Jumat, 09 Mei 2008

SWEET


The following email was sent to me by a friend...

In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick. She had stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain.

By March 2002, she had undergone seve ral tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications. The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her. She was in so much pain, and so sick, she just knew she was dying. She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter's name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of.

She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd.

On March 19, I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn't find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.

I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment.

I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda!


I e-mailed her the article my friend, a lawyer, had sent.

My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle spasms went away. She said she didn't feel 100% but she sure felt a lot better. She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home.

Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind.

In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet soda...and literally dying a slow and miserable death.

When she got to Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article saved her life.

If it says 'SUGAR FREE' on the l abel; DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!

I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on 'ASPARTAME,' marketed as 'NutraSweet,' 'Equal,' and 'Spoonful.'

In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant.

I stood up and said that I wa s there to lecture on exactly that subject.

I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. Many people were be being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!

Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. The victim usually does not
know th at the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition.
We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas.

In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We've seen many cases where vision loss returned and hearing loss improved markedly.

This also applies to cases of trinities and firma.

During a lecture, I said, 'If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!'

People were jumping up during the lecture saying, 'I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?'

Yes! Yes! Yes! STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on food labels! Many products are fortified with it! This is a serious problem.
Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice, a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence!

Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates. It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!
These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve 'tissue specimens.' Many products we use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our body!

Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the 'diet products' and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period.

Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics.
We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame.
The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for a good balance.

Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, the Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage, seizures, depression, manic depression, panic attacks, uncontrollable anger and rage.

Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as well.

Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turn arounds in their behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet. So called 'behavior modification prescription drugs' (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place! Most of these children were being 'poisoned' on a daily basis with the very foods that were 'better for them than sugar.'

It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome.

Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy.

Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners. There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.'

Herein lies the problem:

There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included 100 different products and strong objection was made co ncerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.

Sadly, MONSANTO'S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED!

There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a 'piece of the Aspartame pie.' I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is.

And isn't it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physician s?

This has been recently exposed in the New York Times.

These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products.

Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants. The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms.
The bill was killed.

It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you're Informed now!

YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!


I replied to my friend saying "Thanks for the email...it would have been GOOD NEWS if I was a person who consumed artificial sweeteners, but I am not. I do not like anything that is remotely DIET, you would never find me drinking a diet soda or eating anything with artificial sweetener. I tried artificial sweetener when it first hit the market and I DID NOT LIKE the TASTE."


However, I did find it interesting and GOOGLE Aspartame, here is one. If you comsume artificial sweeteners...this is probably something you want to investigate a little further.

Rabu, 07 Mei 2008

I Had A Wonderful Day Visiting


It felt good to get out of my blog house and go visit others who live with multiple sclerosis. I had not visit as much lately because I was wrapped up in my own world. Getting out help me in the frame of mind I was drifting into and I want to THANK the people who blog about living with Multiple Sclerosis.

I start blogging about living with MS to help me with my cognitive mainly, talk about my experience living with MS, talk about my family, or whatever else is on my mind. My diary is read publicly and it will be around for eternity. Maybe one day what I talk about will be helpful to someone after reading what I post my blog or maybe not. My family read my blog, but they never leave a comment, they talk to me about something I had post privately. Sometimes it is better for me to talk on my blog than to talk to them. I sometimes feel like a burden and that is the last thing I want to be. It is hard being the strong person all your life to others. They do not have a clue how living with multiple sclerosis can break you down mentally, but I always have to show strength.


I do not know what I am going to do when/if the day comes when I have to be depended on someone; oops, I am getting off track…




Today, was not a good day for me mentally and instead of getting sh*t off my mind and hiding from the world, I left my blog house and went visiting some MS friends. I want them to know visiting with them today brought my smile back, a smile that has been slowly vanishing the last several days. I do no go to a support group, but today I realized MS Bloggers are my support group. THANK YOU!

