November Challenge....

Hi everyone! It’s been a while!

Similar to the last update, I have continued to easily be off of FB and am still very much enjoying the break. I haven’t been using the Organic Burst products at all though, sadly. One day I put some wheatgrass into my smoothie and I could taste it so I didn’t do it again. I might put this completely on the back burner for another month or until January, and I think a better tactic would be to not try them all at once! They are actually sold in "bundles": Energy, Weight Loss, Perfect Skin, SuperGreens, and Fitness. I might be better off trying a bundle at a time, as there are only 3 supplements to take IN each bundle. I still have been doing my smoothies though. LOVE that. Oh, and I started my lovely progesterone cream and it’s almost been a week so far. I’ll give it some more time before I comment on that. It would also probably be smart not to start both at once so that I can feel the effects separately, and know which one is responsible for changes in energy, mood, etc. 

You all know too that I was awaiting a phone call back from the Children’s and the doctor did let me know last Friday that after a weekly meeting where cases were discussed amongst Rheumy doctors, that she did talk about M with other colleagues including the one who has expertise with the TMJ. They actually recommend the drugs instead of the injection. This kind of threw me off since in my mind I had kind of come around to the fact that the joint injection was going to be the best idea. She explained that more research on injecting the joint needed to be done, and there was some concern about the joint’s growth and development as children age. Because it’s such an important and visibly obvious joint, they think that drugs are best. Ugh.

Since meeting with the Naturopath, we did find and buy the VSL#3 probiotic that she recomemmded. We have also cut out dairy, citrus, and nightshade vegetables. M has been soooo good about all this and I have felt so bad telling her that she can’t have the pizza I have preordered for her at school on pizza Friday’s and that she can’t have a lot of the halloweeen candy she was so excited to eat.

I mentioned that we might try some alternative methods to treat the arthritis, (namely some acupuncture treatments and possibly some dextrose injections into the TMJ site) but because my husband and I differ on our opinions about this; because there is a bit of a time sensitivity; and because it's a joint that's very important (aren't they all really?) and quite VISIBLE, I think we will try the drugs. It’s so hard not knowing if the decision you are making is the right one…I am sure everything will be fine, I just don’t like the idea of my little girl being on all this medication. In my mind, we are using a bit of both worlds (naturopathic and conventional medicine) to get rid of this arthritis. We will do another MRI in about 6 months after treatment with the new drug begins, and hopefully it will be completely gone; and then the clock starts to begin the countdown of getting M off everything.

Before M starts the biologics, a chest x-ray and TB testing have to be done. Now that we have made the decision to go this route, I need to get on arranging that. Isn’t it just easier to ignore things for a while? Only you can’t do that for very long….

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary. We are going to The Lakehouse for dinner tonight. Can't wait!

Have a great Tuesday everyone!