"the family - that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape,

nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to."

(dodie smith)

we've been going-going-going at breakneck speed since our plane landed on thursday afternoon at san jose airport- rehearsal dinner on thursday night, ben & kristen's wedding and reception at testarossa vineyards (which btw, served a house chardonnay... insert drumroll... and i actually LIKED it! and i wasn't faking it either!) the birth of a new Morgensen (alexander kai), a morning-after brunch at the new in-laws (where apparently my aunt diane and cousin ben went in the pool completely clothed- and without force), a cookout at the rudy's, the infamous fish slideshow by uncle joe, fishing at half moon bay... and we're only 4 days into our visit!! i can't claim attendance at all the events, as i couldn't even bribe myself into making the morning after brunch or this afternoon's fishing expedition (although they didn't catch a damn thing- unless an innocent little starfish counts, the poor thing.)

but me? well, i spent the day recovering, huddled under the covers with ben-gay pain patches slapped across various parts of my body, downing pain pill after pain pill. it's official, i admit it- i had overdone it. but how often do i get to see this side of the family? not very much. and besides, we are here 9 days- i'm going to overdo it at LEAST once. i talked my own self off the ledge with this rationale, and the more times i repeated it, the less i felt guilty and isolated from the elusive good time that everyone else must have been having.

there have been some new stories etched in our family history over the past few days. a perfect opening example featured one of the unpredictable (aka under the age of 5) new Morgensen stars at the outdoor ceremony of my cousin ben & kristen's wedding friday night. as ben was reciting the vows that the officiator had been feeding him... i, ben ("i, ben")... take you, kristen ("take you kristen") as my--- but just everyone was getting appropriately teary eyed in expectation, out of "you could hear a pin drop" silence, a high-pitched squeal adamantly interrupted the peaceful moment. "NO BEN! DON'T SAY THAT!!!!!" i turned around to see little tuxedo-clad joey (my cousin autumn's 3~ish year old son) on his knees, his knuckles gripping the back of the folding chair and a look of pure fear on his face. priceless, completely priceless- thank god we caught THAT one on tape!

sunday afternoon, some family friends of my aunt & uncle invited the WHOLE Morgensen clan (well, at least the ones who were outstaying their welcome, us included) over for swimming and bbq'ing. it was your stereotypical california moment- the weather was perfect with a clear blue sky, dotted by puffs of white clouds, the sun was just warm enough (and of course no humidity), the soft green grass was cut close and perfectly even, and the backyard was bordered by lime, grapefruit and lemon trees. (i admit it, i asked if they were real. but seriously, we don't see that back home!! we get our fruit from walmart or whole foods!)

with adorable nathan and joey (again, autumn's boys) screeching with glee and hilariously jumping on my poor brother (who towers over them at 6'5"), i couldn't resist jumping into the fun. ok, so i didn't exactly jump, but i did strip down to my swim suit (one which hadn't seen the light of day since it was bought 2 years ago!) and waded into the water. and it being that perfect CA movie stereotype, the water was a perfectly comfortable and soothing 83-degrees. within seconds of getting in the pool, i felt like my old self- i could swim, and walk, and even pull the kids around with me. it was one of those moments you wish you could sear into your memory. i kept shouting to my parents like an 8 year old- "dad, dad, dad! look at me! mom, look!!" i was so proud of myself, i kept swimming back and forth, across and back, toting nathan to and from the deep end, and playing keep away with the beach ball (which turned into a game of hurling the ball at my brother's head repeatedly.)

another hilarious "insider family" joke example was my cousin jenny's decision to get into the pool in her 2 piece bathing suit. let's put it this way- she has some "decoration" down her right side that isn't exactly G-rated. in fact, i think it might be R-rated (is nudity allowed in PG-13?). i had promised her i'd divert attention if she came out of the water suddenly, or her bikini straps revealed a portion of the design, but instead i found the whole situation hysterically funny, and was NO help in being lookout. besides, the boys were clinging to her like baby monkeys and were more concerned with being dunked into the deep end than to judge her "accessories."

last night, i awoke with some searing pain in my face (damn pesky TN!) and found myself debating the pros and cons of going downstairs to find some frozen veggies that would double as an ice pack. pro- i might actually get a few hours of sleep if i could numb my cheeks. con- i could trip and fall over the balcony, landing on the first floor with a broken back (i've been having spells of intense vertigo- the floor literally looks slanted, at a 45-degree angle.) i finally decided that risking death was worth some relief from the stabbing pain in my jaw, and hugged the wall as i approached the stairs.

