My Health Update + ASEA

To my Family and Friends,

I know many of you out there have been concerned about my health over the past few years, so I wanted to give you a summary and an update on what has been going on.

It all started back in the summer of 2009 when I had my first huge outbreak of mono.  I discovered I in fact had mono 3 days before school started.  It was a tough semester and I kept getting sicker.

I then got tested for food sensitivities.  In short, I learned I am gluten intolerant as well as rather sensitive to dairy and eggs.  I began a gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free diet in February of 2010 and I'm still going strong!

I started to feel a lot better as 2010 progressed, but then I passed a kidney stone the second week of fall semester.

This seemed to spark another set of symptoms - specifically nasal allergies.  I got tested for mono again to see if I had a current infection...it came back negative.  I did end up having a sinus infection, but I also got tested for pollen allergies.  In short, I'm allergic to the majority of the Valley.

Then the motherload.  Depression and anxiety.  I have been taking prescription medication for my depression and anxiety for just over a year now.  The side effects sometimes seem worse than the original symptoms.

After a long time of continuing to feel miserable, both physically and emotionally, a miracle happened to our family.  His name is Dr. Stan Gardner.

I finally had a functional medicine doctor with a goal of helping his patients find alternatives to drugs and surgery.  My treatment with him began with nutritional IV's to help reboot my immune system and an alternative allergy therapy he calls AllDeSen.  Unfortunately, these treatments only reduced my symptoms by about 25%.

Dr. Gardner's "assistant", Caitlin, does most of the AllDeSen work.  I put her title in quotation marks because she is actually his daughter. ;-)  Caitlin is a sweetheart with magic fingers.  Not only does she do AllDeSen, but she also does massage and a form of energy work called  Jin Shin Jyutsu.  I will talk more about my experiences with this at a later time, but I can tell you right now that I wish I had been getting massages long before now and I am also a believer in energy work.

Now most recently, after some lab results returned, we decided to put me on a light thyroid hormone and an additional supplement to increase my dopamine levels.  But the thing I am MOST excited to try is a product called ASEA.

I know many of you reading this have been dealing with health issues yourselves.  I can empathize with you.  Being sick for an extended period of time is torturous.  It's still hard for me to believe I'm saying this, but ASEA has given me some hope!

Let me give a disclaimer:  Yes, I am signed up with ASEA in a way that will allow me to eventually distribute the product if I believe in it.  I am not in any way trying to push this on anybody.  I just barely started it myself.  Signing up as an ASEA Associate happened to be the most cost effective way for me to get going on the product.  But I will say, if it makes me feel better, I want to share it with you all!

To learn more about ASEA, head to my personalized link and look through the informative videos.  The videos explain the product way better than I can!

http://freeyourmind.teamasea.com/

I will keep you updated on my progress as much as I possibly can.  Please have it in your prayers that I can get healthy again!  You are all also in mine!

Please feel free to contact me if you'd like to talk more about any of the stuff I've mentioned.

I love you all!

Jason

MONO Lessons (Part XX: 401 - 419)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons

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401. I lose a LOT of respect for people if I find out they’re not a registered (and active) voter.

402. Just as decongestant nasal sprays can cause rebound congestion when overused, decongestant eye drops (“red eye” eye drops) will cause rebound congestion of the eye – rebound “red eye.”  Thankfully I didn’t learn this one by experience, but instead by researching allergy eye drops.  I now know too much about allergy eye drops.

403. When I’m not happy, I hate hearing songs telling me to be happy.

404. Sitting on stage at Spring Awakening sounds glamorous and all, and it is, but as RTH put it, “we were still sitting on props.”  My ass hurts.

405. These bodies of ours are insanely imperfect.  It’s a miracle any of us are alive in the first place.

406. There is a part of me that knows this body is only a temporary inhabitance.

407. Life can really look and feel horribly sucky.  It’s anything but fun to feel this way.

408. Sometimes I get MONO Lesson writer’s block, but then I write 10 other things in the meantime while I wait for it to pass.

409. Doublespeak is maddening.

410. Sausages are silly.

411. Valentine’s Day cookie making with the boyfriend = adorable idea by me.  Oh, and the cookies were amazing GF, DF, and EF delights.

412. Bananas are also kind of silly.  …But not as silly as sausages.

413. When it comes to sausages, my mom and I turn into 7 year olds.

414. If you’re feeling constipated and also happen to have a sinus infection, antibiotics help both.  Double duty, if you will.  Duty.

415. Helping feels good.

416. Sometimes, normally normal things seem weirder than they ought...while sometimes, something new and kind of weird and bizarre can feel totally natural.

417. It’s tough to tell whether a difficult situation which, whether you like it or not, has an affect on your relationship with somebody, will immensely enhance this relationship or steadily destroy it.

418. 3-4 prunes at breakfast each day helps things keep moving.

