Strange and Wonderul Things.

Here's a photo my friend sent me of a big scary spider. He was out in the desert looking for snakes and snapped this Tarantula. He looks for snakes that stray out on to the highway and removes them. I never knew that a snake will assume a striking pose when a car drives by and instead of scurrying away, ends up getting hit.

The lower photo is one I took last night as the sun was going down over the new sign at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. The old sign, which arched out over the street, fell off during a big storm a couple of years ago. It must have had a serious design flaw as it sheared off the wall in a perfectly smooth slice . Thank goodness nobody was around when it happened . The sign was so big and heavy, they had to leave it lying at the curb for a few days to wait for a crane to come remove it.

The only problem with this new sign, is when you walk down the street on the opposite side, it spells out HDA

Anyway, I went to the Art Crawl on James Street and was on my way home when I took that picture . The Art Crawl is a chance to see all the local artists and their work, sample some nibbles, hard and soft drinks, and wander around. There are also street musicians and other entertainment. James Street is one of those down and out derelict places that attracts starving artists. The city wants to open an art centre there. I just hope it doesn't go the way of other gentrified places and become too cool ( read expensive).


It was nice to be able to go out on a Friday evening, instead of my usual ,flopping on the couch from exhaustion after a day in the office. Guess the tele -work is having a positive effect.
Hmmmm ? (employers take note)

I don't get people who check out blogs, but keep their blog private. What are you trying to hide ?
Come on and join us, the water is fine.

What Is Worse Than A Winter Cold?

ANSWER

A Summer Cold!


It has been years since I had a cold, I guess it is a cold. It could be allergies or sinusitis. Any who, whichever it is, its time to take it to the doctor. Over the counter meds are not doing squat.

I can’t breath out of one of nostrils, the other nostril is working at 75%, my throat is itching, my ears are ringing, coughing, one minute I am cold, the next I am hot, but most of all...

I CANNOT SLEEP. When I lay down, I have to get back up because what will not come out my nose is choking me.

Hubby think I should go see my doctor ASAP…of Dr. BlindersOff think she can wait until her physical appointment Tuesday.

My Condolences

Words are not enough to comfort a mother when a child dies.

This MS candle burns for you Sherry. My prayers and thoughts are with you. May you find the strength to carry on.

MS Support ?!

So if you have MS the only answer is drugs ? I'm so sick of websites and blogs were that seems to be the only recommended solution . Stop pushing drugs .
Before you recommend a drug I think you should have proof, real proof, that it works. You should also be more up front about the side effects.
I'm not convinced that many of the drugs work and I'm sick of non professionals and Heck! even the professionals, hawking the latest treatment miracle MS drug. From what I read and what I see, we all end up at the same dead end street . We can slow that mother down, but MS bites us in the ass anyway. On top of that do we really need bummed out livers and diabetes from years of taking treatments ?

Yeah I'm in a foul mood . What people with MS really need is support. They need good care and they need proper living alternatives. They need to feel that they have options besides pills and needles !!!! They need respect and to be able to live with dignity !

I'm moving on with the next phase of my medical accommodation Things are going fine at work with the at home arrangement. Now my battle is to acquire medical information that has been withheld from me and yet has been used against me. May have to seek legal counsel . I'm not getting any answers to my questions . It is so frustrating and maddening to find out that this crazy process I've had to endure for almost two years, was completely unnecessary . I'm disgusted that so called professionals can be so incompetent . How they simply don't care that they have messed up the life of an individual that is not feeling good (actually pretty crappy).
I am sick to death of all these amateur psychiatrists and wanna be counselors. Maybe the need is to help yourself dummies, and leave me alone, because my head is just fine . Yeah I'm crazy but at least I know it and I don't go around trying to "fix" other people because my life is so empty and I'm so needy.

My vengeful side wants to curse them with every plague and have them need help, only to be spurned. My more rational side wants to try do something, so that some other poor sucker doesn't have to go through what I have been through.

Vitamin D Deficiency

I finally had my Vitamin D level checked and to my surprise, I am severely deficient in Vitamin D. The reference range for Vitamin D in the body is 32 – 100. Hell, my range was a 9, I was damn near depleted of Vitamin D.

A cousin of mine who is in the health nutrition industry brought the importance of Vitamin D in our system and the importance of African Americans to have their level check to my attention about a year ago. The reason being African Americans do not absorb the sun natural resource of vitamin D. She also mentioned, a lot of the pain I experience could not only be from multiple sclerosis, but also from the lack of Vitamin D.

My MS rollercoaster has been taking me for a ride. It was time to find out if there was something to this Vitamin D after reading about it. I did not have nothing to lose if I had to take another pill and if taking pills for Vitamin would help my cause living life with MS. I was all for it.

When my results came in, my doctor immediately but me on 50,000 ui of vitamin D a week, I thought I was going to have to take a handful of pills to get that much vitamin D a week. Fortunately, our good ole pharmaceutical companies make a 50,000 capsule and I take one a week.

It has been four weeks now and I have to admit I feel a lot better. I am experiencing moderate instead of severe pain now. That severe anxiety I experienced that damn near drove me insane has disappeared. Cymbalta helps, but I notice a tremendous difference since I have been taking vitamin D.

Although it is wise for African Americans to get their Vitamin D checked, I would suggest everyone who have health problems to have their Vitamin D checked. The medical community is doing more research about the harm of having a vitamin D deficiency. Instead of trying to blog about the different ways a lack of vitamin D can effect your life…check it out in your spare time on the provided links below.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin D and Mental Illness

Why Vitamin D May Be A Hidden Epidemic

Vitamin D May Prevent Multiple Sclerosis

The Latest Addiction

Here's a couple of shots of Dundurn Castle, were I went walking yesterday afternoon and a view of the other side of the harbour.

Came home exhausted from that walk . I thought I would lie on the couch for a little while and rest. Ended up spending the night there in my clothes, my slippers on, unwashed, teeth not brushed. Seriously, I couldn't get up to go to bed. In the morning I was totally disgusted with myself. I crawled up to the bathroom and had a long shower. After breakfast and a cup of tea I felt much better. This evening I had a shorter walk but still came home feeling wilted. Crashed out on the couch, yet manged to get up at least this time and enjoy the evening . I'm a little worried that the walks leave me so sore and tired.

My son bought me The Sims 3, another addiction. I now have too many goofing off distractions to tempt me.

Walking Blues

Here's a few shots of the Rail Trail in Ancaster. I found another pet rock there !
Had a bad time and had to give up walking, plus it was cold out ! Everything was hurting on me so I took the bus home. Thought I wasn't going to make it, I felt so awful. Decided to chug down an energy drink which normally I only drink when I'm at work. That helped settle my stomach and got me home. Ahh, home sweet home. Felt so good to be back. Made myself some tea , had a snack and a couple of pain killers. I rallied in the evening and ended up baking a lemon meringue pie. I think that's it now for baking until the fall except for shortcake when the strawberries are in season That should be in a couple of weeks.

Things are working out pretty good working at home . Just need to get settled into a routine and then the next step will be to get my after work life sorted out. Oh!there are so many things that need to get done on my long, long, list.

I'm really feeling crappy, so I think I'll finish this and go have a shower