i paused in confusion, for it sounded like someone was vacuuming... whoooooooooooooooosh. but who in the hell would vacuum at 2 in the morning, so the likelihood was slim. another sound was attempting to harmonize with the vacuum, but this one was a high-pitched train screeeeeeeeech- like the one you hear when Amtrak brakes at the upcoming station. turns out these sounds were in fact "snores", and they were coming from not ONLY my father, but his BROTHER as well- one from the left side of the house, the other from the right. between the two of them, they had the entire house shaking with their breathing irregularities. thank god that trait wasn't passed down to me, or any future relationships would be quite brief.

allow me a small departure from anecdotes to some deeper thoughts. i feel strongly that there is something innately and uniquely comfortable about family. now, before you get all riled up about this, i will state for the record that i, of all people, understand the drama that can come with family gatherings, or just family in general- the historic squabbles among adult siblings, decade-old grudges from ancient disagreements, personality "quirks" or eccentricities that bring out the worst sides to your own character, bitterness over unpaid debts, secret successes and failures, underlying tension and awkwardness that permeates certain stretches of conversation.

but the comfort comes into the picture from moments like the ones i shared above. it's evident when you're welcomed with arms outstretched by family members you haven't seen in 4 or 5 years, and even some you've never met before. these are people that have heard the same stories, have shared the same experiences, who have laughed over the same memories- they're part of your very own piece of history, a reminder that you're part of something bigger than yourself. those thoughts alone are comforting, and their presence itself is priceless.

i never grew up around an endless number of relatives at sunday dinners, ballet recitals, awards programs, birthday parties, graduation, prom dress shopping, church services... i have always been (and still am) quite jealous of those of you that have grown up in such an environment. any of these would have required nothing less than a private jet to criss cross around the country gathering and depositing grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles to states as far west as california and as far north as illinois. it was a special (and rare) occasion to have family around for thanksgiving or christmas traditions.

so that sense of special occasion when everyone is together is one that i continue to carry with me into adulthood, and our current trip to california is nothing less. during this trip, i have found myself at a crossroads of where i "fit" into our extended (and ever-growing) family tree. when you are a kid, your cousins and yourself are usually the center of attention at family gatherings- especially when the grandparents alive, it's like the circle of history is continuing on with the passage of time.

but as we've gotten older, our family has expanded into second cousins, grandkids that have been replaced by the new generation, great aunts, uncles that have transitioned into grandparents... for me, it was a strange transition at first. my "place" as a grandkid had been erased, so where did i fit in? but watching my cousins' children grow into these little talking, walking, hilarious people brings a whole new element into this thing we call family. it again proves hat we are part of something bigger than ourself, and that no matter how different we may be from one another, we will always have a place in which to belong.

remember, you can view these postings directly on kitkat chat's blog

http://meggerv2.blogspot.com/

newest addition to the Morgensen clan!

alexander kai morgensen

born friday, june 27 @ 10:27pm

approx. 7 lbs, 20"

son of sean & tricia morgensen

grandson of marilyn morgensen, and david & patty morgensen

nephew of jenny morgensen

cousin of autumn, ben#2, ben#1, kristen, meg, mike, nathan & joey

grandnephew of joe, diane, tom & jean morgensen

(great grandson of the late fran & peter morgensen)

actually, there are TWO new Morgensen's to celebrate, but b/c i didn't bring my flash card reader, we only have pics of ONE of the newbies. i will blog about the wedding celebration more effectively once i have some pictures to share. it is now the "morning after" the big affair in downtown los gatos last night, where yet another blushing young bride was officially inducted into the Morgensen hall of fame (what a lucky gal!)

but two Morgensen's (my cousin sean and his wife tricia) were noticeably absent from last night's festivities. on their way to los gatos from their home in Sacramento, tricia began having contractions (approx 4pm). in a typical male fashion, my cousin merely pulled over to the side of the road and "assured" us all that they were simply false contractions and they'd just be a little late to the ceremony. (of course, all of the women in the family were in the background screaming "TURN AROUND! GO BACK HOME!" hahahah.) well, thankfully they DID decide to return home, and during their return trip they realized these were the real deal contractions, so quickly changed their directions to drive straight to the hospital.

