Eat a Bean

Winter Come and Gone

2012-01-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

Last week the snow came. Boy, did it come! I didn't even ride my bike to work all week; it was too cold. But, then the arctic outflow or whatever it was ended, and we are back to our four degree rainy weather. The snowman is melting, the grass is starting to show in spots...

It's been a little stir crazy around here with the kids cooped up inside. It didn't help that Malachi has been getting some molars and they are taking a month to finally cut through. It all started to get to me today--just needed a break--but then we visited some friends for the day and I felt like someone hit the 'reset' button and am back to normal. I suspect part of the problem was eating too much sugar yesterday. I think if I eat too much sugar I feel a bit angry. I read somewhere that this can happen with diabetes, as well.

Now that winter is over, bring on Spring!

We Gave Jesus some Pears

2012-01-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

Life's been full lately. Not full as in "my tummy hurts", but a pleasant after-dinner burp full. We've settled into our new work/stay home routine a bit, despite the change that Christmas Holidays brought for a week. Malachi keeps growing and changing, so that keeps us on our toes (though mostly it keeps Kate on her toes!).

For Christmas, we had Christmas at my parents' place, then the second one later that night/next day at Michelle's aunt and uncle's house in Edmonton. Then we stayed with her parents for the remainder of the week. It was a good break from our life at home, although with two munchkins zooming around the house, it was restful in a relative manner. We also saw some friends in Red Deer and the lights of Airdrie--gotta love the outdoor skating pond in the park, it's so romantically Canadian!

Malachi seemed to get rid of his fear of strange people over the holidays. He doesn't mind being held by other people now. However, we're still having trouble getting away and leaving him with babysitters--somehow he senses we're gone and screams until we come back. It could also be that he's teething a bunch of molars right now...poor little fellow!

I enjoyed leading worship at church today. The band was full--great musicians and worshippers. There was lots of positive feedback. It's nice to be able to serve my church with my gifts--and lots of fun too!

On our way to Care Group today we did a quick shopping stop. As we returned to our car in the parking lot, a lady asked us for some change to buy soup. She said she was pregnant. We had no change, but parted with some pears. While it felt good to help out, it also felt like we didn't do nearly enough. We continued on our merry way to Care Group to study the Bible. :-|

A @ Home

2011-12-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

On December 1 we did our annual switch up at home: Michelle went back to work 2 days a week, and I cut back to 3 days a week. Now I am home on Thursdays and Fridays again with the munchkins--er, kids. This is my third week of the madness and it's going pretty well. Although it feels pretty busy, I've been managing! My main task is to take Kate to dance class on Thursday mornings. So I cut Malachi's nap short and me and him play for an hour in an adjoining room while Kate hops around in her pink ballet outfit (she's really good at 'sa-shay'ing). Getting Kate to dance also requires the car (or 3 hours and the city bus) so we've all been getting up a bit early to drive Michelle to work. I cut Malachi's sleep short. Today I am going to cut his second nap short to take him to get his shots. So, the poor guy just can't sleep! But he will be okay. He turned One yesterday!!!

Fridays are a bit easier since we don't need the car for anything. We all sleep in (a little), and stay home and play all day! I like staying home from work a few extra days--although it makes going into work a bit harder on Monday, too! (I think when you work full time, 5 days a week anyway, you get into a groove and you get used to working so much)

Stay at home Dads unite! Sugar Mommas rule! ;)

N is for Normal

2011-11-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

Andrew and team leading worship at church. (Photo by Custom Concepts Photography)

For a few months I have been wondering if I am officially 'normal' (healthwise) or not. It's hard to decide when to declare Normal to be. Both my MD and my Naturopath say my blood tests and other tests show good, solid levels. But, to be able to function each day with a decent level of energy is a tremendous blessing that just a few years ago I had little hope of reaching. So, thank you God, and doctors, and everybody and everything that helped me get back to enjoying life again. While I still have tired days and the odd 'off' moment, I feel like I am interacting with life in a way that is true (not always thinking about just myself and how I'm doing). I'm able to focus on others, on tasks, to ponder ideas. I hope to be able to give back to those who need my help; that my experience will not be forgotten but will spur me on to good deeds. Not to mention good eating habits. ;)

Anniversary Photoshoot

2011-10-21T22:08:00.001-07:00

On our 8th Anniversary (October 18) Michelle and I took a picture of ourselves, as is our yearly custom. Michelle snapped a few shots of me while she adjusted the tripod, set the lighting, etc. I like very much!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-10-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

The theme at church today was Thanksgiving. A lot of kids thanked God for things like family and Lego. I stepped in to help by teaching the grade 3-4-5 class and I was thankful...when it was over! :) We managed to read the first eight verses of Psalm 107. It provides context to Thanksgiving by chronicling the life of some people who were at their wits end (within an inch of their lives!) and then were delivered from their troubles when they cried to the LORD. I asked the kids if they could think of any examples from their own lives when they were in trouble and needed rescuing. One guy said he had to wait a whole month to play a new video game; another was grounded for two weeks and couldn't play any video games. Tough stuff!

I'm thankful for lots of stuff.
A day off
healing
healthy happy kids
work
wife
carob chips

Gibsons

2011-09-25T21:08:00.001-07:00

Michelle's parents treated us to a waterfront cabin in Gibsons for a few nights. It was very nice! The photo above was taken from the deck. That is the ocean and a wharf in the background...I hiked up the local knoll, went kayaking with Michelle (my first time in a kayak!), and read a book that I found in the house. As well I looked after the kids a bit, although not as much since we had grandparents and Uncle Michael around! We did a bit of touristy stuff like go to the beach and go out for lunch at Molly's Reach as well.

With the vacation-y mindset and lots of snacks around, I cheated on my diet a bit more than usual but seemed to handle it fine. I seem to be able to tolerate more foods again. It's a nice feeling!

We now have a 9 month old and a 36 month old. I'm really enjoying playing with Malachi now since he can respond more. He's been crawling for about 2 weeks so he keeps us on our toes. He still detests going to bed at a reasonable hour. When Kate decides not to go to sleep it can be a rough evening. It got so bad at one point that it drove us to a prayer of desperation--ever since it has been better, though not perfect--thanks God for looking after our needs when we ask!

Slogging Along

2011-08-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I posted anything. Half the summer, actually! We went to Ontario for a wedding--stayed in a rented lodge with family and family friends that get together every 2 years for an MCC Nigeria reunion. It was hot and the heat was welcome after our cool summer here in British Columbia. There is a sweet splash park in Leamington with a huge tomato-bucket that dumps gallons of water on excited kids every few minutes. Kate loved it. I rented a car from Discount in Windsor and saved $150 by not renting directly from the airport area. It was a bit of a hassle, and the Ford Fiesta hatchback was painfully small (as my wife pointed out on several occasions), but it got us and our stuff from point A to point B. Our flight back home was delayed a bit so it made for a long day of travel, topped off by my backpack not arriving in Vancouver...but it all worked out!

Since then it has been work, work, work...lots of it at my job since different people are on holidays. Things seem to be slowing down a little bit but overall I've been busy. Michelle also feels the work, work, work at home with two busy kids. It would be nice if they would nap at the same time once in awhile, but alas they do not seem to understand the concept. Malachi is sleeping a little bit more, at least, although he can still stay up pretty late.

We also went camping for the first time all summer. Ross Lake (near Hope) is beautiful, but camping with these munchkins is so much work...Michelle came down with a fever/cold during our first night, so we left the next day. Maybe we'll try again in a few years!

I have been feeling well most of the time now. My Naturopath says my digestion has improved a lot. I no longer need vitamin B2 supplements, and I'm weaning myself off my digestive enzyme (M7+) pills. I still get tired after about 6 hours of work on my feet--will that ever change? I had a root canal re-done recently and had to take antibiotics.

stretched between rich and poor

2011-07-10T15:02:00.001-07:00

Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die.
Keep falsehood and lies from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:7-9

At times I find myself at opposing ends of the same economic spectrum. When I look around at some of my friends, neighbours, co-workers, and Christians that attend my church, I find myself comparing my economic status with what theirs appears to be, and wishing mine was higher. I half-listen to the constant talk revolving around higher wages at work, wondering if/when I should inquire about a raise.

