The Road to Joy

The count down is on...it is almost 2017! Yahoo! Happy New Year everyone! I pray that this year will be your best year yet and that your days are filled with lots of love. In celebration of the New Year, I thought I would share my road to finding joy.

After becoming sick many years ago, I spent several years bed-ridden. The only time I would leave the house was to go to medical appointments. I spent much of my time on the living room couch, gazing out the front window into the outside world. I watched the seasons change and watched far too much television. However, the most interesting thing to do was watch the people across the street.

Across the street from my house, a small church sits on a small hill. Every Sunday and Wednesday, the church had services. I would love to watch the people as they filed into the church and leisurely made their way back out to their cars. One thing always caught my eye: they always seemed to be filled with joy! The more I watched them, the more I knew they had the secret to joy. There was always lots of laughter, shrieks of delight from the little ones, smiles and hugs. These people always seemed genuinely happy.

As time progressed, I was determined to leave the house. I slowly built up my endurance. I wanted to venture across the street and see these people of joy up close. While I was trying to figure out the details of attending a service, the church dropped off their annual plate of Christma cookies. Included with the treats was a card detailing when their services were. Also, the card mentioned having a special evening Christmas service. I thought this Christmas service was the perfect time to go for an adventure.

When I arrived at the church, joy was everywhere. The adults warmly greeted one another; the children had wide smiles and laughter rang through the air. As I shook hands with many folks, I could feel the immense love and happiness encompassing the building. When the service was over, I knew this place held the key to my joy. I started attending services as best I could. The Pastor's wife took me under her wing and helped introduce me to the members of the congregation. She also asked me if I read the Bible daily. This was a new concept to me. I had read bits and pieces of the Bible, but I had never read the whole thing or thought to read it daily. I pondered this thought for many months until finally I made a plan to read the whole thing. I figured if these people were joyful, I needed to do what they were doing...and this was the best decision of my life!

It took me some time to understand the Bible. There were so many different people to know, and then I had all these fragments of stories and characters I knew from Sunday School and confirmation classes. But slowly, and with the help of J. Vernon McGee's Thru the Bible online audio commentary, the great expanse of God's Word unfolded before me. I soon found myself excited and yearning to read the Bible. There were so many good stories and so many incredible lessons to learn. I soon started not worrying about things and started trusting the Lord to take care of me. What a tremendous relief! All the worries and stresses of having a chronic medical condition started disappearing, and joy soon found residence in my heart. I now found myself laughing and smiling. My heart seemed so light and free. Although I still had many bad health days, the pain and gloom seemed so much less now that I knew Jesus was by my side. Even in the darkest hours of the night and in the grips of excruciating pain, He was there comforting me.

So, my friend, if you are reading this and do not read the Bible daily, I ask that you try. You can start anywhere--at the beginning in Genesis or if you want to know how everything is going to end, skip ahead to the last book, Revelation. If you need guidance, listen to Thru the Bible at ttb.org which features J. Vernon McGee. He tells funny stories and helps point out details you might not catch. If you do not know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, ask Jesus to come into to your life and help show you His Word...or as I like to call it, The Road to Joy.

Photos of the Past

As the year draws to a close, I flip through some photo albums. Memories of long ago flash through my mind. It is amazing to reflect back on everything that has happened in my life. Sometimes, though, my heart breaks to look at photos taken shortly before my health took a nose dive into the realm of chronic illness. I see my young, smiling face, so full of energy, so youthful and so innocent. In the photos, I am oblivious to my future health crises. I often have to fight back tears as I think about all the pain, appointments, medical procedures, hospital stays, surgeries, etc. which lie ahead of me. I shutter to think about all those weeks, months, years in which I was lost wandering through the medical system.

As I turn to photos of my more recent past, photos which show me recovering from a surgery or fighting to put a smile on my face in the midst of fatigue, I see so much strength, courage and determination. I see the mighty warrior which lies beneath, so joyful to live, so blessed to be alive. Although my health challenges me every day, I am so grateful for the strength and courage Jesus provides. When my body fails me, He carries me through. "He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might, He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31)

Cheerful giving

Merry Christmas! In light of this joyous season, I love to give as much as possible. My greatest joy is to give secretly, giving all glory and honor to God. I love when places made it easy to give out of the abundance of one's heart, and allow one to give anonymously.

A church I used to attend did not pass around the offering plate. Near the church exit, there was a cute wooden church with a slot in the roof to deposit an offering. I LOVED putting money in the church. I could do it quickly and without anyone noticing. It was also perfect for me because I often I forgot to bring money for the offering. Since the offering plate was never passed around, I could put money into the wooden church whenever I remembered to bring it with me. The wooden church seem to have removed all burden and guilt from giving. It was fun to put money into the church, and it was such a relief to not have others know if, when and how much I gave to the church. I found I was always excited to put money into the church. I would lift up a quick prayer, "Thanks God! It is such a joy to be able to have something to give. Thank you for the tremendous blessings."

At the beginning of each month, the church would print in the church bulletin how much money was collected. When I would see the amount collected, I wanted to give people high-fives and hugs. "Way to go everyone! Wow, God has truly blessed us again this month!" Although the amount I was able to contribute was tiny, it was glorious to see how my small contribution helped the whole church. Anyway I could, I tried to give as money as possible to the church, not because I had to, but because it made me so happy to do so. May this Christmas provide tremendous opportunities for you to give out of the abundance of your heart. "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corithians 9:7).

My Christmas Wish: Pray for my family

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit a large mega church. Since I was in a wheelchair, we were seated in the front of the auditorium. During the service, a woman (called a prayer warrior) came up to my mom and me and asked if she could pray for us. She asked about my medical condition and prayed one of the most powerful prayers I have ever heard. But during the whole prayer, I kept thinking, "No, please don't pray for me. Pray for my family. You have no idea how much they need your prayers!"

Ever since this experience, whenever I hear of someone going through difficult medical trials, I not only pray for the person but for their family. Although it is difficult to have to endure many medical appointments and procedures, it is far more difficult for the family. They have the stress and worry of caring for the individual and doing whatever they can to make the life of the sick individual easier. I cannot tell you how many times my mom has spent countless nights sleeping in chairs or make-shift cots as she stayed by my side through endless nights in the hospital. I think of my dad spending an entire day at work, driving five hours to pick me up from having surgery and then turning around and driving five hours back home. Yes, it is my family which makes so many sacrifices; it is my family which gives me the support to make it through another day.

My Christmas wish is for anyone reading this to pray for my family. Pray they have the strength and energy to carry forth. Pray they have patience and comfort as my health continues to decline. I cannot tell you the heartbreak it must be for my parents to watch their daughter endure so many years of chronic illness. Pray also for my incredible neighbors, Don and Linda, who have stepped into the role of my parents the past couple weeks when my own parents were out of town. Yes, it is with the love of my family (and the everlasting love of Jesus Christ) that I am able to keep on keeping on. "Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

From Sleep Lab to Emergency Department, just another night at the hospital

For some time, I have had great difficulty sleeping at night. My doctor thought it would be beneficial to have a sleep study done to understand why I do not sleep. I was not thrilled about having a sleep study done, but when one becomes sleep deprived, spending a night at the hospital sounds like an acceptable idea.

When I was starting the sleep study, the technician told me I had to sleep flat on the bed. I informed him I cannot sleep flat because I cannot breathe when lying flat. The tech said I had to lie flat so any sleep apnea could be recorded. (I realized he did not understand what I was talking about. He was talking about not being able to breathe while sleeping; I was talking about not being able to breathe while still awake.) I was able to bargain with him to allow me to raise the head of the bed a little bit. He told me if it becomes unbearable to breathe, I can raise the bed a little bit more. I put my head down on the pillow and immediately felt quite unwell.

Since I was not tired, I started praying for various people, but soon I became very agitated. I then started praying to God to forgive my inability to concentrate during prayer. I suddenly noticed my breath was becoming shallow and seemed to come faster and faster. In a very short while, I was gasping for air. I tried to remain lying flat in the bed, but I was running out of energy. I elevated the bed a little bit higher. That afforded me a very slight relief from my rapid breathing. I was growing very tired. My arms started shaking uncontrollably. The technician came in to check on me. He noticed I was having problems breathing. He gave me two blankets because he thought I was shivering from being cold. He then left.

In one last desperate attempt, I elevated the head of the bed as far as it would go. I could not completely sit up because the wires that were attached to me for the sleep study were not very long. I was fighting really hard to get any air into my lungs. My respiratory muscles were so fatigued; my entire body moved as I fought for each breath. Thankfully, an alarm on my monitor alerted the technician to come into my room. He was terrified at my condition. He immediately called down to the emergency department to get help to my room ASAP! I was quickly disconnected from the sleep monitoring device. I then was able to sit up, bringing my legs to my chest and wrapping my arms around my legs. (This position allows for the greatest amount of air into the lungs with using the least amount of muscle exertion.)

By the time I got to the emergency department, my body was starting to recover. My breathing was slowly down to 60 breaths per minute, and my heart rate was down to103 beats per minute. The emergency doctor was so kind. He reviewed my chart and asked me a few questions. The doctor ordered BiPAP with oxygen. He also gave me a muscle relaxer to alleviate the muscle spasms I was still experiencing. After the muscle relaxer and using the BiPAP machine with oxygen, my heart rate was down to 73 beats per minute and my breathing was down to 18 breaths per minute. With this improvement, the doctor felt comfortable to send me home. I was thrilled to be leaving the hospital.