only a few hours later, at 10:27pm, little Alexander Kai Morgensen came into the world to a stunned father, an estatic mother, and screaming relatives on the other end of the phone (you could probably hear the shouts of excitement all the way to sacremento from uncle dave's house in scotts valley!) a massive game of phone tag and photo forwarding immediately launched into gear, as no one expected the baby to come THIS soon (tricia was due july 4th and had been to the doctor on wednesday for a check up, to get the clearance to make the trip down for the wedding)- the required contingency of relatives had yet to even make it to sacramento to join sean in his "baby watch: 2008" mission.

mom, dad and i are staying with the newly annointed "grandparents" (uncle dave & aunt patty) and "auntie" (jenny, my cousin) so the celebration quickly shifted gears from wedding to birth in just a short car ride home from the vineyard. we had all donned our pajamas and were saying our goodnights when we heard aunt patty screaming from the tv room- big news had broken! uncle dave broke open the liquor cabinet (if we had planned better we could have grabbed a bottle of champagne from the reception!) and passed around shots of bailey's (i abstained, but we introduced mom to the deliciousness of the beverage) while "ooooo-ing" and "ahhhh-ing" over the 1/2" blurry photo that came through to jen's mobile.

so it's my immense pleasure to introduce to you my newest little cousin, Alexander Kai - approx. 7 lbs. and 20" of pure Morgensen royal blood. grandma and grandpa would have been so happy that the whole family is together for both of these occasions- i wouldn't be suprised if they somehow orchestrating the timing.

*ps-consider this a fair warning kiddo: you're going to have QUITE the grandpa! (hee hee- i just called uncle dave a grandpa!) not to mention some loud, funny, rambunctious, TALL, relatives... and quite good lookin', if i say so myself ;)

"May I exchange this rusty old armor for a pair of Spanx, please?"

“wow, your hair looks fantastic today- did you do something different with it?” i received this (flattering) compliment 3 times today by my doctor, nurse, and friend at the bank. i was at a loss for words at the time, so blurted out the truth, which is “oh, thanks! i washed it!” so I’m thinking i should do that more often, if that’s the type of effect it’s having on people. hah!! oh, fun times…

today was my monthly checkup with Dr. INT1, which was a bit appropriate considering i feel like the tin man without any grease for his joints. recently, i have been able to ditch the cane on certain occasions (as long as it’s for a short period of time, or length of walking), so having to go back to using it consistently is a bit of a disappointment. i don’t know if it’s all the traveling, or just the usual ebb/flow of the disease, but moving just an inch takes so much effort. my pace has slowed doooooooowwwwwn to a crawl, with a bit of a hobble-shuffle move, trying not to bend my knees or ankles as much as i can get away with. i feel like i am encased in armor (very rusty armor, think 17th century), but instead of the armor creaking with strain and pain, that’s my actual joints. lovely, isn’t it?

i tend to develop favoritism for various nurses from time to time- i guess you could call it an RN crush of sorts. hah! to be honest, i know most of the nurses in the Internal Medicine and Neurology departments, and we’ve gotten to know each other well over the past year. (i should get one of those “Buy 10 Coffees, Get 1 Free” type memberships for the doctors’ offices!) But sue is one of my favorites, and today she scored major points. first, she took pity on me and my pain expression and slow hobble as we walked through the corridors, and instead of leading me to the VERY LAST ROOM (that always happens to me at doctors’ offices and movie theatres- odd combination i know) she aborted that intended mission and put me in one of the front exam rooms so i didn’t have to walk that far. then, she made the mistake of asking how i was feeling and my stress level, and consequently, got an earful in the latter category. to top it all off, she saw me curl up on the exam table (my trademark pose when i’m not feeling well- fetal position with my hands clasped together supporting my head) and came back to cover me up with a blanket. i know, she’s awesome.

a pre-med intern was working w/ Dr. INT1 today, and i gave that lucky young pup permission for him to sit in on my appointment. when he entered the room and was introduced, she told me she had given him a 2 minute synopsis of my condition, which just made me laugh out loud. that’s quite hilarious (not to mention impressive), putting 4 years, and 280 pages of medical records and testing into 2 minutes- quite the talent she must have!

