mold remediation – Page 2 – Jesus is for the Wounded

For the Downtrodden

Published on November 19, 2013November 19, 2013 by Jesus is for the WoundedLeave a comment

Having a bad day?

Let the words of the Lord wash over you and see where you land after that. Just took me to a better place. How ’bout you?

Psalm 107 (NIV)

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

²Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, ³those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

⁴Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. ⁵They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. ⁶Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. ⁷He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. ⁸Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, ⁹for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

¹⁰Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, ¹¹because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. ¹²So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. ¹³Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. ¹⁴He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. ¹⁵Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, ¹⁶for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

¹⁷Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. ¹⁸They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. ¹⁹Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. ²⁰He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. ²¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. ²²Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

²³Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. ²⁴They saw the works of the Lord, his wonderful deeds in the deep. ²⁵For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. ²⁶They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. ²⁷They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. ²⁸Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. ²⁹He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. ³⁰They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. ³¹Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. ³²Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, ³⁴and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. ³⁵He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; ³⁶there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. ³⁷They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; ³⁸he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish.

³⁹Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; ⁴⁰he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. ⁴¹But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. ⁴²The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.

⁴³Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.

New Treatment Approaches on the Horizon

Published on April 29, 2013April 29, 2013 by Jesus is for the Wounded2 Comments

I’ve been back in our home from a for just over a month now and generally feel better. We remediated our home for water damage and what turned out to be a minimal amount of mold. My noxious symptoms were better when I first came home and as of last night, they are much worse. May I explain?

While our home is as clean as it can possibly be, there are always multiple factors, internal and external to address when battling chronic illness. I was staring at the ceiling praying one afternoon this past week after a series of low grade seizure attacks for which I could not identify any particular trigger. The bedroom window was slightly open for fresh air and I had not changed anything recently in my diet, supplements, or Rife treatment programs. I talked to the Lord, praying, for a long time. Not sure how to describe what followed: a suspicion that the lingering yeast infection may have a role in the severity of my ongoing symptoms.

So I did what any dutiful patient would do, I called my husband at work! Well that’s probably not the best use of his employers time; it was the sweetest voice in the darkness that I could find at the moment. Steve looked up “yeast infection and seizures” and found a connection. We hypothesized that the yeast has crossed the blood-brain barrier, contributing to this seizure-like complication that has remained elusive. I knew that I had an undiagnosed recurrence of a urinary tract infection as well, again! (Labs results are pending.) Geez, what if there’s yeast in there too? Other lab testing has already showed that candida is still in my digestive tract. All this seems impossible with my limited diet: no sugar to feed it and several rounds of treatment in the past!

I do not consume added sugar in any foods; no desserts, sweeteners, 1/4 serving of fruit every other day, and only limited servings of gluten free grain carbohydrates. But there are sugars listed on the labels in some of my pharmaceutical-grade, doctor-recommended, and biomeridian-tested supplements. Oh my! At first, I felt betrayed. How could my healthcare practitioners who recommended these supplements and all of the foods that I was consuming not see that there still might be a problem? The feelings didn’t last long as I decided that I need to get to work FAST. These seizure attacks have gone on long enough. IT HAS BEEN A YEAR!

Turns out there are 8 grams of sugar in the daily dose of the powder probiotic I had just restarted. Turns out there were hidden sugars in other supplements and even the 4 ounces per day of coconut yogurt I enjoyed that is labeled as “plain.” Tuesday was a wretched morning after a nice dinner the night before with friends. Further investigation found that my dinner included a smaller-than-usual serving but slightly sweetener form of coconut yogurt, the 1/4 serving allowance of fruit, plus the probiotic later that evening. I did not usually have all of these together on the same night until then. Later in the week, my LLMD said that when the reaction is delayed until the next morning, it might be due to the fermenting of the sugars and yeast. When I woke up and got moving on Tuesday, the seizure attacks could have been triggered by the combination of activity, increased heart rate/blood flow, and the yeast having a party in my brain. I was ripe for an attack, literally.

I may not have all the details correct on how this all works. I don’t need to have it down exactly to know what to do! Immediately I replaced the probiotic; checked the ingredient label for all of my supplements and made adjustments; abandoned the plain coconut yogurt; and cut out even complex grains to one serving or less per day. Within a day I started running anti fungal and Candida programs on my Rife machine. Guess what happened? I felt worse. The first part of today was a nightmare. Is this what they call a herx reaction (i.e. symptoms caused by the toxins of dead organisms before they can be flushed from the body)? Who knows. I have to restrict my diet further anyways. This is still war. I am fighting for my brain and when I cannot breathe in the middle of an attack, it feels like I am fighting for my very life.

Steve wondered today if another factor to consider are changes in barometric pressure that occur when it’s stormy outside. Further research shows that persons with epilepsy and migraines often can have setbacks with changes in barometric pressure. Gratefully, I don’t have epilepsy. Only problem with the weather connection is that there is nothing a person can do about the weather! (We sang a song about this in Mott High School Chorale. All we can do is “just complain!”)

So the illness profile that is Julie is a nightmare these days with some nice moments occasionally! Everything appears to have the potential to trigger a pre-tic state or a full blown seizure attack; these generally come when falling asleep or waking up in the morning. Yes, it is common with Lyme Disease to have numerous noxious symptoms that change at will and vary with each individual. The LLMD has added the diagnosis of Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome to the mix which describes the sickness that can follow after exposure to water-damaged buildings. Fibromyalgia came as a diagnosis in 1992 with chronic pain and issues with fatigue. While I have had many very happy and active days over these past 20 years, the clinical picture has gotten quite complex of late. Thankfully, there is a new approach on the horizon: VIP. Here’s the latest research:

http://www.survivingmold.com/docs/VIP_published_3_2013.pdf

I’m not the kind of person that sees a T.V. commercial about a new drug and goes to the doctor demanding that it be ordered for me. This time, I have pursued VIP after seeing this new research and talking with another person online who has benefited tremendously. VIP stands for vasoreactive intestinal peptide, a naturally occurring hormone in the body. My LLMD recommended it to me a year ago and we were unable to find it in the United States at that time. I now fit both the research protocol and the compound pharmacy protocol I found online that issues VIP in the United States. I really want to try it and am hopeful for some relief of these complications of illness.