The sleep lab said they wil have the sleep doctor review all the information gathered from the first two hours of the sleep study. Since I never fell asleep, I am guessing I probably will have to have another sleep study done. Maybe next time, they will allow me to sleep in an upright position. "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

Come for a visit, stay for the hospital-ity

I am so grateful and thankful so many of you-all have been concerned about my health. I have been very reluctant to write anything about my health, because, well, I do not really want to talk about it. I am enjoying Christmas, and the topic of my health seems to drain the life out of my joyous mood. But I have decided to share a brief summary of my health escapades to get folks up-to-date on my current state of health.

Last week, I was very ill. I was struggling to breathe without gasping for breath. I frantically called my doctor's office, and praise be to God, I was able to get in the same day to see the doctor! The doctor was very concerned about my ragged breathing. He ran a few tests, I saw a several more doctors, I was given oxygen and ultimately was wheeled over to the hospital. (I was a bit shocked by this. I knew I was not feeling well, but being hospitalized seemed beyond comprehension.) While hospitalized, I saw a lot of doctors, was poked eight different times (two of which were for arterial blood gases...VERY PAINFUL!!!), did some more lung function tests and was started on a non-invasive ventilator.

For the moment, it appears my mitochondrial disease is affecting my diaphragm. This makes it very difficult to breathe. I can only take shallow breaths and thus always have shortness of breath. Doing the least bit of activity makes me gasp for breath and talking makes me very tired. Sleep has been very difficult because I struggle to breathe when lying down. The increase in labored breathing is causing stress on my heart. In order to compensate for the decrease in oxygen being inhaled into my lungs, my heart is being forced to pump hard and fast to deliver the needed oxygen to my cells. This added burden has caused a significant decrease in my heart's ability to pump blood effectively.

Now that I am home, I have been using a non-invasive ventilator at night and any time I am sitting or lying in bed. The ventilator uses high pressure to force air into my lungs. When I breathe out, the pressure is drastically reduced to allow my lungs to exhale carbon dioxide. This machine has been incredible! It is a relief to not be struggling to breathe all the time. I have more doctor appointments and testing in the days and weeks to come. Unfortunately, there is nothing which can be done to reverse this process. Mitochondrial Disease affects muscles, and the diaphragm just happens to be the most recent victim of the disease. I am very grateful for everyone's love and support. "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything gives thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Sleep in heavenly peace...and rejoice!

Since this summer, sleeping has become very difficult. As my respiratory muscles continue to weaken, it has become more and more challenging to lie down. When I do fall asleep, I abruptly wake up gasping for breath. After a night of "sleep", I often feel more tired than I did the night before. Finally last night, I got a good night's sleep! I cannot tell you the joy it is to wake up and not feel like a zombie!

As I went to church, the sun seemed to be shining just for me! The world seemed so much different today. When I entered church, the song "Silent Night" was playing. I could not help but smile and praise God. Yes, last night was indeed a "silent night" for me as my body enjoyed the luxury of sleeping. The very next song to be played was "O Holy Night". As Pastor Greg lead the congregation on his guitar, tears ran down my face. I have heard the song so many times before, but this was absolutely the prettiest rendition I have ever heard!

During the rest of the service, I could not help but meditate on the words of the song. "A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices. For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born..." I kept thinking about all the nights I spent yearning for sleep and despising the night and lamenting daybreak. But, it was during the night, Mary and Joseph and the angels welcomed a small precious baby into the world. It was during the darkness of the night that Jesus, My Lord and Saviour, came into the world to offer the free gift of salvation to a weary world. What incredible hope and joy came into the world during the middle of the night! Although the hours of the night may continue to be long and sleep may continue to elude me, I will think to Jesus' glorious birth and "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12). "In peace I will lay down, and sleep; for You alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety" (Psalm 4:8).

Mission-minded

Since I was young, I had a yearning to be a doctor which transformed into wanting to become a medical missionary. I wanted to live in a poverty-ridden area, speak Spanish, share Jesus and help many sick and injured people feel well again. God allowed me to spend a very short time abroad on the mission field. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life! I have desperately wanted to go back on the mission field, but it seems God has different plans for me...or did He?

Several years ago, I attended a church which had a sign at the exit of the parking lot saying, "You are now entering the mission field." That sign really made me think. Yes, the whole world is a mission field. I do not have to travel to be a missionary. Everywhere around me is my mission field. I slowly started to try to be a missionary in my every day life. I soon discovered the sign at the church was all wrong. It should read, "Be alert. You are ALWAYS on the mission field." From talking to telemarketers on the phone to the cashier at the grocery store, they are always opportunities to be a missionary. You do not need to leave your county, your community or even your house to share God's Word with the world.

As my life has progressed, an interesting thing happened. I am living in one of the poorest areas in my nation. Spanish is often the language of choice. By using my own medical experiences, I can sympathize with many who are sick or injured and can freely dispense encouragement, love and support to them. Every day I can share my love for Jesus with those around me. It seems God has indeed allowed me to be a medical missionary! I am just serving in a different capacity than I had ever envisioned.

This post is dedicated to Milly. She was one of the first people I met when I became severely ill. We both had unknown medical conditions and a love for Jesus. Through her actions, she showed me I could be a missionary without leaving my house. As both our medical adventures progressed, we both discovered we had Mitochondrial Disease. On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, the Lord called Milly home from the mission field. I can only imagine when Milly went home to heaven, Jesus saying to her, "'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord'" (Matthew 25:23).

Praying my way around the world

This week is prayer for international missions week. Oh how I love to pray for people on the mission field. I have had the privilege of meeting some of the most incredible men and women who have given up everything--their homes, jobs, families--to travel to some of the most remote parts of the world to share God's Word. I am always fascinated with their tails of adventure. No hot water, no electricity, having only a bicycle for transportation are only some of the many inconveniences these people face every day. (I still vividly remember one missionary talk about the joy it was to come back to the USA. "When I take a shower here, I just turn on the hot water. Back in Papua New Guinea, I have to go to the well, draw out enough water to shower, put the water into a solar-themal bag, wait all day for the water to heat up, hook the bag up to my shower head and then take a really fast shower before the water runs out.")

One of my favorite weekly broadcasts is the Sunday sermon by J. Vernon McGee via ttb.org. Every week, the program starts with letters from around the globe. It is such a treat to hear testimonies of people coming to Christ in so many countries. I love when the program gives updates about their missions in various countries. I love to pray along with them through all parts of the globe. Although my health prevents me from venturing off into distant lands, it is a joy to be able to pray for these people. I also find tremendous comfort in being able to donate money to missionaries. Although the money I am able to contribute is very tiny, I know every cent counts for missionaries living on shoe-string budgets.

This week, I would like to lift up all my friends serving abroad on the mission field: Janet, Amy, Jennifer, Charlie and Bo. May the Lord continue to richly bless you and guide you. I also ask prayer for all international missionaries this week. Lastly, if you can spare any money, I ask you to consider giving to missions at your church or to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (img.org). "You have...heard about this hope in the message of truth, the gospel that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it" (Colossians 1:5-6).

Waiting for Monday...

My health is an ever-changing kaleidoscope of symptoms. Of late, my breathing seems to be affected. I had some testing done and was not given the actual results. Instead I was told the test results showed my heart has decreased in its ability to pump blood by 25% from my last echocardiogram. My doctor assured me this drastic decrease is nothing to be concerned about. I was also started on bronchodilators. I attempted to take the medicine, but my shortness of breath turns into a four hour fit of gasping for breath. I attempted to call the doctor's office several times yesterday, but I kept getting a message saying the phone number was not working.

So now I am waiting...waiting for Monday...waiting for sleep. I try to sleep, but it eludes me. When I attempt to lie down, my breathing becomes very labored. I try to sleep propped up on pillows, but ultimately I slide off of them. Then I wake up abruptly gasping for breath. The incident makes me wide awake. It takes a long time to get my heart rate and breathing to settle back down. Maybe on Monday the clinic will be open again and perhaps I will be able to get in to see my doctor. Until then, I am trying to patiently wait and fight through another couple days of fatigue and labored breathing. Perhaps God will have compassion on me and allow my body to enjoy a long nap or a good night's sleep. "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and song and has become my salvation" (Isaiah 12:2).

Abounding in Thanksgiving

Last week, as this nation was in the midst of stuffing their bellies with too much delicious food and shopping for hours on end, many new immigrants were granted access to live and work in this country. A news report showed these new arrivals sitting in a bus station. Each person had little more than a suitcase full of all their most valuable treasures. With a few dollars in their pockets and unable to speak the language, these folks had left their family and friends in pursuit of a better life.

A news reporter interviewed three people. Each face seemed to display a mixture of excitement and overwhelming uncertainty as they started a new life in this new and very culturally different land. As each person spoke to the camera, the same words come out of each person's mouth: "I thank God for allowing me safe passage and giving me this opportunity." I was shocked at how sincere and grateful they were to God. One man was traveling across this country in hopes of finding a job in the state of Oklahoma. The man said, "If God wills it, I hope to find a job to be able to send money back to my family."

Upon hearing these interviews, I had tears streaming down my face. These folks, having no home, no job and no certain future were giving thanks to God. Would we be so thankful in such a situation or would we be complaining that we were hungry, tired, lonely and hurdened with uncertainty? Do we really rely on God to provide for us? Do we truly believe Psalm 55:22, "Cast your burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain you. He shall never allow the righteous to be moved"?

