Irritable bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue 3 years after acute giardiasis: historic cohort study

Setting Waterborne outbreak of giardiasis in the city of Bergen, Norway.

Participants 817 patients exposed to Giardia lamblia infection verified by detection of cysts in stool samples and 1128 matched controls.

Main outcome measures IBS and chronic fatigue.

Results The prevalence of IBS in the exposed group was 46.1%, compared with 14.0% in the control group, and the adjusted RR=3.4 (95% CI 2.9 to 3.8). Chronic fatigue was reported by 46.1% of the exposed group and 12.0% of the controls, the adjusted RR was 4.0 (95% CI 3.5 to 4.5). IBS and chronic fatigue were associated and the RR for the exposed group of having a combination of the two outcomes was 6.8 (95% CI 5.3 to 8.5). The RR was also increased for having just one of the two syndromes, 1.8 for IBS (95% CI 1.4 to 2.3) and 2.2 for chronic fatigue (95% CI 1.7 to 2.8).

Conclusions Infection with Giardia lamblia in a non-endemic area was associated with a high prevalence of IBS and chronic fatigue 3 years after acute illness, and the risk was significantly higher than in the control group. This shows that the potential consequences of giardiasis are more serious than previously known. Further studies are needed, especially in areas where giardiasis is endemic.

http://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2011/08/31/gutjnl-2011-300220.abstract

That's interesting since the most painful symptoms I have ever had were bowel cramps which began soon after the birth of my first child.  The diagnosis began with giardia on my newborn son, myself and my Mother who came up to visit (but Mum believes it was the food she ate while traveling home).  Later I was diagnosed with both irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease but I complained about fatigue so much that the physicians were puzzled.  Later on in life there is no sign of active Crohn's via colonoscopy, the irritable bowel and cramps remain but not as severely and the number of prolonged flu-like illnesses increased until they have become continuous.  The malaise and sore glands I now associate with a chronic fatigue syndrome which is better described as myalgic encephalomyelitis.  I wonder if giardia lamblia started it all.  The fibromyalgia pre-dated the giardia.

The Birthday Boy is 32

He was working door-to-door making leads for the sale of solar panels and he had already voiced concerns about working for them but had I known he was going to quit on his birthday, my pre-birthday trip to Maroochydore to see him would have taken place more appropriately on the 19th instead of the 18th.  Un-be-known to me, it had been a Connor weekend but he had been picked up early and I arrived not long after 12.30pm on Sunday 18th armed with a Tiramisu torte bought at the Cheesecake Shop and his birthday card and birthday cash. We decided to lunch at the Maroochy Surf Club because he was a member there however he seemed to have some concern that he should be going to the RSL because he had not been since Remembrance Day.  I am not sure what that was about and I was not really sure what his concerns were about his job (which I guess he had for about a month) but he was not happy working with someone who was toothless among other things.  I could tell it was stressing him.  So I am not surprised that he quit the next day (his birthday) because I more or less told him to do what was best for his peace of mind with the benefit of past experience and hindsight.  He seems very happy with everything else which includes his living arrangements and his studies.  He is on Austudy again so he does not "have to" get a job.  He calls his house a "safe" house because it is blue and yellow and we know how important colours are to this one.

One of them in the house, Pete, owns this huge Home Theatre set up and on the coffee table were the laptops belonging to he and Chris I presume.  It seems to be a house of study with books next to each laptop.  S seems to have claimed the kitchen table for his study spot.

His bedroom

Everything was in pretty good order (better than my place) except for a toilet that smelt like "men".

I waited around while S got spruced up which gave me a chance to reduce my heart rate.  I was going beep, beep just with the effort of getting out of the car and the greetings which meant that I had hit at least 107 bpm.    I try to stay under that, the theory being that it will prevent post-exertion exhaustion (officially called neuroimmune exhaustion) but it was going to be difficult because I deliberately had stopped taking the beta blocker - Metoprolol that day so that I could enjoy my outing beyond Caloundra without feeling like a zombie.  Even some round-abouts set off the heart-rate monitor while I was driving.

Once we got to the surf club and found a place where we were both comfortable (which took a while because I could see S was not entirely happy now we were here) out on the verandah where it was not so packed with people.  We had a beer each.  He had another with lunch and we were both happy to sit and look at the ocean views and all the people.  It was a warm day but it was hazy because of local burning off all around the Coast.  And we didn't win the raffle for a Plasma TV :(

*********************

The Blue Bar

S felt like going for coffee somewhere else.  We ended up at the Blue Bar which was not the place to choose as it turned out so we were not there long.  When we got back to the house, Pete was home and I was introduced before I had even appeared at the door but from the moment I was there until the moment I left again to come home, he did not make eye contact.  He was mumbling about having trouble recording a TV show and did not stop once to say "How do you do?".  So I figured S maybe would not stand out so much in this household.  I did not meet Chris.  I called into pick up my Avon ordered in 2010 from Brenda's place on the way home and ended up staying for a coffee.  I am not impressed that she has not been able to deliver it herself in all those months especially since she has a customer in Pelican Waters.  But she said that she usually has Sharon with her and that they are going shopping.  The colloidal silver I also had ordered then is probably out of date but it is supposed to be a good mouth wash for some problems and I was having that burning mouth going on all that time I could have used it.  Seems I am complaining.  I had no intention of it when I started writing.