I’ll write more about it as the order is processed Lord willing this week and as I begin treatment. The average time for a person to notice a benefit is two months. Sigh. Regardless, I am looking forward to trying this new treatment approach, now that there is reasonable clinical indication that it could help me.

Thanks for hanging in there with me. I’m lying low this evening after “doing it sick” today and baking some treats for others who have helped us so much this year. If you are nearby (and you know who you are!), feel free to call me for a tasty treat. Or maybe I’ll see you on Thursday with my plate of cookies for the National Day of Prayer remembrance at our church. I do hope I make it this year . . .

At last, a better evening!

Published on April 23, 2013 by Jesus is for the WoundedLeave a comment

Praise ye the Lord: I had a better evening! Got to prepare some yummy foods for a sweet dinner with my hubby and a young family we had not seen in over a year. Even sampled a tiny chocolate-covered almond ice cream tidbit. Yeah, I’d recommend them. They are too small to create any guilt or hard feelings so go for it!

Thank you Lord for sharing your goodness with me today. I needed the encouragement to keep me going when the times are tough. Even if it doesn’t last long, I will trust in You. You knew just what I needed today. Smiles all around and happy feet too . . .

Then I Saw Her Face

Published on April 21, 2013April 21, 2013 by Jesus is for the WoundedLeave a comment

“Then I saw her face. Now I’m a believer. Not a trace . . . of doubt in my mind.”

If I followed the lyrics to this song by the Monkees, it would lead to a love song. For me, these words do not communicate “love” today. They communicate understanding.

It began with violent twitching of her limbs, marked by cramping that pulled her right hand into a claw. No matter how she tried, she writhed but could not get the fingers to straighten or get the twitching to stop. She waited, apologized for delaying our medical appointment, and her symptoms did not change. Somehow the involuntary movement pattern eventually broke enough to begin the special testing protocol for me and for which she was trained. It is her job to help others with chronic illness but now she is in need as well.

Pain created postural rigidity that was visible as marked stiffness as I sat near her. The degeneration of her spine escalated the pain that was already present that day. Words of encouragement only encouraged me as I stayed with her and as the episode unfolded into new symptoms. Administering the testing procedures which required operating a computer and test equipment were impossible; she could not hold the probe or operate the keyboard accurately. She wanted to help me, to proceed, and could not. She leaned up against the wall as she offered to talk about my health concerns. Perhaps we could turn the visit into a consultation of sorts? She had tremendous knowledge to share from her expertise in electodiagnostic testing, alternative health research, and recent work with a masterful local physician. Together they had helped many improve their lives. That same doctor had encouraged me to return for testing. It simply was not to be today.

I asked her a few questions and appreciated the information that just might give me as much insight into the next steps of my own health challenges as the testing might have done. O.k. So we were both getting somewhere for a moment. Perhaps she could rescue the appointment that is her vocation and livelihood and I could go forward with new insights into my treatment plan? Nope. Not meant to be. Within moments, she was unable to speak, straining for words. Attempting to speak or move, worsened the lock down on her ability to function. The internal tics were visible to me sitting near her. There was nothing else to do but pray. So calling upon the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I prayed for her, for me, for all who deal with chronic illness. Her symptoms softened. But the damage was done. It would take her hours to recover. Our visit was over. Into my truck she hobbled, and into her house she limped. The office staff would graciously drive her car home sometime later. The appointment and her day were now over.

This is another face of Lyme Disease, multiple autoimmune disease, chronic inflammatory response syndrome, chronic pain, and the consequence of living in a fallen world. Some of us have an easier time as we journey through life and some of us do not. All of us will suffer loss, some type of emotional or physical pain, and unwelcome changes during our lifetime. I have come to know that how we handle it may not be determined by the extent of the trauma. Oh it seems insurmountable a the time. How we handle it can be determined by the extent of our faith in a plan and purpose for our lives that transforms our life experience.

Even episodes as severe as the one I describe here can be transformed into grace when we understand that our lives are not about comfort, good stuff, fleeting happiness. It takes what it takes to turn our eyes back to the One Who made us and understands what is going on when our lives, when our world make absolutely no sense to us. And He will not allow frustration forever or unmercifully. In His Word, He promises that all can be used for His glory. In time and in the end, we will see that our suffering is not wasted . . . The path to this type of faith and understanding comes from seeking Him through His word and not this blog. Or any blog. Go to His Word, my friend and there you will find rest!

I have great compassion for this dear child of God and the experience that I witnessed on Friday. I have experienced much of the same symptoms in my own seizure attacks. Gratefully I don’t have the same type of cramping or mixed motor control issues. I am able to recover enough after an episode to drive home if needed and to care for my basic needs. The episodes come most days for me yet are generally of shorter duration than before my husband and I remediated our home for mold. Further, the Lord has provided the time, a loving husband, and just enough finances for this season of my life. My dear friend struggles more than I in these realms. I pray that she will seek her Heavenly Husband who will exceedingly provide for her too through Christ Jesus. In Christ, we both will ultimately find peace and hope.

Yes, on Friday I did not only see her face but the face of my Lord Jesus. In His face we will find all for which we long. What will you see?