With such great faith in God, I have full confidence these new immigrants will not only find housing and jobs, they will prosper. May we all strive to have such tremendous faith by turning away from our self-reliance and turning to God. As Jesus says, "Therefore, take no thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we be clothed?' But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:31, 33).

Facing the elephant in the room

For some time, I have had heavy burdens placed on my heart. I have chaffed under these challenges. Like a disobedient stiff-necked cow, I have firmly planted my feet and have refused to act. I always have lots of good excuses--I am too tired; maybe next week I will go do it when I have more energy; I will just pray someone else will go do it. But yesterday at church, Pastor Greg gave an incredible sermon on facing the elephant in the room--what big thing(s) in your life need to change in order to be walking obediently with the Lord.

The Lord has been laying a heavy hand on me. I have wanted to visit a senior assisted living facility to spread the Good News and perhaps give them some delicious baked goods. I kept putting off the task. I learned one man I really wanted to talk to was struck and killed by a car two weeks ago. Since then, the assisted living facility closed down. What a precious opportunity I let slip from my hands! I pray that man was saved by Jesus. I pray I was not the one who was supposed to have told this man about Jesus. I also pray for all the other folks I never got to meet and tell them about Jesus. Wherever they are today, I pray they know Jesus, and if they do not, someone will tell them the Gospel. "The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some men count slowness, but is patient towards us, not willing that any should suffer, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

There are a few other burdens, which have been heavy on my heart. I know I should (and want to) do one thing, but instead I refrain from spending my precious energy completing God's work. I have tried to take a shortcut, and God has made it abundantly clear: "'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

So, if you could, please keep me in your prayers as I prepare to plunge ahead and tackle the burdens on my heart. Pray God will give me the energy needed to complete these tasks. Pray I do not lose heart and procrastinate. Thank you!

Hooray for Bailey!!!

I am overwhelmed with delight to see my friend Bailey won nationals yesterday!!! She has worked for many, MANY years to accomplish this feat. I am thrilled to have been able to share in this amazing triumph of hers. Yet, on the brink of this incredible victory, immense gratitude and sadness fill my heart.

For over four years, Bailey's parents have fought through various battles with cancer. In March, her father became ill again. He fought through each day, lending his humor to brighten his deteriorating health. Two weeks ago, her father made the difficult choice to enter hospice. On November 19, his family and friends gathered around him for a prayer service. About 30 minutes after the service ended, Bailey's father entered into eternity.

Now, in the midst of their grief, it was time to leave for nationals. Earlier in the year, Bailey competed and won state, which qualified her to go on to compete at nationals. Just three days after Bailey's father passed away, it was time to travel across the country to compete at nationals. (Here is where I start weeping. God allowed Bailey's dad to give her comfort and encouragement up until the time of nationals. He was too ill to travel with his daughter to nationals. God graciously allowed her father to pass away before competition began. In this way, Bailey's dad was able to see her compete from the front row of the balcony. He was able to see her every step of the way during nationals.)

Now, as the family returns home, I can only imagine the tremendous swing of emotions. I keep hearing Psalm 30:5 in my head, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." I pray despite these difficult times, the family is able to find great joy and happiness in Bailey's incredible win. May the Lord comfort Bailey and her family and friends as they mourn the loss of such a dear man. "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with you all" (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

The memorial service for Bailey's dad will be on December 3. Please keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers this week.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Tick, tock. Look at the clock! It is time to eat turkey!!! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because I LOVE turkey!!! There is nothing quite like sinking my teeth into a turkey leg. Oh meat, how I love you! I must confess, I probably have an abnormal love affair with turkey. I eat meat very rarely because chronic pancreatitis has destroyed most of my body's ability to make enzymes. Without enzymes, it is very hard for my body to break down fats, and proteins, and more importantly, fats and proteins often cause a bad pancreatitis attack. So, once a year, I allow myself to indulge in delicious turkey...well, perhaps it is more like a couple days of indulgence. I eat as much turkey as I can for a couple days until my pancreas is completely exhausted of all enzymes, and I can endure the pain no longer.

Why do I endure such misery for a few days of eating turkey? I think part of it is gratitude. I used to not be able to eat food by mouth. I had a feeding tube. I cannot tell you how miserable it was to not taste food on my tongue or use my teeth to chew. I have regained the ability to eat; although, I have a restricted diet of eating mostly organic fruits and vegetables. It is such a blessing once a year to sit at a table with family and enjoy a meal together. My Thanksgiving meal is one of thanks--it reminds me of how very blessed I am to be able to eat, it reminds me how blessed I am to have family to share a meal with, it reminds me how blessed I am to not be hospitalized (as I have often spent too many holidays in the past).

As I eagerly await the turkey to cook, I send up prayers to my friends around the world--to those who are far away from family to serve God on the mission field, to those fighting a good fight while being hospitalized, to those mourning the loss of a family member, to those too tired/ill to enjoy this day of feasting, to all those who have heavy burdens, to all those who glory in the Lord. May today and every day be a joyful day of thanksgiving. Soon we will all be together eating the marriage supper with Jesus. What joy it will be to see you-all then! May God richly bless you today and always.

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD He is God: it is He that made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of a His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations." (Psalm 100)

God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name...

This morning was again a bright sunny Sunday morning! Oh, but how my body was telling me going to church was a very bad idea. My body was screaming, "My tummy hurts and I have bad cramps. I am so nauseas I feel as though I am going to vomit!" I told my body I could feel just as miserable at church as I could staying in bed. I was not going to hear any arguments; I was going to church!

Upon arriving at church, I was overjoyed there was a close parking spot. Upon arriving at the front door, I was singing praises because the Pastor saw me and opened the front door. He then caught a bag of egg cartons, which I had brought to give to the food pantry, as they were sliding off my lap. He then offered to put the egg cartons in the food pantry bin for me. (Oh how I wanted to hug him and shout out my praises to God for this kind man's help!) Next, to my joy, the sermon this morning was on Psalm 100. This is my FAVORITE Psalm and perhaps my favorite chapter in the whole Bible. (I was rejoicing and telling my body how many blessings I would have missed if I would have stayed home.)

After church, there is Sunday School. I was on the fence about going to Sunday School. I was feeling really sick. As I stopped at a table to pick up a bulletin, I prayed to God, "Well, this is it. I go to the left out the door to go home or I go to the right to go to Sunday School. I leave this decision up to You to decide for me." About five seconds after uttering this prayer, a woman from Sunday School class saw me and asked if she could push me to class. ("Thanks Lord for answering my prayer!") I gratefully accepted her assistance.

At Sunday School, we were supposed to watch a video. Two technology savvy men attempted for 15 minutes to get everything to work, but the tv and dvd did not want to work together. So, we could not watch the video. Instead, we decided to talk about what we were thankful. Mary Jo shared her thankfulness for her granddaughter and her funeral service. She shared how her granddaughter was at rock bottom with drugs and then turned to the Lord. For three years she grew in her faith until God called her home. Mary Jo added that they discovered her gradnddaughter's diary and how this diary revealed the deep love the girl had for the Lord. Through the girl's incredible transformation and determination to reach out to folks she had injured in the past, she had left a profound impact on so many people. Some of which have re-dedicated their lives to Christ and have gone on to lead others to Christ. What an incredible declaration of how one woman's faith has touched so many people. (During this whole time, I was thanking God for this story and was in awe how this woman's testimony was a continuation of my last blog post, "How will you be remembered?")

After church, I was feeling really lousy. My symptoms had progressed to include a fever and intensified pain and nausea. I really needed milk at the store, but I did not know if I could endure the quick journey in and out of the store. I prayed God would give me the strength needed to get through this next adventure. At the store, the closest parking space to the front door was available. There was a scooter just inside the front door. The store had the kind of milk I like. At the front of the store, there was a cashier waiting with no one in her line. I breezed in and out of the store in mere minutes. In the parking lot I saw a very dear friend. I have not seen her since July. I was filled with great joy to see her smile and to be able to exchange greetings with her. (What a tremendous blessing it was to see her!)

On my way home, my mom called me. She went to a farmer's market and told me a list of produce available. After hanging up the phone, I was reviewing my experience at the store. Suddenly, I remembered I was out of cucumber and forgot to pick one up at the store. No sooner had I thought this than my mom called me back. "Oh, I did not see this, but there are also cucumbers here. Did you need any?"

Overjoyed with gratitude and praise for the Lord, I nearly started to weep at His abundant kindness. If I would have listened to my body, if I would have stayed in bed, I would not have been able to experience so many blessings. One last blessing--five minutes after arriving home, I became very ill. I am so grateful God gave me the strength and health to endure everything and allowed me to be ill in the comforts of my own bathroom. This is a bad way to end a post, but I am tremendously grateful for indoor plumbing, clean water and for God's incredible mercy and grace.

"For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love that you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so." (Hebrews 6:10)

How will you be remembered?

As I reflect on the deaths of some friends, a question keeps echoing in my head, "How will you be remembered?" I often think about people I know. What will I say to their family, friends and loved ones if today was their funeral? What would people say about me if today was my funeral?

