Some articles I have read and some other stuffs....

It has been a while since I have posted I and I want to apologize once again to my loyal followers...I sometimes get down/depressed and end up not posting or doing much of anything!  Does anyone get tired of the medical disorders controlling their lives, being the only topic of conversation with some of your friends?  I get so tired of not being able to do what I want to do or if I do it suffering for days later.  I tend to clam up and not do or say anything...I know I shouldn't do that but it is what controls me on good days!  I haven't rolled playing dead cause I keep reading and trying to understand why I have developed these disorders and I still haven't reached any viable reasons.  I have read some really interesting articles recently on the topics of celiac disease or gluten intolerance and fibromyalgia.



The first article I thought was quite interesting is about a blood test that views blood under a microscope that shows a clustering or patterning of blood molecules that only occurs in people with fibromyalgia.   What makes this test so interesting?  Well the test has been developed by Tony Buffington DVM PhD at the University of Ohio that was conducting some research on cats and cystitis and came up with this.  Nope the test isn't on the marked yet cause it has to jump through all the hoops etc at the FDA but there is hope on the horizon.  Blood Test Could Lead to Early Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia the article was reported by a professional journal and National Pain Report.com and can be trusted.   There have been other tests that the article mentions but they are expensive and not as conclusive as this appears to be.

A year ago I underwent a lot of testing for the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, dizziness and falling, nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and bloody stools.  When I first saw the doctor he was convinced I had an autoimmune disorder called Celiac disease and wanted to do some tests, blood and endoscopy.   The blood test came by marginal and inconclusive so he wanted to do endoscopy of the upper bowel and a colonoscopy where he took biopsies.  That all came back negative and he told me then that I DID NOT have celiac disease and it must be something else but he didn't know what and he put me on pills to help with the bloating and diarrhea.  AMAZING...yes but this is the attitude of a lot of doctors now days.  I think they are convinced we are just medication seeking and not wanting proof.  I read an article recently called Gluten sensitivity: from gut to brain  by a British physician that says there is a link between gluten sensitivity and the symptoms I have been having the past few years  I find it interesting that no where in the American literature could I find information regarding this same article.   Since it was published in several European professional journals it is just an example of professional bitchiness in the US....hmmmm....do you think the FDA is being bought off by big pharmacutical companies?  

I had an interesting experience last month with chest pain.  I had gone to do a little light shopping with Heather and about fell down a couple of times and then the pain started.  I didn't have any warning and so Heather zipped me off to the hospital where I spent the night!  My cardiac enzymes and EKG showed I wasn't having a heart attack but my daughter and doctor thought a night under observation and more testing was called for.  My thoughts on the hospitalization are pretty negative considering that I showed up with chest pain and I was triaged in the waiting area, when taken to the back it was almost 30 minutes before I had an EKG done or even saw the nurse.  The doctor assigned to me didn't come in the room but a doctor that is friends with my son saw my name and came in to see how I was and took over the case.  I never had oxygen on...not a single time while I was at the hospital.  I was never given my standard medications and went without all of them for almost 48 hours till I got home and took my own.  I had a couple rough weeks because of a flare up caused by immediate removal of drugs.  I guess I am a little critical here but as a critical care/ER nurse I recognize what was done right and what was done wrong.  I would have been fired for negligence but it seemed to be the average professional age of the nurses caring for me was less then 6 months as an RN.  Tells a story as to what the health care is coming to around this town!

On a more happy note I would like to share the fact that Pillsbury has come out with a new line of baked goodies for the gluten intolerant and persons with Celiac disease.  WalMart is even carrying them! 
 
 Pizza dough, pie crust, and chocolate chip cookie dough.  I also heard that they may be coming out with rolls.  It isn't cheap...$4.08 each at Wally world to $5.59 at Homeland but worth the price.  I love the chocolate chip cookies!

Tried a new recipe from Betty Crocker using my bisquick style mix and their recipe.   Here is the recipe!  Click on the link above for the complete recipe or to see the nutritional information.
 
Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
Chicken

• 2 1/2 cups Progresso® chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
• 1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Dumplings        

• 3/4 cup Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted   
• 1 egg 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• 1 In 3-quart saucepan, heat chicken broth, chicken, vegetables, salt, and pepper to boiling. In small bowl, mix 1 cup milk and the cornstarch with wire whisk until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Heat just to boiling.
• 2 In small bowl, stir dumpling ingredients with fork until blended. Gently drop dough by 8 rounded spoonfuls onto boiling chicken mixture.
• 3 Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer.