The perspective that time gives.....

  I'm a little late on my latest entry, I had a goal to do at least one a month over the summer, but as you can see, I didn't make it. I did have some time to reflect though.  I asked myself a question. I asked myself if I could see a difference over the last five years in my life. What was expected? What was unexpected? Have the last five years had any influence to shape me into the person I am now? Five years may seem like a short window, and in a lot of ways, it is. We tend to get comfortable in our routines. So much so, that we get a little upset if we get interrupted sometimes, don't we?  I think it's understandable, after all, we are creatures of habit.

  But I think that five years is a long enough period of time to look back, and get a perspective of what direction you've been headed, and where you are going. You can observe yourself from just about any criteria you may want to examine yourself from. That's the variable. The time period is variable too. It doesn't matter if it's five years, ten, it can be anything you need it to be. The constant here is your direction. And it requires honesty with yourself. That can be a tough one, not a lot of wiggle room. There is a popular idea making the rounds in some circles these days, that perception is reality. In other words, if a person sees something, witnesses an event, then that eyewitness account is equal to reality. In some cases that might be true, but not in every case. Sometimes reality is reality. We have to be smart enough to use insight and judgment, objectivity and distance from emotion, to just look at the facts, and see where they lead us. The reality of a situation might be 180 out from our perception of it, we have to be willing to let the truth say what it has to say.

  Five years ago, I was in a totally different place in my battle with cancer than I am today. My home situation was different. I still had a son at home, (miss those kids), I was still working full time, now I'm retired, and I was fighting cancer by trying to manage it's growth with pills. Now I'm on chemotherapy. I've been battling this disease for ten years, actually almost twelve. I was diagnosed in 04. I've jumped through a lot of hoops, my wife with me. Not a lot of women would have stuck this thing out the way she has. Chemo is a lot different than pill therapy. It messes with your mind and your body, in terms of side effects. I got started on it because I was on a strong pill regimen called xtandi. My body couldn't tolerate it. They tried cutting the dose down, but I just couldn't take it. It made me so sick, I thought I was going to die. So they told me my only other choice was to go on chemo, which is my last resort as far as treatments go. That's a pretty scary proposition when you hear that. And I have to be on it for the rest of my life, unless something else comes along.

  Let me see if I can come up with an analogy that might work to describe this to you, I don't know, I'll try. You know the old saw about the t.v. commercial showing a frying pan with eggs in it, and the voice-over says this is your brain , then they scramble them and say this is your brain on drugs?It's kind of like that. A better one might be to compare it to algebra. You know the basic idea behind algebra isn't math. It's to teach you to think in a logical, systematic order, to think in a reasoned way using an order of operations that make sense. Let's call this normal brain function.Some people are able to think on a higher level, let's compare that to Pythagorean theorem. If I can just put this in a nutshell, it's using algebra to solve trigonometry problems. You have a formula for solving for sine. cosine and tangent. Some people are that smart. I've seen them. They're very smug, haha. I said that to say that on chemo, your brain goes down from that, to trying to make change for a dollar. That's probably the hardest thing I've had to adapt to in the last five years.

  But before I could even start on that, I got admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Turns out it was COPD, which is now a huge problem for me too. I got admitted three times for that, and the doctor told me she was surprised I came out alive, but I did, and I had to build my strength back up before I could begin the chemo. I also found out I had congestive heart failure. So over the last five years, there have been some major changes in my body, and my lifestyle. It's fair to say that my life is completely different now than it was five years ago. As I've gone along, I've adapted, or tried to anyway, to changing needs and new challenges. One biggie is finding a way to exercise my brain. I've learned that you can't just sit around and do nothing. That's just waiting to die, and I'm not doing that. So one of the biggest passions in my life has always been music. Ever since I was a young kid, I've needed it in my life like I need air to breathe. I listen to everything, whether I like it or not, sometimes just to identify what's going on, structurally in the song, just to stay sharp (no pun). But I play mainly guitar, acoustic and bass. I may put up a video sometime, I don't know. But playing every day I can really helps my hand/eye coordination, as well as working my mind and trying to keep that strong. I'ts also fun, and that's important too. I'm trying to be happy, even though I'm sick. Being happy releases good chemicals in your system, which works to help healing in your body. It's good for you. So there's always a silver lining somewhere. And this is just some of the perspective that time gives. :D

Unsung heroes

Hey all, I have been thinking about this subject for several weeks now, how I want to word my ideas, getting all my thoughts expressed, etc. This is an area that I don't see a lot of discussion on, but it is a very important one, because, if, as a cancer patient, you have a caregiver, you are a very blessed person.