so when Dr. INT1 came into the room (right as i was drifting off into a short daydream- damn that timing!) her first remark was “oh dear, I was worried this would happen.” what she was referring to is the recent (and upcoming) traveling i’ve been doing, but when i told her i actually just got back from the short trip- i hadn’t gone on the long trip yet- a look of concern flashed across her face. it was a brief look, but i saw it. (those docs, they try not to worry you!) she’s happy that i’m getting out and getting a change of environment, but she knows how much stress that puts on my weakened body and well, puts me in a state like i am now.

but she’s not the only person that has voiced their concern or objection to the upcoming trip to CA (hodges, I am talking about you!)- my mom keeps fretting, saying “oh, how how HOW are you going to do this? if i were you i would never have said i’d go in the FIRST place!” yes mother(s), i know, i know. and trust me, i’m not exempt from the concern either, i just try to hide it from everyone else that's already worrying. i look at it as an unchangeable fact- i’m going, and i’ll just have to deal with it, one way or the other. when I’m traveling, i try to be very sensitive to putting my physical restrictions on the people i’m with, so i tend to retreat into myself when i’m not feeling well, instead of complaining. (go lay down, go into another room, rest on the sofa, take a nap, etc.) first of all, i think those kinds of people are flat out annoying as hell, so i don’t ever want to be grouped with them! but secondly, this is something that isn’t going to go away! ever! i have about 60 more years (hopefully!) to learn how to live with this, and i have to start sometime. besides, i already feel like i miss out on so much… i don’t want to add yet another line to that list.

during my exam, my fingers were clutched around the sides of my cheeks, trying to release the tension that recent Trigeminal Neuralgia and Neuropathy flares have done to increase my TMJ. it’s been so painful the past few days (and while i was in NC- i would go to sleep at night with frozen vegetables wrapped in a washcloth!) that i’ve been desperate to seek some relief. we decided to start back the Tegretol to address the neuropathy, but i told her i would only take the medication if i was absolutely unable to stand it in CA (right now i’m just trying to push through it, as even additional muscle relaxers, my existing Methadone schedule, and even additional Percocet isn’t doing much in my favor). i doubt that Tegretol is going to be the magic cure, but i suppose you never know…

(we did discuss increasing my Methadone dosage, but quite honestly, i don’t think i can go through that again, especially since i’ll be out of town for the next couple weeks. the first adjustment was difficult enough- i slept through most of may!) i am taking my dear laptop with my on my upcoming trip(s) so watch out everyone, i'll be blogging from the road! (errr, make that the overpriced, baggage-charging, always late, no longer friendly skies...)

remember, you can view these postings directly on kitkat chat's blog http://meggerv2.blogspot.com/

human pincushion

it's official. i am a walking, breathing, talking, fleshy, giant pincushion- complete w/ mismatched thread colors and sporadic needle points. whoever guessed i must have just given myself the infamous daily shot is simply BRILLIANT!!! in fact, just today i was thinking that my body is holding a protest against the injections... and not exactly passive and peaceful ones, which everyone knows are how the effective protests are run. (i must not have gotten the memo.)

resistance first comes in a stinging sensation very similar to a bee sting or a sharp splinter. after a few minutes, sharp, pin pricks of pain break out around the area, almost like red ants are being held captive underneath my skin. a bright pink rash spreads out to cover a 1-2" diameter of the swollen injection location that is surprisingly itchy. once those protesters tire, small, sore lumps of flesh take shape- it feels like there is a pebble or rock underneath the skin. eventually, a longer lasting veteran appears to see it through- a lavender & teal colored bruise spanning out greedily against a backdrop of veins and pale (almost glow in the dark!) skin.

about the only thing i look forward to in this nightly ritual (other than it just being over) is the capping of the needle and watching the quantity of syringes in my fancy, state-of-the-art, sharps container multiply in number. (ok, so technically it's a recycled, plastic lysol wipes jar, but "sharps container" makes me sound quite professional.) not to mention the sheer quantity of needles makes me look totally hard core, which is a nice bonus. then again, unless you were snooping around my bathroom, you would never come across the syringe stash in the first place- and if you were snooping around my bathroom, that would just be... weird. not to mention rude.

