Savingdogs-Saving the chickens

[glenolam]

I'm sorry you had a rough weekend, SD, but I hope you find comfort with those who have a similar lifestyle. Change is never easy, but once you get going you might be amazed at how much better you feel. It's just getting started that sucks. We're all here to cheer you along, even if some of us have no idea what you're going through!

 

[Farmfresh]

Sorry I'm having a pity party I guess but that list of foods just really blew me away.....I cannot possibly avoid them all and my other list too. I will obviously have to stay sick to some extent and be an ever weirder and pickier eater than I have been for so long.

I'm getting less and less self sufficient, that is for sure. I'm thinking I should be spending more time at that forum where my illness is the norm instead of here with all you. I prefer you guys though. You have all really "been there" for me.

Man that sounds familiar.

When I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (which is an autoimmune disease ) several years back it was a blow to me. At one point things go so bad I was had to have my hubby cut up my food for me because I couldn't even hold my knife! I burst into a pity party then, because I would... "just be sitting in a corner not able to move while the world went on by".

Hubby countered with his brand of humor and gumption and told me that "The way your mind is going you won't realize it anyway!"

That got me out of that sad sack. Then they discovered that I am Celiac. Me ... sandwich girl!! So then my diet was completely dumped on its ear. Especially when I found out that I am EXTREMELY sensitive to wheat. ME ... the baker. I can't even work with regular flour without a dust mask on and even then it gives me a sore throat for a couple of days. But time passed and I have adjusted.

Then my feet began to tingle and go numb. No big deal at first, but soon I was numb up to and above my ankles and the doctors saying I may lose all of the feeling in my whole legs!! The numbness is only from the outside. You can stand on glass and not realize it yet you have burning and stabbing pains almost always and it gets worse at night. Then I found out that the Sensory Neuropathy DID have a cause - MY ARTHRITIS MEDS!!!

With more diet changes and stopping the meds things are better, just my feet are numb now. With my dumb feet and body that occasionally won't move, I am SURE I am not getting MORE Self Sufficient. I have a hard time standing up for more that 40 minutes on many days. I can no longer go for the long hikes hubby and I always loved so and now I can't even take care of the big garden that I loved so much. I could have a pity party right now ... but I won't.

Hubby keeps saying "You can still get the things you want most accomplished - we just have to make adjustments and think stuff through better."

He is right you know. I could spend MY time on some sick people forum - I have at least three to pick from - but I would rather be here as well. Here where people are Self Sufficient enough to solve problems and strive to do better and to learn. I would rather spend my time with friends who have HOPE.

AND... I am not afraid to gripe and moan about my troubles with THESE folks. They accept me for who I am - no matter how broke I get!

Chastisement is finished.

 

[savingdogs]

No Farmfresh, that was extremely helpful. I had no idea you are going through all that. I tend to get wrapped up in my own issues too much. I didn't even know my mom had eye surgery last week until her boyfriend e-mailed us to ask us to call and ask about how she felt. He is a sweetie and we appreciated the reminder....

I'm a little better this morning. I think I'll take the foods one thing at a time. I cannot possibly throw out all the food for me here at the house that we already have or go out and buy different ones so I'll have to just take it slow.

I think I will research non-aged cheese. And I am also going to have a long talk with Dr. Kim about all this and see what my real expert in my life on this disease has to say. He has never been into severe diet restrictions for me in the past.

We have heavy snow falling this morning....we were supposed to have rain. Overnight I saw that most of the snow had washed away and the ground was exposed. Now it is covered with a fresh couple of inches! I don't know when my younger one will be able to return to school.

I'm sure sick of winter. I'm probably sad because of light deprivation!

 

[Javamama]

Can you take vitamin D? that and Magnesium might help the blues a little. I need alot of magnesium to keep the aches away and I have to use 3 different kinds because regular pills can give you the runs and isn't absorbed well. I can only offer what I know helps me - it's sure been a maze of ridiculousness to get to where I am. Part of my problem I know was started by the stuff my docs had me on to begin with. Birth control, steroids, and anti-depressants.

 

[savingdogs]

Yes, Java, both of those things are suggested by this site.

I am going to write down things I found there to talk to my doctor about. The supplements and diet they suggest. I know it is common thought for my disease these days, but he is an innovator and studier of my problem and will know what I should do.

But you are right "on the money" Java, they suggest vitamin D especially in winter and magnesium. There is an argument at that forum about whether those are a miracle drug combination for this disease.

I have taken supplements for this MILLIONS of times so I don't hold out much hope of an improvement with them for myself although they probably help others. Usually I just develop allergies. And I've never dealt with so much depression before, so I will give it a try next paycheck.

I'm sorry to take up so much time in my journal for this. I really want to dwell more on my lovely animals, who are BURIED IN SNOW. We were supposed to have rain but we have heavy heavy snow falling again. Is it considered a blizzard when it blows sideways? I've never seen snow quite like this.

Weird thing is they are getting rain down the mountain. The schools are open but we can't make it out with my son.

 

[Javamama]

Don't worry about talking things out here- you never know what gems of advice might be lurking out there. For what it's worth, I mostly use magnesium oil - you can rub it on or soak in it and it's the best. It's more pricey though. If you every want to know more about it - go to health-and-wisdom.com - Joan is a master herbalist and has the best price on mag oil and good info too.
I gotta go - sick child to care for

Forgot to say mag oil is pricey up front, but it lasts a very long time. A gallon will last me months and months.