My heart goes out to those who have no one to help them fight this battle with them. I can't imagine having to deal with all the problems, side effects, tests, appointments, emotional ups and downs, and all the other hurdles that present themselves during treatment, and having to do it alone.

I've seen those people. They struggle to get into the infusion center on time, then they have to get themselves back home after the therapy session. That isn't the time someone wants to be alone, especially if the medicine has been building up in your system, it's more difficult, because the symptoms show up sooner, and intensify sometimes, as you go along.

I should mention that I am off treatment now. I have been for about a month. I'm starting to feel really good again, getting some strength, we are hoping to have a good, long stretch of time before I have to go back on treatment again. But as I reflect over the last year, and really, over the last decade +, I don't know how I could have gone through it without my partner and best friend, my wife. Now I'm sort of taking my life in my hands here, because she is the type who doesn't want any recognition. :) But this blog has always been about trying to inform and discuss subject matter that you don't hear much about as you fight this disease. So it isn't about her alone, it is meant to cover caregivers as a whole.

You know, it's not a crime for a caregiver to need some care themselves. Sometimes we conjure up an image of a Florence Nightengale type of person, who never needs, or asks, for anything for themselves. And even though they may project this kind of image, we need to remember that everybody is just human. It isn't wrong, it's not weakness or a character flaw for you to need something for yourself as a caregiver. You need to give yourself permission to pamper yourself a little bit, at least once in awhile. It will be better for your situation as a whole. In our case, the facility we went to had a sort of day spa, and my wife and daughter-in-law enjoyed a pedicure while I was getting my testing done. The point is, find a stress reliever, because you will need it. Not to mention you deserve it. Go see a movie. Have a little bit of alone time if that's what you want. Maybe your circumstances won't let you leave your patient alone, or you just don't want to do that. Maybe you could find something to do together. Right now, my wife and I watch tv together. It doesn't sound like much, but she works all day too. I have been feeling better, so I have been finding ways to help her around the house, cleaning up the kitchen, fixing dinner, and more as I get more strength.

If you are a cancer patient, and you have a caregiver, you need to thank the powers that be. If possible, take them out for a nice meal, or create a moment at home for them. Don't take them for granted, imagine your life without them. What would you do? This person is a gift, I believe we should show some appreciation. And by the way, I wrote this as much for myself as I did anyone else. Ok, till next time then, get better!

Update...I'm still here.

Hello to you, Dear Reader! It has been almost two years exactly since my last post. Not that very many folks were reading, but many of you understandably may have assumed the worst by my long absence.

I'm here to say that thankfully, this wasn't the case! It has given me a chance to reflect on some things though, I mean my time away. I began this blog as a means to chronicle what happens to a person in my shoes, so that they could be forwarned a little bit, and know what to expect. Our medical system has made many wonderful advances, but there are some areas where they are still lacking, and it seems like explaining to a patient what to expect in a certain timeframe is one of them. They tell you some things, but the don't or can't, tell you everything. So you have to learn to ask questions. Sometimes tough questions, that you may not even be sure you want to know the answers to. And, not to slight the doctors, but, they don't always have an answer. They'll tell you that themselves.

So when I left off, I was telling how I had had surgery, which failed, and radiation, which also failed. Have you ever felt "up against it"? I did. I mean, here I had had seed implants, pills, (Which are only designed to manage the growth and spreading of the disease, not cure it), radiation, surgery, more pills, injections, etc, and nothing was working. Add to that, people all around me were getting cured of the same cancer I had. Yes, I looked skyward and asked "Whazzup"??These treatments also wear you out. I mean you become very tired,and can't think straight. Then there's recovery time, which gets worse as time marches on.

I'm very thankful that cancer is getting a better success rate these days. I'm very happy for those whose stories have happier endings than mine, and other folks that I know. I'm serious about that. But there are those like me, whose stories don't appear on the surface to be as happy as others. Let me tell you that isn't necessarily the case. I'll come back to this later, because I have some other things I want to tell you.