They Don't Have To Worry Anymore


My husband was not the only person in my family strongly against my decision to take Tysabri as my new treatment to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis, my entire family was against it. They should all be very happy campers when I tell them I will not be taking Tysabri. The decision to take Tysabri as my new treatment was taken away from me after my third doctor visit of the month of May.

Since I had taken methotrexate (chemo) as a treatment for my MS, my white blood cells have not returned to normal. Methotrexate also went toxic in my body after being on it for six months. At my doctor appointment Tuesday, I received the results of the Complete Blood Count; my CBC count revealed that my white blood cells are still low. They are higher than what they were when I was taken off methotrexate, but they are too low to take Tysabri. To the point, without adequate protection from these disease-fighting cells, viruses and bacteria suddenly become much more serious threats.

Although I have been feeling better since I had my last experience, that feeling is slowly disappearing. I am trying very hard not to get down about my present circumstances. The adversary is busy, I am feeling alone and I know I am not alone…I have to and I will fight what this is I am feeling right now…there is no need to worry TM… I will pull myself out of this rut soon.

Emotionally I have prepared myself to take Tysabri well aware of the possible danger. I am aware of the chemotherapy drugs that some MS’ers can take, but I been down that road and I cannot travel it again. I have to prepare myself mentally that I will be injecting myself with a needle again. I am experiencing an emotional rollercoaster that is leaning towards a tunnel of depression. I am not in that tunnel yet, but I feel myself drifting there…tick tock, tick tock, a tick a tick a tick a clock :(

Loosing Your Grip Can Be Painful



I noticed a week ago when I was washing dishes that my right hand could not hold a grip...it came and went through out that day. I thought it was in my head and pushed it out of my mind. It was wishful thinking… the reality of my right hand loosing its gripping motion became a reality in the worse way.

I was curling my hair Monday night because I had an early morning doctor’s appointment. I was wearing one of my thin nightgowns with a plunging neckline and spaghetti straps. Yes, I believe in going to bed looking and feeling sexy. Looking and feeling sexy went out the window when I lost my grip on the curling irons, I could not move fast enough; the hot irons hit me on my chest near my right under arm.

I immediately felt the pain and burning, I did not see a mark by the time I went to bed so I thought I had escaped being burnt. It was a job to finish curling my hair, but to keep from being hit with the curling irons incase I lost my grip again, I put on a robe to cover my expose skin. I woke up the next morning and saw that I was SCARRED; I went to my scheduled doctor appointment. I had to reveal that I lost my gripping motion AGAIN and I showed her my scar, she revealed to me that my scar was a second-degree burn. I also got that pitiful look from her; I hate that look. To me that look is telling you sh*t is changing for you.

Minggu, 04 Mei 2008

">

F@CK THAT!


My second appointment from my numerous appointments during the first week of May was to my neurologist. I went in to start the process to take Tysabri as my new treatment to slow the progression of multiple sclerosis. I must admit, I was becoming apprehensive again after reading the paper work I had to sign. I did not feel too comfortable knowing I had to enroll in a special program called the TOUCH Prescribing Program and the company will collect information about my health at regular periods.

I continued the process because at this point I did not care because all I cared about at the time was not being injected with a needle everyday. I knew the risk of taking Tysabri and I explained it to my husband. I thought he understood the risk I was taking when I told him I was going to choose Tysabri as my next treatment. He finally read the Tysabri Patient Medication Guide I brought home from my appointment early this morning and after reading the following:

> TYSABRI increases your chance of getting a rare brain infection that causes death or severe disability. This infection is called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). PML usually happens in people with weakened immune systems.

> No one can predict who will get PML.

> There is no known treatment, prevention, or cure for PML.

> Your chance of getting PML may be higher if you are also being treated with other medicines that can weaken your immune system, including other MS treatments.

> Even if you use TYSABRI alone to treat your MS, it is not known if your chance of getting PML will be lower. It is also no known if treatment for a long period of time with TYSABRI can increase your chance of getting PML.