419. Prunes really do taste pretty good.  (Especially Paul Newman's prunes.)

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

MONO Lessons (Part XIX: 383 - 400)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons

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383. Nancy Pelosi is perpetually watching somebody NOT use a coaster.

384. Red vs. Red is a battle of very strong wills and hard heads.  I should say “Red + Red” instead…vs. sounds so opposing.

385. I’m a fucking catch.  There.  I finally typed it in here.  Enough talk…time to put it in writing (other than text message).

386. Haikus are lacking / A sufficient amount of / Syllables to make……..a point.  See?

387. Contacts are awful.  I hate them.  They’re definitely not for me.  Glasses it is.

388. It’s not like this is a new revelation, but finals week changes my brain chemistry.  It’s gross.

389. During finals week, all decision-making must be postponed until the storm is over.

390. If it happens to be fall finals week, postpone all decision-making until after January 1.

391. Casein makes up 80% of milk’s protein content.

392. Gluten and casein have a similar molecular structure.

393. White Christmas = cheese.

394. It’s amazing how much can change in just one year.  It’s even more amazing how much doesn’t change.

395. TRON: Legacy…my next Inception?

396. Not only is the picture larger and clearer in IMAX, the sound is significantly better.  Recommendation made.

397. Cheapness can be both a “genetic” and learned behavior.

398. Someone else in this world learned stuff while they had mono.  Her name is August, even though that’s a boy’s name, apparently.  ;-)  Who would have thought searching “mono” and “lesson” on Twitter would give any result besides me?

399. I’m allergic to everything just like my mom.  Thanks, mom.

400. Blogging success: writing about “my past” in a way that makes people think the blog is about a person.

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

The Year of Immunotherapy?

Please let this year be better.  I'm so tired.  I haven't felt well since May of 2008 and I'm tired of trying.  But apparently not tired enough to quit.

Westminster, Colorado.
A "cold" 
Turns into a "sinus infection."
Bactrim, Ceftin, Azithromycin, Augmenton.
Hives.
Epic hives.
Again
And again.
Turns out it was mono.
Quite the misdiagnosis
Duh.
School starts in 4 days.
Semester from hell.
ER visit.
Finally confronting my heart arrhythmia.
Miracle semester.
Not feeling better;
In fact, feeling worse.
Quit my job of 2.5 years.
Goodbye to the best coworkers on earth.
Time to focus on health and school.
Turns out I'm gluten intolerant.
Diet changes.
Diet changes.
Diet changes.
Diet changes.
Diet changes.
Feeling slightly better.
Disneyland.
Feeling quite a bit better.
Lagoon.
Cabin.
Something's not right.
School starts.
Worst pain ever.
ER visit.
Kidney stone.
Nausea, pain, lortab, and flomax.
And lortab...did I mention the lortab?
School...
Work...
W...
Feels like mono again
Only it isn't.
What a relief!
Wait, then what is it?
I'm allergic to this valley.
Is immunotherapy my next solution?
 

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

MONO Lessons (Part XII: 229-245)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons 

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229.  I am allergic/intolerant/sensitive to:

a. Bean, Green (+1)

b. Bean, Kidney (+2) 

c. Bean, Navy (+1)  

d. Bean, Pinto (+1) 

e. Bean, Yellow Wax (+1) 

f. Beans, apparently…however, not Lima, unfortunately 

g. Cheese (+2) 

h. Egg  (+2)

i. Egg-white (+2) 

ii. Egg-yolk (+2)

i. Milk, Cow’s (+1)

i. Casein (+3) 

ii. Whey – LF (+1) 

iii. In other words, everything dairy.

j. Pineapple (+1) 

k. Pumpkin (+1)  

l. Rye (+1)

m. Tomato (+1) 

n. Wheat (+3)

i. Gluten (52 units)

o. Yeast, Baker’s (+1) 

p. Yeast, Brewer’s (+2)  

q. Zucchini (+1)

230.  The Mexican food I thought was saving my life because it’s the only thing I could get down…yeah…slowly killing me: Pinto Beans, Cheese, Sour Cream, Tortilla, Tomato Salsa…  My mono nausea cure only made me sicker.

231.  A simple, sincere “I’m sorry” can go a LONG way…

232.  Restaurants have gluten-free menus!

233.  Gluten is in everything.

234.  A “positive” gluten sensitivity test is like a positive pregnancy test – you can’t be kind of pregnant and you can’t be kind of sensitive.  You are.

235.  I’m bitter about gluten.

236.  Lesson #228 is no longer valid.  I actually think I would feel worse having a Grand Slam than if I got drunk…ha.

237.  I really don’t have very good gaydar.  I need to accept this fact of life.

238.  I still get shocked every time someone comes out to me.  Haha.

239.  MLIA is hilarious.  TFLN is rather hilarious, but the sex and drugs can get old rather quickly.  FML is just depressing.

