I have decided to sell most of my Longaberger baskets. I mostly have not done so in the past because of the hassle of selling them on line. I have about 80 baskets, so it about time to clear away the clutter and we really could use the money for medical bills and to make up for the decrease in pay for Davids job.

I guess I should look at is as less to dust, too.

I used to sell them from 93-95. I have some from years before and after as well. Lots of collectible baskets. I really can't fathom the addiction now. It seems very strange to me now. Things in general are not very important to me now.

it's sad to see how quickly compact fluorescent light bulbs are replacing incandescent bulbs.  My concerns is not only the environmental concerns, but the health concerns.   Of course, the impact of the environment impacts a much greater portion of the population, so I think I have a greater chance of focusing on these concerns.   I find the health issues to be truly frightening.

Many have switched to CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) in these challenging economic times simply to save money. However no public education at all has been given about how to safely dispose of broken bulbs to avoid mercury contamination, and it seems unavoidable that there will be seepage from garbage tips into groundwater in years to come that will affect water supplies – a disaster waiting to happen.

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/89185/Dangers-of-low-energy-lightbulbs

 

( Read more... )

I have had a lot of problems with very very low vitamin D and calcium.  I thought this story was interesting.


Dizziness Linked to Bone Health
By Crystal Phend, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
( Read more... )

I dreamt last night I need to investigate the environs of Tucson, AZ to look to move. Maybe not even the actual location itself, but somewhere within 60 miles or so.

My hubby works now as a conference planner as a resort manager. He used to own his own restaurant that he sold. I am sorry to say I have worked as an underwriter for 15 years for the insurance industry. I will slowly (due to my stupid internet connection, which is dial up, and is slow dial up due to the static on the line, rant later) do research on the area and see what comes up.

My folks just moved to Sierra Vista. They love the area. They are not in the house yet. They are having issues with the billions of folks trying to re-fi at the same time clogging the system. You can't get an appraiser out in the town, it seems. For now, they are renting a house in Bisbee, a little old hipee town. Actually, it is a pretty cool town. I would love it, but it does not seem to have a lot of work.

David and I did some pricing on carpet and supplies for things we need to do on the house. It probably after a year or two before we can start doing a move. We also have to find a place for my brother to move before we gut his side and put our house on the market.

My brother is disabled and he lives on the other side of my house. We converted my 4 bedroom house into a duplex but no cooking, etc. Really, it is just a seperate entrance and a barrier between the sides. We have to combine them back and then repair the damage. Frankly, his side looks worse than some crack dens.

His cat was sick with diabetes and had been peeing all over the place. He had failed to mention this and has pretty much destroyed it. Not only do we have to replace all the carpeting, but the subfloor as well. We have black mold as well.

On our side we have already pulled up the carpeting and painted the sub floor. We had water damage from the furnace when the drain was blocked from a wasp nest was built over the drain when I went out of town and flooded the house.

We have 1800 square feet of carpet to be replaced.

I am sorry to say they have had a lot of lay off where my hubby works - including his position. This is such a bad week of endings and deaths.


It is scary because we have so much work to do on our house to make it sellable. My brother destroyed his half of the house it has to be gutted. Now I am at a loss as to how it will be accomplished without his income.

I am also worried about my own job. I have been struggling due to my diminished capacity from the encephalitis. Things are scary right now.

I also only have dial up because I live in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia currently and that connection is slow and painful. It took me three times to get a connection this morning just to check my email this morning. We don't even have cable TV as an option where I live. We are very remote. It is interesting to live in the middle of the bible belt of America. We have a lot of Mennonites. I actually choose to buy a lot of my plants and food products from them because I have great respect for their way of life and partnership with the land. Their herb selection is amazing and they can get amazing Rue plants for me every spring. People have a lot of misconceptions about how closed minded they are. They are truly good people. Just as we are. It is really a matter of common spirit and soul.

My brothers Cat Sandy has also passed this week. Sandy was 18 or so years old and had diabetes. I was watching her while my brother was helping my parents were driving across country to AZ. Poor Sandry had a stroke Wednesday and could not hould her head up. I took her straight to the vet, but she was just too old and she could not even stand.

