I am sure most of you have heard of an ENT (ear, nose and throat)doctor. These doc's specialize in issues dealing with said parts of our bodies. What I didn't realize is that these doctor's can specialize even further in this field. Case in point. Last week I went to the mainland to see a specialist, his specialty was dealing with medical issues of the larynx.
It's a long story which I will try and make short. It all started last year when I was at work and the cleaning staff at the hospital were using a cleaning agent which caused me to almost immediately lose my voice. I ended up in ER and had to be given a variety of medications. The ER doctor told me I had Reactive airway. By the next day I could barely speak...and when I did speak it was only a whisper.
Since that time I have suffered intermittent episodes of hoarse voice, cough(mostly at night which I thought was related to my asthma or allergies), constant clearing of my throat, a sore throat and a feeling that there is something in the back of my throat. When I went to see the specialist last week he asked me a ton of questions and performed an examination with a scope and took lots of pictures. After the examination he told me that my vocal cords were slightly inflamed but that my larynx was severely inflamed and that it had most probably been like that for sometime. He told me that the symptoms I was experiencing was a result of
laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPR). Who would have known....not me of course. All this time I thought I was just experiencing bad allergies and that my asthma was acting up causing me to cough and hence lose my voice and get a sore throat. I asked him if there was anything I could do to repair this and the first thing he said was that I needed to be put on a medication that would help decrease the gastric secretions which was causing my larynx to become inflamed. I told him that only once had I experience any heartburn and that was only recently. He said with LPR you don't feel the heartburn but rather you have the symptoms as I listed above. Very interesting I thought.
I belong to website called badgut. It's focus is gastrointestinal disorders. Today's topic was GERD(gastroesophgeal reflux disease). Needless to say my curiosity was piqued and so I checked it out Yes this specialist was indeed correct.
What I don't understand is why when back in the fall of 2009 when I went to go see an ENT doctor why he didn't see or say anything, especially seeing as he scoped me as well. Things that make you go hmmmmm.
Anyhow, I have now started on the medication and I really hope this helps settle things down for me.
I'd like to make this my public service announcement. If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms I have, please check out this web site badgut.org there you will all the information you would like on GERD and LPR. Don't stay in the dark. Information is power. If you find you have similar symptoms as mentioned in information might I suggest you go see your family physician and talk about it.
I have given you a condensed version on all what has gone on with me, so please don't use my explanation of things, check it out for yourself.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Something to Ponder
A very good blogging friend of mine sent me a link the other day on Facebook. She said she thought I would enjoy the photos as she says she thought of me and how I love to post photos of my surroundings and places I have been, which I do. Attached to the photos were religious quotes and excerpts from the bible. As I said I enjoyed the photos but I found the religious attachment to them a little hard to grasps and distracted me from the flashcard presentation.
I questioned myself as to why I should feel that way and many thoughts entered my head but I think the prominent one was that I felt religion was being pushed on me. Why couldn't I have just viewed those photos with some wonderful classical music playing in the background. Why did the author have to attach religion to the presentation....I guess of course that was her intent. The author must feel strongly enough about her faith that she wants to share it. And you know what...that is ok, it's just not for me.
I wrote my friend and thanked her for sending me the link and gave her my views after I had viewed it. Confession time here....I didn't watch them all, actually I only watched one....and that was enough for me...it was to religious for me. Did you notice how I used the word "confession". That is my catholic conscience for you...."guilt'. Catholicism is built on guilt.
I was raised in a staunch catholic household. I went to catholic school my whole life, I went to church every Sunday and during Christmas week and Easter week it was more frequent. There were things about my faith that I strongly believed. Primarily that there is a force much greater than ourselves out there. As a child I believed in the Virgin Mary, the Holy trinity and that Jesus was God and that he died on the cross to save our souls, well I believed it to a point. And then I read the bible, and that changed everything for me.
When I was in elementary school I can remember getting kicked out of class because I challenged my teacher who was a nun about Adam and Eve and asked her why we couldn't believe in Darwin's theory of the evolution of man. Yes, I did ask that....and you can thank the National Geographic for that one.
In school we never studied the bible. Yes we read excerpts from the bible. Every Sunday at mass the priest would read the Gospel According to one of the Apostle's...and of course there were two other readings that took place. After the priest read the gospel we sat down and listened to him for 20 to 30 mins go on about something that was suppose to be related to the readings that day...most of the time I didn't understand....most of the time I fidgeted in my seat, or fell asleep.