Anyway the real birthday was yesterday and it is then that I found out that S was quite keen on repeating the  Mum visiting experience and I felt OK first thing that morning so we were planning an outing to the beach - Sunshine Beach because he likes it there.  It became pretty obvious as I tried to get ready that I was already paying for doing too much on Sunday so I had to cancel for the sake of not sinking too low and having to claw my way back out a bit at a time.  I knew that it would not be until today that I knew the full effect of Sunday's bi-annual outing.  Yes I am not particularly well right now and in a lot more pain but I have not sunk too low to get out of with a few restful days.  Whether I weather the dentist on Thursday as well I cannot say because I will have to wait until Saturday to know.

I have been on the verge of getting better for a while now.  It has been totally spoiled by the fatigue caused by the beta blockers and I have been feeling quite depressed while on them too.  I have been upset by the death of Karla's boy Jamie as well.  I didn't feel well enough to deal with it for Karla's sake and as usual I was too upset to go to a funeral and be on public display crying.  So I could have let Karla down which did not make me like myself much either.  I did keep in touch enough to make sure she had family around her.  We have since had a picnic lunch.  Karla is fine.  Jamie's presence is gone and she is going out every day.

Meanwhile, I've been housebound

Everyone else is doing fine.  Number one started training for a sales position last week...in Solar panels.  He says he likes it and it is a good company but he does not volunteer much information.  On Facebook chat I am lucky if I get a "Hi Mar" which is how I am referred to these days.  Number two is enjoying the single life which he is devoting mainly to work and he collects his son every second weekend from HB.  And I was lucky enough on both of those weekends to interact with Cohen via Google hangout.  I don't know why Skype is not finding my web cam.  B was pleased to announce that he got a pay rise which is just as well given the extra costs he now has especially with the rent and fuel to HB.

I just do not seem to be able to get well enough to go out.  I have to force myself to get groceries and I really need a scooter to be able to do it without going over my anaerobic threshold which means I will pay for using up all my oxygen in my blood in the form of more illness and pain.  The pain I can deal with or complain about but the breathlessness and dizziness and racing heart seems to be getting worse.  I'm fine if I stay flat on my back but I'm not that sort of a girl!  I can usually sit without getting too light-headed but standing up in the morning is making my heart go up to 120bpm just in order to make a cuppa.  If I did not have to lift the kettle and reach I'd be alright but it seems slow walking is kinder to my body than anything that uses my upper body.   So I take beta blockers which has been bringing my heart rate down when it kicks in so that perhaps I can do stuff in the afternoon.  

I don't know what has contributed to all this except life itself.  A few weeks back I tried to do a bit of push mowing and I only did little bits at a time - even just a tiny patch of clover.  I didn't get away with it.  The trips to the dentist have been traumatic and it seems like it takes a week to get over them.  But funnily enough I am not having unnecessary anxiety about it now like I was a week or so ago.  I have another appointment on Thursday the 1st of Spring for 2 teeth that are big restorations (so she said when I asked).  The root canal has settled down now that she got the remainder of that 26mm root scraped out.  My gum takes a long time to heal though when she has had to go below the gum line.  I can't believe I am having to get the same teeth worked on again that I travelled all the way to Noosaville for last year and the year before.  Maybe she wasn't such a good dentist or maybe my teeth are just about beyond repair.  I am grateful to have the scheme to keep my natural smile for a bit longer though.

Every day I wake up hoping for a sign that it is safe to go out.  I use my heart-rate monitor to measure things and I am trying to break things down into smaller and smaller pieces which means it takes me ages to do anything.  Today I had enough of being in the house or yard and with rain threatening I decided to go see the water even if I could not get out of my car before it came. 

I parked opposite World Mark

 It took my time even getting out my driveway, I lay the seat back each time my heart raced from the effort of getting just my bag, camera and me into the car.  When it had got down to a respectable 70's reading, I would put the seat up and reach for the car keys to turn on the ignition watching my HR monitor go up to the nineties.  It settled back into the 80's while I was driving there and I parked at the beach once more waiting for my HR to go back down.  I sat there taking a few photos from inside the car.  Then I got out of the car and waited on the camping stool for my HR to come back down again.

 All you can do is look around and see what you can see going on in life.  The workmen maintaining units, the beach erosion being fixed by Council, the dredging of the Pumicestone Passage, the people enjoying their holidays and the locals taking their daily constitutional.

I went two blocks in my car,
I know it wasn’t very far
but I just wanted another view
so that my life would seem brand new.

I tried to pace, took lots of breaks
but now my body’s full of aches.
I only walked to the toilet block,
…watched a couple on the rocks.

I wished that I was as fit as she
Who didn’t seem breathless to me.
She had a man to stroke her hair.
It was obvious she had no cares.

And now I’m home before the rain
that looks as if it’ll come again.
And there’s one thing that I should note….

my bag is way too heavy to tote!

It's going to be a late night gut night. The way things are going I will not get up to see number 2 before she comes back from HB. I have not been well enough. I think that is the understatement of the year...but you never know......

fluconazole (Diflucan) - drug class, medical uses, medication side effects, and drug interactions by MedicineNet.com

I was about to be discharged from the ibd clinic in regards to my mouth and for some reason I reminded her that I do actually still have gut problems too. I did not really want to get any more gut investigations so I should not have openend my mouth but the next suggestion wasn't too bad. A CT scan of the small bowel with a dye contrast is next on the agenda. In the meantime if my mouth is a problem I will need to go to an oral specialist whether it is lupus or thrush because there is no sign of active Crohn's in the blood or urine tests except for a CRP of 6.5 which is only just above normal. It was 7 last December so at least it has come down but she says that even the inflammation she saw in my mouth would explain that. Anyway she still wants me to use the fluconazole and she had no plans of doing any more mouth work with me so rather than wait until I can get into an oral specialist, I have decided to try it assuming the Coca Cola does not kill it off. I bought 2 litres and I am going to drink the lot.