About a year ago, I attended a funeral of a relative. I sat at the back of the church and had the luxury of hearing the multitude of mourners as they exited the ceremony. I let their comments wash over me. "She made the best fudge. I am really going to miss that chocolate goodness." "She made the best candy. Oh, how I am going to miss that at Christmas." "She made the best cookies. I will miss eating those." After hearing almost the same comments over and over again from various family and friends, tears rolled down my cheeks. It seemed as though people were not grieving the loss of this person's life as they were lamenting about their empty bellies.

Immediately, I was grieved in my spirit for my own life. How would people remember me? How do I want people to remember me? I prayed to God that He would use me to glorify Him. I asked that when I die, people would comment on my love for the Lord and my passion to serve Him. It is my desire for people to think of me as a servant of the Lord.

Being chronically ill, I feel as though I have limited opportunities to allow my love for God to shine forth and touch others. I feel as though the few times I leave the house each month, I am more concerned about controlling my symptoms than glorifying God. I am so thankful God sends gentle reminders that He sees my love for Him.

Tonight, my parents were dining at a restaurant. They met a husband and wife who attend my church. The wife commented how I really knew the Bible and how I always seemed to know answers to so many Bible questions. I try very hard to not swell with gratitude upon hearing these remarks. It is a great comfort to know that despite my limited opportunities to interact with the world, I can still show my love for God.  "Thank you Jesus for being the hope of my salvation. Thank you Jesus for allowing my light to shine forth. May all honor and glory be to You. Amen"

"Arise, shine; for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." (Isaiah 60:1)

The Lord is my Shepherd

This summer, the pastor at my church did an extended series of sermons on the 23rd Psalm. Every time I hear the Psalm, I have to choke back laughter. Yes, it is an incredible psalm...but let me take you to my past expended with this psalm.

When I was growing up, Psalm 23 was said at all sorts of events such as weddings and funerals and baptisms. People said it so much, they often ran together all the words. I thought the psalm went as follows:
"The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want Him. Makes me to lie down in green pastures..."
I thought the 23rd Psalm was the worst passage of Scripture ever written! How could people recite a passage which denied their need for a shepherd--their need for someone to watch over them and protect them--their need for someone to lead them through life. And people had the audacity to recite this at sacred events! I often would not say the psalm and would be so sad people did not love the Lord. I could not understand how church members and Christian leaders loved a piece of Scripture that denied their need for Christ.

A few years ago, I actually sat down and read the 23rd Psalm in the Bible. I was shocked to read how the text actually appears in Scripture:
The LORD is my shepherd; (wait, there is a pause here!?)
I shall not want. (And there is another pause here. Where is the word "Him"?)
He makes me lie down in green pastures (Oh, my! When listening to this psalm, people rushed through it so fast, the words "he" and the "m" from the word "makes" combined in my head to create the word "him". Oh, dear! I had this psalm all wrong. It truly is one of the most incredible psalms in the Bible!)

So now, whenever I hear or read this psalm, I cannot but laugh over how outraged I used to get when I heard this recited. I try to be somber and enjoy the beauty of this inspired text, but rumbles of laughter always rack my body...which can be rather inappropriate when attending a funeral.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul:
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Joyous Laughter ends the day!

Today, my dad and I had a frustrating day talking to people on the phone. He had issues with his doctor's office and pharmacy; I was trying to get my finances sorted out. At the end of it all, we both felt defeated and unsure if either one of us had accomplished anything.

Many, many years ago, my family took a trip somewhere (I have long since forgotten where we traveled to). We stayed in an apartment which had a washer and dryer in the kitchen. The machines made a lot of noise, which made watching television impossible when the machines were being used. In our boredom, my dad and I made up a dance to entertain ourselves. We called it "The Washing Machine Dance". We held our hands up near our faces and wiggled our bodies back and forth, trying to imitate the washing machine. Then someone would call out "spin cycle", and we would spin as fast as we could around in a circle. We would laugh so hard and ultimately end up on the floor gasping for breath in between our shrieks of laughter.

Tonight, the dishwasher was on in the kitchen, and it was making a lot of noise. My dad started doing "The Washing Machine Dance". I instantly started laughing at my dad (now many, many years older) trying to wiggle his body around. He yelled out, "Spin cycle!" and attempted to whirl around in a circle. He made it once around and then nearly fell to the ground. "Whoa," he said. "I guess can't spin like I used to." Then we started laughing at the thought of having to go to the emergency department and trying to explain how my dad got hurt. "Well, doctor, my dad was trying to do the washing machine dance and then called out 'spin cycle' and then fell because he can't spin like he used to."

After having a very trying day, I am so grateful to enter bed with a smile on my face, praise on my lips and laughter in my heart. "Let them praise His name in the dance: let them sing praises onto Him with the timbrel and harp. Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud on their beds." (Psalm 149:3, 5)

Fearless Bartimaeus

All of Scripture is important, but I favorite any story with an underdog. I am so grateful Scripture has story after story of people who face enormous challenges, and with the Lord's help, they triumph over adversity. The story of Bartimaeus is one of these stories.

As Jesus spreads His ministry throughout Israel, He travels to Jericho with His disciples. "As He and His disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' Jesus stood still and said, 'Call him here.' And they called the blind me saying, 'Take courage; get up He is calling you.' So, throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' The blind man said, 'My teacher, let me see again.' Jesus said to him, 'Go; your faith has made you well.' Immediately, he gained his sight and followed Him on the way." (Mark 10:46-52)

What I love about this story is Bartimaeus's fearlessness. Here is Jesus walking along with a huge crowd surrounding Him. Unable to see and use his vision to make his way to Jesus, Bartimeaus does not use his disability to prevent him from meeting Jesus. Instead, he uses his voice to scream over the noise of the crowd. Next, Bartimaeus is rebuked by the crowd to keep quiet. Again, another challenge is set in front of him. Determined, Bartimaeus screams even louder for Jesus. Now, when Jesus hears Bartimaeus and asks him to come forward, Bartimaeus could have said, "No. I am blind. I cannot see and do not want to hurt myself by walking without assistance." 

But our mighty warrior does not reject the invitation! Instead, he throws off his jacket, and he LEAPS up! (My heart swells with emotion here. I think about how Bartimaeus has been an outcast for so many years. Being blind or having any sort of illness often left people homeless and cast out of families and cities. These lowly folks did not have social services available; they survived by begging and eating any food they could find. I nearly weep to think about how many people ignored Bartimaeus, cursed him, spat on him, tormented him. But now, the most important person in the universe wants to speak to him! Oh what joy and excitement!!!)

Lastly, Jesus asks what Bartimaeus wants Him to do. Again another obstacle. Should he ask Jesus for his sight? Is he worthy of such a request? Without fear and full of faith, Bartimaeus boldly states he wants to see again. Jesus restores Bartimaeus's sight because his faith has prevailed. Although Bartimaeus was physically blind, his soul saw Jesus for who He was--his Lord and Savior. "Blessed are you when men hate you and ostracize you and insult you and scorn your name as evil for the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven" (Luke 6:22-23). For Bartimaeus, his faith in Jesus gained him the reward of sight...one can only imagine what his reward will be in heaven for his tremendous blind faith.

I look to these verses of Scripture for encouragement. Although I may never be healed in this physical life, my soul plainly sees my hope and salvation are in Jesus Christ. "For He did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him" (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

Back to the world of medicine

The last several months, my health has been worsening. My heart has been causing many issues such as it flutters, and it races fast and then goes slow; it hurts almost all the time with pain radiating to my arm, back, neck and jaw. I am almost always short of breath. I often feel as though I am drowning under water and have developed a chronic cough. I sleep propped up on several pillows to prevent coughing all night. My sleep is often interrupted several times a night by coughing spells and/or my heart racing or fluttering.

Yesterday, I was feeling quite ill. I decided to head back into the world of medicine in a vain attempt to find some relieve from my symptoms. A stop at the emergency department yielded little information. I "learned" I was not having a heart attack, did not have pneumonia and was not pregnant. (I have to chuckle at my "results". Any time I go to the doctor, I am asked about 5-10 times, "Are you sure you are not pregnant?" I subsequently get a urine pregnancy test and sometimes also a blood test to make sure I am not pregnant. I am then told "the big news" that I am not pregnant. My response is often cynical, "Ok, thanks doc! It is good to know I have been impregnated by the Holy Spirit!")

I was hoping to gain some insight into my medical challenges, but little information was gleaned. The nurses were very concerned I was so ill. My heart rate while lying semi-reclined on the hospital bed was 110 beats per minute. Any time I had to move positions, my body would shake uncontrollably. When the doctor learned my test results were negative for pneumonia, heart attack and pregnancy, she discharged me. My nurse was very apologetic and seemed upset the doctor was going to release me home in almost the exact state I came to the emergency department in. I was too tired to give the nurse much consolation. (I have prayed and asked God to let the nurse know I will be ok. The Great Physician is looking after me.)

On a positive note, I called a medical center in search of finding a primary care doctor. (I always tell God I leave finding a doctor up to Him. Whatever doctor is best for me, I know He will arrange for everything to work out.) I got assigned a random doctor to see next week. I was delighted to find out (after doing a web search) that she is a Christian! "Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I shall be saved: for You are my praise." (Jeremiah 17:14)

Remembering Edith

A year ago, our family lost a very dear member. Edith was a joyous, vibrant woman who knew how to organize wonderful family events and cook for a crowd. She was an incredible mother--I have never seen a closer mother-daughter relationship than I saw with Edith and her daughter.

