One Year Ago Today

One year ago right now, I was in the recovery room at UCSF. I have been reflecting on the past year all week and thanking God for so much. Yes, I do wish I was better than I am, but thankful I made it this far. I started blogging last June and remember that I had a list of health concerns that I was hoping for improvement. I am pasting them here to take a look at answered prayers for our family:

Alyson
Alyson to not complain about her tummy hurting all the time
No more constipation
No more sinus infections for Alyson
Increase immune system for Alyson as evidenced by only two unexplained fevers a year (is this reasonable?)
No more episodes of continuous coughing all night long for nights on end when Alyson catches a cold.
A decrease in allergy symptoms (i.e. watery eyes and sneezing).
Kim
Prolactin level to be in normal range
increase in overall energy
Decrease in mucus production
improvement in digestive system (I'm not going to spell this one out).
No more severe sinus headaches
Increase immune system where I don't catch everything flying by.
no more dizziness and nauseousness
Andrew
Able to breathe through his nose at night
Does not sound stuffed up from January to April
Jared
Able to stay healthy enough to keep this family going
truly no other physical health goals for him

That was my list. Praise God that Alyson is doing much better. We still struggle with tummy aches. We had one cold this past year that left us coughing all night. No sinus infections, no allergy symptoms and no allergy medication. She actually has not been to the doctor since last June. Yeah!!! I think she had one cold/virus in which she had a small fever, but no unexplained fevers. Yeah! No vomiting this past year either. Andrew he had a good year too. He had less congestion and overall did very well. Kim well, let's just keep the same goals for next year. Sadly, I have to say that many of it has gotten worse, except that I did not catch everything flying by. I think I had one cold this past year. My prolactin level is down and will be checked again in January. Jared thank you God for his health. Last week he had the flu for one week, but other than one cold, it is the only time he has been sick. Thank God for his strength to help me out around here.

Maybe I will blog again soon, but quite frankly I spend my life in the kitchen cooking and don't have time. Here is an overview of what is going on.

I waited two months to get into this physician who has moved into integrative care in Modesto. I saw her last week and reviewed my saliva/urine tests. It shows that my Cortisol is very low as well as my GABA and Seratonin. This really explains a lot to me. She ordered over $2,000 worth of lab work in which my practicing physician agreed to re-write so my insurance would cover (the other doctor doesn't take insurance any more.. private pay.. ouch). I had my blood work done yesterday (10 vials). I have a phone consultation ($100.00 for 1/2 hour) with my Modesto doctor in about 3 weeks. She wants me to research bio identical hormones, because she feels they will be a key ingredient in my regaining my health. I felt fantastic the month of June and the first week of July. I have struggled in the past 3 weeks to feel well again. My Modesto doctor loaded me up with a million herbs (more $$$$). My diet is becoming easier and I spend my days making tons of vegetables, culturing vegetables and making Coconut Kefir. I have not followed the diet 100% which prevents me from moving further into healing my gut. I gave up wheat and sugar, but have not had the courage to give up dairy. I don't eat a lot of cheese, but like to have some now and then. I am tired of cooking and try to find a happy balance of not stressing myself out with food, yet work on healing. We will see how it goes.