so tonight i stood in front of the mirror, analyzing the number of battle wounds i've accumulated just this week alone... the number of out-of-sight areas are decreasing, which isn't exactly conducive to summer wardrobe attire. what i'm referring to are special "hiding places"- areas where the skin is always covered up, no matter how little clothing i happen to be wearing- i usually use a bikini or yoga attire as a measuring stick. (oooh, speaking of, that's another pet peeve of mine- yoga outfits. why are they all so tight? and skimpy? when my body is contorting in all directions the last thing i want is my flab hanging and poking out of the strappy areas in my yogi getup! ok meg, focus, you are getting off topic.)

i tend to favor my left back hip area, as this area has been numb for over a year (is that considered cheating?) unfortunately, it's becoming savvy to my sly ploy, and retaliating by developing nasty lumpy nodules that are lasting a good week or two in existence. unsatisfied with the lack of potential injection sites, and getting more stressed out by the minute (if i stall too long in giving myself the shot, the beginnings of a panic/anxiety episode can start to appear), i went with the standby, the back left thigh, regardless of its ability to peacefully tolerate recent treatments. making the preemptive grimace that involves cirque du soleil contortions of my facial muscles, i jammed the needle into the soft flesh, gritted my teeth and counted to ten. after i hit 10, i let out a sigh of relief and extract the syringe from my poor, overused thigh. great, i had hit a vein- blood was pouring out pretty steadily. i guess this wasn't going to go over well.

maybe i should open up my own psychic hotline b/c sure enough, only a few moments later the troops were rallied and a protest was underway. damn it hurt... and itched... and burned... damn, damn, damn these injections. come on john and sally york, put your fancy biomedical engineering research skills to use and create a pill i can swallow to get this medicine!!! van, marylee, emma- you're doctors, work on this in your spare time! (hah, spare time, like medical students know what that word is.) anyway, thanks for joining me for tonight's episode of "meg gives herself a shot".

until next time,
m3, your favorite medical malady bloggette

remember, you can view these postings directly on kitkat chat's blog
http://meggerv2.blogspot.com/

desperate times call for desperate measures?

my psych professor's voice keeps repeating in my head like a cassette tape that is jammed in the car stereo system (yes, i still have a tape deck in my car and i think it's retro. so there.) he shared a very relevant insight during one of the spring semester's last lectures in regards to autism (it was the week's topic) and more specifically, treatment options. an entire class was dedicated to the ever changing, mostly unproven, non-recommended, "alternative" attempts that are highly popular among the general public. while there are elements of this tendency that can be credited to lack of proper education and/or health care resources, what mostly drives people to seek such outlandish methods is out of pure desperation and fear.

he was sharing shocking, concerning stats on the increasing number of confirmed diagnoses and that the range of autism itself has actually expanded as well. for example, the waiting list for a child with suspected autism to be seen and treated in the pediatric neurodevelopment unit of GHS's children's hospital is 5 years long. (by the way, don't quote me on that, b/c my notes from that day are completely illegible- it must have been in the midst of a tremor- but i'm pretty sure my memory is accurate. it might even be longer than that, which is horrifying.) five years to get your child seen by an expert. five years for your children to get treatment recommendations. (which is ironic considering that the key to optimal outcomes for autistic children lies in early intensive intervention.) when a parent has a child that is sick- whether it is mentally, physically, spiritually- when their child is in crisis, 5 minutes can be agonizing. 5 years is completely unbearable.

so you can see how someone would be swayed by promises of relief and assistance with special diets (gluten-free, vitamin B, magnesium), hyperbaric oxygen chambers, cell therapies, antibiotic treatments, music therapy, detoxification, anti-fungal treatments, chinese medicine... the list is endless. a simple google search for "autism treatments" will yield just as much non credible information, if not more, than authentic info. so my brain makes the leap from autism to diseases that are difficult to treat in general, and i think, "oh god, is that what i have done? is my perception clouded?!"

the onslaught of flashbacks have been chasing me for the past few weeks ever since i began experimenting with NAET treatments- a specialized allergy elimination technique that was developed for the diagnosis and treatment of allergies and allergy-related health disorders. this extremely gentle, non-invasive technique was developed by a physician in california, dr. nambudripad (dr. devi, for all intensive purposes), who has been trained and certified in many, many health professions (she has a ridiculously long list of acronyms beside her name to prove it) including registered nurse, chiropractor, kinesiologist, acupuncturist, and md. but as i go through these treatments, prof. evan's voice echoes softly behind me... would this classify as an "outlandish method" in my desperate quest for relief???