A year ago, Edith was ill with what the doctor called "the flu". Not feeling well, she went home. She took a long nap and entered into eternity. That evening around Edith's departure from this world, I was traveling in a car. A deer jumped out in front of the car. Praise be to God, quick thinking and evasive maneuvers prevented the car from hitting the deer. I vividly remember the deer looking with piercing wide eyes directly at me.

The next morning, I was told the news of Edith's passing. I was not surprised. I had noticed a few weeks before at a family birthday party, she seemed very ill. Her hands were shaky, and she was short of breath. When she sat next to me, I could sense her heart racing and beating very forcefully. Since I suffer from many health issues and am sensitive to people bringing up my health, I decided not to mention anything about Edith's health. I almost sent Edith's daughter an email inquiring about her mom's health, but again, I thought I should not intervene in other's health issues. So, when I heard Edith had passed away, I knew immediately her heart must have been very sick. (Afterward, I learned Edith had been sick for a couple months. She had been going to the doctor for heart issues. Right before she passed away, she was very ill. She sought emergency care, but she was sent home and told she had the flu.)

Moments after hearing about Edith's passing, the image of the deer popped into my mind, and Scripture floated through my head. "As the deer pants after the water brook, so pants my soul after thee, O God" (Psalm 42:1). I knew in an instant the deer in the roadway was a sign about Edith's death. It was of great comfort to think she was now not suffering and now at rest. It was of great comfort to think of that deer crossing the road and completing its journey to the great wide expanse beyond. As the deer made it safely on its journey, so too, has Edith completed hers.

As I reflect back on Edith's death, I am saddened that this wonderful woman is no longer around to love her husband, daughter, son and grandkids. But, I am very thankful Edith did not suffer long before her passing. I have thought long and hard about not mentioning anything to anyone about Edith's health. But, I am very glad she was able to die at home. She did not have to die in a cold hospital room surrounded by noisy instruments and connected to hoses and tubes. There was no trauma; there was no chaos. Only peace and quiet in her passing.

As I pray to the Lord, I ask for peace and tranquility to fill the lives of all those who loved Edith. "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Are you against going to the movies?

My dear, dear friend Barb loves to go to the movies. Whenever I talk to her, she always tells me about the latest movie she has seen. Her face illuminates with excitement as she tells me about her latest cinema experience.

Barb has asked me time and time again to come to the movies with her. Every time, I am very grateful for the invitation, but I always decline. After numerous rejections, Barb finally asked me, "Are you against going to the movies?" I almost burst into laughter. Oh dear. I guess I should explain how Mitochondrial Disease challenges me in doing a "normal" activity like going to the movies.

1. Time: Movies run about 2.5 hours plus there are about 30 minutes of previews and then you need to add in travel time, time to buy a ticket, time to go to the bathroom and time to get a seat So, going to the movies would take at least four hours. In my life, this is too long away from bed. On average, I can be out of bed about 2 hours. Some days I can go a bit longer; some days I never leave my bed. In general, an outing to the movies would push me beyond my limits.

2. Loud noise: Movies have lots of soft whispering dialogue. So, movie theaters crank up the audio volume to high to allow the audience to hear the soft audio. Then, of course, films almost always have loud shouting or other noisy audio. Since the audio is turned up, these loud noises become violent rumbles of thunder from the speakers. My brain goes haywire when exposed to loud sound. I start shaking, my heart races and I develop a severe migraine. Whenever I leave home, I wear earplugs to avoid becoming sick from loud noises. Although I could wear a couple layers of earplugs to dampen the loud noise, I would be lost during the soft audio sections.

3. Bright lights: Looking at a large illuminated screen for several hours is torture on my eyes. The pupils in my eyes do not constrict very much, which causes me to develop severe headaches from bright light. (The one benefit is I do not need my eyes dilated when I go to the eye doctor.) So, I avoid looking at any illuminated screen (TV, computer, mobile phone, etc.) for any extended time.

4. Popcorn smell: My brain is very sensitive to smells, especially chemicals such as preservatives and artificial flavorings. Movie theater popcorn (which has lots and lots of artificial flavorings added to it) causes one of the worst reactions in my body. The smell causes my heart to race, my body to shake, my head to spin and I become very sick to my stomach. So, needless to say, I stay as far away from movie theater popcorn as possible.

So, combining all the above factors, I do not go to the movie theaters. I do not feel as though I am missing much. Although my friend is always so excited to venture off to a "new" movie, every movie she tells me about seems like the same old story--good versus evil, the ups and downs of love, etc. King Solomon sums it all up, "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say, 'See this, it is new'? Already it has existed for ages which were before us." (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

Perpetual frustration: Being a one-eyed bandit in an electronic world

In an age where everything is done with touch screens and keying in passcodes and pin numbers, having the ability to use both eyes to accurately hit sensitive electronic buttons is essential. For me, I am constantly plagued with utter frustration. I cannot tell you have many times I want to throw my iPad across my room because I am not able to hit the right letters on the electronic keypad or accurately touch my iPad screen.

My eyes do not work together. My right eye muscles are weak. My right eye muscles do not pull my right eye in far enough to align with my left eye. In distance vision, I am able to use prism in my glasses to compensate for this defect. For close vision, I have not been able to play around with various prism strengths to find the best strength for my eyes. (It took five pairs of distance glasses to find the correct prism strength. Being a girl of limited financial resources, this is not an option for close up vision.) Instead, I must wear an eye patch over my right eye if I want to see anything close up.

I used to be very vain about having to pull out a pirate eye patch in order to read. However, if I do not use an eye patch, I develop very painful headaches, neck aches, dizziness, nausea and eye strain. Wearing an eye patch allows me to see close up, without developing lots of unwanted symptoms. However, the significant downside is I lose my depth perception.

Depth perception in a 2D world is not a big deal...but when living in a 3D world, it can be so frustrating. Trying to hit buttons on an electronic screen is a nightmare!!! Trying to read numbers off a card and then enter those numbers into a phone keypad drives my patience to the very limits. I must concentrate very hard to hit the buttons correctly, trying to get my brain to compensate for the loss of depth perception, and trying to do it fast enough before the automated system interrupts and says, "Sorry, I did not recognize that number.". As hard as I try, I make many, many mistakes. I am so grateful for computers and for the resources available to me today. However, it is hard not to become frustrated when it takes 5-10 times longer to complete a task because I have poor depth perception from having to patch my eye. Perhaps some day I will be able to get reading glasses with the correct prism strength which word enable me to see close up without using an eye patch.

Until then, I try to keep calm and be very grateful I have an eye patch to use for close up vision and have prisms in my distance glasses. (I used to have to wear an eye patch for distance vision as well. Loss of distance depth perception left me very bruised and sore because I could not see things on the right side of my body. I ran into many, many walls!) It gives me another reason to thank God for all his mercies. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and enter into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endures to all generations." (Psalm 100:4-5)

Another Sunday, Another Challenge!

As another Sunday has come and gone, the Pastor at my church has issued another challenge. Previous challenges have included listening to Christian music and reading one Psalm a day and two Psalms on Sundays. I have been doing ok in these challenges. The only time I usually listen to music is on Sundays in church. Reading one Psalm a day (and two on Sundays) is forcing me to get back to reading the Psalms daily. (I used to read five Psalms a day. That way, I would cycle through all the Psalms every 30 days. I stopped this a while ago because I found I was just mindlessly reciting the words--their meaning was lost in a mindless void.) But now, only reading one Psalm a day, I have been reading them slowly and often in various translations.

This week's challenge has been making me crazy! Read the whole Bible in a year! Ahhh!!! This message has been haunting me for several months..but I keep ignoring it. I have read through the entire Bible and did so using an amazing verse by verse commentary by J. Vernon McGee called Through the Bible. It is intended to take five years to go through the Bible. Since the whole series is available for free online at ttb.org, I listened/studied the entire Bible in 15 months. Since then, I have hop-scotched through the Bible. My younger years of my life, I spent attending a church which focused almost 100% of the sermons from the New Testament. Henceforth, I have a very good knowledge of the New Testament. I have tried to focus my energy on things I am unfamiliar with such as the Old Testament history, kings and prophets--Haggai, Ezekiel, Obadiah, Nahum, etc.

Unfortunately, when I try to read through a book in the Bible, I get hung up on details. For example, today I was studying Zechariah chapter 8. There were four fast days mentioned in the Scripture, but no explanation was given. I then researched what these fast days where, when they started to observe them, why they observe them, what traditions are associated with them, etc. Needless to say, I am easily diverted from my main reading into all different parts of the Bible. It takes me a very long time to get through one chapter of the Bible. But I feel like learn lots and lots!

For example, I spent a large amount of time in Jeremiah chapters 40-41reading about Gedaliah and his amazing leadership of the remnant which remained in Judah (586 B.C.) after King Nebuchadnezzar took captive and hauled away (or killed) almost all the Jews to Babylon. Of course, jealousy arose because Nebuchadnezzar did not appoint a guy who was a royal descendent, a plot to kill Gedaliah was hatched and ultimately Gedaliah and a bunch of Jews were killed by their own countrymen. After this, the tiny Jewish remnant ignored God's advice delivered by the prospect Jeremiah. God promised if the Jews remained in the land, He would protect them. If they fled to Egypt, they would suffer famine and die when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt. The Jews decided to flee their homeland (Israel) and escaped to Egypt. A few years later, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt, and the Jewish remnant was killed in the subsequent war (another prophecy fulfilled). The Jews observe a fast day in their seventh month (Tishri) in which they observe the death of Gedaliah. I find this all terribly interesting, but I only got through about 10 verses of Scripture.