I also see myself on the global scale and to my surprise, I'm pretty close to the top of the rich pile. My condo is comfortable in summer and winter. I have enough food to eat, a car to drive, credit to fall back on. My family has access to excellent health care, even benefits such as free dental care. I saw in the news today that the current drought situation in Somalia is called 'the worst humanitarian disaster' in the world.

A couple of books I've recently read have not helped me find black-and-white answers to which end of this continuum I should be striving towards. One is The Upside Down Kingdom by Donald Kraybill, which examines Jesus' teachings and the negative political implications they had which got him killed. The other is called Jesus wants to save Christians by Rob Bell and Don Golden. This book focuses on the Exodus as the central event in Jewish religion, showing Jesus' ministry as a new Exodus of sorts. One thing that stood out to me was the way that God heard the cry of the Israelite slaves at the hands of the Egyptians, yet once God freed them, they eventually became slave drivers themselves (in King Solomon's time), and were sent into exile as a result. It is so easy to forget where you've come from.

Which is why I will continue to hover somewhere in the grey area between rich and poor, never quite knowing where I fit in. Somehow the poor side seems safer, though.

An Ominous Warning

2011-07-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

I received an ominous warning tonight: Bob is coming.

The tone with which it was delivered was serious. It implied that there was much to be afraid of. The warning continued: "Bob going to eat your feet."

"But not eat Kate's feet."

"Bob coming to get you."

I'm not quite sure what to make of my 2 year old's prediction. Especially since I know exactly who Bob is. What could he possibly want with me?

Summer Snailing

2011-06-30T18:37:00.001-07:00

Kate and I went for a walk last night--to take out the garbage, but also to get outside for a few minutes and enjoy the evening sun after a cloudy day. We noticed some snails on the parkade wall--quite a few, actually. I don't know what brought them all out, but they were all sunning themselves. It was so picturesque that we made the long troop back around the building and up three flights of stairs to get the camera.

Mommy and Malachi are galavanting on an adventure out east this week so Kate and I are batching it. Today for supper we had boiled sweet potato and edamame beans. Last night we had escargot. Just kidding!

Earlier this month our family went to a wedding of some friends in Red Deer; in a few weeks we will go to another wedding in Ontario. We are making vacations out of these trips and spending time with family and friends. Summer is here but it will be short so we will try to make the most of it!

Planters with dirt

2011-05-30T22:37:00.001-07:00

I bought some dirt the other day and carried it home on the back of the double stroller. Kate and I planted some sweet peas in one of the planter boxes. Kate likes to blow bubbles on the balcony. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Rye and Goat Cheese Pizza

2011-05-29T22:13:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I made pizza for Michelle and Kate (maybe it was for Mother's Day?). They got a standard ham and pineapple on a regular hand-tossed crust; about 80% white flour, mozzarella on top. I also made a low-glycemic-non-wheat-non-cow-product-non-tomato version for myself! The crust was made from rye flour. For the sauce I just squished an avocado and spread it on top. My toppings were some leftover steak from the Keg, spinach, pineapple, and goat cheese. It turned out okay although it was not as tasty as I had hoped.

You can click on the picture to get a close-up view of all those tasty ingredients! As I have since re-introduced tomatoes into my diet, if I were to make this again I could use tomato sauce.

Planter Boxes

2011-05-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

On Friday after work I took apart a pallet that wasn't being used and salvaged some 1x4's. I de-nailed 18 pieces that were 3 feet long each and strapped them to the back of my bike. I wobbled carefully all the way home; they didn't fall off until I got to the door to our underground parking and couldn't fit through it. :) Hey, if they can do it in Nigeria with appliances, I should be able to get a bit of firewood home.

Except it's not firewood; I made one planter box yesterday, and after I buy some more screws I'll make a second one for our balcony. They are a bit rustic looking but kind of nice and the wife approves of them so that's good! I put some sand in the bottom of them and then we'll put dirt on top of that. We are hoping to grow sweet peas that will climb up the balcony railing. Also some herbs such as cilantro; I'm not sure what else. Strawberries would be nice but it might be too late for those. We already have a little banana tree that my parents gave us, as well as some parsley, chives, a daffodil plant that isn't doing much, and a few apple trees that grew from seeds I planted last year. Oh yes, and some winter onions that survived outside in a mossy pot.

What else inhabits our balcony? A propane tabletop barbecue, a diaper pail, and a rolled-up window shade for the summer. We get full afternoon sun in the summer and it can get quite toasty out here. Currently there are also two lawnchairs, with someone sitting in one of them, typing on his laptop. Oh yeah--that'd be me.

Naturopath, Continued

2011-05-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

I had another follow-up with my Naturopathic Physician yesterday. Pretty much all good news again, lots of healing happening according to his electro-gizmo. A couple of surprises though--cortisol was high (indicating some stress)--I haven't felt too stressed lately (hmm, except for Monday at work maybe--how long does cortisol hang around after a stressful event?). Also glucogon was high, indicating I've been eating too much protein! This is surprising because all along I've been having trouble digesting protein--so I've been eating lots to compensate for that, I guess. Although honestly I don't think I was eating excessive amounts. So, I will cut back a little there and add more veggies if I can, and I always enjoy carbs too because they give me lots of energy.

Dr. E. also checked my food sensitivities. As he had predicted three months ago, I have improved to the point where I'm no longer sensitive to many foods. Once again I can eat spelt, chicken, oranges, tomatoes, peppers, and curry. A few of the foods that I must continue to stay away from include wheat, pork, alcohol, peanuts, and cow's milk products (although butter is now okay). These may or may not improve in the course of my intestinal healing and I will find out about that in another 3 months.

I have indeed felt better than ever these last couple of months, with the odd 'tired' day thrown in, seemingly randomly. Keeping busy with work definitely helps; perhaps there is an element of adrenaline there, with having something important to do. Sitting at home with a grumpy 2 year old can be tiring sometimes. :)

Pranking the Neighbours

2011-04-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Down the hall we have some neighbours that like to decorate their door according to the season. At Halloween they had some yellow tape on their door amongst other decorations. So I added an orange sign that read BEWARE OF CAT (they have two of them). To my chagrin they left that sign up for several months.

Then for Easter they put up a very colourful wreath on their door, covered with flowers and plastic eggs. It begged for some further decoration so I made a little beanie cap for one of the chicks!

What else have I been up to? Work and family, mostly. Malachi has been sleeping well although he still goes to bed quite late (about 11pm). I have continued to do a little bit of 'Handy Andy,' but not too much. I have felt pretty good physically and mentally lately. My MD ran my bi-yearly blood tests recently and a lot of stuff had improved. So that is great news!

Monkey

2011-04-09T07:35:00.001-07:00

At the zoo last fall

Work

2011-03-25T19:41:00.001-07:00

Lots of it. I've been busy lately!

A little while ago I advertised my handy man services on Craigslist. I got two calls; one for a fencing job that was too big for me, and one to install some sliding closet doors and quote on countertops. From this second call I've had a month of work (a month being my spare time, about a day a week). I think I am almost done...it's been fun as the work has been varied, installing those mirrored closet doors, fixing a light, installing lights and a smoke detector, putting in a deadbolt, fixing a window awning, patching holes in the wall, fixing closet doors, installing a waterproof moulding around a shower...and tomorrow I am supposed to paint a bedroom!

I also got a call from my dad to work on an indoor landing/ramp for Abbey Medical so spent yesterday and part of today doing that. Columbia has also decided to get busy all of a sudden so I worked an extra half-day today and am already committed to an extra day next week too! And I am quoting on some sliding shelves for Michelle's friend's mom--and possibly also an interesting cabinet extension.

