I have had Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) since March 2002. Both of my sons also got ME/CFS at ages 6 and 10. Our younger son fully recovered after 10 years of mild illness. Our older son still has ME/CFS and also has Lyme disease plus two other tick infections. This blog is about how our family lives with chronic illness, with a focus on improving our conditions and enjoying our lives in spite of these challenges.
My chronic illness vlogs provide an honest view of my life with ME/CFS and Lyme disease, with all its ups and downs!
Last week, I was struggling with yeast overgrowth/candida, a chronic issue for many of us with ME/CFS and long-COVID due to our specific kind of immune dysfunction. Mine flared up three weeks ago, for unknown reasons, in spite of the treatments for yeast overgrowth that I keep up (diet, probiotics, supplements, and medication) all the time. I was still struggling by the end of the week, but I'm happy to report that my doctor returned from vacation this week, prescribed a stronger antifungal medication for me, and I am starting to see some improvements.
On the plus side, last week, I very much enjoyed plenty of quiet solitude at home while my husband was away, and I had a wonderful weekend with my childhood best friend, who came to visit.
You can watch the vlog on YouTube (which also includes notes under the video and links to more information) or below:
I'm
planning to write a longer post about my recent experiences with both
thyroid issues and yeast overgrowth, when I have more energy.
How are YOU this week?
Do you struggle with chronic yeast overgrowth/candida?
On a very hot recent Saturday when my energy was low, my husband and I
treated ourselves to a Saturday matinee at the theater. Though the
seats were modern recliners, the vibe was old-school adventure with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which we enjoyed very much.
As
this new (and last) Indiana Jones movie opens, we get a flashback scene
from 1939, with a young Indiana Jones in top form, escaping from Nazis,
fighting on top of speeding trains, and keeping a priceless artifact,
Archimedes' Dial, out of the hands of the Nazis, along with his best
friend and partner, Basil, played by Toby Shaw. After that breathtaking
scene of nonstop action, the movie shifts to 1969, as the fearless
explorer archeologist is retiring from his job teaching at a university.
It's clear that Indy has aged (and not well) and has left his glory
days behind. His beloved wife, Marion, (his love interest from the
original Raiders of the Lost Ark) recently filed for divorce, his
students are bored, and he's spending a lot of time in his recliner,
drinking too much. Then, his goddaughter shows up unexpectedly. Helena,
played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag fame, is Basil's
daughter, and Indy hasn't seen her since she was a young girl. Now,
she's begging for his help to find Archimedes' Dial. He's reluctant at
first, until they go back to the university archives, where Indy has
hidden the half of the dial he and Basil rescued in 1939, and find that a
group of criminals, headed up by the very Nazi that Indy was fighting
on the train 30 years ago, is leaving a trail of bodies, Indy's
colleagues, in their wake. After an exciting chase through the streets
during a ticker tape parade for the returning astronauts, Indy and
Helena take the adventure on the road, heading through Morocco, Greece,
and Italy. They are searching for the missing half of Archimedes' Dial,
with the bad guys hot on their heels.
What follows is classic
Indiana Jones, with action, adventure, mysteries, secret codes, and
plenty of surprising twists. Yes, it's true, Indy has aged considerably,
but they work with that in the film. One of the best parts about this
series (in my opinion) has always been its sense of humor, and that is
shining bright here. Besides, Indy has Helena by his side, and Phoebe
Waller-Bridge is fabulous, loaded with the confidence, charisma, and
physical prowess that makes her seem a female Indiana Jones (I wonder
whether she'll star in the next movie on her own). The rest of the cast
is great, too, with lots of characters popping up from earlier films.
Harrison Ford himself is quite impressive, as an 80-year-old man playing
a 70-year-old, and the CGI that makes him 30 years younger in the
opening scenes is effective. As with earlier films in the series, the
action is nonstop, the settings are gorgeous, and the plot is constantly
surprising. I hated to miss a moment (but it is a 2 1/2 hour
movie!). We were delighted by some of the unexpected twists the movie
took. I've been hearing a few negative rumblings from critics and social
media that it's just not the same without Spielberg at the helm (James
Mangold directs), but we loved this movie. My advice? Get a bucket of
popcorn and just enjoy this nostalgic 2+ hours of pure fun. When you
hear that familiar swell of music, just let yourself be swept away and
enjoy the ride!
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is currently showing only in theaters. It is estimated that it will begin streaming on Disney+ around mid-August.
Once in a while, I like to round up some of the wonderful inspirational posts I've seen on other chronic illness blogs and share them here with all of you. That way, you not only get motivation, comfort, and joy from a wide variety of sources, but you can discover some other great chronic illness blogs, too! Here are some recent posts that I enjoyed and found useful:
Sheryl is a good virtual friend of mine (we live on opposite side of the globe) who has a wonderful blog, loaded with chronic illness advice, inspiration, and people's stories. As a bonus, you can watch her interview of me on her podcast, Sick Lessons, when we enjoyed a great conversation about life with chronic illness, including a lot of smiles and laughter because we were so happy to finally meet "in person."
Sheryl recently added to her popular list of Chronic Illness Quotes to Inspire, Motivate, Grieve, Hope, and Laugh About. The quotes are from authors, poets, celebrities, famous historical figures, and even from herself, and each brief quote is combined with beautiful graphics. Browse through these lovely quotes for inspiration, support, and a few laughs anytime you need a pick-me-up!
Sam is another wonderful chronic illness blogger I've gotten to know who has multiple, complicated diagnoses. She's written a very thoughtful post, Is It Time to Wave the White Flag or Is a Plan of Attack a Better Option? It's all about the exhausting and never-ending battle we are all fighting to get accurately diagnosed and to find effective treatments that will improve our quality of life. She knows how important this process is, but considers whether we might sometimes need to take a break from it. Like all of her posts, it is compassionate, thought-provoking, and very relatable.
Tom Seaman
Tom has a thoughtful new post, Understanding and Improving Our Stress Response to Reduce Pain and Suffering. In it, he delves deep into the role that stress can play in chronic illness and chronic pain, and how our emotional reaction to what happens to us can worsen our physical suffering. He describes how negative emotions and stress can affect our bodies and shares his own experiences, as well as some helpful tips and additional resources.
Kathy has multiple chronic illness diagnoses that dramatically affect her life, and during a recent flare, she wrote Managing the Frustration of Chronic Illness: 6 Tips. She describes some of the common frustrations of life with chronic illness and then reviews 6 practical steps that anyone can take to reduce their stress and cope with frustration. It's a great post for when you're feeling overwhelmed.
My energy is very low today, due to a flare-up of chronic yeast overgrowth, but I at least wanted to share my latest Chronic Illness Vlog with you. This is an group of video clips from last week that show an honest view of my life, with all its ups and downs. And I had lots of ups and downs last week, some days feeling well enough (thanks to adjusting thyroid treatment again) to be active and some days feeling run-down or frustrated and overwhelmed ... or both!
Some of the information I mentioned in the video and included in the Notes below the video on YouTube include:
