Comments on: I am keeping my eye on Snape!

By: Teresa

Teresa — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:13:31 +0000

I was just browsing the Internet looking for pictures of squirrels nests and ran across your picture at the park, I started to read and was sadly touched by a comment about God not being real. Not to debate the issue but I am a believer in GOD and I totally believe in free will, so may you and your child have a long happy life and be touched by blessings. Teresa in Michigan.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:15:25 +0000

coolest truck door decal. make me a stencil?

By: Nicole

Nicole — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:20:59 +0000

Those bundles of leaves look like the squirrel nests we get here, they become more visible when the leave all fall off.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:16:29 +0000

Greetings Shannon! Long time reader, first time commenter here. From reading about the symptoms you have described having, it sounds very much like it is in fact some form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy that you have developed. Having muscular dystrophy myself, it sounds like you could be suffering from a very mild form of it. I have a very mild and rare form of MD called Emery-Dreifuss MD. It isn’t anything catastrophic, just is enough to be a minor pain in the ass from time to time.
Just make sure to be tested for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). It’s a rare form of adult onset MD that progresses rapidly and eventually causes death. Although I highly doubt that is what you are dealing with, it certainly would not hurt to have it ruled out. I know you have had lots of bloodwork done, but have the doctors done a complete check of your DNA? If it is muscular dystrophy, the genetic mutation will be visible on one of the chromosomes in which MD is usually found (forgive me for not knowing the exact chromosome to look at off the top of my head).
Physical therapy helps a great deal in slowing the progression of the disease, as well as a healthy diet, as the less weight you carry translates to less mass for your weakened muscles to have to carry around, and generally makes the day to day activities of life easier.
I hope this helps in some way. MD isn’t any big deal and even if you a person has it, you still can continue to lead a very full and enjoyable life. All the best to you!

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:11:11 +0000

Yeah, I think that’s called Duchene’s or something like that… Most of the ones that don’t show up until you’re an adult are mild by comparison. It’s only quite recently that it’s begun affecting me with occasional falls (get up and discover my legs can’t support me), but it feels very slow progressing and I feel quite healthy on most levels.

By: Indigo

Indigo — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:30:10 +0000

I’m totally willing to admit to mental typo on my part lol – I probably processed it as MS because the only form of muscular dystrophy I have any experience with is a generally fatal one that manifests at a very young age. Which is obviously not the case with you, thankfully! I never thought to think that there are variations in MD, although that makes sense. Sorry about that! Although HBOT is used for muscular problems and healing issues of many types, so could be an idea for mental reference – we’ve yet to try it, so I’m just going by good reviews I’ve heard.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:10:45 +0000

Not sure if a typo slipped in somewhere, but I don’t have MS or any reason to believe I have MS… My issue is muscular breakdown and is looking right now like muscular dystrophy although there is still much to confirm/unconfirm.

By: Indigo

Indigo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:08:16 +0000

Maybe it would help if I added the stupid link – https://www.hbotreatment.com/ms.htm – it’s pretty basic, but it’s an easy read worth looking at.

By: Indigo

Indigo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:06:59 +0000

Forgot what else I intended to post – I’ve read interesting things about HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy)and its effects on things like MS and other autoimmune disorders, as well as autism (which was obviously my starting point in the subject). It’s expensive, not covered for autism as of yet, but if you want to check it out eventually, SOME conditions might qualify. Even if you don’t have insurance other than OHIP, there are frequently government grants that people don’t realize they can apply for, as well as research studies (check out Kingston, there’s always someone wanting to study something at the hospital and university). FWIW, I’d be in the dark in regards to almost everything to do with the health of myself and my children, if it wasn’t for the ability to check things out online while waiting for the appointments (or even trying to decide who I should make the appointment with). Google is way overused by a lot of uneducated people, but when you know what to look for and where NOT to look, it’s a good tool with a bit of a bad reputation, IMO.

By: TheWomanMonster

TheWomanMonster — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:49:54 +0000

Love that photo of Nefarious colouring with chalk, what colours!

I’m starting to see more and more everyday the amazing things kids think and feel. My boyfriend’s children are a couple years older than Ari. Sometimes so self involved they forget the rest of the world exists other times more giving and caring than anyone else I’ve known.

As for physical therapy a combination of yoga and resistance training would likely offer the best benefits. I’ve set some of my clients at the weight loss clinic up with programs like that when they needed to increase strength and recover from illness or injuries.

Good luck with everything Shannon. Lots of love to you Caitlin and Nefarious.

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:03:59 +0000

As Peter Watts puts it, consciousness is the pointy-haired boss that lives in our head. It takes credit for everything, but it has much less influence on our actions than we typically think.

By: Indigo

Indigo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:22:32 +0000

“Santa Claus isn’t a real person — Santa is a spirit that lives in our hearts.”

Isn’t that beautiful? That’s the way my mother explained it to us; until she passed away, she insisted to all of us, young and old, that THAT was the true meaning of the “Santa” that does exist. The spirit of giving in our hearts. Sometimes the most simple explanations are the most pure and true.

I fully expected to loathe Harry Potter. I checked out the third book during a trip to the library to stock up on winter reading material one year, but it took me over a week to pick it up. Needless to say, once I did, I was hooked, and I soon pulled any willing (or not…) family members and friends over to the dark side! If you go to theleakycauldron.net – I think it’s .net – you can find fun crafts and even recipes from the books to try! I read that your fiance loves yarn crafts – if she likes HP at all (or wants to make something for Ari), there are some really inspired patterns out there!