Throughout all this extra work I have felt capable healthwise, which has been a blessing. I got a cold this week which has been slowly but steadily increasing in annoyance. Not a good time to work 6 days in a row. :|

Uncanny Resemblance

2011-03-03T21:07:00.000-08:00

Every time I change our fine little fellow's diaper, I have an eery urge to say, 'Koodo!' Especially when he flashes me a grin. :)

It Figures

2011-02-20T19:26:00.000-08:00

It's kind of annoying. Often when I post something about getting better, the next day I have a bad day. This was the case after my last post (below). It was a harder week (though not terrible or anything). But, it only lasted for a few days and then I was back to "normal." Good and bad seem to go in cycles. Also, eating carob chips seems to coincide with feeling good. Strange huh?

Naturopathic Update

2011-02-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

I saw Dr. E. again yesterday for a follow-up naturopath appointment. I have been having a really good week so I was quite positive when asked about the status of my complaints. For example, I have not been lightheaded or dizzy for quite awhile. I have been stronger--able to exert physical effort without getting wiped out. I have enjoyed going to work instead of dreading it. According to his electro-gizmo that measures energy in my body, many levels were much better than they were when he tested me in November. Liver function was up, protein digestion was up, toxins were down...I was much encouraged. "I'm getting better," I said.

That being said, there is still a ways to go. The doctor said that at my next appointment in 3 months, he will spot check some of the foods I am sensitive to, and he expects that I will be okay to eat about 80% of them again! He put me on a bunch of pills, most old, some new--I'm taking some probiotics (bacteria that will call my intestines home).

I have a regular blood test with my Family Doctor in April. It will be interesting to see how my liver enzymes are doing (they have been a bit high on the last two tests). In addition, he is checking my blood sugar/insulin. I am curious to see if this long term low glycemic index diet will have an effect on that.

Taking my own advice

2011-01-29T22:37:00.000-08:00

This week started off as a tired week, thanks to work, I guess. Then Thursday came and I reverted to my other job--taking care of the Fam! It's been easier lately--Malachi has been sleeping a little bit better, and Michelle has been recovering (6 weeks now since the C-section), now able to take a larger load in the work we share. So in between the usual dishes, laundry, cleaning (!?), cooking, and diapers, we got a few things done. We finished stuffing envelopes for Malachi's birth announcement. We went mattress shopping and bought one quite quickly from the store a block away. I threw it on the roof racks and drove it home. Then I threw the old one on the roof racks to take it to the dump, but it fell off on South Fraser Way when one of my bungee cords snapped. That was a bit hairy, but I managed to get it back on quickly and drive to a quiet street where I tied it down with twine. Then I drove 30 km/hour all the way to the dump! We bought that old mattress over 7 years ago and it served us well.

Today we got out to watch a play, Gallery 7 Theatre's Tuesdays with Morrie. It was good! A bit of a tearjerker actually. It is my favourite performance I've seen where Ken the Artistic Director has been an actor...meanwhile Grandma and Grandpa were over to watch Kate and Malachi. They got a bit more than they bargained for as Kate has been potty training the last few days and was not tired enough to nap this afternoon. Kate has done quite well during the last few days. She pees in her potty and although I had to help her get there this time, she also put in some solids tonight.

The ceiling fan has been crying again lately, as in the roof is still leaking. Looks like we'll get some sunny weather now so I'm not too worried. The strata corp. had the roof guys here yesterday but they might have to do a call back.

Regarding the title of this post, I have been eating lots of beans! White beans, pinto, black, edamame. Sometimes I notice some interesting effects a few hours later but they haven't been that bad overall. The rest of the family seems to fare worse--especially Malachi! Which leaves me to eat even more beans by myself. Protein! I have been losing weight again these last few months. People have noticed that my cheeks are not as chubby as they used to be. I suspect some of the digestive aids I've been using are working a little too well, maybe. I think I'm back to my high school weight (150 lbs). I need to find something fattening...maybe I'll eat an avocado a day or something.

Some Beautiful Things This Week

2011-01-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

Some things (and people) brought me much joy this week. Here are a few of them:

1. A Delicious Breakfast Shown here are some cooked buckwheat groats with carob chips, wild blueberries, cinnamon, and soy milk. Mmm! Topped off with a fried egg and a few supplement pills.

2. A Fine Little Fellow [sleeping]. He is not a bad baby. Although he eats every 3 or 4 hours at night, he doesn't usually fuss much afterwards.

3. 3 kids Wait! I thought I only had 2! Weird.

4. Snow Last night around 11pm I was groggily awakened by Michelle. Blinking the sleep out of my eyes, I followed her to the living room, carrying little Malachi. I stopped and blinked. Outside the window, the trees were covered with a glistening layer of snow. It was worth waking up for that!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Well the old has gone, the new has come. Seems like 2010 was just yesterday, ha ha. New Years Resolutions anyone? I don't really make them anymore. I guess I could resolve to love more this year, be less in debt, and healthier. But sometimes monkey wrenches get thrown into plans like that. Of course, if I took said wrench to a pawn shop, it might help with my debt, eh? :)

Malachi is still doing well, feeding regularly, keeping us from sleeping etc, but seems to be a pretty good baby overall. I don't think he's as fussy as Kate was at his age...but I could be wrong! It's hard to remember the first months of a baby's life because it all becomes one sleep-deprived blur!

We had a good new years eve. Went out for supper at BP with some friends and then went to some other friends' house to hang out, play a game of What, eat a few snacks. Kate was supposed to sleep in her pack-and-play but didn't do so well. We got home before midnight but due to Malachi's meal schedule we were actually awake to ring in the New Year, which is kind of rare for us!

Malachi on his first day of 2011

Ho Ho Ho

2010-12-25T08:26:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! I am the only one up so far this morning. Even the little guy is sleeping fitfully. So between frying my eggs and eating my flaked barley I can post a couple of pictures of ...

Malachi Andrew
Born December 14th, 2010
7 lbs 12 oz 53cm

The last eleven days have been a bit of a blur. There was the birth, then some lack of sleep, then some more lack of sleep... you get the picture! But he is settling down a bit and sleeping for 4 hour stretches sometimes, and not fussing too much after feeding, which allows me to go back to bed at night! We got him circumcised on Monday and he was a bit fussier after that, and he was also not too happy the two times Michelle ate chili, but that might be coincidence. Michelle's mom has been very helpful and stayed with us the whole time until last night when her dad arrived for Christmas and they are staying at Stacey's place. Michael also arrived a couple of days ago and is sleeping on the floor in Kate's room, with a bedsheet strung up from the ceiling so she can't see him (if she could she would never sleep!).

And now...Christmas!!!

What goes around

2010-12-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

I had a busy week and have not caught up yet--to the point that I called in sick to work today. Which is silly, because I have the rest of the week off starting Tuesday for baby reasons. But, I did not feel well this morning. Perhaps it was the busyness, or the change in diet (see below), or the food at my work banquet last night, or the nasty flu that Kate and Michelle had last week. Regardless, here I am, a bit weak but not too bad otherwise...waiting for Michelle to pick up her mom at the airport. Baby is arriving tomorrow!!!

I saw my naturopath on Thursday, 2 months earlier than my scheduled appointment, due to a cancellation. The purpose for this visit was a food sensitivity test that I had previously requested. It took about 20 minutes and there was no pain or blood drawn or divining rod. I just held the metal rod in one hand, that is wired somehow to the metal pen he would push on a part of a finger on my other hand. The graphs on his computer screens would be drawn as pressure was applied. Anything above a 70 range was something I was sensitive to; the food data was programmed into the computer. He went through a full-page panel of foods, starting with grains and going through fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts, dairy, spices, additives, etc. While not completely comprehensive, just about every food the average north american can readily think of was on there.

There were a few confirmations of my suspicions. For example, Cows Milk made that graph shoot up past the top. It was subsequently labeled a '3' on my paper (don't eat it). Other cow's milk products had the same result. However, there were plenty of things that surprised me, as well. Goats milk products and soy products showed up as fine. Wheat and spelt were a '2', as in don't eat it but if there's some flour in your soup sometimes, that's okay. And there were a few foods that I was mildly sensitive to, such as yams, and radishes. Peanuts got a '3' (no more peanut butter!) :( Chicken and pork got 2's (that'll be a tough one). Eggs were fine, all the weird new grains I've been trying were fine, beef and fish were fine although shellfish like shrimp were not too good. The tomato/pepper/potato family was all 2's...strangely enough.