You would think that if it was oral thrush all the Propylene glycol that I have been sucking on would have killed it off since during my investigations I found an article comparing a few different double sugar alcohols as to which was best for candida infections. Maybe Zena should take up vaping orange fanta next time she is afflicted assuming the Coca Cola does not work. Propylene glycol is in everything as a carrier of scents, emulsifiers and to promote smoothness in foods, medicines, cosmetics and hair care products too. In fact it is listed in the ingredients in the capsules of Fluconazole. I'm not so worried about vaping it even though one natural-promoting site said it was a skin irritant among other things. It seems we cannot avoid it and most of my body copes with every day moisturizers and shampoos etc without any bad reaction so it does not seem to irritate me even when I spill the ejuice on my fingers.

This was a little widget recording how much I had saved since quitting analog cigarettes.  It was provided by evape.com.au but it seems they went and moved their script so now it does not work.  I started vaping full-time on June 2nd 2011



UPDATE Dec 2nd 2011: Unless I get some fix from evape, it seems their widget was moved or removed so I no longer have a record of how many analog cigarettes I have avoided in the last 6 months.

The house is empty now

 For a short while I got exited about going to meet Mum and sis at Narooma but even the eustress caused payback but not as much as last weekend when Connor was here needing entertainment and then number 2 decided to have a ride of Lakoda's motorbike and fell off.  It distressed me a lot to see him in so much pain and on Sunday there were the trips to the hospital and a doctors surgery with him.  I crashed big time after that with more pain and fatigue and flu-like feelings which are still making life miserable.  I really hate the way this illness punishes you for trying to help or even just socialize with other people.  We really do give away our energy leaving nothing for our own healing at those times and for the most part it goes unnoticed or unappreciated.  Even a phonecall can be tiring.

Talking about phone-calls, Connor had a chat to his Grand Nan P while he was here and I thought it was funny when he just had to listen without a chance to speak because he looked at me and made a "quack, quack" sign with his hands.  Someone on the other end had verbal diarrhea.

Despite his injuries, number 2 had an appointment at the respiratory clinic at Nambour Outpatients on Tuesday.  Luckily Roger drove him there and back.  Langerhan's Cell Histiocytosis was confirmed but the doctor had no record of any prior lung collapses otherwise he would have recommended surgery to afix his second lung to the wall of his chest.  Until he gathers all the records, this will not be done.  Naturally B was told that he had to stop smoking and I have done what I can by giving him an electronic cigarette when he was here.  More refills will be needed if B thinks vaping is the way to go.  I think it may work for me and I am waiting on the e-juice that is needed to refill them.  It has to be imported.  In the meantime I have no-nicotine chocolate, pear, chamomile, coffee and Fanta flavours to play with.  It is a bit of fun and quite yummy.

Number 1 moved on yesterday to 41 Dalby St Maroochydore after a week or so of cleaning out my house of food.  He missed the enrollment deadline for semester 2 so he will not be studying for at least three months after he finishes this semester.  He was quite cranky the other day because he failed his last assignment and once again thought he had done a wonderful job at his bibliography.  He did ask for my help at one stage but he did not agree with my approach so I bowed out again.  He is now keen on the accounting side of business probably because he passed that subject.  We are all hoping that he finds a job that pays a wage - any job!

"I AM not lazy......

just exhausted! I AM not depressed...but tired of excusing my tiredness! ,,,,,, I do not look sick... But I often feel like death!" - David Gold

Cardiologist and Marina and S back

for a week with no money even to drive the car anywhere.

Met Marina at a Bulcock Beach Café for three quarters of an hour because she insisted I meet this guy she was meeting up with.

me:  The cardiologist trusts the ECHO done at the hospital by a specialist done in 2009 which did not show a pulmonary stenosis rather than the opinion of someone working for Imaging and X-ray so he is not concerned that I have a pulmonary stenosis.  I'm in the clear again.  On again, off again.  He said I have two types of palpitations - both benign but uncomfortable and I should take the beta blockers on an as need basis which suits me.  Sinus tachycardia and extra beats.

 Sent at 19:25 on Wednesday

 Debbie:  well thats good, 

He's Coming Home (again)

 Last time I saw him he told you that "Mum's pretty good" or some such evaluation of my health.  It was a good day relatively speaking in the middle of a run of gut complaints.  I've been much more miserable with the gut stuff mood-wise.  There seems to be a connection.  Anyway it has been horrible because I got constipated again.  I am having so much more problems with constipation and on top of bruised colon muscles, it hurts just to carry the concrete around inside me.  I was planning on waiting until my next loose motion before I bottled it up for the lab test for Crohn's but it did not happen so yesterday when I got more than a pebble I collected it and went to the pathology collection room at the hospital for the blood tests at the same time as returning the sample.  It was the most 'normal'  sample I could have produced.  Not what I wanted to happen for the lab but it was great to feel so much improvement.

As coincidence would have it, now that I am feeling better, the universe flings a few things to deal with my way.  S phoned the night before and said he was having a panic attack but then when I repeated it back to him, he said "nah I'm not".  Then again yesterday evening after I got back from the hospital outing he phoned to ask if he could come and stay the weekend.  Then another phonecall later saying he wanted to stay for a week as of next Wednesday to save him money which means coinciding his next move to a new share house further up North with pay week.  Then he rang back and said he was having a panic attack, his car battery had just gone flat, he wanted to go to see a doctor and that I should come up and get him now.  But I do not think my actions are always for the best when I have to advise S.  I did not go and get him at 5pm in the rain to drag him off to the doctor like he was suggesting.  All of a sudden he wants to be Mummy-ganged again after all these years and talked into getting help - but only for a split second - he has probably changed his mind. 