I decided I was going to ignore the Pastor's challenge, but as I was eating lunch and listening to a Bible commentator, he emphasized the need for Christians to read the Bible through every year. Noooo!!! Why does this message keep haunting me!? So, I have resolved myself to attempt to "just read" through the Bible (i.e., do not research all the details and numerous questions which pop up in my head when reading through Scripture). I will try hard, but I am so easily distracted with questions--what does this person's name mean, who was his ancestors/descendants, where is this city located,
how far is it between these two places, what other important events happens at this locations, etc., etc. This must be an important challenge for me since God keeps sending the same message over and over again. I get so mad at the Jews when they ignore God's words. Perhaps God is just as annoyed with me for ignoring His message.

"Give heed to my reproof; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make known my words to you." (Proverbs 1:23)

A different day, a different day of health

Earlier this week, I really needed to feel well. I had made a commitment to drop a couple items off at a place just a stone's throw away from my house. I always am so enthusiatic about being able to help in really little ways. This seemed like a task I could accomplish. Take a couple items, put them in a bag, travel a very short distance, hand the items out the car door and head back home. Unfortunately, my health has been really challenging. I prayed I would be able to complete the task.

When I woke up, my heart rate was very fast. Moving the smallest muscle sent my heart racing. I tried moving as little as possible, but who was I kidding? I really needed to move to get myself and the items into the car, and I had absolutely no energy to get out of bed. I did the only thing I could think of. I fought hard to get my body to the kitchen, and I started drinking lots and lots of strong black tea. After about ten cups of tea, my heart rate was much more tolerable, and I seemed to have a little bit of energy. Oh praise the Lord!

I was able to get myself and the items to the location. A sweet friend met me at the car. She told me I looked like I was having an outstanding health day, and she noticed I seemed to have a little bit of energy. I thanked her for the compliment. (I held my tongue and did not tell about all the caffeine I consumed.)

Today, my sweet friend dropped off the items at my house. (The bad side effects of mass caffeine consumption is several days of complete bed rest.) When my friend saw me, her face changed to one of concern. She noticed my body was shaking, and I was gasping for breath trying to speak to her. I try to explain to people on different days, I have different health. If I push really hard one day, my body needs several days to recover. My friend felt miserable that I was so sick from doing such a small task. She told me I don't ever have to help her out again. Although I appreciate her sympathy, doing really small simple things for people helps me be grateful and thankful to God for allowing me to be as well as I am. Even in the smallest ways, I can still be of use to Him. "In whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Colossians 3:17).

Happy, Sad

Of late, it seems as though so many people I know have passed away. It is always a time of joy and/or sorrow.

Yesterday, there was a horrible accident on a nearby bridge. A woman's car stalled. A delivery truck came up behind her and was not able to stop. The truck slammed into the woman's car. The woman died. The entire situation is so sad. I am heavily burdened for this family. I do not know if the woman was a Christian. I pray she was a Christian and now is in heaven. I pray that the family has a relationship with Jesus and finds comfort in the arms of the Lord and Savior. My heart is so heavy with grief and sorrow. "Oh, Lord. So many people on this earth do not know you as Lord and Savior. I desperately pray this woman and her family know you. I do not want to think where this woman is if she did not trust You to be her Savior. Please, if the rest of the family does not know you, I pray You come into their lives. I pray their hearts will be open to hear Your Word. I pray also for the delivery man and his family. I pray they know You and are able to receive grace and mercy. May the two families affected be able to have peace and be able to forgive each other. All this I ask in Jesus' name. Amen."

A friend of mine's father passed away today. He went to the hospital to have a surgery. Everything went well. He had to spend a night in the hospital before he was to be released. During the night, a nurse gave the dad a wrong medication. The effects of this error caused the man to stop breathing. Through much medical intervention (and God's grace), the dad was revived. He suffered through a few weeks more in the intensive care unit. Through God's great mercy, the dad went Home today. Although I am terribly saddened for the family, I am overjoyed with happiness that the dad is no longer suffering and is now in the presence of Jesus! I cannot tell you of the relief it is to know that this man trusted Jesus as his Savior and that he is in heaven! I am sad this wonderful man is no longer able to be with his loved ones, but soon they will all be together in God's glorious presence! "Oh, Lord, thank you for this man's life. Thank you for his amazing family. Please comfort all his loved ones as they grief for the loss of their family member. Thank you for allowing this man to live long enough to allow his daughter to make travel arrangements to see her father before he went Home to be with Jesus. With all glory and honor to You. Amen."

Supplements: Alpha lipoic acid and magnesium

Alpha Lipoic Acid: This is an important supplement to help with regeneration of myelin (an important protective coating which covers nerves). With many illnesses, myelin is destroyed. When there is little to no myelin, neuropathy (pain caused by nerves) occurs. This frequently manifests in diabetics, but genetic and auto-immune diseases are known also to affect the rate at which myelin is produced. Alpha lipoic acid is a needed building material for your body to regenerate myelin. Taking ALA will not instantly correct nerve pain. It takes time for your body to regenerate myelin. For me, I started noticing a decrease in neuropathy after about 3 months of daily usage. It took about  one year to see the maximum effect of the supplement. Once the maximum effect is achieved, the supplement must be continued daily to maintain the needed supply of ALA.

Magnesium: A wonderful mineral to help alleviate muscle pain and muscle cramps. I take this daily. When I am having really bad spasms and cramps, I will take a few more capsules. Also, epsom salts are incredible. If you are in a lot of muscle pain, fill a tub with warm water and epsom salts and soak. Ah, relief!

Supplements: Pancreas and Liver

Chromium Piccolinate: Chromium is often deficient in people with diabetes, pancreas disease or who are on intervenous nutrition (TPN). Chromium is a trace mineral which is usually food in your blood. One of its functions is to bind up free insulin. When you eat a meal, the insulin bound to the chromium can be quickly released, and insulin can start acting almost immediately. Also, when insulin is no longer needed, chromium will bind up the free insulin, saving the insulin to be used in the future. In folks with low chromium levels, very little insulin is found circulating in the blood. When food is consumed, blood sugar levels become elevated. It takes your body time to produce and release insulin from your pancreas. During this time, high blood sugar levels greatly injure your body's cells and tissues. When insulin is no longer needed, the excess insulin is excreted by the body. By increasing your chromium level, you can increase the amount of insulin circulating in your blood which leads to lower blood sugar levels and less stress on the pancreas to produce insulin.

Gymnema Sylvestre: Gymnema does a couple of things--it blocks the taste of sweetness, helps regulate blood sugar by blocking the absorption of sugar in the intestines and stimulates insulin release from the pancreas. It works on the fat tissues in the body to help regulate the way sweet and fatty foods are metabolized.

Milk Thistle: Milk thistle has been used for 2,000 years as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments, particularly liver, kidney, and gall bladder problems. Several scientific studies suggest that substances in milk thistle (especially a flavonoid called silymarin) protect the liver from toxins, including certain drugs, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), which can cause liver damage in high doses. Silymarin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help the liver repair itself by growing new cells.

Dandelion Root, Black Radish Root, Ginger, Parsley, Garlic: These amazing foods are spectacular at detoxifying the liver. If you are unable to incorporate them into your diet, they can be taken (either individually or in combination) as a supplement. The liver is the organ in your body responsible for filtering the blood. Many toxic substances such as drugs (over the counter as well as prescription drugs), food, alcohol, toxins found in drinking water, etc., poison the liver. The liver must constantly filter out these foreign substances and can easily be worn down by the constant influx of toxins, especially if you have a chronic medical condition. By eating liver cleansing foods or taking liver cleansing supplements, you can help your liver regenerate and increase its ability to work optimally.

Supplements: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Astaxanthin

These supplements are very important because they do so many things in your body. I will list a few specific features of each, but they exhibit their effects on many, MANY functions of your body

Astaxanthin: It is called one of the most powerful antioxidants every discovered. It helps releive pain and inflammation, fights fatigue, supports eye health, cleans up your body's cells (ridding them of many toxin substances), protects your skin from sun damage.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps to repair and regenerate tissues, protect against heart disease, aid in the absorption of iron, prevent scurvy, and decrease total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and triglycerides. Research indicates that vitamin C may help protect against a variety of cancers by combating free radicals, and helping neutralize the effects of nitrites (preservatives found in some packaged foods that may raise the risk of certain forms of cancer). Supplemental vitamin C may also lessen the duration and symptoms of a common cold; help delay or prevent cataracts; and support healthy immune function.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases, fights depression, boosts weight loss, reduces your risk of multiple sclerosis, decreases your chances of developing heart disease, helps to reduce your likelihood of developing the flu.

Supplements: Digestive Health

I started writing about supplements in September, but then I got side-tracked before completing the series. So, here is another installment about supplements.

Triphala: This is my favorite supplement! I have a lot of GI issues, one of which is a slow moving GI tract. My GI tract takes many days to weeks to empty. Triphala is a combination of three fruits. They work in combination to help heal, cleanse and rejuvenate GI tissues. Taking triphala daily has greatly increased the speed of my GI tract and greatly decreased the number of bowel obstructions I get. Triphala can be taken as a tea or capsule. It is much cheaper to buy triphala as a tea, but it is perhaps the most revolting thing I have ever tasted! I opt to pay a little bit more money to swallow a tasteless pill.