So, a few more things need to change, once again. I was just starting to get used to this Glycemic Index stuff...which will continue of course, as it seems to help.

Stay tuned for baby pictures in the next few days!

The snow has come

2010-11-25T13:08:00.001-08:00

This morning the snow started falling. Beautiful! After a very cold, dry, windy week it is nice to see some fruit for our 'labour.' Kate doesn't think much of it (she seemed to think it was dirty and wouldn't walk in it). Michelle's last day at school with her kindergartners is also today. She expected they would be bouncing off the walls with the snow coming down...hope all goes well. Michelle goes on Maternity leave December 1.
In other news Kate chewed through her last soother (the kind that she likes the best that is) so I'm hoping she will be able to settle down and sleep. I just put her down for her nap but she is playing in there as I can still hear her hooting away (probably at Monkey).

I finally visited the Naturopath

2010-11-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Last week I saw the Naturopath for a consultation. It was kind of cool. They took a fresh drop of blood and stuck it on slides right there in the office, and showed me the clumps of red blood cells on a TV screen as the doctor moved the slide around on his microscope. There were also white blood cells; he showed me pieces of plaque (and other stuff that's not supposed to be in there). He also had a nifty machine that somehow measures the energy levels to different organs and the levels of hormones and vitamins and toxins. I held a metal cylinder in my left hand while he prodded my right hand with some sort of sensor. I know it sounds kind of science-fiction-y...and there were a few things that seemed a bit out there...but he found that my insulin level was a bit high, just like a recent fasting blood glucose test showed. He also found that my small intestine wasn't too happy and that I wasn't digesting protein well. I was low in vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and D3. I was high in a few toxins, allergic to mould...interestingly enough my adrenals seemed just fine. After asking me about my health complaints (and actually taking the time to listen!) he 'diagnosed' me with Leaky Gut Syndrome and prescribed some supplements for me. I now take 3 'horse pills' with every meal: B2, digestive enzymes, amino acids, and some sort of anti-toxin thing. As well, he explained the Glycemic Index a little bit (sugar leads to inflammation) and as a basic guideline told me to only eat foods with a GI less than 80. From what I understand this will also help with my insulin resistance issues. He affirmed my suspected milk allergy but said we would test it and other food allergies in a few months after we've given my system some time to get better.

This leads to another change in my already strange and stringent diet. Instead of avoiding just sugar in its various forms, I need to avoid other high-GI foods, such as whole wheat flour and other processed grains (no more bread, tortilla chips, cheerios). Brown rice is borderline but I'm still eating that. Potatoes are very high, in fact one baked potato supposedly spikes your blood sugar as much as 17 teaspoons of table sugar! Vegetables and most fruits are fine...as are nuts, fats/oils, and meat. The Glycemic Index is tricky to understand in that it's based on percentages of carbohydrates as opposed to weights of foods, so I am still trying to figure it out. So what can I eat? I'm still trying to figure that out too! So far some of my staples have been rolled oats, red river cereal, quinoa, and rice. Michelle is excited to cook more meats than we've been having lately...she made pork chops last night.

Overall my naturopathic visit was encouraging and gave me information and hope...and also a huge bill; the visit and the supplements came to over $300. We'll see how much our insurance actually covers...

Jesus Holy Shepherd of the World (music video)

2010-11-04T05:10:00.000-07:00

Jesus Holy Shepherd of the World
Fussing in a manger dark and cold
A lamb among the wolves
To sleep you're finally lulled
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

Jesus holy shepherd of the world
Gently bringing lost sheep to your fold
Stubborn, make our own way
Shoulder, carry home
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

Carry us Jesus, won't you carry all your lambs
Carry us Jesus, won't you carry all your lambs
Through green meadows and dark valleys
Your rod and staff make us secure
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

Jesus holy shepherd of the world
Standing in the center of your throne
The bloodied lamb is worthy
To open up the scroll
Soon you'll come again and
Make our half-lives whole
We dig our tear-stained faces deep
Into your pure white wool
Jesus holy shepherd of the world

__________________________________________

I wrote this song during the winter of 2008. Our daughter, Kate, had recently been born and I was struggling with a lack of sleep, lack of time to myself/with God, and stress at work. The dark was also getting to me (S.A.D.). In short, I think I was depressed, and possibly some symptoms of hypoglycemia were showing up as well...I really needed Jesus to carry me for the next few months! (It wasn't long after that my health issues with fatigue started.) I was encouraged by scriptures such as Psalm 23, first memorized when I was 6 years old, that has been a comfort to me for years. I noticed that Jesus is often referred to in the Bible as both a lamb and a shepherd, and I tried to communicate that through these words. I shelved it for awhile and edited it over time, trying to make it singable by a congregation (in the plural form, keeping it short, etc.). I eventually did lead it at church a few months ago and received much positive feedback, but haven't led it again as it isn't the sort of song you can just throw in a set (ala Lord I lift your name on high). I hope to share it with the world through YouTube and hope people enjoy my quirky video. :)

Early Ramblings

2010-11-02T03:10:00.000-07:00

Once again, I am up way too early. Can't sleep. But unlike last month, I'm not feverish. I'm thinking about the recent layoffs at work and how close I am on the totem pole if things keep slowing down. Good things to ponder at 3 in the morning, right?!

I have been having a good run of things healthwise. My body is gradually recovering as I continue to avoid cheese (and yogurt, butter, etc.) like the plague. It's not as hard as I thought it would be: I made pizza the other night, and just didn't put cheese on one third of it; we had a pizza lunch at chuch--I packed a ham sandwich. Michelle and Kate are loving all the recent pizza!

I see a Naturopath on Thursday. I'm hoping I can get some help and that it's not a waste of money and time...at a church prayer meeting a few weeks ago the guys prayed for me and my health (I didn't even ask them to)--that I would be able to say that the doctors that are helping me were wonderful, but that it was Jesus who healed me. Interestingly enough, the next day I had a perfect, normal, day. I didn't feel tired or dizzy or lightheaded or weird once! I can't remember the last time I had such a good day. Thanks God! Now, I haven't had another perfect day since...but I am very grateful for the one I did experience!

Here is a picture of my brother-in-law and me on the swings near my parents' house at Thanksgiving.

7 years

2010-10-18T20:22:00.001-07:00

Today Michelle and I celebrated 7 years together as a married couple. I took the day off work and our friend Stacey took Kate for the night, so it really felt special! We went out for dinner and rented a movie last night, and went for lunch/shopping today. There were no cards or flowers involved except for a few little flowers that I cut off from the hanging basket outside tonight. Happy Anniversary honey!

Feverish

2010-10-02T04:25:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling not-quite-myself the last few days. I think I caught whatever Kate had earlier in the week. Fortunately the worst days have been days I'm already at home so I haven't had to take any time off work--yet!

This morning I woke up at 3am something, feeling warm again. I downed a tylenol and left the bedroom because I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep for awhile. I checked my temperature: 99.8F--not too bad, but still feverish. I opened the patio door and some windows to let the cool night air in (it's been unseasonably warm lately). As I sat there in the dark, suddenly I heard a noise--bam-da-da-bam-bam-BAM! It was just Kate's toy piano's drums going off randomly, like they do sometimes. I hope they didn't bother Tweet (our recent budgie guest). I turned them off, then sat on the couch on my knees, relishing the fresh air from the open window and gazing out into the quiet, dark street. The world always seems so peaceful and quiet at four o'clock in the morning...

Suddenly I noticed a motion light go on at the garage of the house across the street. Nothing unusual, I guessed...just a cat...or maybe it just goes off randomly, kind of like Kate's toy piano...but wait, there was somebody there! A person dressed in black, holding a stick--a tinkling of broken glass--and the light was out again.

Now THIS had my attention, fever or not. I quietly removed the screen from the window and reached behind the couch for my nerf gun. It wasn't much but it would do for distraction processes. THWOCK! THWOCK! THWOCK! The nerf missiles soared across the lawn, the street, and landed near the neighbour's garage. CRASH! I barely had time to duck as a flash of light exploded below and my window collapsed in a curtain of shattering glass. I was being shot at! And those weren't nerf bullets!

