Sorry this is long. I found this message thread very interesting because over 3 and a half years ago I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis. My doctor said it was 'triggered' by an antibiotic that I was given that I had an allergic reaction to. In one month I went from hiking 8 miles and not breaking a sweat and doing climbing walls to being so disabled with pain and swelling in my feet, hands, my joints ached and sensations in my legs (needed to sleep on my back with legs up on pillows) that I had to get pants with elastic. The doctor told me that I would be disabled and on meds the rest of my life. He could not explain to me sufficiently how this could happen in one month. I refused meds and toughed it out. The first month I felt sorry for myself and was a couch potato. Then I kicked myself and started to read. That was about the only thing I could do. This is what I found out and how I beat my diagnosis. I found that when we reach around the age of 40 our body slowly diminishes it's production of our super antioxidant glutathione. This is a major player in the proper functioning of our immune system and regulates so many body systems that I am not going to list all of them here. The one I am going to mention is that it does regulate the hormones. When this is depleted via the severe immune response that happens when you receive a vaccination the body's cells and gut (80% of our immune system is regulated from there) is no longer protected because of oxidative stress. When the gut is compromised the body absorption of vit. D is diminished. Now another thing to take into consideration is family medical history. Is there allergies or auto-immune disease in the family? If this is true then there is the possibility that there could be any one or more of these factors: 1) defective GSH (glutathione) gene; 2) elevated levels of free floating IgE in the body; 3) increased levels of histamine release from mast cells. These are the most important. Because I found that RA was an auto-immune issue likely caused by my allergic reaction to the anti-biotic I had to deal with the inflammation and find how I could diminish this. First I started with diet. What foods can cause inflammation and eliminate them? I eliminated all processed sugars and went to honey for a start. Then I found what to add to my diet to increase my body production of glutathione (I was 58 at onslaught of RA). I added more fruits and green veggies (increasing my vit C & E). As I researched further I found that whey protein helps intensify the C & E so I started taking a whey suppliment. With the changes in diet initially I saw slow impovement in 1 month. When I added the whey protein I saw improvement in 2 weeks. It took 2 years for my body to heal itself and I was pretty much symptom free and pain free. The only problem I had left was my gut. I believe I had IBS (irritable bowel symdrome). I never went back to the doctor so this is my diagnosis of the symptoms that I had. My gut would feel funny (I called the five minute warning) and I would have to find a bathroom fast. Every store I went to I knew where the restroom was just in case. Further research was done to find out that Autistic children are glutathione deficient and their gut problems diminished after going gluten free. Hummmmm I pondered this for about 1 day and decided to minimize my gluten and test the foods I did eat to see what reactions I would have. I no longer eat standard breads or pastas. I can eat rye bread and one bun with unbleached white bread for my hamburgers. (I love my food, sorry.) I can also eat the pasta that is labeled semolina pasta. Don't understand why but I can but I do not overdo it. I have been reading labels for 2 years now and I am pretty much (money is a little tight) all natural foods, frozen veggies, etc. As of one year ago I am now totally symptom free. Wohoo! My only problem is that I know I will never be 100% ever again. I do have energy level problems so I do everything in moderation. I have to take a power nap every afternoon. I lost 35 - 40 lbs of muscle mass so I can't do some of the strenuous things I used to. But the upside is that my allergic responses to seasonal pollens are next to non-existant. No flu or colds (this was a concern of mine). Over all with my auto-immune issue it is all under control and people are amazed that I ever had RA and was 95% disabled. This is my story. Do your own research. If your doctor will not test for glutathione deficiency (warning: they will not) ask them to test for magnesium deficiency. Glutathione deficiency goes hand in hand with magnesium deficiency. Foot note: Glutathione supplements do not work because the body does not absorb the glutathione. The best way is to get the body to produce more. Here is a link that might be useful: Histamine

