Nowadays my social-media scrolling is more passive, but back in the day I eagerly followed multiple blogs - one of which was Shauna Ahern, the “gluten-free girl”. One of my pet peeves is grown women simperingly referring to themselves as “girls”: I just looked it up and Shauna is two years younger than me, cringe!
While part of me feels like I’m just chucking surplus funds down the rat-hole, I had signed up for a consultation with a nutritional consultant - we ran a full panel of blood work and I sat down to have a video chat with her yesterday. She saw no horrendous problems - she complimented me on my magnesium and vitamin D levels, my thyroid numbers are good, although I am a little low on my T3 conversion. There is evidence of chronic inflammation in my CBC, which fits the long Covid picture - Dr R said in her experience most of the issues are gut-health related. Long story short, it was a nice discussion - she recommended another basketful of supplements… if they help me feel better and sleep better, I’m certainly willing to give it a try! The hard part will be cutting out gluten and dairy for two weeks (dairy more so than gluten because I do appreciate that splash of cream in my coffee)
Fortunately she did not try to talk me into full-scale bioidentical hormone replacement (Nature has a plan, which includes women aging!) although I will take a low dose of progesterone upon her recommendation. My poor mother was thrown into surgical menopause at age 34 - hers was a completely different case, as I know she had a miserable time of things. My gynecologist offered me estrogen cream several years ago as I was exhibiting some mild atrophy but I never used it - it honestly wasn’t bothering me.
Just to round out the picture, I had also put in an order for more of my Chinese herbs - I got a big box of assorted samples yesterday; I don’t even know where to start?
At least Ms Aphrodite is responding to treatment beautifully - when I set her out on the grass the other night as I was changing the water in her tank, she got up on her legs/feet exhibiting proper “gator posture” - I felt as proud as any mother watching her baby take its first steps. Her appetite remains finicky but I have to remember, even though she’s the size of a baby, she’s almost 2 years old and as such, her appetite is probably more along the lines of a juvenile with a couple of meals per week. She has been moderately stunted and we’ll have to see how much ground she can make up. I’ve got to consult with my colleagues at the zoo as far as vaccination protocols - for a while we were vaccinating crocodilians against several viral diseases including West Nile virus.
Look at all that colorful packaging - that makes me feel better, just admiring it
I have never been into social media much and am always shocked that so many people don't know that there are plenty of people out there who are not who they say they are. Has that been the same for you? Too many scam artists - people posting pictures of other people claiming to be them, embellishing their career portfolio, their bank account, lying about their age or weight, etc. I have always been jaded, I guess, but I assumed that a huge percentage of the population are jerks whether you meet them in real life or online.
ReplyDeleteThe nutrition counseling sounds interesting but I am also somewhat skeptical of that. Partly because I have always felt that a lot of diseases are related to gut health as I had poor gut health as a child and a lot of medical problems and vitamin deficiencies. "Science" seemed to get a lot of things wrong when I went to nursing school. Everything was blamed on things like cholesterol and fat.
The Chinese herb packages look great. Like fancy treats!
The flow here is like that too! LOL.
Sounds like Aphrodite is coming along. Will she stay with you permanently?
My BFF/veterinary colleague Cheryl dragged me kicking & screaming into the 21st century when we converted our pen-pal friendship to e-mail in the early 2000’s. Initially, I joined some chat groups which expanded out into blogging (if memory serves I started pecking away on my first blog in 2004 - and yes, I soon discovered that I needed to moderate comments to protect myself from an avalanche of spam! But we also seemed too build a true community, which evolved until I found my comfy niche at SparkPeople. “All good things having to end” and all that…
ReplyDelete(Yes this is really Val ;-)
And for now, Aphrodite is “mine all mine” - the challenge will be a safe, secure habitat for her as she grows (no way of knowing yet how close to “adult size” she will attain). I’m going to the big aquarium expo in Big D this weekend, to see what I can engineer for her
ReplyDeleteWe tried chat rooms when we first got our Windows 95 computer. Never blogged until Sparkpeople a while after I joined in May of 2008.
ReplyDeleteHaving a pet alligator is illegal in my state. Do you have to have a permit or is being a vet there enough? In Illinois we can have chinchillas, ferrets, sugar gliders, pigeons, emus, bison, llamas, some turtles, some geckos. Some reptiles need a permit. Things like raccoon, owls, fox, minks require fur bearing license permits. You can't have a skunk, bear, monkey, wolf, big cats, hyenas, coyotes, bats. And we have had neighbors who have had all of the legal stuff but the bison. I think ferrets are adorable but cannot stand the smell.
Yep, one must have a permit/licensure to possess an alligator in Texas - right now I am working within the "halo" of my USDA wildlife-rehabilitator's license. Once Aphrodite is stabilized/relatively healthy we will have to have a "committee meeting" to decide what is best for her. (of course I will vote that it is best for her to live out her life under my TLC but I could be overruled - and of course I'm willing to listen if anyone else has a better placement for her)
DeleteThe State of Texas is actually much better in looking after our wildlife - it's pretty much the Wild, Wild West as far as folks being able to keep exotic pets/big cats/birds & reptiles. There needs to be a lot more regulation, it results in lots of suffering & heavy losses amongst neglected animals...
I can't imagine there would be a better placement for her. I assume that an alligator probably eats a lot. If you are trying to save money may I suggest that the Whore might make a few good meals. And M. LOL.
DeleteAwww, Ms. Aphrodite is lucky in having you as her rescuer. That "mother" instinct in most of us who care of animals is strong. Should have measured my heart swelling at the local vet yesterday with Ember.
ReplyDeleteShe, by the way, agreed about the Kaopectate, and prescribed an antibiotic called Metronidazole. We are now 3 doses in, and puppy is doing much better.
Trying to re-establish a more normal schedule, but the "nocturnal" nature may not get adjusted when the temperatures for a dark coated dog are so warm! Like a new mother, I try to sleep when she does.
I still cross my eyes at reptiles, except turtles and tortoises. You can have them.
ReplyDeleteReconsider discussing estrogen cream. I didn't realize how important moisturization was until I started getting uncomfortable on the bike. Then again, I've get 10 years on you so maybe you're not there yet!