He admits to not knowing what to do.  He seems to be at a crisis point.  After two years of knowing exactly what he wanted to do and how he was going to pursue it, he is floundering.  Roger said so too but also said that he sounded all together mentally.  Roger has started giving S money again when he phones with a problem - the car.  S broke the drought because he needed help.  Roger also asks to borrow money from Bev or B and St and back the other way with B and Stac so the money-juggling continues.  Funny how Roger is being obliging now that Br is working elsewhere.  Maybe soon he will want S out there working - if you can call it that.  While S is lost, I guess he is easy prey.

Anyway, I am going to top off a rather low, low week with a weekend of S (for stress) beginning today - Friday and I have to somehow encourage and advise at the same time as trying to teach him how "not to worry".  He will eat all my food this weekend, then it will be from Wed until he moves again that he'll be here.  Why he has to come this weekend as well as from Wednesday I don't really know.  Normally he would avoid spending too much time with me so I figure he is not comfortable in his share house but he denied it.  I ended the phonecall by telling him to get his car going - because he cannot come down here without a car.  So he left to phone the RACQ.  He was sitting in the car out the front of his house - initially trying to tell me that he was just trying to chill out in the car and relax so he just gave me a call - then soon realized that the phonecall with me was not relaxing him so he would hang up, then ring again.  That was the scene yesterday.  Today is yet to come.

Thai forest monk, Ajahn Chah

If you let go a little, you will have a little peace.
If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of peace.
If you let go completely, you will know complete peace and freedom.
Your struggles with the world will have come to an end.

Poo Specialists

I went to the ibd clinic for my appointment yesterday which was mainly the specialist-trained nurse, who was well-informed I might add, rewriting my gut history in brief.  That meant answering a lot of questions.  My brain was not taking things in very well and I did not make the best opportunity of the appointment however I came across well.  She wanted me to try a different oral thrush treatment so has written that to the G.P. and she described oral Crohn's and how it presents and I only fit in with about half of what she described.  Ulcers are meant to be obvious and I didn't have any that actually broke through.  She asked about whether I had ever had an MRI or one of the other scans of the gut (can't remember whether she said SPECT PET or CAT).  I haven't ever.  But I made it clear that I was not there for another colonoscopy.  My body still would not cope with an anaesthetic.  I just wanted to know what was going on with my mouth.  It has started burning again and the Daktarin Oral Gel I bought at the chemist yesterday just makes it burn all the more and I am no better today.  I have never seen white thrush marks.  It is all just red and she said it looked like my tongue had a surface layer gone.  She said I should see a dentist to see if it gingivitis but she has also ordered blood tests to screen for B12 and folic acid deficiency and bloods again seeing they seem to be fluctuating lately and a poo sample.  I cannot remember which is screening for something that is a sign of active Crohn's.   First I ever knew they could even do it via blood or poo.  Finally something non-invasive.

The blood lab was closed and I have to take the poo sample back for this special test that gets frozen and sent to Melbourne so I will get it done next week.  It was Friday and everything was closed by then.

The blood tests will be FBC, ELFTs, CRP, ASCA, P-ANCA, ferritin, folate and B12

If the ferritin level is low, there is a risk for lack of iron, which could lead to anemia. Low ferritin levels (<50 ng/mL) have, however, been associated with the symptoms of restless legs syndrome, even in the absence of anemia and sickness.^[18]

pANCA (Perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody) is found in about 50% of those with UC, but only about 5% to 20% of those with CD.
ASCA (Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies), IgG and IgA. ASCA IgG and/or IgA are found in about 40% to 50% of CD patients. ASCA IgG is found in about 20% of those with UC. ASCA IgA is found in less than 1% of those with UC.
The stool sample is looking for Faecal Calprotectin.

I am glad we have a dedicated IBD clinic in Caloundra now - acting as an arm for Nambour no doubt but I can see an improvement over the years.

We will have a telephone consultation on June 10th so that I can find out the results and report on my mouth after trying the anti-fungal starting with "f" or ph I think.  I saw it written last night and I still can't remember.  Zena is probably more informed about anti-fungal treatments.  Is there one only available on script and not just over the counter Zena?  Stupid doctor for not suggesting another type of anti-fungal instead of giving me a repeat of the same.  I will keep trying the Daktarin type today but it burns so much!!!!!

On May 25th I have to go to Nambour which I imagine will be exhausting since I'll be walking a fair way.  Cannot afford the hospital car park and the place has expanded quite a bit so I will have to find a brand new building and a brand new ticket system so I will have to allow extra time on top of travel time.  It is times like this I wish scooters were easy to hire.  They have them in the Supermarkets for customers in the USA.  I may well be walking briskly that day anyway - who knows.  But I have continued with a lot of gut problems and nausea as well.  My diet has been restricted for two weeks and I have had chronic rather than acute pain in the gut since that horrible attack.  And with the gut has come the joint pain, an increase in fatigue and my mood has got lower.  I really hate the nausea.  My neck headaches are on the verge of flaring and normal pain killers just aren't doing it for me any more.  Leg aches seem to worsen because when the gut pains, the lower back seems to go off in sympathy and that extends down my legs.  I am still remembering fondly the good day I had when I went for that long walk and came home with a fish.  The diarrhea started again not long after I returned - maybe it was toxic fish!

New home for old microwave - among the Tropical Birch leaves.

