Memorial day update...

No big plans today. The board of directors scheduled a meeting to interview the person I selected to fill the volunteer coordinator's position.

So, I can't get embroiled in anything since I have to show up at 3 PM.

Yesterday I had food from Panda Express (Hey! I love it and I figure if I'm going to do this I might as well have what I like!)again. Today I finished the leftovers for lunch. So far nothing.

I have to say I've tried to use caution and not go overboard since I don't really KNOW where I am with all this. I've been doing some research to try and find out how this actually works in reality; not just in theory. Up to now it's all been "what if..." and now I have no symptoms and I'm wondering if it's because my body is stronger at this point, but will eventually break down again. I'm wondering (to be honest) if this is temporary, or is this a permanent freedom I can enjoy?

I have no desire to do anything foolish and get as sick as I was at the point of my diagnosis for celiac disease. On the other hand, if it's the real deal and I don't accept it, it's like being thirsty, but afraid to take a drink of water because of...?

Laser treatment tomorrow. I'm assuming we'll do a muscle test prior to the treatment. That should be interesting.

For now enjoy those burgers and hot dogs at your Memorial Day BBQ.

Hot dog??? Now, there's a thought. Not that I really like them all that much, but it may be I could eat a hot dog. (Costco: hot dog and soda less than $2.)

Well.....?????????????

So far nothing. No burning, no sickness, no gut pain, no bloating, no gas, no lips blisters. Didn't eat anything with gluten today. Just didn't work out, but tomorrow I am going to decide what I REALLY want and go for it.

I'll report back

I really do not know what to think...

Over two hours ago I walked into Panda Express and ordered what I wanted: steamed rice, Orange Chicken and Cream-cheese Rangoon. I ate every bite except for some of the rice. Funny, I had no nervous feelings so much this time. Guess I figured whatever happens, happens.

So far, nothing has happened. NOTHING! No burning. No gastro distress. As I said, I really don't know what to think. But, if this means what I pray it means I will be one happy gal.

I can't imagine what it might be like again to not have to think about every single thing I eat. To not have to worry about going over, and over, and over a menu looking for something that will be halfway satisfying and safe. No more conferences, potlucks, parties, weddings, funerals, BBQs, etc where I have to take food with me, "just in case." I can't imagine...

So, this is report #1 after grain treatment #2.

Pray for me will you? I don't want to be foolish, and if I need to stay away from gluten I will to keep well. But, OH! To be free!

Back for round two

I had an appointment for a treatment yesterday. I just assumed I need to retreat for gluten. Muscle test was stronger than the first time, but not good enough. If I achieve only 80% clearing the 20% can cause problems---not to mention discomfort.

So we retreated. After the treatment muscle test was good and strong. Again avoidance for this is NO gluten for 72 hours. I do the pressure points while holding the grain vials once a day just prior to turning out the light. I will do the pressure points in the morning as usual.

After the first treatment last week I was aware of a slight burning around my lips as if I'd eaten something with gluten. I have experienced the same thing with this treatment. The best way to describe is that it's like having chapped lips.

After 72 hours I'll consume gluten and see what happens. If nothing (Like when I ate the cracker and pasta last week) I'll try some more. I had not symptoms until after I ate the cheeseburger (It was VERY good and worth the burning at least that one time!).

Next week I am scheduled for a grain laser treatment after I retest to assess muscle strength. The benefit of laser treatments is that it encompasses more and there is no avoidance period necessary. I don't know if that will include gluten for me since that's my issue or not.

I'll report back after I've tried some gluten this week (Friday evening). Hmm? Now, what will it be?? Something worth it, that's for sure!

Another test

This morning I ate a quarter of a piece of toast made from wheat bread. For lunch I decided to "go for it." I had a cheeseburger at Baker's. I figured if I am going to get sick it might as well be something I like. So, my granddaughter, Cayenne and I went there for lunch after church.

No major problems, but my lips burn a little and so does my gut. The deal is I could easily live with this as long as it's not doing any internal damage. I'm not sure how I would go about finding out about this.

So, I think I'll wait and see what happens. I might try something else tomorrow.

Any tips about this? I'd love to hear someone else's experience.

