Making the Switch

So, after Chris was in the hospital last year, and we got absolutely no answers as to what is happening to him, I started doing some reading trying to find ANYTHING that might give us some answers.

The cardiologist offered a possibility of postural tachycardia syndrome, but said it so quickly and almost in passing that we didn't even really know what he said.  This year, I have a student with POTS, and I was almost in shock at the similarity of the symptoms, so I googled POTS and I found out it was the same thing the doctor had said in passing as an "unlikely possibility."

Symptoms include:

• Syncope (fainting, especially when standing too quickly, or in a hot shower)
• fatigue
• constant headache
• exercise intolerance
• dizziness
• fatigue
• lightheadedness
• hypotension
• varying gastrointestinal symptoms
• excessive thirst
• Feels worse after large meals

there are other symptoms as well, but these are definitely some red flags.

The doctor told us to add salt into his diet.  He told me to add it to EVERYTHING Chris ate, as well as making him drink Gatorade, and to lower the intake of carbs into Chris's diet.

The more I think about our situation, the more I realize they were treating a symptom of POTS (of which there is no 'cure') which was the hypotension.  This is actually one of the only things that can be done.

I've also been reading a lot about gluten intolerances and celiac disease.
Chris's cousin has celiac disease, and as I was talking with her mom about the symptoms, Chris has many of the same symptoms that Harper had prior to her diagnosis.

Symptoms of Gluten intolerance include:

• digestive issues
• fatigue
• dizziness
• migraine headaches
• fatigue
• fatigue increased after eating
• numbness/tingling in arms/legs
• fluctuations in weight/excessive bloating

In the multiple pamphlets (which I got from our school counselor because of our student), literature, online, etc. that I have read, patients with POTS show improvements in switching to a gluten free diet.  Also, caffeine can also help, (because it is a stimulant--this has a point, I promise)

So we have tried a few meals completely gluten free.  Chris does not have noxious fumes coming out of him afterward and he feels significantly better in comparison to our not so healthy/gluten laden meals. 

As much as I don't know how much this will help, and how much I LOVE my bread and pasta, I love my Christopher more.  I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone, and if making this dietary change helps him feel better, then I can sacrifice my love of bread and pasta.

I learned, (way before I even knew Chris existed) that Dr. Pepper is gluten free.   I didn't really care at the time, but Dr. Pepper does make Chris feel a little better, (headaches anyway.) I think it might be the caffeine, but at least we I won't have to give up another love.

(Also, completely unrelated to Chris, I was having a few issues in college, and they thought it was my thyroid, but my levels were never low enough (they were on the lowest end of normal/high end of low) to truly diagnose me with hypothyroidism, even though I had most of the symptoms.  In my reading on gluten intolerance, I found that 80% of hypothyroid cases are actually caused by gluten intolerance/celiac disease.  So "going gluten free" may actually help both of us)

 Chris and I have had multiple discussions concerning this change, and we agree that it is for the best, especially because we definitely think it helps.  We do have quite a bit of food that has gluten that we both feel guilty "just throwing out" but we have agreed to start buying only foods that do not contain gluten. 

And we have looked at the gluten free section at the stores around here (which are TINY) and they have gluten free pasta.  I started feeling better about the switch as soon as I found that.  I'm sure it will be difficult for a month or two, but if we both start feeling better it will definitely be worth it.

If any of you have actually read to this point, any advice/recipes/foods etc. on going gluten free would be appreciated.  I have been doing some research on recipes (aka pinterest) and that has made me feel a little better, because they feel "doable" but I need any help I can get.

On an unrelated/related note, this will help with our budgeting as well.  Yesterday we sat down and made a menu for the week and a shopping list.  This is the first time in our marriage we have ever done this, although we kind of did this for two reasons as his parents are coming to visit for a week, but any excuse is a good excuse to get us in the right direction.

And just because I can, and if you've made it this far, you deserve a picture:

Still living happily ever after, no matter the 'adventure' we have to face.

a really long tale about nothing in particular, but everything at the same time

It's crazy to say that we have been so busy, yet nothing has really happened in the last month and a half or so.

Don't get me wrong, we've been busy, but nothing newsworthy. Like two of our goats were eaten by coyotes, we sold another goat and made our money back on her (rarely happens), we bought two piglets we are going to raise up for butchering. (All within less than a week)

We sold most of our calves, and they were top sellers at the auction, bringing in a little more money than we had budgeted.

Our chickens are all officially laying now, and we are getting 10-12 eggs a day, of which Chris and I have been selling at work, bringing in enough money to pay for their feed.

We are getting ready to breed my jersey heifer, so she'll be calving this summer, and we will then have "farm fresh" milk.

So far, all I've written about are the animals, but really that is a big aspect of our lives now, (really MY life, animals have always been a big part of Chris's life.)

Other things have happened too, but they are things I want to come home and forget about.

Like my job.  Usually there are days/weeks/times I don't enjoy my job. There are things about teaching that no one told you about, plus I think you always have unenjoyable moments of any job, but this year, I am really struggling to enjoy anything about my job.

We have students this year who learned some really nasty habits last year. This group of students have strong personalities, and more than enough attitude to go along with it. I have been told on numerous occasions, by both parents and students, that they "didn't do anything" last year. They never had homework, they didn't have to sit quietly in class, and they didn't have to listen to their teachers.  They didn't clean up after themselves, which is evident by the amounts of trash I make them pick up before they are allowed to leave my room.

Students are really struggling passing my class this year. I've never seen students quite like this group of kids. Neither have my colleagues who have been teaching 15 plus years, who are also struggling with this group of kids.

I come home exhausted and with a headache almost EVERY day. Our house has been in such disarray lately, because when I come home I just want to veg out, and on the weekends I am so exhausted that I don't have the energy to deal with it.

Thankfully, like usual, I have an amazing husband who has stepped it up.  He has been doing the cooking, cleaning and laundry for the past 6-8 weeks, without complaint. AND he still takes care of all the animals, and all the other chores we have around the house.

We also have terrible wind. Like tornado wind that is associated with life out on the plains.  We had 100mph wind gusts the other day, which took out our barn/garage.  Part of the roof blew into the neighbors field, taking out the power lines along the way.  It was so strong it BENT a thick metal wall (think thick, insulated garage door)

We've also had an array of visitors, which has been nice.  Consistent enough to be pleasant, but not so much to be overwhelming.

So basically, that is a really long tale about nothing in particular, but everything at the same time.