Also known as Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. It's related to Guillain-Barre, but it's essentially an autoimmune where your immune system attacks the myelin in your nerves.
In Josh's case it's rather mild, resulting in pain mostly in his legs and back. It's possibly degenerative, but it could be a case of relapse/remission where it comes and goes without leading to a shorter lifespan or shorter quality life.
We probably won't know for a good 10 or 15 years which version it is, but I'm surprisingly not at all worried about it. The Lord has provided for us thus far, and will continue to provide.
From the research I've done, there is no treatment available to Josh at this time. The only real options are expensive and have frightening side effects, and would likely not be prescribed for him because he can still walk.
So what am I going to do about it? Everything I can. From what I've been able to gather, there are a few things that might help (and certainly won't hurt). We're going to completely cut out pork from our diet, as well as processed meats. I'm going to significantly cut back on processed food products in general, processed potatoes in particular. We're going to up the intake of raw fruits and vegetables, and I'm going to think about container gardening this summer to make it easier.
I need a plan! I think I should start working on a menu, so we can have variety but still be eating better.
And the kids are up :-) Time to go.
7 comments:
Glad to hear they have an answer and Josh is heading home! As for planting, I never had a chance to try it, but I know Provo has those community gardens somewhere south of campus. I think the last time I read something about it, it was only $10 or $20 for a plot.
I don't know about community gardens (interesting idea though :) ), but planting at home sounds like it could work well. I just went to a new grocery store that opened (it's where the old reams was) today and they had AWESOME produce. I was so excited to get strawberries, nectarines, grapes, etc... for cheap. I'm sure CA has great fruit selection, but for here, I was super excited to eat something other than apples!!!
Glad you guys finally figured out what's going on and that Josh will be home soon :)
I was going to put my containers (I have tons from our apartment days) up on craigslist this spring. Let me know if you want to look at them first though. You've got a great south facing window for seed starting.
I also have a container gardening book (for fruits and veggies).
It sounds like Josh is going to be in very good hands:) When we are given trials, we're quickly reminded how blessed we are. Bill and I have been blessed in different aspects of our lives lately and we're thankful.
Good luck! I'd love to hear about your garden plans. I want to do cherry tomatoes and basil this year.
Last summer the missionaries were over for dinner at my parents' house. One of the elders started talking about how he used to get these awful migraines. His mom said that she thought it was the hot dogs (more especially the nitrates in the hot dogs) that was causing them. I guess this elder loved hot dogs. Anyway he stopped eating hot dogs and his migraines stopped. I think your plan about the processed foods is a good one. I think God can inspire us to real solutions that shouldn’t be ignored.
I hope Josh will be home for Valentine's Day! I'm really thankful for your example of faith. I know Heavenly Father will continue to bless you.
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