Too soon to tell

OKAY, I did it. I had a saltine cracker and a little of regular pasta mixed in with my corn spaghetti.

So far no big reaction. No explosive gastro problems, no blistered mouth, no gut ache.

Life is pretty stressful for me right now, so my stomach is almost perpetually tight. No upset, just the feeling from feeling tension and anxiety. Since I'm not at a good place in that regard, it's hard to distinguish from symptoms that might be from emotions and a reaction from gluten.

I'll eat something else today and see what happens.

Continuing to do the pressure points several times a day while holding the vial of grain mix along with the bits of communion cracker.

The day after THE DAY...

It's been 27 hours since I had the grain treatment.

I have not eaten any gluten.

Last night I experienced burning around my lips just like when I consume hidden gluten. I also had trouble getting to sleep. I was restless. Tired, but just couldn't seem to quiet down. I finally fell asleep around 1 AM and slept well until about 7 this morning. Not overly tired.

I had a dream that (I can't remember which) either a mommy chicken or duck was going in and out of my house followed by her little babies. This kept happening. I was delighted. I don't know why but in my dream this had some significance.

I've held the vial with the grain mix and did the pressure points a couple of times last night, and a few times today already.

I just ate dinner (No grain of any kind.) and now I'm sleepy. REALLY sleepy.

Need to give Sadie a bath.

She had her first NAET treatment today. It's the first one-the body balancing. She was good as gold. Stood still and loved every minute.

I put the vial under her collar so it touches her skin while I tap hard down her spine with both hands. Always going from her neck to the base of her tail.

Then used the pressure point stimulator and had her lay down for as long as she would and rest with the vial still in place. I've done her pressure points a couple of times today, and will do them another time before bed.

Check back to find out what happens with both me and Sadie.

THE DAY I've looked forward to...

Cleared the salt treatment. GLAD, GLAD, GLAD about that! Food with no salt is not tasty. However, in the past week I've had much the same affects with the salt treatment as I did with the sugar: I find I don't crave it like in the past.

Grain treatment as follows:

Muscle tested with vial of grain mix. Immediate muscle weakness and pain in my forearm and elbow. Tested with a vial containing bits of communion cracker. Again, no strength in muscle to resist. My arm with pressure had no resistance. Then muscle tested with both vials. Frankly, it was almost comical. Well, I did laugh it was so nuts. My arm went down like it had a concrete block dropped on it. POW! There was actually sort of that "POW" feeling. My arm didn't just display weakness-it DROPPED like a rock.

Pamala treated with both vials at once. After the machine on the back I did the pressure points with the little stimulator. Then waited another 20 minutes, and had another muscle test. NO weakness at all. NONE.

So this is what follows since the grain (gluten) is my special issue.

The avoidance period is 72 hours instead of 25. NO grain. Not even those I would normally consume like rice, oats, etc. After 72 hours I will try a small amount of gluten. I pretty much know how much to try. Remember the small Altoids were causing the corners of my lips to blister and crack? And, that's a VERY small amount.

My next treatment is Tuesday, May 25. My appointment is early next week since Pamala is taking some vacation time beginning Wednesday,and I'd really like her to be there for the follow up test.

Between now and then I am to hold both vials three or more times a day and use use the stimulator on the pressure points.

As an aside my dog, Sadie has terrible allergies that cause her to bite and scratch herself raw especially in the summer. Every year we have to put her on medication which makes her lethargic and so thirsty it's hard to keep her water bowl full.

I brought home vials and instructions to do 2 NAET treatments per week on Sadie. She always comes running when I turn on the pressure point stimulator. She loves it. Should be interesting don't you think?

The last 14 weeks have certainly been an interesting journey, and one with far more good things than I ever expected. As for the gluten---I'll keep you posted.

Post 39...finally

I didn't actually have a specific number of posts in mind when I began to blog my NAET journey. However, it does seem interesting that the BIG treatment is tomorrow and Post # 40 will be about the grain treatment.

How am I doing? I'm excited and yet, I haven't really thought much about it. Honestly. I do think to myself, "Maybe this time next week I can have a cheeseburger and it won't make me sick."

