Hope - a rant

I lurk on a couple of Addison's boards and don't post.  Most who feel really bad don't listen to posts written by the healthy and it's a waste of my time and energy to say anything.  What I consistently read is that once diagnosed with Addison's, all of our lives go to hell.  Simply not true.

To live life well with Addison's is hard work, that's true.  We all have bad days and sometimes weeks, that's true.  Some of us end up in the ER more often than others, some of us don't.  

There is hope.  You CAN feel well.  You can achieve what you want to achieve within reason.  What's reasonable is always a moving target, no matter if you have Addison's or not.  

Prior to Addison's, I was never able to achieve my potential because I was always getting sick or falling asleep or throwing up.  Now, through lots of research, experimentation, eating well, sleeping enough, reaching out to other Addisonian's with my questions, being proactive with my health care and researching some more, I am able to do more than the average American despite my once or twice a year visits to the ER. 

I am so lucky that through this blog and websites, I have met some truly exceptional people who do exceptional things and they also happen to have Addison's.  You can be one of those people.  

Don't let doctors act like gods.  Hold them accountable for the drivel that they might be spewing, ask for documentation.  Be a knowledgeable consumer and present your doctor with FACTS to back up your requests.  Eat well, eat regularly, exercise IF YOU CAN, don't if you can't, set goals and try to achieve them with baby steps, sleep regularly, take your meds on a schedule.  It's amazing how such common sense things can make such a big difference in ones life.  

Most importantly, don't settle for living half a life.  Ask questions, seek answers, know that there are many people with Addison's who live very normalish lives. 

YES WE CAN!

TGIS

Thank Goodness It's Spring

The tiny garden that's growing bigger every season.  Strawberries, chives, rhubarb, parsley, sorrel, mint, squash, peppers, nasturtiums, various seeds (we'll see if they will grow)

Spring has arrived in Teton Valley, for the time being.  Although some might see that statement as negative, it's just realistic for the area.  It's entirely possible that it will go below freezing again and/or snow.  Until then there's so much to do!

My cold is going away and I'm getting some sleep.  I think I'll be fine for Saturday's race.  Camping is going to be pretty plush.  Air mattress, 6 person tent, sun shower, etc.  I may text a post or 2 from my phone during or after the race.  

Just so you know, doing races is not an attempt at winning or beating anyone.  I'm a very solid back of the packer (that means finish in the bottom 30%) BUT I do want to finish.  This 50 is actually 51.8 miles and has 13,700 feet vertical gain.  It will be a challenge for me just to finish.  My other goal is to finish this race without crying.  I stink and walk as much as I run most of the time.  I am consistent and persistent though.  I think my lack of ambition for speed has kept me virtually injury free as far as running is concerned!  I guess being a bad runner has some benefits.

Just got a BOB trailer for commuting.  Here I've got my purse and jacket in the yellow bag and trash to take to the dumpster a mile away bungied on the trailer.

10 day old turkey.  The wings are growing so fast!

Stinky turkeys in their home.

10 day old duckies.  19 left, one died.  Getting big too!

Turkeys pecking at my ring.

Very, very short video.  Ignore Travis talking.  Turkey pecking at my ring.

Brownies that are gluten free, dairy free and delicious

I'd post a picture of these brownies but I ate them all too quickly!

For Meg and Heather.

Brownies

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup white rice sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (I usually add more because I like cocoa, sugar and salt flavor!)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Grease 9 inch square baking pan
3. Stir together oil, sugar and vanilla in a bowl, add eggs
4. In another bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt
5. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, beating well until blended
6. Stir in nuts if you like them in your brownies
7. Spread mixture evenly into greased pan
8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan
9. Cool completely in pan on wire rack

Not the Snake River, just a ditch!

The weather is finally beautiful.  Sunny and warm.  I was completely reckless today.  Rode my bike without a helmet or gloves.  Ran without:  medic alert bracelet, extra meds, food, enough water or sunscreen.  Luckily the only problem I had was a little bit of sunburn.

Checked on turkey chicks and ducklings.  So cute and growing unbelievably fast.

I've got a cold :( and I hope to be over it before my race on Saturday.  It's not a bad cold, it's just keeping me from sleeping well.  I like to sleep.

Wahoo, target practice at Pole Canyon trailhead!

Crossing a creek on Pole Canyon.  This one is for Wanda, Jan and Pam!