I have to say I am pretty much heart broken this week. My mom has moved away and we have lost two family pets.

Sandy has moved on into the light though. I was with her when she passed, of course. The vet gave her kitty valium to relax her, and she started purring as soon as the pain went away. She was one of the sweetest cats I have ever had the pleasure to know. I am glad she was able to move on to the light.

My moms cat has shown up at the empty house. We went to clean up the empty house for her that is for sale and saw the cat that had passed on the trip to AZ.

I have been trying to get the Kitty to pass on into the light or to move on to my house to join my cats. My mom has not yet settled into her home - she is in temporary quarters so I cant move her into mom moms new home yet.

I find the situation very sad. I am having no luck getting her spirit to move from the empty house. I am going to try again this weekend once to invite her to my house or to move into the light. My hope is to get her spirit to attach to the cat tree she loved so much and move it to my house this weekend.

I really don't like her being all alone in the house. No ghost should be alone in a house. spirits need family.

I am increasing my topamax to try to stop the migraine I have had since the lumbar puncture test I had the begining of the month. Full blown migraine all this time since the test. It has been a living hell. I have had several treatments at the hospital - different injections that have had some limited effect.

The cause is from encephalitis - chronic now- so it has been going on for so long that even if we do finally get it to go away completly the effects of the continual swelling for the past year may be permenant.

The doctor wants me to stay home from all triggers until at least June to heal the swellling and not have any exposure to migraine triggers. He says it is really my only chance of healing completly with no side effects. It is the best chance of healing with the least amount of side effects. It may take longer - it is a take it as we go proposition.

My next appointment is April 13th. I have to take my hubby - first, because right now I cant drive - and also because he is going to teach us both how to do home injections of DHEA for my migraines for when they get really bad.

I just had a major revelation today.

I have been studying with witch school for several years. I picked the school because it was the only school that was well structured with mentors and let you actually get your clergy status if you wanted. http://www.correllian.com/index.htm

I have to admit I have been doing it at such a slow pace because much of my free time has been taken up with paranormal studies. Also, I have been doing a lot of personal journaling and shamanic dream work. I have beendoing a lot of great growth on a spiritual level for the past several years.

This came to a halt last year when I got the flu. I also got encephalitis and since then I have had severe neuroglial effects and migraines to the point of not being able to drive, shop and barely to keep my job. It has made life a challenge because it has created interesting aura effects of light that make my physical observations of paranormal activity not usable - I can only use what I physically record. It has, however, seemed to make me a lot more sensitive and more of a conduit, though, so I can really pick up thoughts, so it is a mixed blessing. I can always go to the where the action is going to happen, which can be useful.

I came to the realization that I need to get my clergy status so I can do full blown clearings and blessings. I have reached the spiritual point in my life where the I need to merge them into a full time path. I need to help other people. Life is making it impossible for me to do the other things in life for a reason - it is a path that is wrong for me to be on. If I am to be healthy, I need to be on the other path.


MY guides frequently tell me that when I am stronger physically and I am farther along on my path with a clergy status along with legal liability protections afforded with the type of thing you can do with that I will be able to set up a practice that will allow me to do exorcisms.

My parents are driving on the way to AZ with their two dogs and their three cats. One of the cats is 15 or so years old and passed away in the first 4 hours of the car trip. We think it was a heart attack, she was crying a little in the carrier. They had given kittie valium under vets orders, but the stress still was too much for her, I guess.

My poor mother is devestated and guilt wracked.

I am the same, but here in VA where I can only try to console her on the phone and cant even give her a hug anymore.

My parents are moving to Arizona and I am a bit torn, now. I have to figure out how to move my spirit pets as well as my four live dogs and live cat. We will have a very full car.

Also, Arizona is the land of the sun. What does that mean to my migraines. But, it also means no allergies. Is that better? I have trouble with mirgraines with allergies. Maybe it is better to to move and have no allergy medication.