I was in a place that was very dark. I was running out of energy and hope. I was deciding which direction I would go next, with the help of my wife, when a friend suggested we try Cancer treatment Centers. You've seen the commercials. So, we made an appointment. I have to tell you, even if I had never had any more relief from the cancer, I still would have gone there. These folks were wonderful to us. It was the shot in the arm that I needed, at just the time I needed it. I think it really helped Lisa, my wife, too. It was at this point in my treatment that I was kind of forced to resign myself to the fact that I was not going to see a cure. However, it was also here that I was taught how to really improve my quality of life. I know that there are a lot of other cancer centers that are now doing the same things, and praise God for them! But this was the facility that God used in my life.

 I had a treatment called Provenge, that tries to stimulate your white blood cells to fight the cancer, which didn't work. Also some pill and injection regimens, which worked for awhile. Then they put me on a chemo pill they call xtandi, (extandee), which not only didn't work, it made me sick as a dog. I literally thought it was going to kill me. They tried reducing my dose, but it didn't reduce my misery. Evidently, I'm a very rare case. Most people have good results with that, but not me. So there was no recourse, treatment wise, but for me to go on chemotherapy. Either that, or just ride it out to the end of the trail. So long story short, that's where I am today. I just finished up 12 chemo treatments, with good success, and they are giving my body a rest for awhile, don't know how long, just until my numbers start to climb back up. Could be 3 months, or a year or more, we will see. I also had to go into the hospital last year for breathinh issues. Turns out I now have COPD and congestive heart failure as well, so, I won't be in the Boston marathon this year, sorry...

I mentioned earlier that I would come back to something. You know, I could take a look at my story, and, on the surface, I could allow myself to become very bitter and depressed if I wanted to. No one would really blame me, and a lot of people choose to live in their circumstances that way. I don't want to do that. I have to tell you, that through all this God has never left me. I love Him, and He loves me. I know that if he doesn't cure me while I live down here, (He could, have no doubt about that please), He is going to cure me when he takes me home, That is an absolute promise right from His Word. The Bible tells us that  it is appointed unto man once to die. We are all in the same boat here. It may be cancer, my heart may give out, or maybe COPD will take my ability to breathe away. Or, maybe I'll just walk up to some gang banger and slap him and call him an idiot. But somehow, some way, I'm going to die. So are you. dear reader. The question is, what about after this life? Are you ready? Have you asked Christ into your heart? I have. It was the best decision I ever made. Don't put it off, do it now. Jesus loves you, just confess to Him you are a sinner, and ask Him to save you. I want to see you in Heaven. Ok, that's it for this time, see you soon, hopefully, before two years.

