Wednesday 8 January 2014

New Year, new beginning

Today, January 8, 2014 -already starting the second week of the New Year! - I left my door unsealed after my guitar instructor entered for an hour's lesson. By the time he left my mood was swinging into sad depressiveness and concentration was difficult. Soon afterwards a blissful high followed, then back to depression again, three blisters rising on my bottom lip.

This tells me that I am still reacting strongly to the paint applied in my apartment corridor over the summer. The pressurized air in the hallway forces fumes into my apartment so I have to seal the door frame cracks with painter's tape and put a towel at the base, otherwise the paint molecules get in. I had the landlord install weather stripping on the outside of the door this year, that reduces the air coming in but doesn't block it entirely.

Other new developments - after starting a new diabetic drug a month or two ago, muscle pain and weakness was increasing in my arms, especially the left, making me concerned about cardiac health -  more so after an encounter in July with deck stain that gave me hours of severe palpitations. This week I stopped the new drug and the pain has diminished considerably, but not entirely. After consulting with my physician I am stopping my other diabetic drug to see if that is the cause of pain and weakness. Generally I do not tolerate foreign substances like medications well.

Unfortunately after being diabetic for thirteen years the condition is progressing and blood sugars rising spell great danger of organ damage and nasty things like blindness and limb amputations down the road.

So I'm feeling a lot of pressure to manage my blood sugars solely with diet and exercise, lifestyle changes that I have always found difficult to manage consistently. I have been doing continuous personal work though, so will take it one day at a time and do my best, without the perfectionism that used to sabotauge previous efforts.

On the plus side, I had the quickest recovery ever from a Christmas concert, able to attend a choir rehearsal (as a visitor) two days later - vs. previous years being bedridden for days after exposure to a large fragranced crowd like that. I'm thrilled.

Also, after telling family members I would not be able to attend their Christmas gathering if dog and fragrances were present, they rallied around and emailed each other encouragement to wash clothing the day before in fragrance-free soap, for one thing, with excellent results. The usual sinus inflammation came for a couple of days, able to manage it with saline nasal rinses and homeopathy, and recovered quickly. No infection promenading through the rest of my respiratory tract (throat, chest) like last year. Hallelujah!

Dental appointment in December = one year since all amalgams gone, and no new cavities, teeth and gums in good condition. Hip hip hooray! Huge relief. Am continuing with homeopahty, herbal tinctures, diet and supplements plus epsom baths (now only needed weekly) for mercury detox.

Overall, feeling very pleased with detoxification progress and optimistic that with Clinical Herbalist's help and finding some social supports I will be able to manage the lifestyle changes required to halt the progression of diabetes. Not to mention Grace! most important.

May we all be well, happy and prosperous in 2014.