Of course the housing market means we cant do anything for a couple of years. Also I cant transfer jobs for a couple of years until my health improve enough for my job to be willing to transfer me, too.

Then again, maybe I need a fresh start.

So many paths.

I had to take two maxalt - two migraine pills because the spinning and and throwing up and confusion and ringing. I cant drive or read right now. I am frustrated because I feel like I am moving backwards. I will call my doctor in the morning and see if an adjustment will make things better.

I had hoped a diagnosis would have cured me. At least have made things better.



I have to be patient. Positive. It is hard to be light hearted when the light hurts. I spend most of my time with my four dogs. They love me and are always happy. They are light hearted and full of love.

I have to say I am quite depressed about the thought of my mom moving across country.

I know I am big girl.

But doesnt every girl need her mom sometimes? And right now, with everything going on with my headaches and what not, the thought of mom being down the road is very important to me. I cant drive right now. She is retired.

I did not realize how much of a crutch emotionally she has become.

Maybe it is a good thing. Long term. She moves in only three weeks, though. Dad is in the army.

I am not ready for this. Yet.

Funny thing is I am always the strong one emotionally in the relationship. She is the one crying about moving. When we are together. This is so hard.

My husband has been drinking this for a week now and he has been insanely energetic. He really feels a lot better. He is using the frozen unsweetened acai smoothie packs and and adding other fresh berries. We are on a raw foods diet for my migraines to see if that helps. It is helping him feel very good.




It is great for him, but I am still so dizzy. They changed my meds again. I call my doctor tomorow morning to see when I can go back to work. Soon, I really hope.

The doctor recomends a full spectrum light for my husband as he really suffers from SAD in the winter time.

I am sure the darkness of the house for my migraines makes it worse for him.

I hope it will help. I have to find one for him to get, but it take a while to do research. My connection is still dial up and is the only option still as we live in such a rural area. Plus, I still have to limit my computer time as the monitor bothers me still.

They are still changing the meds and I am having a lot of side effects from the changes. This is a slow process. Sometimes I wonder how much I will get back, if any, or if I am going to have the vertigo and neurological changes forever.

Let me know if you have any experience with light boxes or brands of lights?

I have been trying to focus on being grateful for having a diagnosis and not being angry it took 10 months to figure this out. I am trying to focus on the healing process and not the chances of the continual swelling caused permenant damage.

I am truly grateful for an answer, though. Truth does give you something to hold onto, a foundation to move forward from.

Last night I got NO sleep

I have extreme vertigo, nausea and generally feel like hell... physically.


But I have hope.


So all is good. Great. Wonderful. The best it has been for almost a yeat.

This is the official cause of my miseery and pain lately. Not a stroke, epilepsy, bi-polar, anxiiety or any other crap. Ok, I was anxous about all the crap.

I have scarring from the inflammation but it should hopefully improve over time.


I can cut out 4 neds and replace it with one. The doc says it should not be too bad but it may take a week to adjust off the old meds. I was on some heavy meds. I hope it does not knock me out too much. I know it will will improve things in a coule of weeks when I am off the meds. I cant help but think the meds help numb me down through the past 10 months.

For the next couple of weeks I on a steroid to try to reduce the swelling in my brain, too. Plus anti-viral meds. The doctor was shocked I managed to to make it in to work with the pain from it all. The doctor was great. He wanted to put me in the hospital. I convinced him not to. I have been home/working for 10 month - so my husband is home with me today and mom is tomorrow and Wednesday. I hope I can go back to work Thusday or Friday if the steroids and anti virals and antibiotics have helped enough. Positive thinking!!!!

I kept thinking of Joe vs the Volcano when the Dr told Joe that he had a brain cloud when the doctor was telling me about the swelling in my brain.

My neck hurts from the lumbar puntcure still. They doped me up and did a cisternal something in the base of my skull to check the CSF pressure and for infections, etc. I did not get home last night until around 6. Did I say the doctor was really good?

The pressure was increased, and other stuff were off too.

Lets hope that the damage from the 10 months of swelling can be reversed.



http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephalitis_meningitis/detail_encephalitis_meningitis.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003428.htm