VSL#3: This is a probiotic. There are MANY probiotics on the market. VSL#3 is the only probiotic I have found to be helpful and control symptoms. It is quite expensive, but it is very potent! VSL#3 is 10 times more potent than the average probiotic. VSL#3 contains about 15.5 billion CFU while the average probiotic contains about 4.3 billion CFU. It is the only thing I have found to control my inflamed GI tract. My daily inflammatory bowel flare-ups are mostly controlled taking this supplement, and my daily vomiting has (for the most part) stopped.

Do something nice. Go out of your way

Three weeks ago, Pastor Greg gave an amazing sermon on love. At the end of the sermon, he gave a challenge: go out of you way to do something nice. The act was suppose to be above and beyond anything you would normally do. I tried really hard the next week to do something nice that I had not already planned on doing. But, with my health leaving me bedridden for most days, the opportunity to do something nice for someone slipped away. I have kept this challenge on my mind. I felt compelled to complete the task.

As I was pondering this challenge, I realized why I was not succeeding. I try whenever I can to do something nice. Since this summer, I have been burdened with doing as many nice things as I can. I listened to an amazing sermon about sacrificial giving. Since my monetary source is very tiny, I thought giving money away was not very fulfilling. I thought what was one thing that I treasure more than anything. The answer is my energy. I have so little energy, anything I do out of my necessity to stay alive could be a sacrifice to God. I started this blog, try to send out one hand-written card a week, send out one email a week, etc. These are not big activities, but they allow me to use my precious little energy and share God's love. 

As I was reflecting on the nice things I have done, I figured out one thing I could do for someone. Last week at church, I found out a very kind woman's mother is ill with an infection. The woman has been driving back and forth between her home and her mom's medical facility (a five hour trip). I was going to just pray for the woman and her mom, but as I was thinking about her, I realized I can do something more. I can give her a card with a note inside letting her know I am praying for her. Perhaps this might cheer her up and let her know people at church are lifting her and her mom up in prayer. Praise be to God! I have been able to complete the challenge. I was able to write the card and give it to the woman at church yesterday! "And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him" (Colossians 3:17).

How Mitochondrial Disease affects my body

My Mitochondrial Disease has been a slowly developing condition over the last twelve years. It started with general fatigue, then affected my autonomic nervous system and then progressed on to my muscles and other organs. It seems as I adjust to a set of symptoms, something else becomes affected. There is never a dull moment in trying to figure out how to live with Mitochondrial Disease.

One of the most affected areas of my body is my pancreas. Less than 10% of my pancreas functions, and I often have pancreatitis attacks. I have had a couple surgeries on my pancreas, which has helped lessen the pain and severity of flare-ups. In general, whenever I eat, I develop bad pain in my left shoulder and gut. It sometimes feels as though someone slammed me hard into a wall and kicked me in the gut. I also have significant cramping in my pancreas. My gut becomes very bloated, and I feel like I have swallowed a balloon. Most of the time, the symptoms pass in a few hours. Sometimes, I start to develop excruciating pain, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. These more severe attacks last between one and seven days. During this time, I can only drink small amounts of water or I re-start the flare-up all over again. I have greatly modified my diet because my pancreas produces very little insulin and digestive enzymes. I eat mostly vegetables, eggs and a little bit of fruit. Once every two weeks, I eat some chicken. Although it is a challenge, I am very thankful I can still eat and am able to eat enough to maintain an acceptable weight.

Other health challenges include:
GI Tract: Gastritis, gastroparesis, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Celiac Disease, superior mesenteric artery syndrome, bowel obstructions

Liver: Fatty liver, high liver enzymes, high bilirubin levels (jaundice)

Brain: Encephalopathy, strokes, stroke-like episodes, seizures, migraines, dizziness, Central Diabetes Insipidus, memory loss

Nervous System: Tingling in my hands and feet, difficulty swallowing episodes, Dysautonomia=lack of function in my sympathetic nervous system which leads to the following: hyperadrenergic  postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (rapid heart rate in an upright position with a massive increase in the fight or flight hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine), low body temperatures, inability to tolerate hot or cold temperatures, Raynaud's disorder (hands and feet becoming very cold and turning purple), wild swings in my blood pressure from very high (hypertension) to very low (hypotension)

Muscles: weakness, pain, paralysis episodes, dystonia episodes (very painful muscle cramping/spasming), unable to coordinate movement, temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) disorder

Immune System: Pancytopenia, Mast Cell Disease, eosinophilic esophagitis/gastroenteritis/colitis, severe allergies to many things, hives, eczema

Endocrine System: Diabetes Mellitus, low renin levels, low aldosterone levels

Cardio: Inappropriate sinus tachycardia, cardiomyopathy

Eyes: Double vision, ptosis, macular degeneration, Chronic Progressive External Opthalmoplegia (CPEO)

Ears: Sensorineural hearing loss, ringing in the ears, Meniere's Disease

Respiratory System: Shortness of breath, chronic coughing

General: FATIGUE!!! Back pain, neck pain, chest pain, joint pain (osteoarthritis)

Don't kill it! That's an answer to my prayer!!!

Two weeks ago, I was yearning to go outside. I had been too sick to get out of bed for a couple days. But, as the sun was slowly descending toward the horizon, I was determined to get outside and breathe some fresh air. Unfortunately, I was in the midst of reading the Bible when I became determined to go outside. I kept thinking, oh, one more verse of Scripture and then I will get out of bed. I must have said this too many times because by the time I got outside, the sun had set and it was growing dark. I was outside only a few minutes when the following happened:

La, la, what a beautiful evening. I meandered to a tree and thought that looks like a snake (insert photo of a snake 2 feet from me). I wonder if it is alive. It looks dead the way it is lying across the decorative rocks around the tree. Oh, my! The markings and coloring on the snake look like a rattlesnake. I wonder if it has a rattle for a tail. (I cautiously look at the tail.) It is hard to tell the way the snake is positioned. I should look at the head. Yep, it definitely has a rattlesnake head. Yikes!!! A rattlesnake!!! (I quickly move away from the snake and start praising the Lord. I was so close to the snake!) I cautiously go back to the tree to see if the snake is alive. Yep, it is alive and is now all coiled up with its head poised ready to strike. Wow, and it blends right in the the rocks too! Praise be to God I saw the snake when I did! Snakes come out in the evening. I have seen some on the roadways always after the sun sets. I now know not to go out into the yard after the sun sets. There are definitely snakes around!

A few days ago, I was thinking about how I dislike rattlesnakes. Then, a thought popped in my head. Without rattlesnakes, there would be lots of mice around, and mice are a HUGE headache! They get between the walls, into the attic, into any nook and cranny. Ah, yes, Lord keep the rattlesnakes around to eat up the mice. Then I remembered there are black snakes which eat rattlesnakes. I sent up a quick prayer, "Oh Lord. Since we need the rattlesnakes to eat the mice, could you send a black snake to the area to eat the rattlesnakes?"

This morning, my dad saw a black snake slither from the driveway into the edge of the yard. As soon as I heard this, I exclaimed, "Don't kill it! That's an answer to my prayer!" I then explained black snakes eat the rattlesnakes and rattlesnakes eat mice. So, don't kill anything. God is taking care of it all!

I Thirst...

With diabetes insipidus, my body does not produce enough anti-diuretic hormone (ADH). Low levels of ADH means my body does not concentrate fluids. Whatever I drink is almost instantly filtered out by my kidneys and dumped into my bladder. Even if I am dehydrated, my body continues to rid my body of fluids. With this said, I am constantly thirsty and have to be diligent about not going too long without fluids, or I become dehydrated. I always feel thirsty and thinking about water is not far from my mind. If I hear water dripping from a faucet or a toilet flush, I think, "Oh, how thirsty I am! I need to drink some water."

When going to church, my body is very thirsty from a night of dehydration. I yearn to drink a liter or two of water, but with all my willpower, I resist. If I start drinking fluids, it is very hard to stop. Also, once I start drinking fluids, I have to constantly go visit the restroom. So, I try to only sip water here and there and try very hard not to think about water.

This all goes very well until the sermon is on a very common theme in the Bible, thirsting for God's water. I try very hard to sit still and not lick my chapped, dehydrated lips. I try hard not to tear off the cap of my water bottle and guzzle down its contents. Oh, but I am so thirsty!!! As I am thinking these thoughts, I realize the point of Jesus' words, "Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (John 4:13-14). Oh yes! How true those words are! No matter how much water I drink, I am thirsty a few minutes later. But the joy and comfort I have with having a relationship with Jesus carries me through each week, each day each hour.

I usually read or study the Bible 1-2 hours per day. I find Scripture provides so much wisdom and insight into my life. When I do not read the Bible, I often feel off-balanced. I am more apt to get angry or be inconsiderate and forget that I too am a habitual sinner. This spring, I had a very chaotic life. When I had time to read the Bible, my eyes were heavy with sleep. Often only a verse or two would fill my head before sleep took hold. I found myself clinging, grasping for any Scripture I could remember. If I had a moment to read one verse of Scripture, I would repeat it over and over again in my head. I crave God's Word. One verse never seemed to be enough. I wanted to tear open the Bible and read, but that option was not available to me. During this time, I understood what it was to be thirsty for God's Word. I understood what a luxury it is to have my own Bible and to be able to read it at my leisure. Due to persecution, so many Christians around the globe must hid their Bibles and read secretly. Others simply do not have access to their own Bibles. 