I have not done anything fun since but I nearly had the house on fire yesterday when the electrics went inside the old microwave I got in 1985.  I had to turn the power off to stop all the sparking and banging inside but then the black toxic smoke started and I was really scared it would blow up or ignite.  It was Flora to the rescue who took the chances.  I wanted to call the fire brigade.  I was appalled that she might be exploded to smithereens in front of my eyes and tried to stop her, but in the end after the smoke looked like it was subsiding we both carried the melted thing out the front where it still sits stinking.

I've been caught out twice in 24 hours heading towards where the microwave used to be armed with a glass of milk or bowl to heat up.  Now I need a man with a trailer who is already heading to the dump with a $25 load.  I could be waiting a while.

Glimpse of Connor during Gut Phase

He was in one of those self-absorbed moods when he brought Connor over so I could finally give him his Hot Wheel's Easter Egg.  It breaks my heart sometimes to see how much of a killjoy he is.  He would not let Connor keep the Gecko that he captured in my house and which dropped it's tail much to Connor's fascination.  He had gotten as far as the car with it in his hands but when he saw that it was going to be grabbed by his Dad, he let it go in the slot where S was just about to put his mobile phone.  Swipe, miss, caught, and next thing I have a Gecko with a graze in it's head that peeled off it's skin over half it's head and still ofcourse missing a tale.  "Stomp on it" orders S in front of Connor who looked at me with horror.  I was not going to stomp on it in front of Connor but it may well have been what I did after they drove off.  But the gecko did not live that long.  His Dad jumped out of the car and stomped on it when i simply put it on the ground. Connor has to go off for a whole weekend with that self-absorbed control freak because S is really autistic this weekend.  You could see it in his eyes.

He ran from me when, as they were leaving, I was chasing him with the tree lopper to get through one branch I had hacked through lack of strength a few days ago.  It was 30 seconds of favor.  I insisted. Under sufferance he did it.  He is not much of a giver and he would not give in an inch to Connor who wanted to go to the closest park to here where he had built a stick house and wanted to see if it was still there.  But know, whether Connor liked it or not, they were going to Mooloolaba Beach to have curried-egg sandwiches which Dad knows his son won't eat.  Go figure.  S was not like this the night Mum spoke to him on the phone and when he was that person he would not remember being the kind of mean killjoy that he is today.  He had that suspicious look in his eye whereas the other day I got hugged for a greeting.  I hope he finds his comfort zone or safe place later today for Connor's sake. 

  He has also now decided he needs Vitamin D (some of mine ofcourse).  He announced he quit on the cellular stuff and the fish oil.  Now he seems to have picked Vit D but the few I put in a bottle for him, he forgot to take, just like Wednesday when he forgot to take the bread he so badly wanted.

If you want to know more about the Gecko, read on.  I am quite sure that this was the baby Gecko that was always in the way in my house.  Over the last week, I keep bumping into it in the most unexpected places for a Gecko.  The usually are out of sight during the day and may scamper across the walls at night, but this one was everywhere anytime.  On the stove when it was on, under the pile I picked up, under my feet, running around the computer desk and meandering across the floor.  I said to it yesterday - "it's a wonder you're not dead by now".  I tried to catch it so I could stick it outside because I didn't want to be the one that ended up squashing it.  Ever seen a gecko plastered to the wall in the crack where the door opens and shuts?  It is not a pretty sight and I keep an eye out for these things.  I know others would not bother.  R.I.P gecko.

Connor and I got in 5 minutes of play with the cheap version of the electronic spirograph that I always wanted when I was a kid.  I wanted the one that you did by hand, not this sort which rotates by battery power.  It was an Avon gadget and I have played with it before with Connor but I actually bothered to take out a screw-driver and remove the dead battery, replacing it with a new one this morning in anticipation of Connor's visit.  I think that the only reason his Dad even brought him here was that I had the Hot Wheels Easter Egg to give him.  It's hard for our side of the family to keep up with the gifts that have poured in from the other side of the family.  I have not heard of an Easter Egg coming from S and I know I have received nothing from my boys for my birthday and I am sure B could have afforded a $10 Amazon voucher for my Kindle which is what I asked for.  Maybe I will send him a link for Mother's Day tomorrow.

From Gecko's to Guts;
my gut is still playing up but not acutely now.  I think the chronic version is here for a while.  The motions are back to normal unless I let the spasms mount by eating too much or moving too much particularly bending.  Every morning I have had to take some codeine to slow it and it works but I have to be careful not to slow it down too much.  Unfortunately the joints have joined the party so now I am swallowing glucosamine and chondroitin.  My afternoons have been OK but the aching is getting to me.  I have spent so much on supplements this year.

Family Catch Up

It just goes to show you that things can change.  Both my boys phone me every week or three and not just because they want something.  That is only every second phone call haha. 

B has only worked 3 days each of the two weeks he has worked for Widgee Engineering because of all the holidays.  Tomorrow is Labour Day and on Tuesday he is going to the Lung Specialist in Nambour so he has the day off (and his boss did not mind) so it will be another 3 day week for him this week.  He actually rang to share his knowledge about an Android App.  He still enjoys talking gadgets and computers with me.  He did not volunteer any information about he and Stacey - I think they let things slide a lot this time for the sake of peace.

S phoned today and rarely does more than touch base.  It is hard to extract anything out of him but he is still in the same house because "I have not got anywhere else to go" and he has not seen Connor since he came back from Bali and he didn't ransack the office at work to compare sales figures.  There you have it.