treatment, continued

  Hello again! Taking up where we left off, I wanted to explain what happens if, God forbid, your treatment fails, as mine did. It wasn't something I was prepared for. I, like everyone else, want to see a quick, effective resolution to a problem like cancer. And I should say here, that many times that is the case. Cancer treatments are getting more and more effective every year. New therapies come out, there are always trials going on at major university hospitals that you can apply for, and there is much on the horizon to be hopeful about. There are treatments in the mainstream today that were only a possibility 5 years ago. I've had some of them. When the doctor called me into his office after my seed implants, I was on pins and needles waiting for the results. My mind was full of "what if's". Then the doctor told me the treatment had failed. My wife and I sat there stunned. How could this be? I was told that this was my best chance for a cure, and I was a good prospect for success, because the cancer was confined to the prostate. My doctor explained to me that sometimes, due to reaction of the body from this treatment, that a false positive psa could have happened, and that we should wait a couple of weeks, and do the test again. So, we waited, but we saw a high psa come back again. Now, I want to be clear, here. In no way do I blame my doctor for my failed treatment. I have every confidence that he is very skilled at what he does, and as we went over my results, he showed me a graph of my seed placement, which proved beyond a doubt that he had done his job the right way. So the next stage of my treatment plan was to switch to maintenance  of the disease by taking a pill called an androgen blocker, which stops you from producing male hormone, which is what makes cancer grow, among other things. Along with the pill I began taking a treatment of injections every few months, also to stop hormone production. I'm still on the same basic shot and pill to this day, but I've had some other treatments, too. Not long after I began taking these treatments, I began to see that even though I had a good doctor, he had taken me about as far as he could, and I knew I needed someone who didn't view this treatment as all that could be done. We had discussed other options, and he told me that I could try to get into some clinical trials, a good resource for searching those out is clinicaltrials.gov  a public health resource that lists everything going on around the world. It took us a while to decide what our next move was going to be, because I wanted someone handling my health who had their eye on my situation down the road, as well as the present. So we switched to another urologist for about a year, and he suggested a radiologist who might be able to help. We made an appointment to consult with him, and he mapped out a plan for radiation treatments for me. I was shocked, because I had been told I could never have radiation to the prostate again, after my seed placement. Turns out that wasn't true. So for 7 weeks, 5 days a week, I had radiation treatments, in an effort to cure my cancer. In the end, that therapy failed for me too.It was the same story, the psa reading kept climbing up, from 1 to 3 to 5, and we saw what the trend was, so my radiologist sent me to a surgeon, and we discovered that I had 5 infected lymph nodes in my pelvic region. We scheduled surgery, as I was told it was my best chance for a cure. They used the robotic arm surgery, and removed all the infected lymph nodes.Sadly, this treatment failed as well. There are many other things that doctors don't talk about, that enter into the arena of good health. Worry and anxiety are big ones. Anyone who has suffered from a debilitating disease knows the stress these can cause. Add to the mix, trying to keep a job, take care of your children, reassure your family and friends that you are ok, that can wear down your immune system, and overall good health. I would like to suggest to you that prayer really helps, if you find yourself in this condition. It was during this time that I began to question whether God really cared as much as I believed He did. Not enough to make me doubt His love for me, not enough to make me question my salvation, but it just seemed like my prayers were going into a deep dark hole, and they weren't getting through to Him. But I discovered that just because God doesn't answer you in the way, or the time frame that you want from Him, doesn't mean that He isn't listening. I would like to tell you that angels touched me. I would like to be able to say that the skies parted, and my cure was granted to me on a silver platter. But no, that's not the way God chose to work in my life. I began to see that God may have had a different purpose in mind for me. My next move was to a new urologist, who put me back on the shot and pill regimen, which worked, for a good while. Then my numbers started to climb back up again.

treatment

Hello again! When I last left off, I posted that I had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and that I had undergone a biopsy of the prostate gland, which showed the presence of cancer. There were several other factors involved in my diagnosis. They look at the results of a blood test called a PSA, which measures the level of a certain protein in the blood, giving them a clue that the disease is present. Also a factor is something called a Gleason score, which measures how advanced the disease might be. This is information that I am over-simplifying, for the sake of space. There is more information on this at wikipedia, under Gleason score. There are also several good books available on prostate cancer, through Amazon, or Barnes and Noble. Definitely one of the most nerve-racking trials a person goes through is wading through all the information available on cancer, and at first, you are in a state of shock and disbelief about your diagnosis. I totally understand this, but it's not impossible to get through, and if I may make a suggestion, I don't know how much you need to understand all the technical information, at first anyway. Understand that at first, you are in a panic state, so it is only natural to try and gather every bit of information possible, to give yourself the most in-depth level of understanding possible about your situation. Here is something I would like to give you. Don't be afraid to get a second opinion. It is good to educate yourself about the disease, and I think you should. But you don't need to try to understand it all at once. Talk to your doctor, don't be afraid to ask questions. There are no stupid questions, if it is on your heart and mind, ask it, the doctor works for you. You really need a good urologist. If your doctor recommends one, go see him or her. Also make an appointment to see a surgeon. Discuss all your concerns. Write them down before you go so you don't forget anything. If there is even a slight nagging in the back of your mind about the doctor's skill level, see someone else. When I was choosing my specialist, I went to a hospital that my insurance company worked with, and saw the chief of radiology to discuss treatment of seed implants, since I had already been advised that this was the best option for me. I promise you I am not making this next part up. This doctor was new in his position, and he was very pleased to spend most of my appointment trying to impress me with the book he had just written, on radiology, not on prostate cancer. I asked him point blank, "Have you ever done the seed implants, and how many have you done"? His reply was, "Yes, I did one , I think about five years ago, I'm sure I could do it again, I think I remember how it feels, when I have the seeds placed". The next radiologist I went to said that I was looking for someone who had done up in the thousands of these procedures, and was concerned about his patient, not how many books he had written. True story. Of course I went to the second doctor, at a different hospital, which meant a three month wait. But I had a slow-growing cancer, so I felt comfortable with the wait. Unfortunately, I believe it was during this time that the cancer broke through the outer wall of the prostate. My point is, that you have every right to be completely comfortable with your surgeon. Also, there are so many new treatment options available now, that weren't available when I was diagnosed, that I believe the seed implants are just about obsolete. The new standard is the robotic arm surgery, and I have several friends who have undergone this option, with wonderful success. I underwent the robotic arm surgery myself, to remove five infected lymph nodes in the pelvic region, but that treatment also failed for me. It is just about impossible to detect cancer on a small enough scale to know if it's moving around inside your body after a treatment such as surgery. There is always a possibility of recurrence. This is why you must have follow-up visits the rest of your life. Think about it this way. Imagine the prostate, or the lymph nodes as being a part of a hornets nest, and the doctor is trying to reach inside to get one bee, without disturbing the rest. It'd be pretty hard to not make the rest stir up a little bit, huh? This is why I believe I had so much trouble. Four biopsies to the prosate, one to the lymph nodes, a lymph node surgery, and no cancer cells moved anywhere else?  I have my doubts about that. If I had it to do over, I believe I would have questioned the need for the other three biopsies. To sum things up, there are just a few things I want you to take away from this post. First, educate yourself at a rate that you can fully absorb all the information you have on your disease. You won't understand it all in one day. Take a little time to let things sink in.It will help you later from being confused about the facts. I so happen to have a sharp wife who understands completely what I take for granted. This is a huge help. Second, I have a saying that I repeat to people all the time....half of the doctors in America graduated in the bottom half of their class....think about that for a minute. They can't all be at the top of the heap. Doctors have different skill levels and abilities just like everyone else. Be choosy. They all have diploma's, so, interview them...like I said before, they work for you. It is important for you to have confidence in your provider. Third, don't be afraid to ask questions, and make them explain more that once if you need to. This is everyday for them, but it's a major deal for you. I hope that this has been helpful to someone, remember, your doctor and surgeon are very important people in your life, choose the right one, and then go forward with them. Hopefully, you will be looking back at cancer as a bump in the road, that God helped you navigate through. Blessings, Mike