I was putting my family in danger--couldn't have that. I grabbed the nearest weapon I could find--a dirty pot on the countertop--and scrambled out the door. Down the exit stairs I raced in my pajamas. The dewey grass felt refreshing on my warm feet. As the outer door closed behind me, I realized I didn't have my keys. I would have to buzz my wife from below later--and I didn't think she would be happy about being woken so early on a Saturday. Oh well, some things just can't be helped!

I was across the street before I knew it, large pot shielding my torso from any close gunfire. My gaze darted this way and that. No one was in sight. I must have scared them away. Relieved, I was heading back to my apartment building when the house porch light turned on, a man stepped onto the porch with a shotgun, and yelled, "Freeze, thief!"

"Thanks," I said. "This fever was getting a bit too warm. But the pot's mine, honest!"

A Quiet and Beautiful Day

2010-09-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Ah...Friday. Due to my sweet work arrangement where I get to stay home with Kate on Thursdays and Fridays, Friday feels like Saturday. It was a bit rainy out and Kate was in a foul mood this morning, but things gradually improved for her to the point that as I held her small sleepy body tonight before putting her to bed, I couldn't believe how sweet she is and how blessed I am.

I've also been feeling really good (not tired) lately, so that's helped good days seem even better. Avoiding milk products including butter and cheese seems to be paying off. I can enjoy unsweetened soy milk as long as I flavour it with heaps of carob powder! Mmm, almost like Nesquik! (I like the vanilla flavoured soy milk too but am wary of the sugar content) I'm still consuming large amounts of sea salt so should probably check my blood pressure soon, but I'm pretty sure the salt helps immensely with my orthostatic hypotension (lightheadedness upon standing) and adrenal fatigue.

Here's a shot from the summer. We visited the Agrifair. What was Kate's favourite part? Not the horses, the cows, or the chickens...not the rides...no, it was the sandbox!

On buying the farm

2010-09-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

I've always thought the expression 'he bought the farm' was kind of funny, although it isn't really. This expression probably originated among soldiers or pilots during WWI or WWII. According to urbandictionary.com, it means:

To die, especially in combat; most likely from the idea that a dead soldier's death benefit would serve to pay off his family's mortgage. Often shortened to "bought it."

There is, however, a story in the Bible about buying a farm--well, a field anyway, as told by Jesus in Matthew 13:44:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

What I hear Jesus saying to me through this verse is that He himself is a great treasure--greater than any other treasure I could possibly find in my lifetime. Everything else falls by the wayside in comparison to reaching Him. To "sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (Luke 18:22) makes complete sense when compared to the uncomparable Treasure that I seek. To "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1b) and to "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14) should be my mindset and the mindset of every disciple of Jesus. Oh, that I would realize His value! Oh, that in my joy I might buy the farm!

The Much Anticipated Solution

2010-08-23T20:26:00.001-07:00

Here is the answer to last week's puzzle. It is a jar of whole wheat flour that sits on the counter. Some weevils (little bugs commonly discovered in corn meal) have been living in it for quite some time. They have stripped the flour of the good stuff (germ etc.), put the husks in a pile, and left the white stuff! It is neat to see the little tunnels they made along the edge of the glass--kind of like the ant farm my brother had in grade 7.

I checked the bag of flour in the cupboard, and found a few more bugs but not too many. Say, anyone want to come over and enjoy some nice whole wheat buns, fresh out of the oven? ;)

What is this?

2010-08-15T12:22:00.001-07:00

Take a guess. I took this photo today. Was I on Mars? Traversing the Gobi Desert? Landing on the moon? You tell me. A clarifying photo/answer will be provided next week, as well as the announcement of any and all winning guesses.*

*Immediate family members are not allowed to enter this contest, aka Michelle!

Charred 2x4

2010-08-01T13:53:00.001-07:00

Before we left for holidays, I tried to turn off the water in our condo and noticed that the stud which the hot water line is tied to was a bit black. It looks like the heat from the pipe has slowly burned the stud away (maybe by about a quarter inch in 15 years). Should I be concerned?

Vacation it Twas

2010-08-01T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hello! We are back from our mighty vacation. Here are some pictures and random memories.

The border wait was not two hours as I had suspected; in fact it was only 2 minutes! We drove south to Seattle and then east on the I-90. Our first stop was Wanapum State Park. Before we got there I noticed all kinds of neat wind turbines dotting the countryside. A word of advice: if you notice your campground is in close proximity to a wind turbine, do not pitch your tent there.

Our next stop was a forestry site somewhere near the middle of nowhere, Montana. It was very beautiful and quiet. Kate started to get a bit clingy and did not seem to be fond of car rides anymore. I took this neat picture of a pine needle. :)

We continued driving towards Yellowstone Park but had trouble soon after hitting the road. I drove over a piece of metal of some sort and slashed the front passenger side tire wide open. So, on the side of the highway, I unloaded our trunk of its meticulously-packed camping gear, removed the spare tire (which I had remembered to inflate before we left), and changed the tire. While it is about the right size of a spare (not a spacesaver), the rim is not quite right so there was a bit of a gap between the discs and the rim. Hmm. But it drove fine about 100 miles to Butte, where we located a WalMart Tire Centre.

Unfortunately WalMart didn't have our odd tire size, but we were directed to another place that did, and they changed it fairly quickly, and we went shopping for a few groceries at the Butte Safeway, and were on our way. We had a long drive to the park and we were behind a bit, but we made it to our campsite before nightfall. The campsites were crammed close together so our neighbours were quite close; otherwise it was a very nice campsite.

Kate was not doing so well, still clingy, whiny, etc. After a couple of very cold nights in the tent we took her to the medical clinic beside Old Faithful. She had blood in her ear so we suspected an ear infection, and the doctor confirmed this and gave us some antibiotics. Kate had a fever and was not going to sleep quietly through the night so we booked a shifty hotel in West Yellowstone for a couple of nights. And yes, we saw Old Faithful too! Our friend Rachel from Denver stayed with us as well on her way up to Glacier Park.

We headed north and saw Mammoth Springs on our way out of Yellowstone Park. We found a sweet motel in a podunk town and the next day we made it to Didsbury, Alberta, where Michelle's parents live. We enjoyed almost a week staying with them and also with my brother-in-law, Michael. Kate loved playing on the farm with the cats, and I helped build a floor for a shed.

Despite the challenges and setbacks that we encountered, I found that there was always Grace in every situation. We were never beyond despair. It was great to get into a new space for awhile and see God's beautiful handiwork. Thanks to God for his Grace!

Mustard Rock

2010-07-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

Today after church we are going to pack up the car and wait at the border for 2 hours and then start driving to Yellowstone. We have a few stops on the way as well where we will set up camp. It should be interesting with a 21-month toddler; hopefully there will be time for sitting in the camping chair with a good book in the shade, too!

Last week was fairly busy (for me); I almost worked a full 40 hours! 3 days were at Columbia, 1 day was split between a side job for my friend's mom's friend/watching Kate while Michelle went to a matinee, and 1 day was contract labour for my past employer Abbey Medical--that was a hot day to work outside! 32 degrees and we're not talking fahrenheit! I had prayed for strength for such a busy week, and God graciously gave me what I asked for.

Joey's Last Day

2010-06-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

Today marks the end of a school-year of babysitting! Last September Michelle arranged to watch baby Joey during the day for her friend. Michelle took Tuesdays, and I took Thursdays. Joey is only two months younger than Kate and it has been fun to watch them grow up, reach different milestones, and learn to play together. Joey started crawling, walking, running, climbing, etc. several months before Kate did, but Kate was quicker to use her 'fine motor skills' to use a spoon, or do a puzzle. Michelle wasn't able to continue watching Joey in the spring due to her pregnancy sickness, but I continued on Thursdays.

As for me, it was strange enough in the eyes of our culture to be a stay-at-home Dad for two days a week, but to babysit someone else's kid as as well!?! Unheard of! But I enjoyed it. It gave me a chance to rest from my physically demanding job--still earning a few bucks--while having a chance to spend more time with my daughter.