That was how it was for many years, I blindly believed or well thought I believed. I believed because that was all I knew...that was the faith of my parents and the environment in which I was raised. It wasn't until I went to high school and I had the most amazing Religion teacher. She actually talked about religion in terms that we as teenagers could understand. She introduced us to Buddhism, Muslim, Judaism and Protestant faiths. I was intrigued. I think I enjoyed learning about Buddhism the most, it seemed to fit my philosophy more...not that I realized thought that I had any philosophy when it came to religion. The last confession I went to was when I was in Grade 12 and we had to go to confession before we could go to our Graduation mass.
I rarely went to church after graduation and yet when my daughters were born I had them all baptised in the catholic faith. Looking back again I think it was a guilt thing again....I was taught that a baby was born with original sin....yes a baby was born with sin....and they had to be baptised to relieve them of this sin and if they weren't baptised and died then their souls would go to purgatory and would stay there until someone said enough Hail Mary's and Our Father's to set the poor little souls free and send them to Heaven. Now how awful is that, and yet as I said I had my daughters all baptised and for some reason I believed.
I have long put my birth faith behind me, but I still believe I am a christian. I still believe in the goodness of man, I still believe that we must not harm each other, that we need to have more patience and tolerance for others differences. We must learn to debate and dialogue without judgement but rather to get a clearer understanding of the person and their position.
So I would like to close this post with some of the photos that I have taken over the summer. These photos make me know there is something greater than I, and every day I give thanks for the opportunity for being able to enjoy all that I have been given!
I am but a simple flower, spreading my arms to reach out and grasp the sun and it's warmth to help make me grow and to be strong and to flourish.
I questioned myself as to why I should feel that way and many thoughts entered my head but I think the prominent one was that I felt religion was being pushed on me. Why couldn't I have just viewed those photos with some wonderful classical music playing in the background. Why did the author have to attach religion to the presentation....I guess of course that was her intent. The author must feel strongly enough about her faith that she wants to share it. And you know what...that is ok, it's just not for me.
I wrote my friend and thanked her for sending me the link and gave her my views after I had viewed it. Confession time here....I didn't watch them all, actually I only watched one....and that was enough for me...it was to religious for me. Did you notice how I used the word "confession". That is my catholic conscience for you...."guilt'. Catholicism is built on guilt.
I was raised in a staunch catholic household. I went to catholic school my whole life, I went to church every Sunday and during Christmas week and Easter week it was more frequent. There were things about my faith that I strongly believed. Primarily that there is a force much greater than ourselves out there. As a child I believed in the Virgin Mary, the Holy trinity and that Jesus was God and that he died on the cross to save our souls, well I believed it to a point. And then I read the bible, and that changed everything for me.
When I was in elementary school I can remember getting kicked out of class because I challenged my teacher who was a nun about Adam and Eve and asked her why we couldn't believe in Darwin's theory of the evolution of man. Yes, I did ask that....and you can thank the National Geographic for that one.
In school we never studied the bible. Yes we read excerpts from the bible. Every Sunday at mass the priest would read the Gospel According to one of the Apostle's...and of course there were two other readings that took place. After the priest read the gospel we sat down and listened to him for 20 to 30 mins go on about something that was suppose to be related to the readings that day...most of the time I didn't understand....most of the time I fidgeted in my seat, or fell asleep.
That was how it was for many years, I blindly believed or well thought I believed. I believed because that was all I knew...that was the faith of my parents and the environment in which I was raised. It wasn't until I went to high school and I had the most amazing Religion teacher. She actually talked about religion in terms that we as teenagers could understand. She introduced us to Buddhism, Muslim, Judaism and Protestant faiths. I was intrigued. I think I enjoyed learning about Buddhism the most, it seemed to fit my philosophy more...not that I realized thought that I had any philosophy when it came to religion. The last confession I went to was when I was in Grade 12 and we had to go to confession before we could go to our Graduation mass.
I rarely went to church after graduation and yet when my daughters were born I had them all baptised in the catholic faith. Looking back again I think it was a guilt thing again....I was taught that a baby was born with original sin....yes a baby was born with sin....and they had to be baptised to relieve them of this sin and if they weren't baptised and died then their souls would go to purgatory and would stay there until someone said enough Hail Mary's and Our Father's to set the poor little souls free and send them to Heaven. Now how awful is that, and yet as I said I had my daughters all baptised and for some reason I believed.