this all started from a recommendation for acupuncture suggested by my neurologist nurse (RN NEURO Sharon) and internist (DR. IM1), who thought some of my pain issues and frequent migraines could benefit from acupuncture treatments- she has a couple patients who have found this beneficial. so i took the initiative and called debbie smith (again, acronym central: R.O.M., Dipl.O.M. (NCCAOM), M.A.O.M.) at feel good acupunture in danville (near GHS, where i hang out w/ my doctor peeps frequently) to get some more information.

not surprisingly, i couldn't afford the acupuncture treatments (story of my life!) to be honest, it's pretty rare for even decent, private health insurance plans to cover alternative therapies like acupuncture, so i wasn't surprised in the least to hear my shitty, state-funded health insurance would not help defray the costs involved. (note to state of pa: i'm very very very very appreciative to have the shitty health insurance though.) unfortunately, this is something i am having to address more and more as i go beyond the boundaries of western medicine to seek relief. i just pray that my SSD appeal goes through sometime this summer and i can start more frequent reiki treatments, continue w/ NAET, and begin acupuncture.

anyway, during my conversation w/ deb, many of the details of my complicated health history and what i was looking for in a treatment came to the surface, so when i had to decline the acupuncture treatment, deb suggested NAET treatment, which is less expensive and not as time-sensitive as acupuncture (ie- it would not have an effect on the quality or longevity of the treatment if i came every week or every 4 weeks- the only downside is that obviously the whole process would just take longer). i was immediately intrigued b/c of the ever-increasing problems i have developed with various food groups/types over the past years. for example, two years ago, i was able to identify that many of my chronic GI troubles stemmed from a sensitivity to gluten, causing me to radically change my daily diet and entire outlook on food. a year later, we realized i was lactose intolerant (after DR. IM3 had steadily increased my activia yogurt intake to 3 per day to help address my digestive problems- gee, i wonder why i was getting sicker?!)

deb explained that she would not be surprised if i had very high sensitivity to many food and environmental allergens based on my health deficiencies, and that the treatments might be able to offer me some relief i haven't found elsewhere in regards to both GI discomfort and overall pain and sensitivity. you see, a "normal" immune system (ie not mine), when facing contact with an offending agent, will immediately release chemical mediators to counteract the allergic reaction. but in a weak immune system, the body perceives what would normally be chemically mediated harmless substances into evil, dangerous, and threatening intruders, which in turn stimulates a massive production of antibodies to defend the body. from there, it snowballs into major disaster mode- things don't settle down as quietly and seamlessly as they would in a healthy immune system and the beginning of an allergic reaction has begun. (it is the same theory of someone w/ a weakened immune system being more susceptible to picking up a cold, or other infection.)

i'm big on instant "clicks" with people- from friendships to dating to consumer services, including health related services and my spats w/ verizon wireless. and trust me, i've had lots of experience with both of those- esp. verizon. oh just the thought of those greedy, misleading, unreasonable jerks makes me grimace. but i immediately liked and trusted deb- she is incredibly easy to talk to, not forceful or pushy, extremely informative, and really passionate about her job/practice. it comes across in every aspect of her practice. also, she actually studied under dr. devi, and was a patient of the NAET treatment itself before becoming a practitioner. (i have to admit, there was a rush of relief to realize she wasn't one of those hippie, wacko, mystic healers!

this is the part where i'm going to make an attempt explaining dr. devi's theory on allergens and their relationship to health problems, and the technique (NAET) used in to eliminate such toxins in your body. i emphasize the word "attempt" because this is one of those things where the more you read and learn, the more you are able to understand. one thing that really struck me was the difference between the philosophies of western medicine vs. alternative medicines (or chinese medicine, or homeopathic medicine, or acupuncture, etc.) in regards to allergies.

there is no known successful method of treatment for food allergies using western medicine except avoidance (and we all know that is just another word for a pain in the ass, frustration, and deprivation)! when your body is allergic to a food, it is not able to absorb the vital nutrients from the food b/c it is so busy fighting off the offending substance- this leaves your body without the intended nutrients it may need to function properly and efficiently.
NAET is a blend of testing and treatment procedures from acupuncture/acupressure, allopathy, chiropractic, nutritional, and kinesiological disciplines. at the core, it is based on oriental medicine's principles, which is based on the ideal, yin-yang state of the perfect balance of energies. any imbalance in that state will cause an energy difference which in turn, is an allergy.