Kate can't really say her own name yet, but she can say Joey's: "Dough-whee!"

It is the last Thursday of the school year today; summer vacation is coming and next September Joey will have alternate arrangements. So long, little buddy. It was good to get to know you.
Kate on Joey's last day

Norwex Car Wash

2010-06-19T16:30:00.001-07:00

The weather was so nice today and I hadn't washed the car for more than a year so I took some norwex products and a bucket of hot water to the driveway area and gave the 'ol car a scrub. Wow did the windows look shiny! It worked really well and I didn't need a hose...however the paint job is getting kind of beat up so it can only look so good...maybe a wax would help...maybe a norWAX, ha ha.

Michelle is doing quite a bit better (almost 14 weeks pregnant), thanks God! We got out to watch a slopitch game on Wednesday and that was a lot of fun--we knew a lot more people on the team and in the stands than we had expected! Kate liked stepping up and down the bleachers too. Last night we got out for our first date in about 2 months, dinner at BP and we watched the A-Team at Silvercity.

In my continuing health soap opera--er, saga--I have discovered that I seam to be mildly lactose intolerant...so much for all my milk protein! Goats milk seems fine though. I had suspected it a long time ago but my symptoms weren't too severe so I wrote it off as something else.

What Kate Did

2010-06-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

Kate sails in her diaper box
Kate likes to colour

Kate is usually getting her nose into something these days. As long as she has her nap and goes to bed at a decent hour we all get along! Michelle is doing a bit better lately so that is good! We experienced the goodness of the church lately with different people helping out with Kate when I was at work and Michelle couldn't take care of her. I'm doing pretty good too. Just don't mess with my schedule too much and I'm happy. :) Baby Potts seems to be doing alright too; Michelle heard the heartbeat at her midwife appointment last week. Lately Baby Potts likes California rolls and is not too fond of chicken.

The Great Adventure

2010-05-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

The smell of adventure was in the air. The rain had cleared. We set out.
We drove to the Bay with Kate in tow. They did not have what we were looking for.
We drove home.
Kate and Michelle had nap time. I played settlers online.
I won.
I lost.
I mopped the floor.
Then later we set out for part 2. We drove to Superstore (the rain had cleared).
We stuffed Kate into her stroller in the underground parking lot despite her roiling protests-
The pigeons flew to the next row of parking stalls-
We shopped. We found what we were looking for. We left.
Mission accomplished.
It was nice to get out with Michelle 2 times yesterday! 10 weeks. Things are looking up.
But we are not out of the woods yet!

Do Not Fear

2010-05-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Do Not Fear, I am still alive. I haven't posted anything lately because there hasn't really been anything noteworthy to post. Other than Michelle being sicker than a dog, I guess, which isn't really a noteworthy thing to brag about, except for the excitement related to the reason she is sick, which is she is nurturing a tiny person, currently about 1 gram in weight and 1/2 inch in diameter...yes we are expecting a baby in December! But as with Kate's first trimester (or two), things aren't much fun and Michelle spends her day lying on the couch--she can't even take care of Kate really so we have friends and family helping out on the days that I'm working. So I have been busy playing house, mostly...and it's been a bit of a stressor but not overwhelming--yet.

Keep the Faith, Fight the Fight!

Hypoglycemia, cont.

2010-04-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hypoglycemia doesn't seem to be bugging me as much anymore. I can go longer without food and not notice. I can eat a little bit of sugar and still feel okay. My brain feels normal most of the time. I am thankful! Just working on building up some strength and energy, mostly.

I think consuming essential oils helped a lot (omega 3s and 6s). Also just eating well over a long period of time. The third thing that has contributed has been a lack of big stressors lately. Or maybe I'm more 'immune' to stress? Ha!

I have developed a taste for vegetables. Raw spinach? mmmm! (I get some weird looks when I pull out my bag of spinach sometimes.) Carrots--I used to like these more, they're still good, but they're suspect in favour of celery and romaine lettuce. I like bell peppers a lot more than I used to, as well.

Kitchen table finished

2010-04-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the solid surface project I've been blogging about...it turned out quite nicely. I mounted it on a full piece of 5/8th plywood and screwed it to the oak post from the old table I found at MCC. It wobbles just a little...either the solid base has twist in it, or it might just be I need to level the legs better.

I'm happy to be done that portion of the project. To finish off the nook all I need to do is cover the bench sides with wainscot.
I'm tempted to re-do our countertops with solid surface but that is a project for another time.

Date with Kate

2010-04-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

I took a younger girl out tonight...she's a beauty. I picked her up after dinner...and carried her down some of the stairs of our apartment; she climbed down some herself too. Then we drove by Ellwood Park to see if the ball game I was planning to take her to was indeed rained out (it was). Then to the Library for a hot date reading board books on the floor. She kept bringing me new books to read and (for the most part) put the old ones back. Around 19:30 we drove back home to her mother, who was in the middle of a Norwex party. So Kate and I just hung out in her room mostly, doing a new peg puzzle and playing with toys; later we got her in her jammies and brought her out to the living room to have her milk and some grapes. Then we brushed her teeth (she really does not like relinquishing that toothbrush!) and prayed with her and put her in her crib. It was great to have some quality time with my one-and-a-half year-old!

Dietary Regimen

2010-04-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

Happy April Fool's Day. I confess I forgot to prank my wife (I had been planning to put a surprise in her lunchbox).

In my continuing quest to conquer food, I have found some interesting things. Carob powder: like cocoa but sweeter and isn't quite as loaded with fat and caffeine. For people who are addicted to chocolate, it supplies the same minerals that their bodies crave, without the side effects...it still takes a bit of getting used to but I somewhat enjoy mixing it in drinks and yogurt. Flax seed oil and sunflower oil: doesn't taste that great but loaded with omega 3 and 6 fats. I'm ingesting a tablespoon of each a day. I store it in the freezer. Salt water: I mix a teaspoon of sea salt into a glass of water once or twice a day; it's not as gross as it sounds and it is supposed to help my adrenals because salt is involved in cortisol. Sport drinks like Gatorade have salt (but also tons of sugar).

I had a really good day yesterday, at work. Usually by Wednesday I'm starting to peter (sp?) out a bit, but I had good energy all day. I think the Spring weather helps too. Everyone feels better when winter ends!

Table Progress

2010-03-21T13:35:00.001-07:00

The breakfast nook I am working on is progressing slowly. Above is a picture of the first seam of many for the solid surface table. I used 6 sink cutouts from a big apartment job we did last year at work; I had to cut the edges straight and mirror-seam them together in the workshop at home. I bought a triple-chip saw blade for my skil saw, then used a router to trim them perfectly. The seams worked out wonderfully despite my limited equipment--a ziploc bag to mix the epoxy; masking tape and pencils to hold the seam tight while it dried. After I had put enough pieces together for size, I cut it to shape--it looks like a spaceship or a flat football. I brought it upstairs to check the size/shape; it's a bit big but should work. Now I have to glue the edges on--including using our oven to heat up some of them so I can bend them around the curved edge!

Kate is up to some new tricks including feeding herself with a fork and spoon, and going down little plastic slides. She is such a sweetheart--not a baby anymore.

Potts Potty Potpourri

2010-03-10T20:30:00.001-08:00

Grandma and Grandpa From brought a Pooh Potty for Kate when they visited us two weeks ago. Kate likes to sit on it sometimes. This was further entrenched in her mind when we went to Silverstar last weekend. Ollie was being potty trained (and doing quite well I might add). Kate watched him curiously at times but I wouldn't let her touch Ollie's potty. That's just gross! ...It certainly added an interesting dynamic to the weekend. I would be reading my book in the living room, relaxing and having a great time, to the background sounds of potty vocabulary. Just shows how you get comfortable with uncomfortable things once you have kids I guess. Also we forgot one suitcase in the hallway when we left on Friday. It had all of Kate's diapers and wipes in it! Luckily our friends from Kelowna were able to pick some up for us on their way! The suitcase was still sitting in the hall upon our return. Guess our neighbours weren't too hard up for size 4's.