I have long put my birth faith behind me, but I still believe I am a christian. I still believe in the goodness of man, I still believe that we must not harm each other, that we need to have more patience and tolerance for others differences. We must learn to debate and dialogue without judgement but rather to get a clearer understanding of the person and their position.
So I would like to close this post with some of the photos that I have taken over the summer. These photos make me know there is something greater than I, and every day I give thanks for the opportunity for being able to enjoy all that I have been given!
The power,drama, and elegance of the mighty ocean
The ruggedness of the coastline
Some creative and strong resourceful individual managed to carry this couch to the rock, so they could sit and enjoy all the beauty that lay before them....
and nature can still grow and flourish on the craggy slopes and shores
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Reunion
The baby is due in 10 days. Actually, baby will be born on November 25th. And how do I know this....well a planned C-section might explain that, not only that but we know they will be having a little girl.....modern technology is something isn't it.
After 10 years. finally my hubby and his daughter reconnect. It's a long story, one I might share one day. Regardless of the reasons for the separation they are now reunited.
Back in the spring she made contact with her father. She wrote him on facebook saying she was going to be out our way in June and she would like to come see him and introduce him to her husband.
Needless to say my hubby was a little taken aback, but excited all the same. They sent emails back and forth, and the planning and preparations began.
There were huge jobs which needed to be done between the spring and her visit in June. We had already decided to get our roof replaced so we got that project going, then it was the building of a new deck. Now that was a project. In order to help defray the cost hubby helped with construction of the deck and we paid for most of our own supplies. I had the great privilege of digging holes for the foundations and shoveling and spreading of the gravel. It was a lot of work but so worth it in the end.
Of course we had to wait for the finer weather to begin the deck project. Well wouldn't you know it, it was the beginning of June by the time we got started. His daughter's visit was the 2nd week of June. One would think that building the deck would suffice, but no, my hubby rented a backhoe and started pulling up old shrubs, more dirt and moved land from one spot to another. As you can imagine one project just led to another.
A day and half before her visit I decide to do something really stupid. I was clearing up the deck area of lumber and nails. I was getting rid of the old boards, when wouldn't you know it I stepped on a nail. I remember it as if it was going it in slow motion. I saw the nail and yet my foot still kept going towards it....I knew it wasn't good when I felt it go through my runner. I quickly pulled off my shoe and sure enough I was bleeding. Hubby went and got the peroxide and we cleaned my foot well. Or though we thought. That evening when I went to bed my foot was hurting but I didn't think it was that bad. In the middle of the night I woke up with the most excruciating pain in my foot. It hurt for the sheet to even touch my foot. I attempted to get out of bed and go downstairs. No such luck. I couldnt' even step on my foot, I couldn't hop as that made it hurt as well. So down on my hands and knees I go. I make my way to our staircase and get onto my bum and get myself down the stairs step by step, bump by bump. Hubby has fallen asleep with the TV blaring I try to get his attention...but there was no waking him. So once again I got onto my knees....now this is a time I wouldn't recommend slate flooring...it's really hard on your knees. Anyhow, I make my way to the living room where he is sleeping, somehow I manage to wake him. He helps me up and I explain what is happening.
Bless his heart he went to the kitchen to make me a bread poultice and then with a tensor bandage wrapped it around my foot. By this time my foot is swollen, I elevate it on a few pillows. I take a couple of Tylenol and eventually I am able to fall asleep with my leg up high as I lay on the couch.
The next morning it still hurts. So on with another bread poultice. Yes I know what you are going to say or ask....was my tetanus up to date....well that thought had entered my head but I had no idea. I watched for any signs of poisoning...but I thought I was home free. I didn' have time to spend in the ER I had a reunion party to plan for. Hubbies daughter was going to be here and there was still so much for me to do.
Well I hobbled around and somehow managed to get things organized. The big day arrives and let me tell you when she got out of her car and gave her dad a hug...there wasn't a dry eye in the house! As she hugged him she whispered in his ear "Hi Grandpa!" Yes she had come all that way to tell him in person that he was going to be a grandpa. Oh what a double bonus.
We spent a couple of wonderful days with them before they had to go back to the mainland to go see her husbands family.
