Yes, I haven't been there in a while and I think a lot of people have since split off there as well. I just peaked at your blog-- wonderful work! You mention that you worked as a color forecaster. What is that? I've been on the fringes of interest in fabrics and I often notice that I don't find what I want-- color or pattern-wise, but sometimes I can wait 2 years or so and the things I like start to show up. Kind of annoying though lol. Other times, stuff I like was only run for a short while and I think it should have gone on longer. I guess my tastes are out of step with the market. I'm getting a doctorate in Heritage Studies which is sort of an interdisciplinary Anthropology/English/History degree. I'm looking at preppers/survivalists who prep for heritage reasons. LOL well the plants may not be that special, but I have some heirloom plants like my Schlumbergera x buckleyii that my great-grandmother moved from Germany, and other things like AVs, Begonias, as well as cacti and succulents that I can finally set free. The market over there is limited, and so it's hard to say what will be able to be found. I don't speak a whole lot of Arabic, perhaps enough to get into trouble. The area my husband's village is in is by the Galil. AR is Arkansas :) Succulents are the best! I have one hoya and 3 sans, but I like them a lot. I've noticed I seem to like things that either have interesting blooms, blue/green or lavender colors (like echeverias or graptopetalums, etc), or big leaves.

(((HUGS))) Lars. I'm not posting much any more, but I saw this and wanted to tell you I had parathyroid disease. The first indication were my calcium levels, which were very low as the parathyroid disease was sucking the calcium out of my bones. Sometimes it's hard to realize when your life isn't normal, as these things have a habit of creeping up on you, and your ''new normal'' seems like a continuation of the same old thing. They removed one parathyroid, and I have to tell you that within one week, I had my old energy back. That was when I realized things had really changed in a big way! The surgery was not a big deal, although I had to spend the night in the hospital so they could check on me until the next morning. (The worst part was I was in a room with a Laotian grandmother who spoke no English and was feeling so bad all she could do was moan. I finally went to sleep in the waiting room to get away from her until they moved me to a different room.) You will need a few days recovery time, but you'll be amazed at the difference in the way you'll feel in less than a week. The scar was miniscule, and in fact, I don't ever notice it any more, as the doctor made the incision in a normal neck fold. I just wanted you to know you will feel like a new man once you have that thing out of there, even with your current family trials. It's amazing how much your (para)thyroid can affect your hormone levels, which has everything to do with your health and feeling of well-being. You're going to be amazed at how much better you feel! (I think depression is also common because you're so tired and hormonal, although it's easy to think you're keeping up because it was a long time getting to that point.) I actually found someone doing the operation on-line and it was helpful to watch, since I knew what I could expect. The surgery itself lasts about 40 minutes, so you'll be in and out. I hope this helps you; it certainly helped me. My advice? Get it done ASAP; you'll be glad you did!