what NAET seeks to do is desensitize your body to the offending allergen so that it is no longer perceived as a threat, and in its place, imprints a new, neutral memory. from that point on, substance would be able to travel through all the energy channels of the body w/out encountering blockages. if you look into this practice more in depth, you'll start to see that virtually anything and everything in the world could be perceived as an allergen (even emotions and inanimate objects), so it's up to the relationship between the practitioner and the patient to narrow the treatment plan enough so that the most offending allergens are isolated.

this involved a dive into the very deep pool of meg's medical history, and the current challenges i'm dealing with. from this, deb was able to compile a basic group of 16 possible allergens to test and consequently treat me for. not surprisingly, i registered a very high sensitivity for all 16 (and then some- we even tested for some odd ones, including fluorescent lighting, lunar radiation and rage. yep, all came back positive! there goes my dreams of moon walking!) each treatment is done one at a time. so far, i have been treated for, and cleared of, BFF and egg mixture, and was most recently treated for calcium mixture.

another interesting aspect of this treatment is that it requires my mom to be a surrogate (no, she's not giving birth to an allergen free robot). basically, she is the conduit for the allergy treatments, and by skin to skin contact, passes the treatment on to me. i have to say, she has been an extremely good sport, even though i KNOW she was struggling to keep a straight face, especially that first day! the reason she has to act as a surrogate is because of the method used to test and treat the offending allergens.

this method is called muscle response testing (MRT) and here's how it works: while holding a test tube vial containing the suspected allergen in their fist (their fist should be balled around the tube to "protect" the allergen- you want to ensure that nothing from the environment leaks in and interferes with the reading, such as the paper lining the exam table or the rubber handles on the side of the cushions) and is asked to extend their arm. the practitioner gently pushes down on the patient's extended arm while the patient is asked to consciously resist the downward pressure.

if the patient's arm maintains a strong resistance to the pressure, they are not allergic to the specific material. on the other hand, if their arm momentarily goes weak during this downward pressure, they are sensitive to the allergen. you might be wondering, why is meg's mom needed in this scenario if it's for meg's allergy? well, because of my MS-related weakness and pain in my extremities, it is highly likely that i would give false positives for this test. but as long as i maintain skin to skin contact during the testing, it is actually MY sensitivity that is being tested (similarly, if i maintain skin to skin contact during the treatment, i will be the end recipient of the treatment.)

random shout-out: the surrogate does not have to be consistent- any person can serve as the surrogate during a particular treatment session. so if you're lucky enough to visit on a monday afternoon, looks like you're in for a treat! ;) i'm thinking lori will def be game for this... did you notice lori lilac??

now, i know there are lots of you out there that are thinking this MRT system is a total joke. that's ok, i was skeptical too. it DOES seem too simple to be true! but here is what's happening in your body... in those short seconds or minutes, your nervous system is being tested. if it is irritated, even for one second, it will cause a temporary blip in the system which makes your arm go weak. ANY irritation to the nervous system will do this- even an uncomfortable thought or terrifying emotion!

one of the coolest things the MRT system can do (at least in my opinion) is to actually ask your body "yes" or "no" questions regarding your physical health- this will ultimately reveal information about troubled areas in your body that require attention. isn't that awesome?!?!? for example, before we began any treatment, deb asks my body for permission to treat the specific allergen. and she's hard core about it- if the arm is showing weak resistance, she asks a few more times, but if the answer is still "NO", or even a shaky "yes", she doesn't proceed w/ the treatment. this is b/c your body is trying to tell you something, and it's important to listen.

after the MRT testing, the treatment procedure can begin. first, the central nervous system is mildly stimulated using acupressure around the spine (this stimulates the nerves that carry messages to/from the brain to other organs and tissues within the body) while in the presence of each allergen (the patient or surrogate is still holding their fist tight around the vial). this is how/where the brain is reprogrammed with the new, harmless message. for the following 26 hours, it is important to keep the body's energy pathways clear and facilitate the new/reprogrammed allergen through all the appropriate channels.