Hope against Hope that this isn't Crohn's

I have had a not so good week with my gut.  In fact ever since the attack I had way back at the end of last year after getting constipated on those trial medications for fibromyalgia, the gut problems have flared up and down but only for a couple of days at a time.  It has been a week of it this time and I am back to being scared of what I eat.  I automatically give my bowel a rest from heavy food when it plays up but that usually fixes things or it has done for such a long time now.  I guess that was what they call remission.  I could have gone camping had I not been ill with everything else because there were plenty of times I did not have to worry about getting to the toilet in time.

I was so lucky getting to my birthday lunch after a morning of toilet trips and that yuk nauseous feeling and I enjoyed the meal.  It did not seem to aggravate anything either but the next day, and the next and so on have been days where I have gotten the long forgotten combination of feeling both repelled by food and excruciatingly hungry at the same time.  I have had some intense waves of normal nausea but this other nausea is from further down than the stomach.

I have not had any delayed attacks where the pain is excruciating since that one a few weeks back but now this week I have a constant low gut pain, the one I remember is aggravated by bending.  It is a pity the weather is getting so cool at night and in the mornings because I want to be wearing loose clothes and avoiding wearing long pants or PJs.  I have only got up to about 8 trips to the toilet on one day but I have avoided more by not eating anything in the morning.  In fact, it has been about 1 - 2 pm before I feel safe enough to eat without cramping.  Today I felt improved in the morning so that I ate much earlier and I did not feel the need to take anything to slow the bowel (codeine or lomotil or Tramadol does it for me) but about 2 hours after that meal it was a different story.  So far then I have been able to obtain relief by taking something like that.

Yesterday the pain above my pubic area was killing my lower back too and it went down into my thighs - all on top of my normal aching.  I am so tempted to try the LDN since trials prove that it helps with active Crohn's.  But I am worried about being labelled non-compliant or worse if I confess to using it when it has not actually been prescribed.  I will suggest it to the Gastroenterologist or ibd nurse who I visit on May 13th. but like most, I am sure they have never heard of it and it will be the last thing on their minds.  I could try it for a week before then and then stop it before I go.

The main reason in my mind that I was going to the Gastro was for this burning mouth.  The way it is now, I can put up with it easily because it is so much better but I have had a few lumps and bumps rise up only to go back down again within 24 hours and a few feelings of the beginning of an ulcer on the floor of my mouth and side of my tongue.  Anyway, now I have these gut symptoms to complain about too but honestly I do not want another colonoscopy.  It is hard to believe that constant health problems that I have had since last November have triggerd off the Crohn's again.  I have been really tired and sleeping a lot the last few days.  And I was not well enough to go to the shops that day I was talking to Deb.  I had to stay at home again and have done all weekend except for the quick trip to Pelican Waters shops.  I'm now really hungry.  I'll try some creamed rice.  Have a nice day.

Easter Sunday I back into Tina's car

I went to pick up B at 5am.  Two cars parked on their side of the drive.  Fogged windows.  Concentrating on the big tank of a car.  Bang.  I'm devastated.  All before the Easter Bunny is due.

Pick up B - he smells like a brewery.  But I'm sobbing out a year's full of tears over the next hour and low and behold, they climb into bed and just forget about the work that St has to be at by 8am.  She knew she would fall asleep.  But she did not ring to let work know.  In fact it seemed to suit her this time that Brett should not drive after a night on the Midori (mine).  The night before it was tinned premix as a primer before the club at midnight. B bought Yager Bombs so I am told.  Drink triggers off St's paranoia and for B it just mellows him.  He can drink an awful lot without actually getting drunk but he likes feeling "maggot-faced".  All you ever see in his party photos is him acting like it - poking out his tongue - thinking he's having a good time.  So, I was the chauffeur during the day Saturday in case he was still over the limit and I got to drive the new car.  It lacks a little on the uptake and needs a paint job on the roof.

I waited around for them to get out of bed - pruned the tree at the front letterbox which got me out of being teary; and wiped the black stuff off my rear side bumper bar which turned out to be a rubber strip on her car; doing this all while craving sleep but too wired to do so.  I was shaking.

I think Cohen woke them up again about 8.30am and the eggs Daddy bought for the Easter Bunny to leave were sitting there waiting but it wasn't something he was waking up with exitement for.  Too young.  St didn't really start thinking about getting Cohen something from the Easter Bunny until she got back here yesterday after 12 hours of unexplained absence but she certainly would not walk down to the shops even if B hadn't have mumbled "I got him something".  "Oh but I wanted him to have that big bunny one - complain, complain."  Cohen got enough.  See for yourself.

Happy Easter - they're gone - back to the relatively uneventful life they have in Gympie - all playing some computerized gadget or game in their own private worlds but together as some sort of family.  Cohen is going to fit in nicely by the looks with his "tendo". Translated Nintendo DS Lite.

Easter 2011

They arrived Good Friday after umming and arhing about it.  They left Gympie while I was having a quick dip at the local beach so I did not know they were actually coming for sure.  I was actually told to wait for another phonecall confirmation but I had waited and was not going to wait any longer.  I then went visiting and came home to find them here actually feeling pretty sure they would not come at all since it was so late in the day by then.  I missed seeing the message on Facebook because I was nowhere near the computer. 