240.  “Appetite is the best seasoning.” – Jessica Johnston

241.  “The moral of the story is:  Don’t drink, or your clone will be murdered.” – Jessica Johnston

242.  “Life takes a lifetime.”  (from “Naturally” by Lisa Donnelly)

243.  We don’t do physics.  Physics does us.

244.  IgG anti-gliadin antibodies have a half-life of 120 days.

245.  With an IgG score of 52 units, after 4 months of gluten-freeness, I will be near 26 units; 8 months I will be near 13 units; and 12 months, I will be near 7 units (below 10 is normal, 3 is average).  Hence, 1 year of recovery ahead.  It could be worse.

Jason

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

MONO Lessons (Part XI: 209-228)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons

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209. It’s January 27, 2010, and to be honest, I don’t really think I have mono any more.  However, things aren’t back to normal.  My appetite is odd, my sleep cycle is odd…I just feel odd.  I think I have food allergies that are prolonging everything.

210. Whether I still have mono or not, I keep learning things, so I think I should continue my mono lessons list – both for personal reasons and for the sake of blog entertainment.  In case I don’t actually have mononucleosis (symptoms) any more, MONO Lessons will stand for Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational Lessons.  That’s what these silly lessons really are, anyway. ☺

211. I’m grateful I took Foundations of Analysis…?!?  What?!?

212. Valentine’s Day comes to mind much sooner when it appears you’ll actually have a valentine.

213. 55” of TV is a LOT of TV.

214. There are few things that will keep me up until 4am.  Tennis is one of them.

215. I get extremely offended when my petition is denied.

216. Attraction is SO complicated!  And it dictates our thoughts and feelings about absolutely everyone!

217. I actually can get my blood drawn with out totally freaking out.

218. Just being in the University Hospital makes me extremely happy.

219. Hospital cafeteria food is better than Union food.  And cheaper.  And more healthy.

220. The Green shuttle doesn’t stop at the Union, only Red and Blue do.

221. Atenolol makes being nervous so much more bearable.

222. School is “easier” when unemployed.

223. Alec Woodbury and Allie Wall have the same initials!!!

224. Leaping zombies are the best.

225. There are certain people with whom I should not be alone for an extended period of time.  Specifically while school is going.

226. We’re literally writing the next page of our life novel right now; “the rest is still unwritten.”

227. Slaps in the face are rather enlightening for both parties – the slappee and the slapper.

228. I would SO much rather get a free Grand Slam at Denny’s on my 21st birthday than get drunk.

Jason

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

Burden on Society

Yes...and can I get that without bread?
     ...without seasoning?
     ...without sauce?
     ...without croutons?
     ...without dressing?
And also...without cheese?
            ...without mayo?
            ...without cream sauce?
            ...without butter?
Yeah...can I get that plain?
                            ...on corn shells?
                            ...wrapped in lettuce?
                            ...bun-less?
So uh...can I substitute that with guacamole?
                                       ...with salsa?
                                       ...with rice?
                                       ...with plain steamed veggies?
                                       ...with rice noodles?

Can I ask you a question...?
What is this fried in?
Is it fried with anything breaded?
How often do you change the oil? 
How often do you clean your grill?
Could you please change your gloves?
Could I see your gluten-free menu?
Do you even know what gluten is?
Then can I see your allergy menu?
This black and white piece of printer paper is it?
Oh, so even though your menu says it's gluten-free, it actually isn't?
Where is the gluten-free section?
Oh...that little area is it?
I've already tried all of it...
 
No, sir...no.  
You have this backwards:
Society is a burden on ME.

Can I speak with the manager?

Jason

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

Gluten

So.  I'm sensitive/intolerant/allergic/whatever to gluten.  

First, I shall vent.  Here we go:

I'm mad.  I'm angry.  I'm PISSED.

Gluten is in everything.  Not really, but it sure appears that way right now.

I hate drawing attention to myself in restaurants.

I hate asking for a gluten-free menu.
I hate discussing my food allergy with strangers.
Eating out, just the thought of it, gives me anxiety.
I'm now a burden on society! Ah!

Have you ever had a freaking bun-less hamburger in public?  Yeah, I have.  It's weird.  And your friends stare in awe as you you eat it.

Now I'll get real.  Here we go again:

If one continues to eat gluten even though they are sensitive, they can/will develop celiac disease where one's small intestine gets so severely damaged that nutrients are no longer absorbed from food.  I don't want that.

Hence, I'm glad to know that gluten is one of the main reasons I've continued to feel so crappy.

So in the end, I'll do what it takes.  But it's not going to be easy getting used to this.

Any gluten-free restaurant suggestions, recipes, or other various product suggestions are welcomed and appreciated.

Jason

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.