good. Thus, when I received the radiology/oncology report back, I... Continue Reading →
Recently, after listening to a podcast about endocrine disruptors, I scoured the house to dispose of any culprits. Everything was clean except a protein powder containing the artificial sweetener, stevia. I fell very ill in December of 2017 while adhering to a paleo diet, working out six days a week, and rocking an sub-18% body... Continue Reading →