Adrenal Fatigue

2010-02-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

So, I think I have a mild to moderate case of Adrenal Fatigue.

This fits with hypoglycemia since cortisol (or lack of) affects blood sugar, and vice versa. I am reading a book recommended to me by a friend with a more severe case of this (and also my mom has this book); it is called 'Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome' by James Wilson. Basically it happens as a result of prolongued stress and a few other factors. Like hypoglycemia, healing is possible and is lifestyle and diet-related in most cases; certain supplements are recommended. Right now I am continuing everything I have been doing and feeling a lot better; I've started mixing 1/2 tsp of sea salt in a cup of water in the morning, and am intentionally consuming more vitamin C (from fruits and vegetables) throughout the day. I'm also cutting out some of the protein I've been eating so much of because I think I've overdone it and it's affecting me adversely--but I'm still eating more than I used to back in the day. I'm also eating more good fats like butter, olive oil and homo milk as much as I can because those last awhile in my bloodstream (plus I was losing too much weight). The key is to find a good balance of carbs/protein/fats and to do so throughout the day in small meals. Also a big key is lots of vegetables!!! And, as always, cut out as much stress as possible...

On turning thirty

2010-02-17T20:55:00.001-08:00

I turned 30 years old yesterday. Birthdays make me feel old but at least there is always someone a bit older than me so it's not that bad. This is, however, a new decade..."thirties" I think of a chubby bald guy in shorts and a t-shirt with hairy legs, don't ask me why!

Jesus was thirty years old when he began his ministry. Somehow I'm not too confident that the same will be true of me. I often feel that my 'ministry' ended with youth pastoring, maybe prison visiting...although I do lead worship at church still which is kind of an official ministry. Jesus, however, was not a youth pastor or a worship leader...though obviously considered a religious teacher (rabbi), most of his ministry consisted of backpacking around the countryside, healing people and teaching in the synagogues. Is a backpacking trip in the works? Not likely...my health would not tolerate it for long.

When you pray, or picture Jesus in your head, is he older than you? He always had been for me...a youngish Jesus, not an old man...but I wonder, does his physical form stay true to his body age when he died/resurrected/ascended to heaven? In other words, is he about the same age as me (three years older)? Just an interesting thought.

I had a good birthday. I worked a weird shift to accommodate the cabinet shop showroom, sanding the reception desk from 4pm to 8pm...but had my sugarless muffin when I got home (sweetened with applesauce and carrots--quite good!) Last week I went to a Heat game and on Friday my brother and his family visited.

Tonight we are watching the Olympics and taking it easy.

Torch Run

2010-02-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

The supposed event of a lifetime: The 2010 Winter Olympics. We walked a few blocks on Sunday night with Kate and Stacey to watch the torch get carried by.

While we didn't attend the ceremony afterwards, a lot of people did--up to 25,000!

In other news I attended an Abbotsford Heat game (for my birthday) last night, with a few friends. It started off a little slow--lots of scuffles with the Marlies--but things improved with the 3rd period, overtime, and the shootout. Abbotsford seems to get themselves into lots of shootouts for some reason...

There's a Surprise in the Bathtub - and Other Tales of Glorious Ignominy

2010-01-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

The other day as I took items out of the fridge in preparation to make my day's lunch (with snacks), I paused and decided it was worthy of a picture. Back in the day I used to take two peanut butter sandwiches, a granola bar, an apple and a carrot, maybe some cookies, and that was my lunch for a day's work. Now with eating protein every 2 hours and trying to balance that with enough good carbs and vegetables, I get out the almonds and the cottage cheese and the whole wheat bread and the cooked grains and the leftovers from yesterday's supper and the apple and the carrots and the spinach and the cheese and crackers and the mayo and the meat...and I'm still hungry at the end of the day, and I'm still losing weight! Hmph.

And now that we've talked about lunch, here's another photo and I hope it doesn't make you lose yours:

I was giving Kate a bath and had just decided to get a book and let her play for awhile when I noticed a look of studious concentration on her clean, wet face. "Oh no," I said with great dread. "I hope you're just making bubbles." Alas, it was not so.

Worship

2010-01-19T20:31:00.000-08:00

A few people have asked how I am doing lately (healthwise). Depending on how I am doing at the moment, I answer accordingly...overall I am doing quite well (better than I have been in ten months), but I still have moments/days that are not as fun.

Last night I experienced the interesting phenomenon known as 'crawling skin.' It literally feels as though my skin is crawling. Apparently it shows up in people who are lacking sleep and under stress, but is known to the hypoglycemic as well. As I had been short on sleep the night before, I guess that's why my skin chose last night to crawl... fun hey?

This morning at work I was also feeling a bit off, and was praying to my Father to help me make it through the day. I seem to feel closer to God when I am in greater need (desperation). It shouldn't be that way. But I also noticed that this afternoon when I felt much better, I was thankful and praising Him for that. So I guess I felt close to Him then, too. It is worship to need God, because He created us to be dependent on Him. It is also worship to thank him for every breath. Hallelujah!

Hypoglycemia Book Reviews

2010-01-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

The first three books I read when I suspected I had hypoglycemia are briefly reviewed below. They are all available through the Fraser Valley Regional Library.

Hypoglycemia: The Other Sugar Disease by Anita Flegg
This is a good primer to hypoglycemia. The author identifies and sympathizes with many symptoms. The real-life examples of people in different stages of struggle are encouraging, as many of them show that progress is possible! It is also a Canadian book, which is nice...It is written in easy-to-understand language and explains things such as the Glycemic Index. I e-mailed the author to thank her for her book, and she actually e-mailed me back! Recommended if you or someone you know thinks they may have hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia: The Classic Healthcare Handbook by Saunders & Ross
This book has been around for many years (in fact the MD coauthor has since passed away). It is quite heavy on the 'health nut' side of things but explains the reasons why. The author rails against the evils of sugar, processed foods, etc...which gets a bit tiresome. I enjoyed the medical side, though, such as the explanations of why some glucose tolerance tests get misinterpreted, and the three stages most patients go through (I was in the middle stage and getting quite discouraged until I read that my symptoms were expected). A good technical book with some good health-nut ideas too.

Hypoglycemia for Dummies by Chow and Chow
This is another good primer for hypoglycemia. It is written in easy-to-understand terminology. I enjoyed the coverage of the 'sugar blues' side of things (depression) and was glad to read more about the impact stress has, and how to manage stress through various exercises (though some were a little too far out for me).

Overall I got something new out of each book and am glad I read them all. A friend I know from high school youth group recommended another one about adrenal fatigue, so I have requested that from the library. Incidentally, this friend is struggling with the same thing I am, though he has it a bit worse right now...it is good to know I'm not alone!

EGR Valve

2009-12-29T21:58:00.001-08:00

I have some time off work for the week as I do every year at Christmas time, and I quite enjoy the mandatory holiday. I had a great Christmas; it wasn't as hectic as I had imagined despite the conglomeration of relatives at my parents house on Christmas Day, and having Michelle's parents stay with us for a few days after that. On the hypoglycemia front the holidays have been a great boon; I feel better. Today I decided to attempt to check the EGR valve in the car: I figured it might be an all-day job, and I was right--between looking after Kate and playing online games and reading a John Grisham novel, it took all day...

EGR stands for Exhaust Recirculation Valve. No vehicle really needs one to run; however they're good for the environment, and since our Mazda 626 recently failed AirCare, I decided this should be the next thing to check. (It failed on NOx levels only. A mechanic checked our engine codes and found a code 6. There is no code 6. Therefore I was back to square 1. I got the oxygen sensor changed. The car seemed to run better for a day but still failed Aircare. Then a day or two later the muffler developed a hole...argh!) What the EGR valve does is recirculate engine exhaust back into the engine to be re-burned. But if it is clogged or one of the numerous sensors or circuits related to it malfunctions, the EGR valve is rendered useless. I parked the car outside on the street where I had decent daylight to work by, opened my Haynes manual, and set to work.