The past week has been rough. We've experienced a lot of stress at work and been short-staffed. Thank God these past couple of weeks have been the only weeks since we can remember when we didn't have the waiting room backed up. God is good to let us have some room, and it's not as if we'd make a choice to close early, open late or anything else that would diminish services to our clients. It's great when God makes the moves and we don't have to think, "Did I make the right decision?"

Because I've been very tired (Worked lots of additional hours/days)and under a lot of stress, I haven't gone to sleep as easily as I have been in recent weeks.

But, once I get to sleep after some reading and stretching (Always seems to help) I sleep very well. Still. Not like the stress kept me awake all night every night until I felt as If I'd just drop in my tracks. And, even then I still didn't sleep.

So, tomorrow is the grain treatment which means the 25 hours will be no different to me than my regular diet. That's a good thing.

I won't have a clue for about 72 hours. I figure Saturday I'll try a bite of something with gluten.

Two more days! But, who's counting?

I am--counting, that is. On Wednesday I will have the grain treatment providing I've cleared salt.

Pamala has suggested I do not ingest gluten for a full 72 hours after the treatment. So, Saturday, the 22nd I will try eating a small amount of gluten and see what happens.

I should know pretty quickly as just a crumb of the communion cracker or the little bit of wheat in an Altoid mint sets me off. I'm excited, but also apprehensive.

I'm feeling good despite the fact that I worked nearly double my usual hours last week. I AM tired. Very tired actually, but nothing a little rest won't take care of. I am still praying I have sufficient staff to take Thursday and Friday of this week off. I so much want to spend some time with my granddaughter whom I haven't seen in nearly a month.

On with the show. The week is before me.

29 hours later...

I got through the no-salt period, but it was rough. First there is sodium in EVERYTHING. And, I thought gluten was bad!

I ended up eating rice with some sugar and cinnamon and lots of the small sweet peppers. Oh, and cherries and a Hersey's dark chocolate bar. Not very satisfying.

The avoidance of coffee wasn't as hard this time. Probably because I was able to drink tea. I don't like tea as well, but it was better than nothing.

Slept VERY well last night. I used to dread going to bed. I'd be dead tired and then just lay there for hours. It's been a very hard week, and I feel spent. However I will not have a full day off until a week from today. Lots going on, and I'm glad I have the energy. It's good to feel well.

No salt, and no more Altoids for me for awhile anyway...

Yippee! I cleared the mineral mix treatment. I am very excited and relieved about that. VERY much so.

Had salt mix treatment today. NOTHING with salt, sodium, etc. For the record as far as I'm concerned potatoes without some salt are totally worthless. The rest of dinner was good. Used pepper and garlic on the pork chop and had a little corn and some of the mini sweet peppers I'm so wild about.

No strawberries tonight. Sodium, but I can eat the cherries I got today. Fresh! YUMMY!

BIG deal is no coffee again because of sodium. However tea is OK as long as it's made with distilled water.

I LOVE salt. Love it! Love it! Love it! I crave salty food. Prefer chips, salted nuts, etc over chocolate any day. This indicates I needed this treatment for my body to assimilate salt. Obviously, I am not getting enough since I crave it. Always have.

Saw Kelly today and she talked about eating a piece of Baklava. That isn't something I'd eat a lot of, but it would be nice to have the option.

Next week...?????

To catch a bird sprinkle a little salt on its tail...

Today is the salt treatment. NOTHING that contains any form of salt. No salt in or on anything. Sounds easier than I am thinking it is going to be especially as I read labels for nutrition and ingredients. There is not much that does not contain salt in some form.

I am praying I clear minerals. I am not prepared to redo that test. Things at work have gone to hell in a hand cart with the surprise resignation of a key paid staff person. If you're reading this and know of someone looking for work with a faith-based organization, I need to fill our Volunteer Coordinator position just as soon as I can find an experienced,qualified, mature, professional candidate. I can be reached at 909-382-4550 for discussion.

If I redo the mineral test there is NO way I can take the day off tomorrow. NO WAY. That would make it darn near impossible, but I'd give it a try.

ongoing success...

Between treatments is difficult to know if I've cleared if it's not something I had trouble with to begin with. Minerals is an example. I was not aware of any negative reactions to any metals/minerals. However, there is always the possibility one is not absorbing well and creating an absorption problem.