Earthclinic.com is a great site. That's where I get the info. to treat my own eczema when doctor's prescribed medications failed. Here's some excerpts on treating one's hypothyroid: http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html Posted by Mari (California) on 04/23/2014 "I've had an goiter for several years, but lab tests were always within normal. The right side of my thyroid is definitely larger than the left. Finally, one doctor did an antibody test and determined I have a diagnoses of Thyroiditis. I was always able to manage without meds, but a few months ago I started having trouble breathing at night and a couple of times had laryngospasms that were pretty frightening. I was pretty desperate to find something that would help with my symptoms and read quite a bit about Lugol's solution. I sent away for a bottle and began adding 1-2 drops to water once a day. I have been taking it for several weeks now and have noticed my goiter is shrinking and getting softer. I also have no more trouble breathing at night or laryngospasms. Lately, I've increased to 3 drops/day without difficulty. I've also noticed my skin problems have cleared up and I attribute that to the Lugol's too." Mari (California) From StrawChicago: Doctors often resort to surgical removal of thyroid, without consideration for long-term effects. After my niece got 1/2 of her thyroid removed, she became severely depressed and has to be on medications for the rest of her life. Here's more excerpts from earthclinic.com: Posted by Harley_girl_1000 (Mt. Dora, Fl) on 09/19/2010 [NAY] 10 years ago I developed goiter on both sides of the thyroid. Each side was as large as a golf ball and multi-nodular. The doctors said that my thyroid blood work was normal. One side spontaneously shrunk and the other continued to grow. I opted for surgical removal of the larger side and kept half of the thyroid. Although I am on natural dessicated thyroid, my life has never been the same. The day after surgery I felt strangely different. A month later I was impotent. My energy levels have never been what they were. It has affected my whole life and I've had to give up many dreams. Despite a careful diet and exercise, nothing was as good as my old thyroid. Not one of 4 endocrinologists mentioned iodine to me. Now I take several drops of Lugol's a week. I have heard that painting the goiter with iodine can help. China is injecting young brides with iodine to prevent cretinism. I know it is possible to shrink a goiter since the half that I kept was at one time larger than the half that was removed. This post is to emphasize NAY to surgical removal of the goiter." http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/goiter.html Replied by Lisa Rabat, Morocco 02/06/2012 Are you also taking Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium and unrefined sea salt? These are recommended to take with iodine. I also was diagnosed with a goiter (by ultrasound) and after being on iodine for several months I no longer have one. You need very large doses of iodine if you have breast cancer, somewhere in the range of 50-300 mg/day. In any case, DON'T let them remove your thyroid. You will be on meds for life." Tchamers (North Carolina) on 10/22/2013 [YEA] I had hypothyroid issues and started eating 3 Brazil nuts a day that have high selenium in them and my thyroid is normal. Selenium regulates the endocrine system. Replied by Mama To Many Tennessee, Usa 12/02/2013 Glad to hear that the ACV (apple cider vinegar) and coconut oil are helping. I find them helpful, too. Regarding kelp versus potassium iodide....well, I have tried both in my family. The thing is that if you are truly deficient in iodine, which so many of us are, you would need a lot of kelp to get the amount needed. I don't personally notice much difference when I take kelp. But some do. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago. I took a very small dose of levothyroxine and it made me feel much worse. Well, I ended up going off the medication and trying natural stuff. It took some time but I did find things that helped me. ACV and coconut oil being some of them. But potassium iodide made the biggest difference for me. I take Iodoral (the pill form of Lugol's.) I take 1 12.5 mg tablet a day (12.5 iodine/potassium iodide.) Iodine supplements should be taken with Selenium and B-complex. Some also include vitamin C. You may find that you need less of your thyroid medicine if you supplement with iodine. It might be helpful to try Lugol's iodine (the liquid form) as it is easier to take less and build up to more.) Replied by Bill San Fernando, Philippines 12/03/2013 Hi Dee...If you have a hypothyroid condition, then this is a condition that occurs when you have low iodine levels in the body and perhaps a lack of certain critical minerals in your body as well. Most people are low thyroid these days but if you lack certain mineral anti-oxidants in your body -- like magnesium, zinc or glutathione peroxidase -- this can even cause or aggravate hypothyroid and thyroiditis problems. The protocol that you should be using is the full Lugol's Iodine Protocol with Companion Nutrients. Never take Lugol's Iodine just on it's own for reasons that are all explained here in this link. http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html

The problem about actually going myself is coverage. I am an attending in a teaching clinic and with no doctor on the premises 14 people cannot see patients. I can get coverage if I can get another Dr. to cover for me, which means I need to know in advance. I technically have compensated sick or personal days but I can't use them because I am there or I have to have someone covering for me. I can take off from private practice, but then I have no income, and since patients are scheduled months in advance, they need to be rescheduled. Patients reschedule and cancel regularly but when the doctor does it to them, some people get furious. One of my practices is 25 miles from where I live so its a matter of taking 4 hours off for a single appointment in that practice. In the practice I am in in the city, I could take off but my physician is not in the practice that day. I know those are excuses but its not like working in corporate and calling out or taking personal time. It really throws a lot of things out of balance. The First Phone call I made when my mother died was to try and get coverage for my next clinic.