diagnosis

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004, as I said before. But before that, I'd like to give you a little background. My father was also diagnosed with prostate cancer, later in his life. He went to the doctor for checkups for years, but they never tested him until he was already sick. When he consulted with his surgeon, he was told that he could have a few choices with his treatment. Surgery, to remove the gland, or radiation therapy, or radioactive seed implants, which are about the size of a grain of uncooked rice, that are implanted surgically into the prostate gland, to burn the prostate up, and kill the cancer. He was told by his doctor that no matter what he did, he only had five years. Or, he could do nothing, and he would still have five years. The biggest mistake my dad made, was that he believed his doctor. He was told he had five years, and that is how long he lived, even though he elected to have surgery. Now I love my dad with all my heart, and at the time, I didn't know any better, or I would have told him that the doctors don't know everything, even though sometimes they think they do. It's not up to the doctors to tell anyone how long they have to live, they don't know, they are human, just like the rest of us. They can make a good estimate, based on historical data, and probabilities, and maybe even a good percentage of the time, they turn out to be right. But it's not up to them to tell anyone they will only live a certain amount of time, only God can do that. I miss my dad every day, and would love to have a conversation with him now. I know my wife and kids feel the same way about me. Do you see why I say that you can never give up hope? Without hope, and faith, the struggle is too hard to bear. You can't do it by yourself. I began having PSA tests annually in the early 1990's. This type of cancer has a strong probability of being passed down through generations.And in 2004, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Now I want to mention here, that I became a Christian in 1986. Before then, I had no hope. I had no idea what real, abiding faith meant. It was all too confusing for me. I believed it was just foolishness, and wouldn't help anyone. But then, I reached a point in my life where I hit the bottom. Circumstances in my life were such that I was out of control, and had no hope of getting it back. One day I fell to my knees and cried out to God, "If You are real, please show me. I know I have sinned, and I'm lost, and if I die, I'll go to hell.I don't want to go there. I believe Jesus died for my sins, and rose again so that I could live forever. Please save me, God". And He did. The most incredible feeling of peace came over me, and I knew I was saved. I wasn't in church, I was in my home. It was a meeting just between me and God, no one else was there. You can have this same peace and assurance if you want it, all you need to do is ask for it by praying a simple prayer, similar to the one I told you about a minute ago. You don't have to hit rock bottom, or be in a jail cell, or a hospital bed, you just have to realize that we as humans have no right to stand before God on our own merits, because our best efforts will fall short. God's standard is perfection, and we have all fallen short. Romans 5:12 tells us this. Then Romans 6:23 tells us that even though we have fallen short, we can be forgiven, and have eternal life, by believing Christ made that sacrifice for you, and turning away from your sin, and walking in His way. I hope you will see your need for this relationship that God offers you, whether you are sick or not, because living a good life won't help you, or giving all your money away, or even sacrificing for others. You have to come to God through Christ alone.

