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 XIX: 383 - 400)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons

---

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.

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MONO Lessons (Part XV: 300 - 320)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons

---

300. Some places are just not worth spending the time, energy, and money to eat (particularly gluten-free) at.  I apologize for ending that sentence with a preposition.

301. It’s hard enough for me without the perpetual snide comments.

302. Mood changes can be sudden and unannounced with an obviously noticeable shift as well as sudden and announced with no detectable actual change.

303. Flash drives can never be solely trusted.

304. I feel extremely gratified when my re-petition is approved and I got everything I wanted in the first place.

305. Pride will forever be a gluten-free food that I will be swallowing regularly.

306. I can even survive 8+ vials of blood being taken from my arm!

307. It’s really weird knowing more than your own doctor…you know…the one who knows everything.

308. Back on May 3, 2010, I realized I was in limerence with her.  That’s what happened!  You can be in limerence with the “wrong” gender.  Now I finally have a name for it!

309. These foods, oddly, have gluten in them:

a. Soy Sauce

b. Teriyaki Sauce

c. Blue Cheese

d. Marinades and Seasonings

e. Couscous – it’s actually a pasta

f. Malt (malt anything comes from barley)

g. Caramel Flavor

h. Caramel Color (but usually not any more)

i. Roasted/Glazed/Candied Nuts

j. Vitamins

k. Gravy

l. Oats…kind of…but not really.  They are all too often contaminated with gluten, but don’t possess any of their own gluten.  This is always a wonderful conversation starter.  (See Lesson 274)

m. Tofu.  Wha?!  I know, right?  Stupid wheat fillers.  (As a side note, Kofu is 99.999% pure gluten.  Note to self: Definitely avoid Kofu.)

n. Licorice

o. Imitation seafood, like imitation crab

310. These foods are shockingly gluten-free

a. Buckwheat

b. Glutinous rice

c. Corn gluten

d. Wheat grass

e. Fruity Pebbles – For some odd reason I assumed they were gluteny…

f. Rumbi’s chicken.  I swear to you, everyone else’s chicken is marinated in gluten!

311. My potassium STILL isn’t as high as I was hoping.  What the crap?!?  No wonder my heart still has episodes.

312. It’s nice to be on the same page this time around.  Thanks for giving me a break this time around, universe.

313. “Don’t look for Mr. Right, be Mr. Right and the rest will fall into place.” – MB

314. As usual, summer brings people out of the woodwork.

315. Scalp Oil + Shower Cap + Big Gun Acne Spot Treatment + Extra Lotion Around Lips = Jason Looks Like a Freaking Monster at Bedtime

316. I now have empathy for people with scalp issues ranging from mild dandruff to full-fledged scalp psoriasis.

317. Writing and mailing letters to people is really rather fun.

318. Sometimes I go WAY too long without writing mono lessons.  They then get backed up (constipated, if you will) in my brain and then finally spill out all over the place.

319. A lot can change in a year.  Namely feelings.  Stupid fickle feelings.

320. Oddly, confusion is sometimes rather peaceful.  Wha?

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?
 

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MONO Lessons (Part XIII: 246-270)

Meditatively Obtained, Novel, and Observational (MONO) Lessons

---

246. March 1st’s abruptness can actually continue to surprise me, and more so each year.

247. While in the shower, I realized I haven't honestly had the drive to find a companion or a mate since last July (2009).  And the drive continues to be absent.  (Typed in late February / early March 2010.)

248. “Time just sifts through its sift.”  (from “Buildings” by Regina Spektor)

249. Swallowing pride isn’t all that bad.  And it’s gluten-free!!!

250. Communication is KEY…from every individual involved.

251. Timing is everything…still.

252. Reaching new levels of friendship are the best!

253. Rapture is found in challenging yourself.

254. Once you floss for a while, on a regular basis, that is, your gums eventually stop bleeding!

255. I can’t read your damn mind.

256. A lot of people just don’t understand depression and it’s not worth my time trying to get them to understand.

257. I love my friends to death…but they can sure do some things that really grind my gears.

258. Lack of communication pisses me off.

259. I never thought I could/would talk about poop so freely and easily.

260. Addendum to lesson #205:  Yes, nothing beats IMAX 3D, but nothing is more trippy than IMAX 3D on the front row.  Those numbers at the beginning…they literally hit you in the face.