So as I started my post out...in 10 days we will be blessed with little sweet Paetyn! Our first grandchild.
Hubby and I, daughter and her husband, grandma and grandpa(oops soon to be great-grandparents)!
After 10 years. finally my hubby and his daughter reconnect. It's a long story, one I might share one day. Regardless of the reasons for the separation they are now reunited.
Back in the spring she made contact with her father. She wrote him on facebook saying she was going to be out our way in June and she would like to come see him and introduce him to her husband.
Needless to say my hubby was a little taken aback, but excited all the same. They sent emails back and forth, and the planning and preparations began.
There were huge jobs which needed to be done between the spring and her visit in June. We had already decided to get our roof replaced so we got that project going, then it was the building of a new deck. Now that was a project. In order to help defray the cost hubby helped with construction of the deck and we paid for most of our own supplies. I had the great privilege of digging holes for the foundations and shoveling and spreading of the gravel. It was a lot of work but so worth it in the end.
Of course we had to wait for the finer weather to begin the deck project. Well wouldn't you know it, it was the beginning of June by the time we got started. His daughter's visit was the 2nd week of June. One would think that building the deck would suffice, but no, my hubby rented a backhoe and started pulling up old shrubs, more dirt and moved land from one spot to another. As you can imagine one project just led to another.
A day and half before her visit I decide to do something really stupid. I was clearing up the deck area of lumber and nails. I was getting rid of the old boards, when wouldn't you know it I stepped on a nail. I remember it as if it was going it in slow motion. I saw the nail and yet my foot still kept going towards it....I knew it wasn't good when I felt it go through my runner. I quickly pulled off my shoe and sure enough I was bleeding. Hubby went and got the peroxide and we cleaned my foot well. Or though we thought. That evening when I went to bed my foot was hurting but I didn't think it was that bad. In the middle of the night I woke up with the most excruciating pain in my foot. It hurt for the sheet to even touch my foot. I attempted to get out of bed and go downstairs. No such luck. I couldnt' even step on my foot, I couldn't hop as that made it hurt as well. So down on my hands and knees I go. I make my way to our staircase and get onto my bum and get myself down the stairs step by step, bump by bump. Hubby has fallen asleep with the TV blaring I try to get his attention...but there was no waking him. So once again I got onto my knees....now this is a time I wouldn't recommend slate flooring...it's really hard on your knees. Anyhow, I make my way to the living room where he is sleeping, somehow I manage to wake him. He helps me up and I explain what is happening.
Bless his heart he went to the kitchen to make me a bread poultice and then with a tensor bandage wrapped it around my foot. By this time my foot is swollen, I elevate it on a few pillows. I take a couple of Tylenol and eventually I am able to fall asleep with my leg up high as I lay on the couch.
The next morning it still hurts. So on with another bread poultice. Yes I know what you are going to say or ask....was my tetanus up to date....well that thought had entered my head but I had no idea. I watched for any signs of poisoning...but I thought I was home free. I didn' have time to spend in the ER I had a reunion party to plan for. Hubbies daughter was going to be here and there was still so much for me to do.
Well I hobbled around and somehow managed to get things organized. The big day arrives and let me tell you when she got out of her car and gave her dad a hug...there wasn't a dry eye in the house! As she hugged him she whispered in his ear "Hi Grandpa!" Yes she had come all that way to tell him in person that he was going to be a grandpa. Oh what a double bonus.
We spent a couple of wonderful days with them before they had to go back to the mainland to go see her husbands family.
So as I started my post out...in 10 days we will be blessed with little sweet Paetyn! Our first grandchild.
The new deck it's about 540 sq.ft
The embrace!
Father, daughter and son-in-law
Hubby and I, daughter and her husband, grandma and grandpa(oops soon to be great-grandparents)!
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Saturday Photo Hunt
This weeks theme is "Alive"
There are so many things to be thankful for that make you feel "Alive" The other morning my husband and I were driving north and the sun was rising behind us. It was a glorious morning something I felt so thankful for being able to witness such beauty, it made me feel thankful to be "Alive"
If you would like to join in on the fun please check out http://tnchick.com/ for all the fun.
Happy Hunting all!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
A Love Story......
They met in their senior year in high school. It was almost love at first sight. Something told them it was more than just a friendship. Graduation came, and they were a couple, they couldn't imagine life getting any better.