 

[AL]

....
I'm sorry to take up so much time in my journal for this. I really want to dwell more on my lovely animals, who are BURIED IN SNOW. We were supposed to have rain but we have heavy heavy snow falling again. Is it considered a blizzard when it blows sideways? I've never seen snow quite like this.

Weird thing is they are getting rain down the mountain. The schools are open but we can't make it out with my son.

It's your journal... your journey. Folks here are along for the ride to encourage and give advice when they can. No apologies... .

 

[savingdogs]

Thanks AL...

Heh I should change my title from when it rains, it floods to when they predict rain...it snows!

I think our weatherman needs to be replaced....they said heavy rain, not heavy snow. To be fair, it is raining heavily down the hill. But there is snow in them thar hills and I'm on a true MOUNTAIN that looks down over our little town.

Hubby almost didn't make it out this morning and I don't think he will be able to come home tonight. Good thing we have everything we need. The goats are glaring at me accusingly again and the poultry are hiding in the coops. The snow under what just fell is frozen hard as a rock so there is no scooping out their runs.

I've never before seen snow falling sideways though. Course this is only my third winter living in it. But how do you tell when it is a true blizzard conditions?

 

[Denim Deb]

When they say on the radio or TV that it's a blizzard.

I think the definition of blizzard is different in different parts of the country. We've had several inches of snow b4 that they've called a blizzard, but no white out conditions. I know when I think blizzard, I always think of white outs, and they're rare around here.

And SD, vent all you want about your MD. I'm w/FF. I'd rather come on here than on a site for MD. Sure, they have their purpose, but w/a site like this, we also get to hear about the problems that others face. You and I have MD. FF has problems, and I'm sure there's others that also have problems. I think we can all get a bit focused on ourselves, and our own problem(s). We start to feel sorry for ourselves, and if someone has the same problem we have and it's worse, we tend to think, that's what I have to look forward to, and get discouraged. And, if they're not as bad, then we tend to think, that's not fair. Why do I have it so much worse, and get resentful. But then, we look at someone that has a different problem, and can't imagine living w/that. So, instead, we become grateful that we only have whatever, and don't have to deal w/what they're dealing with. Does that make any sense?

 

[savingdogs]

Yes, Deb, it sure does. I guess I'm so used to people getting tired of me now. You probably understand it better than anyone....but I know my family hates to hear me say the phrase, "I got the spins"....

Sigh.

I've been enjoying the change in Facebook with the addition of many SS friends, if anyone reading this wants to be my FB friend, I would love it....please just PM me with your e-mail. It is so nice to see all the photos of goaties and chickens and horses and stuff instead of just kids and grandbabies and young girls trying to look sexy.

We had SO much snow today, it was amazing Hubby got home. Luckily our neighbor plowed our road and the county plowed the main road in, or else he never would have made it. He won't make it out tomorrow. We have so much snow now we haven't been able to keep up the shoveling and it is hard to open all the gates and stuff and getting water to everyone was quite a chore. But it looks awfully pretty....like someone frosted everything with white icing and the mountain is a big cake. It has been melting as it falls so it looks all creamy. The evergreens are drooping with the weight of all the snow and underbrush seems nonexistant. Our scattered tools and junk laying about the yard is nicely covered and it looks so neat and clean. Course there is actually MUD under everything but I like how this looks. I haven't been milking the goats because the kids seem to be doing a good job keeping the goats udders emptied so that works fine for now. I'm just going to keep acclimating them to the stanchion mostly now until it is time to take kids away.

The goats disagree that the snow looks pretty and the dirty looks continue. They seem to shake a hoof at me and mumble cuss words about how all this cold is my fault and just stand outside with the snow collecting on them to show me how they are suffering. Donald is especially upset because he is still banished from the goat barn for bad behavior and just gets a little nook against the house. He now hangs out on my back stoop, hoping I will let him in the house! If I open the door, he is there, saying "Mehhh!" The dogs pay him no mind now and even walk out between his legs which makes him really mad!

The poultry did not step foot outside...but they were in there laying eggs. I'm getting an egg a day from my two female ducks and today I got 16 eggs from 18 hens. My egg customers fight over who gets the duck eggs so I'm always happy to see them in their nest.

My bunnies have a flat top over their hutch so I had to spend a half an hour today cleaning off all the snow. Man, was that cold! I was afraid it could collapse the top with all that weight (about two feet of snow!). We never had this much snow here except one giant storm the first year. I'm glad it is an unusual occurance for us! The bunnies thought that was all pretty scary. :bun But I made the snow into like an igloo so they should be warmer tonight. They don't seem to mind the cold at all however, but of course they never get wet or snowed on because of their roof over them. I had to make paths trudging around in the snow and hopefully we can still reach everything tomorrow. We might have to vault over the goat gate is the only one I'm worried about when it freezes again overnight, but it is only five feet high and with the snow it seems more like three feet! Maybe I can convince one of my sons it would be fun to vault over.....

Well enough playing for emoticons for the evening....I'm hoping we can crack our doors open tomorrow morning....it is my older son's birthday and I don't know how crazy he will be about being snowed in!