The rest of the day went well, B bought Hungry Jacks for tea and then the drinking began.  They had until midnight before the club would open because it was Good Friday.  So there were all these mini dramas going on between him and her about involving a freind Lakota in the night but he would not return their calls.  It simply should have been a case of - he's not keen tonight but St was determined to try and find out why Lakota lied about losing his phone using it as an excuse not to have gotten their original message or missed call.  I won't explain it all.  Everything is just so childish but mostly based on St insecurities and she is plagued with them.  Someone with that many insecurities should not drink to get drunk because although the night club started off being fun, it did not end up that way and it turned into vengeance after B was seen "dirty dancing" with a girl while she meanwhile was chatting up other people.  I don't need to know any more.  Things just went from bad to worse between B and St and B said that he was coming back and called a taxi.  She didn't want to leave although the club was shut and they were only milling around the front of it.  While in the taxi, Br cruised past again and gave St a second chance to come home but she didn't take it.  He came home and went to bed.  He woke me when he came in and I was told the story.  He seemed to take it in his stride and said that she'd come home when she was ready.  Back to bed.

Cohen woke us up at around 8am.  Naturally B had not had enough sleep so it was a slow start to Easter Saturday.  I mucked around with Cohen a bit and made him a hot-cross bun which he liked but mini one was enough.  He seemed to prefer my chewable vit C next.  Come to think of it, he hardly ate any decent food and with both parents suffering the morning after blues, they did not have a meal all day.  Cohen did eat the chocolate Easter egg I gave him. 

Easter Present from Nanoo (early because they were not meant to be staying Easter Sunday)

He loves chocolate unlike Connor at the same age who only wanted the smarties out of the middle of the egg after the first bite of chocolate.  I had no fruit or anything for him except Powerade mix which everyone drank as fast as I could make a new batch.  It's all gone now.  Must get some more.  Am still using isotonic drinks to help with dizzies and low blood pressure but I am going to have a go at making my own.  I bought some potassium chloride.  But my blood pressure was not low this week anyway.  B and S both have spot on blood pressure around the 100 over 70.  Cohen screamed with fright when the arm band started moving even though he had been playing with the buttons.  There was no way he would put that thing on his arm.

On the way to recover Mummies handbag

One of the reasons they came down was to go to the beach Easter Saturday before leaving for home later in the day.  Stacey had to work Sunday.  But she wasn't back and we got really worried when B got a phonecall from St phone but the speaker on the other end was not St but the owner of the nightclub who had found the bag and all its contents plus her shoes out the front the previous night.  B asked me to drive them to pick it up and we got ready for the beach as well.  I was not going to let Cohen miss out on that!!!!!

Don't want to take my nappy off

 

I think all of us had fun at the beach despite B and I being pretty put out by St lack of appearance, the handbag incident and finding out that the police had no record of her being picked up.  They said to me "She has not been in our company for some time".

More to come

Time for a cry

Once-in-a-lifetime adventure



That was 1994.  And yes I was giggly with nervousness.  My life was better back then but my soul is better now. The feeling of free-fall was like being able to fly.  It did not feel like falling. I had an urge to learn astral travelling after this one-off experience of knowing what it was like to fly.

It is a real shame that the Darling Downs in Queensland AU was going through drought at the time.  I could not see a stick of green.  Maybe that is not as bad as not being able to see the view properly anyway because I lost my glasses as we did an almighty tumble out of the plane.  I was hoping for a belly flop.

Let me tell you a cfs/fibromyalgia secret......neruological problems seem to cause disorientation and dizziness.  So I hated the tumble part.  I had no idea where I was in space and if I had not been tandem I wonder if I would have ever been able to snap out of that disorientation in time.  Somewhere after 1994 I had the same horrible sensation from waltzing.  So I gave up anything that involved even slow spins in dancing.

After the tumble when my glasses (and Paraventure's goggles) flew off and upward, flattening out into flying mode was fantastic.  The air was palpable and small hand movements could direct your flight.   Yes, you can steer up there!!!

Hanging under the parachute was not as sensational to me.  That feeling of dangling was not exactly comforting but it was a good opportunity to catch up on the view.  I am glad my instructor let me rest my feet on top of his.  It was nicer to have a firm base.  The jump was over so quickly even from 12,000 feet up.  I would do it again if I had a million bucks but I won't be bleaching my hair like that again.  I was trying to live it up at the time (mid-life crisis)  - I was a recycled single again and thanks to Barry for introducing me to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Those gorgeous HUGE glasses were actually returned to me from someone's backyard 2km down the road.   I've still got them hoping that they will come back into fashion.

The other part of the video is my friend jumping.

COHEN'S BIRTHDAY AND ECHO CARDIOGRAM DAY

A, whoozy, wobbly, lead-leg day with a thumping heart it is.  I woke up feeling better though this morning and it lasted an hour.  B rang up when they got the parcel I sent and let him open it while I was on the phone but he did not talk at all.  The funny thing was that I thought I ordered a game for his new Nintendo DS Lite but it turned out to be a Go Diego Go DVD which he wanted to watch there and then - but I am starting to doubt my sanity.  I even knew what the game was supposed to do.  How I turned it into a DVD order I have no idea.  As it turns out it does not matter but it made it an expensive DVD.

The ECHO was the last thing I felt like doing this afternoon and I have not got the report but I got the film and a CD with pictures and video.  They even had free wifi at the imaging place.  First time I have seen anything free around here outside Macca's.

I have no idea which picture or video showed it but the man who did it said something about extra pressure in the pulmonary valve and although the others have said it is benign, he seems to favor the original diagnosis I got back when I was 21 of pulmonary stenosis - a valve problem.  He said I had a very slight leak in the mitral valve but that didn't really count.  I guess this means going back to a cardiologist again.  My appointment to get the results of this and the last blood tests and to tell me where to go next is on Friday now because I was asked to reschedule from Thursday because Fleur is home with sick kids and Craig and she have swapped over days.  She was away only a week or so ago with sick kids.  It is a wonder I don't catch something from her!!!

