In a slump

I seem to be in a slump, I haven’t been feeling like doing any art. My artroom is such a mess but slowly I am trying to get back in the mood. There are a few reasons why I am in the slump.

New dog- Daisy

First one has to do with getting a new puppy, like having a toddler I have to see her all of the time so that keeps me busy but that should pass. I also have cat issues, my cat litter box is in the art room because, it is the only room that the dog can’t go in so I can keep her away for kitty crunches.

So I am trying to spend at least an hour a day in the artroom doing something. For Christmas my husband is getting me power tools. So hopefully it will be another reason to do more art work.

doing art again

It seemed like so many other people, COVID created a void in my life and I wasn’t in much of a mood to do art. I think I felt the global energy of fear that engulfed the nation. I just couldn’t seem to do much art at all. So recently I have take a few classes from the local art store and online to see if it might spark the creative side of me to do things again. It has helped I signed up for two workshops one in Paducha, Ky and a couple month later at Mineral Point,Wi. Both of these workshops were presented by Michael DeMeng (https://www.michaeldemeng.com) assemblage Artist. I always find I am not that happy with the items I make when I attend a workshop because I follow a lot of the technique the Artist tell you about and I end up with a muddy piece.

Ahgee

Ahgee is my first item I made in Paducah.

Emily

This is the one I made in Mineral Point, Wi

Spring is coming

Yes my joy of ending the very cold and snow days is approaching. I am finally leaving my den, I tend to hibernate during the winter. So to bump up the creative juices I signed up for a few art classes at a local art store. I took a creative painting and creative drawing. The painting class is finished but I still have a couple more meetings for the drawing class. below are some of the pictures from the painting class.

I am also going to start a new class in April plus take a trip to kentucky for another art work shop and my husband is going with me so we are making this a vacation. Some pictures I did after my drawing class.

I just purchased tickets for Kansas Comic Con this is a bucket list item for me and then to top it off I am going to dress up. I will not show my outfit until after the Con so check back or come to Comic-Con

Lets have Lunch

An Afternoon Lunch

In my last post I wrote about once again having to make changes to my eating habits. It has been suggested that I stay away from dairy along with mammal product and gluten. I almost wonder what will be next, LOL. Last night we had salmon and mash potatoes and a veggie. I had a bit of the salmon left over so I made myself a grain bowl for lunch. I used quinoa, a cup of ready made, and cut up cabbage, onion, salmon, red onion, celery and dairy free feta cheese. I added the salmon crumbled and topped it with a vinaigrette dressing. Tasted pretty good and I didn’t miss the dairy. AND the best part is no reaction.

Earlier today we headed to the grocery store to make changes to our pantry. I viewed all the different Vegan options and then also check out diary/gluten free and of course no mammal product. I follow a couple alpha-gal groups on facebook and it can get very very confusing On what is safe and what it not. So I am planning to continue to work with the Chiropractor the does SAAT for me and to keep a journal of what I eat and how I feel so I can connect the dots on what I can and cannot eat.

Unlike gluten-free this Alpha-gal is so very confusing, it isn’t just avoid Beef, Pork, Lamb etc… but there is so many other things that cause cross contamination. A friend who has alpha-gal purchased a protein drink marked VEGAN the had animal protein added. Some people don’t realize gelatin is made from mammal product and that means that you have to be aware of what king of medication you take “No Gel Capsules”. Then there is also the issue that not everyone is a like in their reactions and allergy. One person may go into anaphylactic shock where other just may have gastric issues, brain fog and bone pain oh also skin dermatitis.

The Body is such a mystery to me sometimes- I honestly didn’t believe I was having any reactions to Dairy but after speaking to my Doctor I was so shocked. I will continue to blog about my journey on these changes in my eating and how it helps me.

Food has become my enemy

Food is my enemy

In my last blog I spoke about how having AlphGal and how things have changed. I now feel the need to go deeper into that. Yesterday I went to a local, well sort of local, Chiropractor who works with SAAT (Soliman’s Auricular Allergy Treatment). this is a good site to understand this testing https://www.workerbeeca.com/saat-allergy-treatment. So first they test you to see what you trigger on – they use this technique tests muscle strength in order to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments through weak muscles. Not only that, but muscle response testing can also be used to identify allergies and other types of sensitivities.