As I get closer to the grain treatment it is more important to me that I clear each treatment on schedule. Not that I have any big plans, I just want to be past that and to know if this is or is not going to be successful to eliminate the gluten intolerance. It's only been three (3) years since my diagnosis (Spring of 2007), but it seems like a lifetime. Since that time I've felt better than in my life in many ways. For example: In the past three years since I've had no gluten, I've not had one (1) canker sore which I'd had all the time all my life.


I also want to check in and discuss sleep just a little. I'm still sleeping VERY well. Amazing to me. REALLY...this is just amazing after so many years of tossing, turning, getting up and walking around (eating), reading, praying. I am still have very minor problems with Restless Leg Syndrome. Not "up all night" kinds of problems, but enough that sometimes I need to exercise, stretch or use the massager which usually bring relief. Naturally, I am hoping this disappears all together once I've finished the treatments.

All dressed up and no where I can go...

I sit here at the computer in my nightgown (with plastic buttons) and gloves. It's surprising at how easy it is to use the keyboard with gloves on. For sure the touch pad on my notebook is less sensitive.

Cleared Vitamin A and treated for minerals yesterday. This one is a little confusing to me. It's really more "metals" than minerals to me, but whatever...I've got till 5 PM to avoid touching anything metal or ingesting and touching minerals. This is a little tricky. I'm drinking distilled water. For some reason I dreaded this, but it's not an unpleasant taste. Have to wash up, brush teeth, etc in distilled water. Other than these restriction there's little else except--no root vegetables like potatoes and carrots. I had thought it would be great to work in the yard all day since I'm home, but I figure I'd better steer clear of the soil in which the root veggies would grow.

I'm happy because I can take a nap today. That involves no metal or minerals.

Seasonal allergies bad the past couple of days. Burning, itching eyes and some sinus congestion. Once I get through the basic 15 treatments, I think I'll have one that will help in this area. Fall and spring are miserable because of all the pollen, etc in the air.

Pamala suggested I think about some digestive enzymes. Her reason is that when people have gone most of their lives not functioning in a healthy way the body has been compromised especially in the gut. Obviously, I know first hand about this. I became sick from Celiac because my gut was so damaged it was unable to absorb nutrients from the foods I ate or the supplements I took. Anyway, I know a couple of people who have chosen to take enzymes and they report good results. One friend has had a gut ache for about five years. The pain has caused her MANY sleepless nights. She told me with the enzymes it's much better.

So, I'll take a look at this idea.

Meanwhile, two more weeks if I continue on schedule, for the grain treatment. I asked Pamala yesterday if I should wait until I've been retested and cleared before I eat any gluten. She said she wants me to try a little bit (at first) about 72 hours after the treatment., That means long about Saturday, the 22 I'll be having my first whatever I decide would be THE biggest treat. I'll be thinking about that one.

Gearing up...

The treatment this week is the one I've been dreading because of the avoidance. NO METAL/minerals for 25 hours. So, I'm doing whatever I can think of to do to make this period as easy as possible. Still, this is the one I've considered the toughest.

The past year or so I've become rather lazy and it shows. At one time I was consistent to hop on (OK, well---gingerly stepped on) the glider for 30 minutes EVERY morning whether I felt like it or not. I'm am not happy with the ensuing consequences (rolls on my middle section) from the lack of exercise. Thought this past week as been busy and I've been tired, I've done a little better. Hopefully this will serve me well as I go into swimsuit and lighter clothing season. And, I will feel stronger.

I did some research this past weekend and discovered that I will need to work until I stop breathing if I am going to maintain an adequate income. There is no way I'm going to be able to do that unless I do what I can to maintain optimum health.


As the grain treatment gets closer (Two weeks, but who's counting?) I wonder how I will handle it. Should I wait a week and make sure I've cleared the treatment before I try to eat gluten, or go for it like Kelly did? What and how much will give me a read on the success, but not make me sick if it's not successful? Things to pray about, and things to discuss with Pamala.

I think about this and I talk about it, but to be honest, it's not really real to me that there is the slightest possibility the gluten problem will be resolved. I think the best thing to do is to take this NAET journey, as I do my faith walk--one day at a time.