After a few hours I had managed to remove the air intake housing stuff that was in the way of getting to the offending machinery; identify the valve itself although it was different than the manual described, and I had loosened one of the two bolts that I could feel below. I couldn't see what I was doing half the time, as the part is behind the exhaust manifold and sort of below it as well. This sort of work is hard on the back of the knees! I took a break for lunch and then resumed my toils. I borrowed a small ratchet from an unsuspecting shop to make my travailing easier, and it moved mountains (my apologies for waxing poetic). Victory! I took the EGR valve upstairs to clean it.

There was a little bit of carbon in the holes but nothing that would indicate clogging. I soaked it in WD-40 and wiped what I could with a rag. I checked into the price of a new part and when I heard it was $306 I decided I had better put this one back in and test it later with a vacuum pump--if it's toast I can get a 'new' one at Pick a Part! So I put it back in the car before it got dark, and believe it or not the car started right back up!

Now, for the million dollar question: if cleaning this valve actually fixes my NOx, can I use foil tape to fix the hole in the muffler?

Project Update

2009-12-23T20:26:00.000-08:00

The breakfast nook bench is coming along nicely. The 3 lid parts have been cut and the front edge glued on, sanded, stained, and mostly varnished. The laminate toekick is done. The table with nice sturdy oak legs has been bought at a bargain from MCC ($15, luckily I hit a 50% off day!). The seamkit for the table top has been purchased. The drawer rails are purchased also; I just have to build a drawer now...might be a bit of a challenge without a tablesaw, trying to get it square! I am trying to get it functional in time for Christmas guests. Shouldn't be a problem as I only have one more coat of varnish on one piece.

In other news we got some other great bargains at MCC the other day including cutlery and videos. Here is a picture of Kate and me watching the Veggietales Silly Songs Countdown video:

Day 90

2009-12-10T08:16:00.001-08:00

90 days. 3 months. The length of time generally taken to recover from annoying recurring hypoglycemia symptoms while following said diet. Today marks such a day. And of note, I have had a lot more energy than usual this week, working overtime 3 days in a row--and being quite tired three nights in a row. :) I have felt a lot better though. Will it last? Maybe, maybe not--I have had good weeks before. And I still don't feel perfect--a little dizzy last night, a little off this morning...but so, so, so much better than even a few weeks ago. Thanks God!

Today (thursday) I am home on this frosty morning, looking after Joey and waiting for Kate to wake up. Joey is playing with his milk bottle (not drinking it) and has just eaten an enormous quantity of grapes and apples. I am enjoying the rest from physical labour. On Monday and Tuesday I was installing windowsills in a penthouse in downtown Vancouver, and yesterday I installed a countertop at the new Burger King just a few blocks away from my home. It was all decent, enjoyable work, but time pressures and obstacles made it challenging.

Something that Matters

2009-11-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

I drove to Vancouver with Victor and Kate today. We left at 1pm, got lost as usual driving to Richmond, and visited Victor's friend Betty in New Westminster (who wasn't home, but he dropped off a card in her mailbox). Then we visited his old house off Knight and 61st, and Kate started to stink so I changed her diaper in the car, squished into the backseat with her because it was raining outside. Victor checked his old neighbour's house too but no one was home. Then we called a few of his friends to see who was meeting us for supper. We had an hour to kill before we went for supper, so I called 411 and got the address of the Richmond IKEA to check out some lights. Then we met Victor's friend Walter at Red Robin at Oak and Broadway for dinner. I changed Kate's diaper again and fed her and managed to eat a few macho nachos too. Victor paid for dinner (I paid for gas). All throughout the day I felt okay but definitely noticed when stress kicked in...and had a few small dizzy spells at the restaurant (it wasn't super-relaxing, thanks to Kate). We drove home in the pounding dark rain at 7pm and talked a bit about heaven. Victor is one of the most encouraging people I know on this subject.

Things didn't go exactly as Victor had planned but I've learned to 'roll with the punches' and it was still an enjoyable day. Victor gave me a Christmas card and I opened it when i got home. It's the first one I've gotten this year...it is a colourful stocking-shaped card; you might get a pack of ten at the dollar store. Yet inside contains profundity. Painstakingly written in Victor's trademark handwriting, a mix of capitals and small letters with decent spelling and atrocious grammar, is a bible verse (Luke 2:7) and a mini sermon/prayer relating to it, and several more humble prayers that demonstrate a heart that loves Jesus more than anything and that is willing to do anything He asks.

As I sat there and read this card (ending with 'HaPPY NeaR 2010") I decided that this could very well be the best Christmas card I will receive this year. Perhaps the greatest gift, even. Thank you, Jesus.

Kitchen Renovations

2009-11-13T21:21:00.001-08:00

A project I have had in mind for some time but not had the energy or resources to complete is the creation of a breakfast nook in the kitchen. Finally a few weeks ago I purchased a sheet of plywood and made some boxes (see picture). Then last week I installed them 4 inches above the floor and levelled them out as best as I could. Previously there was a breakfast bar in this corner, so I had to remove that and fill and paint the wall behind it. I was able to cut it up to help fund the efficient use of wood for my boxes and supports.

Next I plan to find a seat for the bench. I am hoping to use 3/4" pine with cabinet door hinges at the back, mitred at 22.5 degrees with rounded edges on all four sides, and stained and varnished with the colour 'Ikea' (to match our other furniture!). Then the table: a 4 sided monstrosity with a 41 inch radius. I was hoping to use the legs from a cheap table I'd seen at MCC, but today when I checked it was gone. The top of the table will (hopefully) be solid surface, using about 10 sink cutouts from a job we did for the Garrison apartments. It will be a ton of work but should look nice (the colour is Corian: Maui). I plan to place wanescotting along the vertical edge of the seats and a white laminate toe kick. All completed the job should cost about $200 plus 200 hours of labour!

Kate took it upon herself to inspect things as you can see in the picture.

Hypoglycemia

2009-11-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

For the last year or so, I have been struggling with hypoglycemia--at least that's my best theory. For the last 2 months I have been taking control in a more deliberate way by keeping track of what I eat, when I eat it, and how I feel. I try to eat protein every 2 hours. I try to stay away from refined carbs but don't do too well at that yet. Also I don't eat sugar, or even concentrated natural sugars such as fruit juice, because they make my symptoms worse. What are my symptoms? Although they seem to fluctuate with severity depending on my diet and stress level, I have experienced: vertigo, dizziness/lightheadedness, fuzzy-foggy brain, shortness of breath, pounding heartbeat, aches in my armpits, confusion, fatigue, extreme fatigue, dry mouth, irritability, depression, adrenaline buzz, slightly blurry vision. Mostly though, I think of it as feeling 'off.'

There are several types of hypoglycemia and I believe the version I have is called Reactive or Postprandial. Basically what happens is about 2.5 hours after eating my blood sugar drops. This has something to do with insulin but I forget what. The way to fix it is to eat foods that release sugars slowly into my blood instead of crashing down the doors. So whole wheat and brown rice are in. I also eat lots of protein because it just helps. Nuts, sandwich meat, milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese are my favourites. Ideally I would eat more legumes such as lentils (eatabean!) as they are rich in protein, and other grains such as quinoa, but I'm still working on that. Did you know that the average loaf of 100% whole wheat bread has sugar in it? So I'm also working on eliminating little sources of sugar like that. I have noticed improvement when I stick to my diet.

Last week I definitely felt better. I even had two 'normal' days in a row with my old energy back. Then on Sunday morning I 'crashed' on my way to church. What went wrong? I think I just ate too much in the way of carbs that morning, plus some white grape jam probably didn't help. Last night I ate some sugar-rich cereal before bed, and this morning I had a 'sugar hangover.'

From what I've read and heard, recovery takes about 3 months after starting a decent diet, then I can start experimenting and figure out what foods are the best for me. I'm pretty sure I'm near the end...it has been great to see improvement.

New blog

2009-11-07T21:25:00.000-08:00

I have created a new blog. It is on blogspot. It is called eatabean, because everyone should eat a bean--they are chock full of protein. I will work on it more later this winter when i am shut inside because of the rain. I hope to post some interesting reflections, pictures, music etc here. God Bless!