Life changed quickly for them. He got transferred to the far north, she still wanted to start nursing school but nature was taking it's tole on her body. A baby was soon on it's way. While their friends were all out partying and doing what it is the average 18 year old does they were living the life of our parents. Their days were full of how they would pay bills, the rent and the extra mouth to feed was what in store for the two of them. However, they ventured forward.
The baby came one warm summer morning. Although they were struggling, life was looking good and the future bright. Unfortunately, things took a turn, and life threw them a curve ball. The bills started to pile up the electrical company took no mercy and cut off their heat. They did their best to put on a cheerful face and faced the storm that life as a young couple with a child would deal them.
A few years passed and they decided it was time to marry and make good on their promise to each other. It wasn't long after that the second child arrived. She was well into working double shifts, and going to school. She was determined to become the nurse she had dreamed she would be. He worked at odd jobs to put food on the table. They struggled but remained happy, well as happy as they could be.
Years later they looked back on their life, their children now grown and left the nest. They wonder what their lives now held. The struggles that kept them strong and bonded, their children's school and community involvement now a thing of the past. They looked at each other as though they were strangers. They asked themselves "who is this person I have shared my bed with all these years. Do I really know them"? Life continued and eventually they both wondered off doing their own thing, he playing golf, fishing and work, she playing softball interspersed with her work. Little time was left for each other. They began to grow apart. These two people who had known each other for over 2 decades no longer knew each other and drifted apart.
One day they realized that they didn't share the same ideas for the future. After almost 30 years together they decided to go their separate ways. It wasn't because of infidelity on either part, no it was simple, they realized they just weren't blending and maybe it best they lead separate lives. So the decision was made and they sold the family home and went their separate ways.
Time passed, he moved into a few different apartments attempting to make them home. She filled her time with extra overtime and lots more softball, and yet they managed to stay friends and communicate.
He moved and took a job 4 hours away, she continued to work in the city. She missed him, he missed her, they missed the simple things that made their relationship what is was for all those years. She came to visit him on what would be their 28th anniversary.
They connected, they found the love that was always there but temporarily got lost. He is looking for a home for them to share in the new town and she is excited for the move and the new life.
Love reunited....it doesn't get any better.
Life changed quickly for them. He got transferred to the far north, she still wanted to start nursing school but nature was taking it's tole on her body. A baby was soon on it's way. While their friends were all out partying and doing what it is the average 18 year old does they were living the life of our parents. Their days were full of how they would pay bills, the rent and the extra mouth to feed was what in store for the two of them. However, they ventured forward.
The baby came one warm summer morning. Although they were struggling, life was looking good and the future bright. Unfortunately, things took a turn, and life threw them a curve ball. The bills started to pile up the electrical company took no mercy and cut off their heat. They did their best to put on a cheerful face and faced the storm that life as a young couple with a child would deal them.
A few years passed and they decided it was time to marry and make good on their promise to each other. It wasn't long after that the second child arrived. She was well into working double shifts, and going to school. She was determined to become the nurse she had dreamed she would be. He worked at odd jobs to put food on the table. They struggled but remained happy, well as happy as they could be.
Years later they looked back on their life, their children now grown and left the nest. They wonder what their lives now held. The struggles that kept them strong and bonded, their children's school and community involvement now a thing of the past. They looked at each other as though they were strangers. They asked themselves "who is this person I have shared my bed with all these years. Do I really know them"? Life continued and eventually they both wondered off doing their own thing, he playing golf, fishing and work, she playing softball interspersed with her work. Little time was left for each other. They began to grow apart. These two people who had known each other for over 2 decades no longer knew each other and drifted apart.
One day they realized that they didn't share the same ideas for the future. After almost 30 years together they decided to go their separate ways. It wasn't because of infidelity on either part, no it was simple, they realized they just weren't blending and maybe it best they lead separate lives. So the decision was made and they sold the family home and went their separate ways.
Time passed, he moved into a few different apartments attempting to make them home. She filled her time with extra overtime and lots more softball, and yet they managed to stay friends and communicate.
He moved and took a job 4 hours away, she continued to work in the city. She missed him, he missed her, they missed the simple things that made their relationship what is was for all those years. She came to visit him on what would be their 28th anniversary.
They connected, they found the love that was always there but temporarily got lost. He is looking for a home for them to share in the new town and she is excited for the move and the new life.
Love reunited....it doesn't get any better.
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