Since this time, I try to treasure every moment I am able to read or hear God's Word. Although I might always be physically thirsty, with Jesus I have the precious gift of everlasting water. So my friend, if you do not know Jesus, I ask that you take His invitation, "Let anyone who is thirsty come, and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life" (Revelation 22:17).

A Tribute to David

In the midst of celebrating Mitochondrial Awarenees Week, I am deeply saddened to learn a very, very dear Mito Warrior passed away this morning. Oh how my eyes weep and my heart breaks as I cope with the news.

I was just thinking about my friend David last week. Ah, yes, I really need to write him an email and check in to see how he is doing. It has been far too long since we last chatted. These thoughts floated through my mind, but like so many good intentions, the thoughts never materialized into actions. So, in addition to losing a friend, I also must face the negligence of my own actions. He will never know how much I deeply loved and cherished his friendship.

David was one of the first people I met after becoming severely debilitated with Mitochondrial Disease. He was a ray of sunshine in a world of very little knowledge about Mitochondrial Disease. We frequently wrote emails. He had suffered with Mito for a long time and had so much knowledge about what helped and how to adapt one's life to Mitochodndrial Disease. He was a brilliant scientist and found an amazing link between taking low doses of Benadryl and symptom improvement in Mitochondrial Disease and associated conditions such as MS, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, the scientific world did not care to learn of his incredible findings. His research did not reveal a new drug, only taking low doses of a cheap over-the-counter medicine.

By God's incredible grace, this vital piece of information lead me on my own journey. I took David's findings and started investigating why Benadryl was making a difference in people's symptoms. I soon stumbled upon mast cells and their role in so many illnesses. I soon learned about histamine and its ability to create havoc in one's body. I started learning about ways to control mast cells and control histamine in my body. This tremendously changed my life. I started taking mast cell stabilizers and using Benadryl in crisis situations. My Mitochondrial symptoms were stabilized and became much easier to predict and cope with.

Perhaps it is very selfish to think how my life might have been if I had never known David. But, he has been such a blessing in my life. He always took time to answer questions and to share all his own experiences. I pray the family is able to find comfort in this time of sorrow. Their beloved David was such a treasure and invaluable resource to so many people. Although the words from the email I wanted to write David will never reach David, perhaps I can still be of use and provide comforting words to David's family and friends.

"Fulfill my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through quarreling or pride; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:2-5).

Waiting...that's what we do!

Hello. I apologize for the lack of blog entries lately. I am trying to keep publishing posts, but my health is challenging me. I have been having significant chest pain and shortness of breath since February. I do not enjoy going to the doctor, but my symptoms were burdensome. I attempted to get an appointment with a doctor. I found out one of my "old" doctors was again practicing medicine, but she had changed medical facilities. I thought, how wonderful! I can call and get an appointment to see her. Whoa! Not so easy. I was informed, in order to see my old doctor, I had to schedule an appointment with Doctor D. If Doctor D thought my case was appropriate, she would refer me on to my old doctor. Ok, let's go see Dr. D! Not so fast! Dr. D requires the patient to be referred by a primary care physician. Upon reviewing the medical chart and referral, Dr. D will decide if she will see you as a patient. Well, I guess if that is what I have to do, let's do it! When can I get an appointment to see Dr. D? After being referred and the doctor decides to accept you as a patient, it takes 9-10 months to get an appointment. Ok, stop the program. This is nonsense!!! I do not want to wait a year to see a doctor who "might" refer me on to my old doctor. Why is it so hard to see my doctor!?

My experiences with doctors has been comical. Every time I get a doctor able to treat me, he/she leaves the medical facility. A couple doctors did everything he/she could and then referred me on to other specialists. Two doctors moved across the country to practice at another major medical facility. One doctor quit seeing patients to teach medicine at a medical school. Another stopped seeing patients to pursue research endeavors. Many times, I am often told to go back to my primary care physician. She often laughs because my primary care physician feels very under-qualified to treat me. She has often quipped, "The whole reason I referred you to this specialist is for the fact that I have no idea how to provide medical treatment to you. How am I more equipped now to treat you than I was before referring you?"

Now, my symptoms have come to a tipping point. Fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath are consuming my life. If it difficult to lie flat because I feel like I constantly have to cough. If I am not lying flat, if I do too much movement, I start gasping for breath. This often leads to coughing fits. Now, I have again sought to find a medical doctor. I found a specialist who recently moved to my area in March. He is accepting new patients. I recently changed health insurance companies. Once my insurance gets all settled, I will be on my way to hopefully getting a referral to see this new doctor. Until then, I keep on waiting...it's what the chronically ill do!

What is Mitochondrial Disease?

This week is Mitochondrial Awareness Week! In celebration, here is a short summary of what Mitochondrial Disease is.

Every cell in your body needs energy to function. Every cell (except red blood cells) in your body has little power factories called mitochondria which manufacture energy. Mitochondrial Disease is a condition which affects the tiny power houses inside your cells. When your mitochondria become damaged, your ability to produce energy is affected.

Since all cells in your body need energy, Mitochondrial Disease can affect every part of the body. Some folks have the disease affect their muscles (called Mitochondrial Myopathy). Some folks have their brains affected (called Mitochondrial Encephalopathy). Many people have multiple body systems affected. Some people have every organ in their body affected. The disease varies greatly depending on the number of organ systems involved and the severity of the mitochondrial impairment.

Mitochondrial Disease can manifest at any age. In general, the younger a person develops symptoms of the disease, the shorter one's lifespan. For example, a one year old who shows signs of Mitochondrial Disease often does not live beyond age four. A person who develops the disease in their 40's may live a full life and die from other causes.

There is no cure for Mitochondrial Disease. There are vitamins, minerals and other supplements which can be taken to help alleviate deficiencies caused by the disease. For more information, please visit www.umdf.org

Supplements: Allergies and Mast Cell Stabilizers

Quercetin: Quercetin is a natural anti-histamine and an anti-inflammatory, making it effective for lowering the effects of seasonal and food allergies plus asthma and skin reactions. Histamines are chemicals that are released when the immune system detects an allergy or sensitivity, and they are what account for uncomfortable symptoms we face whenever the body has an allergic reaction.
Quercetin can help stabilize the release of histamines from immune cells, which results in decreased symptoms like coughs, watery eyes, runny noses, hives, swollen lips and indigestion.
Bromelain: Bromelain helps modulate the entire immune system. It can prevent allergies by addressing the root cause –-a hyperactive, over-sensitive immune system. Additionally, because bromelain is an enzyme that specifically digests proteins, it has been found to help your body digest food and absorb nutrients more efficiently, as well as being extremely effective at healing issues in the gastrointestinal tract.

Stinging Nettle: Stinging nettle’s anti-inflammatory qualities affect a number of key receptors and enzymes in allergic reactions, preventing hay fever symptoms. I take stinging nettle daily to help modulate my over-active immune system and have had great success with a large reduction in hay fever symptoms.

Sodium Cromolyn (Nasal Spray): Cromolyn is a mast cell stabalizer, meaning it prevents mast cells from releasing histamine. With mast cell disease, mast cells inappropriately dump their contents (histamine) into the body. By stabilizing the mast cells, the mast cells are unable to release histamine and thus prevent the formation of histamine-related symptoms. The nasal spray works within 5 minutes. It is the best medicine I have found to help with mast cell issues and to get rid of a chronic stuffy/runny nose and upper respiratory phlegm.

Ketotiferin Fumarate (Eye Drops): Ketotiferin is another mast cell stabilizer. Works in the same fashion as Cromolyn. It is very effective at getting rid of itchy eyes and also helps clear up nasal symptoms as well.

Supplements: Eye Health

Zinc: High levels of zinc are found in the macula, part of the retina. Zinc enables Vitamin A to create a pigment called melanin, which protects the eye. Some studies show that getting enough zinc can help you see better at night. Zinc along with other supplements listed on this page help lower the risk of macular degeneration by up to 25%. Zinc has many benefits. For example, if you have a cold, take zinc to aid your body's immune system in fighting off the illness.

Zeaxanthin: The retina contains two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, with the greatest concentration at the center called the macula. Within the macula, zeaxanthin is the dominant component, up to 75% of the total, whereas in the peripheral retina, lutein predominates, usually being 67% or greater. Studies show that Zeaxanthin increases low macular pigment levels, which is a leading risk factor for macular degeneration. Zeaxanthin protects eyes from harmful blue light found in sunlight and many electronic screens.

Lutein: Called the eye vitamin, lutein is one of two major carotenoids found as a color pigment in the human eye (macula and retina). It is thought to function as a light filter, protecting the eye tissues from sunlight damage. Many eye disease such as cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration may be decreased in individuals taking a daily lutein supplement.

Bilberry: A relative of the blueberry, bilberry has seen used for hundreds of years especially in Europe. During World War 2, British pilots noted that eating bilberry jam before flying dramatically improved their night vision. Bilberry is a powerful antioxidant which does many amazing things including increasing retinal pigments to allow the eye to tolerate light. There has been extensive studies which show bilberry improves night vision, slows down macular degeneration, and prevents cataracts and diabetic retinopathy.