I need some serious advice, and all of you seem like very good people with sincere approaches to coping. My brother took his life eleven months ago today. I so dread the one-year anniversary. This was not his first attempt, but was the only time he tried that he really meant it. The other times clearly were a call for attention. This time, there was absolutely no stopping him. I'll spare you details and get onto my two issues. First, I have been paralyzed from having any relationship with my sister-in-law since my brother's passing. I know I need to reach out to her, but I simply cannot. About three weeks after Chad's passing, my sister-in-law called to ask me a favor, which I quickly performed. During the conversation, though, she digressed into telling me about the last conversation that my brother had with Mom and Dad. It was very clear that my sister-in-law blames my Mom and Dad and my brother's upbringing. This caused two problems for me. First, it really made me question who I am ... if Chad and I shared the same upbringing and Chad took his life, what does that mean for me? Second, we all have to have our own "reality" about why Chad passed in the way that he did, but my reality cannot be to blame my Mom and Dad in any way whatsoever. In fact, my relationship with my parents is stronger than it ever was before. The day that my sister-in-law and I had this conversation was absolutely the most difficult day of coping that I have had. I was literally in the car on the way to work when she called, and I had to pull over, get out of the car, pace and cry while we talked and for a long while thereafter. I could not make it into work for two days following. Hence, I have not been able to make myself call her in months. At forced family gatherings, there is a tension but we're cordial. But, we have no relationship. I hate that, but I'm so apprehensive too. My dad is begging me to call my sister-in-law, and I cannot tell him that I can't call her b/c she blames him and Mom. I've written eight letters to her in an attempt to explain why it is so difficult for me, but I haven't had the courage to mail any of them yet. My second issue is that a couple of months before Chad's passing, he announced to the family how proud he was of himself for quitting smoking. He said it was all because of the anti-smoking pill Chantix. Now, I've learned that the FDA has linked Chantix to suicide. I've carried a ton of anger since Chad's passing and now I'm mad at hell at the pharma company. To make Chad a class rep in a class action against the pharma company may give me an outlet for my anger and grief, but I don't want to be the selfish little sister that drudges the rest of the family through even more pain. Of course, my sister-in-law would have to be on board and that would require my talking it over with her. I'm an attorney by the way.

I think it was the Samsung WF 328 aaw - it had a heater but not steam. I gave all the paperwork back to the delivery/haul away guys today so I'd have to look it up to be sure. Today I've done an LG "Speed Wash" that took 29 mins. vs Samsung "Quick Wash" that took 1:02 with default ag* or switch off the ag* and get a 38 min "Quick Wash" Now I'm doing an LG Sanitary cycle with prewash, water plus and extra rinse with an estimated time of a little over 2 hours vs the Samsung Sanitary cycle that I think included a prewash and took 2:56 w/ ag* or 2:50 w/o ag* I was never convinced about the LG "roller balls" and thought they probably only added a rattle noise but the large fins and the roller balls do seem to be turning the laundry better than the almost smooth Samsung drum. My old LG tangled clothes in the washer like PJ's or long sleeved knit shirts but what is interesting is that even though the Samsung washer did not tangle clothes, the clothes came out of the dryer very wrinkled - no matter what washer cycle I used. I was able to wash most of my family's clothes and not need ironing with the LG washer. I still have my original LG dryer. I like that I can fine tune all the cycles on the LG - like change the water temps, speed up or slow down the spin, turn all cycles (except Sanitary) into a "Quick Cycle" More later...

OK, you guys are awesome. I couldn't even read the posts until now because I would start to cry again. Isn't that silly? I usually have more perspective than this. I think my extended family (parents, siblings, etc.) has been more upset over how long this has taken than me. They seem to get mad at me that I haven't gotten madder before now, it has been driving them crazy and they don't even live here. :) But that is why I feel guilty about it. My job usually gives me perspective. I tear up a little sometimes when I am sitting with a dying patient, when I am hugging the family after pronouncing a patient that has just died and telling them their loved one is really gone, or talking to someone that just received a very grave diagnosis. I try to wait until the ride home to cry when I loose a patient I have come to know over weeks, months, or even years. But I don't usually cry over kitchens. My awesome brother who helps everyone, used to go to get a Christmas tree with me every year and bring a gas powered chain saw to cut it down. One year while I was looking for the "perfect" tree, he cut down Christmas trees for all the elderly and single women trying to do it themselves that he could find. When I called to him that I had it, "the" tree, he pulled the chain and pulled the chain. He was out of gas! He borrowed a hand saw and cut MY tree down by hand. But he still went back with me the next year. :) So when I needed a tree in my front yard cut down, he offered to do it. That day he said, you know I am going to do my best, but I usually only do my own because there is no gaurantee this tree won't land on your house. My brother rarely does less than a good job on anything, but darn it, didn't that tree land on the house. I stood and couldn't do anything becuase I was laughing so hard. When I could talk again I said, well you get what you pay for sometimes! Anyway, the moral of my story is that despite having good intentions and a good heart and doing your best, sometimes s**t happens. No matter how hard you try, no one promises life will be easy or fair. Besides, while I have been doing a "budget" remodel of the kitchen and livingroom for 20,000.00, many people can't afford to remodel at all, or are trying to do on much less, so I am actually pretty fortunate. You all have made me feel so much better! I am not used to being the one getting the hugs and support, I usually give them and I do so appreciate it. Now I need to suck it up and I will take a trip out to buy a great big umbrella to go over my patio table so I can enjoy the heat wave that is supposed to come later this week and get out of this darned mess! I just wish I felt happier about going out to do it. Maybe I will when I see out there and sit down under it to have lunch. Sue