Well I seemed to test on some many different things including dairy ( no more cheese or ice cream with dairy) and MCASAA which is also referred as MAST CELL short description is my body creates to much Histamine. So after the test I ended up with three acupuncture needles in my right ear. I will be wearing this for four weeks and then will return and retest and see if they help settle my reaction.

The one thing my Doctor told me several times this is not a cure if anything it might take those things into remission so my body might begin to heal some and maybe even be able to enjoy so of the foods on the naughty list. I found a blog online where the person said calls it Vegan with a side of Chicken I have many many items to avoid and a few that I can have.

This reminds me of a old man I once meet who said “When I was young we couldn’t afford the good food and now that I am older and can afford it I can’t have because of my health”

Living With Alpha-Gal Syndrome

What is Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), or mammalian meat allergy. It is a tick-induced allergy to galactose-α-1,3-galactose. This sugar, commonly known as alpha-gal, is found in all mammals except for humans and some primates. Products made from mammals can also contain alpha-gal. These include mammalian meat (like beef, pork, and lamb), milk and dairy products, gelatin, medications, medical products (like heparin and vaccines), personal care products (like lotion and make-up), and many other items.  Reactions, which can be life-threatening, may be immediate, as in the case of injected drugs, or delayed from 2 to 10 hours, as is typical after the consumption of  mammal meat.

Several years ago I was have a lot of gi issues, massive migraines, and overall pain in joints. I got so tired of it that I went to a ND Doctor and she had me go gluten free and dairy free. Things seemed to improve my migraines were not so extreme, Gi issues improved but Never ever settle down. This was at a time before Gluten became the new key word so to say, now a days there are so many things listed as gluten free that shopping is easy and even finding places to eat out. But back then not so much I remember leaving Walmart Super Store the first time I was told to go gluten free. I cried all the way home saying I will never be able to eat anything again. My husband is a super star he dug in and we found enough recipes to make eating enjoyable. I should also take a moment here and let you know that I have had a eating disorder for many years. I was at a place in my life where I wasn’t obsessed with food and here I was having to be obsessed with what I eat, reading lables research if I could eat something. Fast forward I have been living comfortable with being gluten free transitioning that highway with great success only a few times did I get gluten.

So recently I have start to have more gi issues and my migraines were again getting intense, I knew I was avoiding gluten so I went to my doctor and ask her about it, first she ran a blood allergy test. When it came back it said I was allergic to beef. I have a fellow female veteran who has Alph-gal so I ask the doctor to run an AG test and she replied well just don’t eat beef. I remembered a getting bite by a tick and it had a spot on the back- lone star tick. So I asked another doctor and she ran the test and it came back positive. So at first I was like well ok something new. No anger, no depression just another twist in my eating. However today I have had a real slap of reality.

On Sunday I had a strong vertigo attack, spinning like crazy laying down, setting up it was bed enough I decided to go to the ER. At the pharmacy I am red flag as Alpha-gal BECAUSE seriously there is a lot of mammal product used in pharmaceutical. I was unable to recieve any medication because it was Sunday and there was no place they could check to see if the medication the Doctor prescribed me was okay to take. I would have to wait until the next day Monday where they could check it out.

I am setting here at 7:00pm on Monday and still no medication because they still have to have the company who make the medication to call back and let them know if there are mammal products in the pills. It is important to be aware the Alpha-gal is not just avoiding beef or other hooves animal. I have done a lot of research AG have a saying Fins,feathers, and scales when it comes to save to eat.

New strain of the virus

Well now there is this new strain and I believe those in control are worried. Since the beginning of Corona hospital have asked us to wear mask, and it even doesn’t matter if it cloth or surgical just wear a mask. Today the local hospital and doctors office has come out and mandated surgical mask only no cloth, nothing with valves and no shields. So I do believe this strain now must be more than we the public understand. I am taking this seriously and will be back again using mask everywhere, washing hands or/and using hand disinfection, avoiding crowds and trying to limit my interactions with people.