261. “I have been running, so sweaty my whole life / Urgent for a finish line. / And I have been missing the rapture this whole time of being forever incomplete.” (from “Incomplete” by Alanis Morissette)  Alanis taught me this a while ago, but I thought it was worth adding to my list.

262. I can live without nasal spray finally.  A day for the history books:  Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 11:35PM I threw away my last bottle of nasal spray.  Since I hadn’t used it in a week, it seemed like an appropriate opportunity to get it out of my life.

263. All goat-derived products are absolutely repulsive.

264. Rubio’s is just plain amazing.

265. Giving an honest and positive opinion is really worthwhile.

266. I have absolutely no control over my intense attraction to certain people.

267. The only reason Saturday morning online class tests aren’t all that bad is the fact that I get to watch an episode of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers before driving up to the U.

268. Group work…ugh…it’s obnoxious, really.  Always has been, always will be.

269. When I get extremely angry about my food situation, I go on a gluten-free shopping spree and throw out intolerable food at home.

270. TMI, but I’ve never pooped this regularly before.  A good and healthy diet sure helps a lot.

Jason

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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

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One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today...

I started getting a "cold"...
                                         Which turned into a "sinus infection"...
                                                                                                    Mono the whole time
I'd only had my blood drawn twice in 20 years
I had never regularly broken out in hives
My heart arrhythmia was as common as a Venus transit
All tea tasted like hay
The "Mono Lessons" began to occur but were not yet being documented
"Tired" had a completely different meaning

I had a great job
I had the most incredible coworkers
I was taking my first business trip
We were as strong as ever
We were beginning to truly bond
The end was at least 2 years away
                                                   ...not 6 months

Life wasn't as hemorrhoidy and didn't sting
Life wasn't as bloated
Life wasn't as constipated
But it was a bit...irregular
I ate whatever the hell I wanted
I weighed 170 lbs

I wasn't as experienced
I wasn't as empathetic
I wasn't as forgiving
Lisa hadn't yet changed my life
I wasn't as patient
I wasn't as friendly
I wasn't as mindful

I didn't know I'd be so happy to have the last year behind me

...one year ago today.

Jason 

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Aaron the Whole Foods Boy

"Aaron the Whole Foods Boy" by Jason Hoggan

(Inspired by Kristin Chenoweth's "Taylor the Latte Boy")

There's a boy I'll meet at Whole Foods

Who is very diet contentious

He is very diet contentious because of many things.

I come in at 7:30 (PM, of course) and head straight for the bulk whole raw cashews.
We all love our bulk whole raw cashews
They make our taste buds grow wings!

So today at 7:30 (PM, of course)
I realized this is probably where I'll meet him
This is probably where I'll meet him
But near some obscure gluten-free food

So today at 7:30 (PM, of course), when I headed straight for the bulk whole raw cashews
I took a sharp turn to the right instead
And headed toward the blessèd nut thins

And I pondered, "Are these obscure enough?"
"Probably not.  They're pretty picked over and popular."
I bet his name will be Aaron,
Which provides the inspiration for this poem:

Aaron the Whole Foods boy
Bring me gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, bring me joy!
Oh Aaron the Whole Foods boy
I love him, I love him, I love him...

So I'd like to get my nerve up
And search a new GF aisle
He'll be on a new GF aisle
By an extremely obscure food
So today at 7:30, I went down another GF aisle
There I see a boy humming LeAnn Rimes with hot, sexy red hair!

As I quickly glide toward him, I chime in to his humming
It's "Something I Can Feel"! (Thank goodness not something cliché!)

So I gently tap his shoulder, and mouth the words to the song
And I knew his singing back meant that Aaron loved me too!
I said, "What's that in your hand there?  And by the way, I love your red hair..."
He said, "Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free cookies and this box right here is just for you!"

*sigh* 

Aaron the Whole Foods boy
Bring me gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, bring me joy!
Oh Aaron the Whole Foods boy
I love him, I love him, I love him...