> TYSABRI is available only through a restricted distribution program called the TOUCH Prescribing Program. In order to receive TYSABRI, you must talk to your doctor and understand the benefits and risk of TYSABRI and agree to all of the instructions in the TOUCH Prescribing Program.

> If you take Tysabri, it is important that you call your doctor right away if you get any new or worsening medical problems (such as a new or sudden change in your thinking, eyesight, balance, or strength or other problems) that have lasted over several days. Tell all of your doctors that you are getting treatment with Tysabri.

Also, see "What are the possible side effects with TYSABRI?" for other serious side effects with TYSABRI.

My husband immediate response was, "F@CK THAT! I am NOT with this...This should not be on the market from what I just read. You would be nothing but a guinea pig and I am not with this."

I replied, "I thought you understood me taking TYSABRI would be risky because I DID NOT want to inject myself anymore and TYSABRI was a once a month infusion."

Husband, "I am still not with this and you are not living alone with MS. I am living with it everyday too. I don't want you taking this, is there something else."

Me, "There are two other treatments I can take, but they are injections and I am shell shock over taking injections".

Husband, "Well...I told you how I feel."

I am not alone living with MS and I must consider how my husband feels about the treatments I take to slow the progression of MS. If I continue the process to take TYSABRI and go for my first infusion I would be putting unnecessary stress on my husband. I did put my fear away about TYSABRI, but TYSABRI is not worth taking if it will worry my husband the entire time I am on it. My love, respect, and devotion to my husband is more important to me than to take a treatment that is riskier than the other two treatments available. If I was able to get over the fear of PML, I can get over my fear of injecting myself again. I will be calling my neurologist Monday to stop the insurance process for TYSABRI and let her decide which injectable treatment she recommend I take between Betaseron and Rebif.

***UPDATE***

After writing this post saying, I will call my doctor Monday to stop the procedure for insurance approval. I decided not to do that because I have come to terms with finding out how Tysabri works for me. If I personally do not think, it is for me after four infusions I plan to discontinue Tysabri as my DMD. I respect my husband opinion, but every medication we put into our body have some sort of side effects. None of us knows what the future holds.

Kamis, 01 Mei 2008

The Intimidator



I was fortunate to have been born with perfect straight teeth. Over the years, every Dentist I had always complimented me on my perfect teeth. Going to the Dentist office never intimidated me until 2002. Yes, you guessed it, I had not one but three cavities, I was so scared to get my cavity filled I must have cancelled my appointment ten times before I actually went in to have it fill. My Dentist had to prescribe me a couple of Valiums to take before my appointment. My first doctor appointment out of all the doctor appointments I have the next several days was the Dentist for a cleaning. About two weeks ago, I was on a milk duds binge and one day the soft chocolate caramel stuck onto the side of my upper back tooth. Pain start radiating from that tooth and I thought to myself, “$&*%, I must have a cavity”. I immediately had a post-traumatic stress moment back to 2002.

Like a little kid, I was wishing it away and I start eating on the other side of my mouth. Well, come to find out I DID NOT have a cavity. Because of AGE, my teeth are more sensitivity and in the tooth where I had the pain the root is expose. I asked, “What do you mean my root is exposed”. She gave me a name for, but my memory is not worth a dime if I do not write it down. She also said, “You know it comes with age”. Age is the excuse for a lot when your body changes, it was bad enough when Age cause my nice round butt to go south. Then caused me to go from wearing single lenses to a very low bifocal lenses. Well, the good news is I do not have a cavity, I can possibly correct my expose root, and sensitive teeth by changing my toothpaste brand.

My Dentist gave me a sample of Sensodyne and recommended I start using it over the brand I have been using for years.Sensodyne coax the minerals in your saliva to crystallize and cover the pores in your exposed roots so that cold stimuli cannot reach the tooth nerve. I should be complaining that I now have to pay $5.69 for a tube of Sensodyne, but t beats not having to have a cavity fill.

Overall the first of many doctors’ appointments went well :)