But we still have to go through this life. We have to deal with ups and downs. Bad things are going to come our way, as well as good things, whether we are Christian or not. God doesn't insulate us from the hard things in life, but He does go through them with us, if we belong to Him. So when I received my diagnosis, I was terrified at first. I didn't know what to expect, and a thousand questions went through my mind. But then God's peace settled in on my spirit, and I knew that no matter what happened, He would never leave me alone. I spoke to the surgeons about treatment options, and they wanted me to have a biopsy of the prostate gland. This was so they could determine the likelihood of the disease being confined to the prostate, or if it had broken through the outer wall and spread elsewhere. The exam revealed that the cancer was confined to the prostate itself, so after discussing my options with a team of doctors, I opted for the radioactive seed implants. They did an absolutely top-notch job of placing the seeds, and I got coverage of the entire gland with the radiation. The problem for me, was that too much time had passed while waiting for my procedure, and some cancer cells had escaped the prostate, and infected some nearby lymph nodes. My PSA count kept going up slowly, and in the end, I went through 3 more biopsies. I will continue again on another post, but the story is far from over. Again, thanks for visiting, and I hope something here will help you, or someone you know.

beginnings

Hello, and welcome to the Straight Path. I opened this blog to have a place to share my experiences as a cancer patient. I was diagnosed 9+ years ago with prostate cancer. Since then, there have been many mountains and valleys, but I'm so thankful that I haven't been alone. You may have been invited here, or directed here by a friend or family member. Maybe you're just curious, or maybe you're like me. One thing I'm aware of is that you go through several stages in dealing with cancer. Not just the progression of the disease, but also stages of stress, acceptance, disappointment, joy, and many other types of highs and lows. In future posts, I will attempt to recall my whole experience as faithfully as possible, but I want to say up front, there is always hope! I believe the worst thing you can possibly do is give up hope. Dealing with cancer is a constant fight, mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally, and many times as a cancer patient, you are just left to yourself to try and figure out how to keep yourself engaged, and confident that the sun will come up tomorrow for you, just like it does for everyone else.

Mentally- There are challenges concerning the ability to keep up with your job. Questions come into your mind that will challenge your confidence in being a provider. Also, how long will I be able to have a good quality of life? Should I make a decision on a major purchase or not? How will I be able to pay the medical bills? Not all the mental challenges concern finances, but you can see, among other things, it is a very present reality.

Spiritually- I have known of people who have gone through disease, treatment, recovery, and more, backwards and forwards with no regard for any spiritual comfort at all. I have seen people put their trust in different types of  spiritual remedies, because they answer what they consider to be the biggest problem...How will this help me fight this disease? I am not here to say that either of these outlooks has any more merit than the other. People do what they want to do. But consider this: If God were to offer you your life back as it was before cancer, would you take it? Of course you would! What if God offered to not only see you all the way through cancer, but personally escort you over to the other side into eternal life? That possibility is more real than anything else even comes close to. We will talk about that some more later.

Physically- Any health professional will tell you about the importance that diet and exercise will play in your management of cancer. There are many diets out there designed expressly for cancer patients. I will post some, and give links to others, but when you research, just be aware, there are people out there who will take advantage of you because they know you are searching.

Emotionally- Many of us bottle up about bad news. Many of us have to share every thought we have. There is a whole spectrum out there, and everybody fits in somewhere. I believe we can all learn from each other. Again, I will post articles and links, that I believe might be helpful.

I would also like to make clear that I am not a health professional in any aspect, or capacity whatsoever. I may share information that I have received from health professionals that I have dealt with, but I myself do not dispense medical advice or diagnosis. Well, I'd like to thank you for visiting, I hope you will stop by again,  God Bless you, and stay healthy!