There's plenty more but I think there are enough posted here for safe keeping.  Just need to invite a cardiologist to view this page.  Anyone know a free online cardiologist with a passion for pictures?

He's been robbed $25
He just phoned from work looking for money which at the moment is a place called:  

  Aquisitions advertising and marketing for the promotion of the sale of your business.

W:  5479 1234

M:              0408 865 076      

E:    Email

Shops 2 & 3 Ocean Central. Cn'r Ocean S't and Duporth Ave Maroochydore QLD, 4558

P.O. Box 567, Maroochydore, QLD, 4558

He says he will have to move again because the money was in his wallet at home.  He said they were wankers there which is not what he said last time.  He said it was going to be OK this time.  He is very happy with work and I have tried to collaborate with him through Google Docs in an effort to help with his latest assignment but it seems I make that too complicated too.  He asked for the proof read.  I did not really want to do it.  I have been really ill again (or is it still?).  It seems he is doing a tertiary prep subject which I guess is designed to teach him how to be a tertiary student...referencing, research basics, assignment formatting and in this case summarizing. In an age past I used to tutor this sort of thing.  Here is what he gave me to proof read

OUA Assignment Cover Sheet

An Assignment Cover Sheet needs to be included at the front of each assignment submitted.

Address details

Address: 6 Burwood court

Kuluin, 4558

Assignment details

Unit code: SSK10

Assignment no. 2

Extension due date (if applicable): Fri 15th April 2011

Assignment topic (as stated in the Unit Information Booklet): Assignment 1 Short Essay : Discuss roles and

responsibilities of students and lecturers.

Unit name: Tertiary learning strategies

Applied Energy

Tagashira*,N & Senda,Y 2011, ‘What information should be provided in communications on biomass power

generation’, Socio–economic Research Centre, viewed 24 March 2011, 30 June 2010, accepted 7 January 2011,

.

Assignment summary, 

This paper is to distinguish the appropriate information to be given to untrained people in Japan to

further their knowledge of Biomass generation. To promote the development and way electricity is

used when generated from renewable energy sources. Support schemes like the renewables portfolio

standard and other green power programs have been introduced. Coming up with the necessary costs

involved and benefits of those schemes, people need accurate information in regards to the features

of renewable generation. The method used was a two stage “mental model” the technique was to

perform open ended interviews and a questionaire survey to show peoples understandings when it

came to Biomass generation. From these results it showed that the information to be given to the

population should incorporate the subsequent: (a) Definitions of biomass and biomass generation,

(b) specific generation technologies, (c) the carbon neutral concept of biomass, (d) non use of energy

food crops in Japan, (e) Sustainable availability of resources under certain conditions and (f) High

generation costs with their causes, such as collection costs of resources. (Tagashira*& Senda 2011, P.1)

Open ended interviews was the first of the method used from the two stage “mental model” -

this consisted of 30 recruits ages 30 – 58 who meet the requirements from a screening process

narrowed from 4173 residents in the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Bias was eliminated and the

interviews took place from February 10-20, 2007. Results consisted of questions derived from the

following: Biomass, “knowledge”, Biomass power generation “Knowledge”, Resources for electricity

generation, Generation technologies, Advantages and disadvantages. What the respondents believed

about the topics was then used in the Questionaire survey.

Respondents of the questionnaire survey came from a consumer panel of a different research

company. A screening process was conducted and eventually 20,531 meet the criteria, some groups

were taken and the questionaire completed. The majority of questions were designed to examine

whether peoples responses in the interviews were wide spread. The responses were discussed and

summarized and articulated graphically and the information was discussed to be provided to the target

audience. Still there is more work to be completed to develop messages on biomass generation on the

basis of results shown also finding easy ways to express difficult parts of biomass generation to the

audience. (Tagashira*& Senda 2011, P.8)

Article abstract,

In order to promote the production and use of electricity generated from the use of renewable

energy sources, support schemes such as the Renewable Portfolio Standard and various green power

programs have been implemented. When evaluating the costs and benefits associated with those

schemes, people need accurate information about the characteristics of renewable generation. The

objective of the present paper is to identify the kind of information to be provided to lay people in

Japan in order to enhance their understanding of biomass generation. We use the two-stage “mental

model” method to conduct open-ended interviews and questionaire survey to reveal people’s

beliefs about biomass power generation. From the survey results, it was identified the information

provided should include the following: (a) definitions of biomass and biomass generation, (b) specific

generation technologies, (c) the carbon neutral concept of biomass, (d) non-use of energy crops in

Japan, (e) sustainable availability of resources under certain conditions, and (f) high generation costs

with their causes, such as collection costs of resources. (Tagashira* Senda 2011, P.1)

I hope you can understand it because it is all too hard for me with M.E. degenerating brain.  Actually I was feeling a bit better this morning and I got a load of washing done and out and hair-washing before QBuild contractors came to paint the door they replaced yesterday.  They must have an injection of funds because they did Flora's too and I heard Karla had a new door and they finally came and removed the stump in the backyard too.  There is more talk about the asbestos fence being removed but Brian next door has to approve and luckily he will agree to nothing less than a solid colourbond fence.

I am vibrating again now with that strange feeling inside and the fluttery heart so here I am sitting my life away again.  At least I am not confined to bed - only sometimes.  It's a pity I won't be well enough for Cohen's gathering for his birthday but I am having a heart ECHO tomorrow anyway and an appointment with Fleur again on Thursday.  I was in a morbid mood last night and made this video.