I used to be the kind of guy
Who'd cringe when love stood in front of him.
But finally a blood test whispered, "Love can be yours
If you venture into Whole Foods for GF delights!"

Aaron the Whole Foods boy
Bring me gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, bring me joy!
Oh Aaron the Whole Foods boy
I love him, I love him, I love him...

So many months my heart has dreamèd,
Who'd have thought that love could be so gluten-free?

Aaron the Whole Foods boy

I love him, I love him, I love him...
I love him, I love him, I love him...

---

"Taylor the Latte Boy" by Kristin Chenoweth (Lyrics provided below.)

There's a boy who works at Starbucks

Who is very inspirational.
He is very inspirational because of many things.

I come in at 8:11, and he smiles and says, "How are you?"
When he smiles and says, "How are you?"
I could swear my heart grows wings!

So today at 8:11
I decided I should meet him
I decided I should meet him
In a proper formal way.

So today at 8:11 when he smiled and said "How are you?"
I said "Fine, and my name's Kristin,"
And he softly answered, "Hey."

And I said "My name is Kristin, and thank you for the extra foam..."

And he said his name was Taylor, 

Which provides the inspiration for this poem:

Taylor the latte boy,

Bring me java, bring me joy!

Oh Taylor the latte boy,

I love him, I love him, I love him...
 
So I'd like to get my nerve up
To recite my poem musical.
He would like the fact it's musical
Because he plays guitar.
So today at 8:11, Taylor told me he was playing
In a band down in the village in the basement of a bar.

And he smoothly flipped the lever to prepare my double latte,
But for me he made it triple! (And he didn't think I knew)
But I saw him flip the lever, and for me he made it triple,
And I knew that triple latte meant that Taylor loved me too!
I said, "What time are you playing? And thank you for the extra skin..."
He said, "Keep the $3.55," because this triple latte was on him.

*sigh*

Taylor the latte boy,
Bring me java, bring me joy!
Oh Taylor the latte boy,
I love him, I love him, I love him...

I used to be the kind of girl
Who'd run when love rushed toward her.
But finally a voice whispered, "Love can be yours,
If you step up to the counter and order."

Taylor the latte boy,
Bring me java, bring me joy!
Oh Taylor the latte boy,
I love him, I love him, I love him...

So many years my heart has waited,
Who'd have thought that love could be so caffeinated?

Taylor, the latte boy,
I love him, I love him, I love him.
I love him, I love him, I love him. 

Special thanks to Maren Ritter for being the reason I love this song so!

Jason 

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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

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21 Years Worth of Gluten

I'm 21 today.

            What does that mean?

Renewing driver license.

A new driver license picture.
One year closer to getting own insurance.
Andrew Legend is 19 and somehow still running...for now.
No cake or pie. They all have gluten and/or dairy in them.
21+ concert venues and no missing Missy, Pat, or LeAnn any more.
5 leap-days have made my birthday feel one day late.
Only one other person exists with this same birthday.
(Happy birthday to her!)
Checking in to any hotel.
21 years worth of gluten.
Gambling tuition money away.
One year closer to renting a car.
Most of that 21st year was spent ill.
Could have been legally smoking for 2 years.
Could have been getting back from my mission soon. Ha.
Now an adult. Whatever the hell that means.
2.5 years left of undergraduateness.
March 1st has yet again snuck up on us all.
February is still shorter than all the other months.
Escaped from high school 3 years ago.
"Jase" was renounced 13 years ago.
All that is wanted...needed...is birthday cash.
Regular multivitamin and supplement schedule.
Legal porn viewing in all 50 states.
No longer in the limbo of 20.
13 years of being LeAnn's #1 fan.
5 LeAnn Rimes concerts...ready for 50 more.
6 down, 1 to go.  Alanis...come on.  I'm waiting.
"Out" (whatever that means) for 3 years and 3 months.  Wow.
Lucky number 7's chance has officially arrived.
A consistent pattern of facial hair can be kept.
I get to read my seminary letters.
Adult, horizontally oriented driver license.

Oh yeah...

  And I guess I can now legally drink, huh?

Fun.

Jason - Happy Birfday to me.  :-)

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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

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