to help with this process, the patient uses a small, pen-like massager (yes, it looks like a vibrator, i had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing at loud when deb first pulled it out) on 10 acupressure points along these meridians. you hold the massager on each point for 15 seconds, and this is done every 2 hours (or more frequently, if you can remember). during the 26 hours, all contact with the offending allergy is to be avoided. for example when i was treated for egg mixture, i couldn't even TOUCH down comforters, or anything that had chicken feathers, or even a tupperwear container that held chicken from last night's dinner. this part is EXTREMELY important and is the only major hassle w/ this technique. end result is that after 26 hours, the patient should be "cleared" of the allergy to the particular allergen. (if you are particularly sensitive to an allergen, like i am with sugar, it may take more than 1 treatment to "clear" me of this allergy. it just depends on your body.)

after my initial consult, deb was very up front with me. she explained that this was not going to be a magic cure, and that it was probably going to be a very long road. she suspected (and turned out to be right) that my allergies were going to be numerous, and would most likely need to be repeated more than once before they were cleared, and/or i noticed any change or benefit. i was thankful for her candor, and as i have read more about this treatment, and read further into dr. devi's teachings, i am appreciative of her honesty from the very beginning.

to supplement my NAET treatment, i am reading "say goodbye to illness", one of many books written by dr. devi. the book has proven to be an invaluable resource and also incredibly interesting- i would encourage any of you who might be interested in this treatment to find a copy online. in the preface, she explains,"when you are chemically and environmentally allergic to almost everything around you, it usually takes 2-3 years of continuous treatments w/ NAET before you can begin to come out of the bubble and into the real world..." however, this realization doesn't damper my belief in this technique, nor does it chip away at my faith that relief will come at its own time and own way. the main reason that dr. devi was led to research and pursue a career in this field came from a childhood of persistent and debilitating food allergies.

at another section in the book she makes a comment that very deeply resonates with me. "... until then, i was under the impression that everybody was supposed to experience a certain about of body aches and pains all the time, because i had never known otherwise..." during this week's calcium NAET treatment, deb was talking about all these symptoms that are not natural accomplices with eating- cramping, extreme fatigue, naseau, general discomfort, severe bloating. to be honest, i had never given it a second thought. part of me thought everyone felt this way after eating. i can't remember or name a food that has NOT brought on any of these (or all of these) conditions. it's my norm. i didn't really realize that this never crosses the minds of most people!! isn't it is amazing how quickly (or how much) our bodies will adapt to circumstance and situations. i can't remember what it is like to wake up in the morning and be able to put my feet on the floor without wincing in pain, without feeling the sharp, shooting pinpricks and stabbing pain that comes with the movement. i have forgotten what it was like to just... wake up.

"it is your HUMAN RIGHT to: eat whatever you want, live in whatever environment you want to live in, wear whatever clothes or cosmetics you want to wear, live or associate with whomever you want to, and be happy." this is how dr. devi starts chapter 1 in "goodbye to illness". you know, this can be quite easy to forget. i just assumed i was exempt from such ideals. i am constantly being forced to modify my lifestyle, my diet, my way of life... such a statement had not crossed my radar in.... years.

remember, you can view these postings directly on kitkat chat's blog

http://meggerv2.blogspot.com/

let the acronyms begin

you might notice that i have stopped referring to many of my doctors, nurses and various health professionals by name in my postings. this is not b/c they are secret undercover physicians to the stars or double agent spies of some sort, but b/c i feel strongly that my postings should continue to be candid, open, and honest. realistically speaking, honesty can sometimes be tainted by emotions and frustrations, and i don't want to call anyone out inappropriately or direct unwanted attention in their direction.

so, here's how this will work. if you would like specific information on any of the physicians mentioned in my blog, simply email me and i will provide you with any contact info you are looking for, or at least point you in the right direction.

hospitals: will be referred to by the first letters of each word in their full name (ie geisinger, which i talk about frequently, would be referred to as "GHS" for geisinger health systems).

doctors: will be referred to as "DR.", followed by an abbreviation of their department (ie "NEURO" for neurology). if i see more than one doctor in this unit, i will simply number them in sequential order (ie "DR. NEURO1", "DR. NEURO2" and so on...)

nurses: will be referred to as "RN" followed by an abbreviation of their department (ie "IM" for internal medicine). this would be followed by their first name (ie "RN IM Jackie").

specialists: if i am explaining a new treatment or therapy, i will probably refer to them by their name, with a link to their web page if available. i think this is important to help further explain the treatment and to make sure i am giving proper credit to their techniques or methods. ideally, i would love to help other people find relief if these treatments help me.

remember, you can view these postings directly on kitkat chat's blog
http://meggerv2.blogspot.com/