I finally visited the Naturopath

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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!