My trip to Texas

Yes I have been away from my post for a while just nothing worth writing about. But finally did something new. I took a week long camping trip to Texas. But before I write about Texas I went to a Pain doctor and got two shots in my back which helped with my back pain so I was able to manage camping much better than I had before.

I left for Texas from Kansas on a Monday, it was a rough first day of driving the wind was high and it made my camper weeble wabble down the road so the best I could do was 50 miles an hour in a 75 miles an hour road. I stopped at my brothers and left my scooter there. Which helped the wiggle on the road. I then pulled into my first camp site, a KOA site which was very nice. I set up camper and ended up going to bed very early. Then next morning I got up and packed up the camper of the few items I had loose and headed out. I drove from Kansas to Texas – Wichita Falls. It was a long drive but at least the wind wasn’t so bad and I was able to kick it up to 60 miles an hour. The Texas campsite was very nice and I was there pretty early so I hung out. I watched some shows on my iphone and then went to bed. The next morning I went to Abilene State Park were I was going to attend a YouTube gathering put on by Lola “Lost on Land Again” which was the main reason for my trip.

My friend from Overland Park came to the Park also and we ended up rent a car to be able to get around the park area. I was able to me so many new people who I have been following on youtube and other as well. Below is a picture of the last day at Lolapalooza it was a great group of people and I hope to go back next year.

When I left I was able to stop for the night at a camp ground near my Son, so he and my daughter-in-law came up to see me and we were able to go out to eat and spend some time together. The next day I did a long drive and made it to Kansas again but this time I stayed at a motel. The next day I made it home.

Update my blog

I know it’s been such a long time since I posted anything. I have no excuse but things have been a bit weird, my last post was March 2021. On the 14 of April I got the final 6 teeth that I have removed plus a couple bones in my lower jaw. This meant I had to go with out any teeth for a long time. I didn’t get my lower plate until the 10th of June, luckily I was able to wear the upper denture about a week after surgery. After I got the lower denture I couldn’t wear it until I went to my own Dentist and got a soft liner placed in the Denture. So Finally I can almost eat solid food again, some things I have problems with some things. During this time Bill was finally approved for knee replacement and had surgery on the 8th of June.

Bill in the Hospital after surgery

He was in the hospital for two days and then he came home. He has been my caretaker for so long, bringing in groceries, taking the heavy trash to the street on trash day. So now he is home using a walker to get around, nurses and physical therapy come to the house. It is a fun journey to get things done but we will make it I am sure. It’s a good possibility that he will be off work until August. which seem to be a long time.

So yesterday was the celebration of the 4th of July and the city of Kansas City, Ks fireworks are legal so our neighborhood sound and feels like a war zone with all the fireworks going off. I don’t like the big loud booms like a bomb but the other type I don’t mind.

A Year in a Panedemic

In March 2020 the United States declared we were in a state of emergency over the COVID19 virus. People made mad dash runs at the grocery store, the shelfs were emptying out there was a lack of toilet paper, paper towels, disinfection supplies. We stayed in our house for 14 days and Bill’s company shut down for 6 weeks. Every one is required to wear a mask and to keep social distancing.

Now a year later sometimes it seems surreal when I go to the grocery and see everyone wearing a mask. Something I don’t think I would have ever seen before. We are still maintaining social distances wearing mask and washing/sanitizing our hands all the time. There still are shortage of some things but that is because of companies have to close for a bit so stock got low. Where my husband works they have had to lay people off because of lack of parts.

The good news is they have developed vaccines against the the COVID virus well at least three and maybe four and are currently vaccinating people as fast as they can. I was able to get my first on February 10 and second in March 10 and so was Bill. The first one we both just had a little pain on injection site and a little tired but the second one I ended up with a large knot on my shoulder at the injection site it was very red and hot for a while. Bill didn’t have any reaction at all. So I feel a bit better about going places and soon I may in fact go eat at a restaurant instead of take out. CDC says people who have been vaccinated can be together with out mask (still small group). The biggest issue is- a variance in the virus is happening coming from some of the other countries and have been found in the USA.