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  • From: "Lynn Wigglesworth" <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] out of the blue
  • Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:43:14 -0500

Bev; Have you thought of easing your way into 'alternatives'? Is there anyone in your area that practices Chinese medicine? Your case is very complicated, so I'm not sure that even I would play around without professional guidance. There are several natural herbal antibiotics, immune stimulants, blood/organ cleansers, etc. that, as far as I know, have no harmful side effects. They work gradually, so could possibly be used with Western medication, improving your health in the background, while the Western medicines keep you functional.

One of the cheapest and most potent antibiotic/antivirals is garlic.As far as I know, there are no bad effects (except chasing away loved ones). When I feel something coming on, I eat 3 or 4 cloves raw (I chop them up fine and swallow them with honey). My book (Herbal Antibiotics by Stephen Buhner) says that in severe cases, several bulbs (the whole plant) a day can be eated. You have to work up to it gradually, because it can cause stomach upset. I can't take it at night because it keeps me awake. The honey helps protect the stomach and is a natural antibiotic itself.

Lynn Wigglesworth
----- Original Message ----- From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 2:01 AM
Subject: Re: [Homestead] out of the blue


Thanks to all who have expressed concern for me, both on list and off.
It means a lot, more than you can ever know.
I am going to write about my allopathic experience to show how the road
to hell is paved with good intentions.
You all know I have severe RA and take Enbrel, which destroys the immune
system, increases the odds of lymphoma by 40%, and other nasty outcomes.
I have taken this medication for more than four years, and it
literally saved my life. I had no quality of life beforehand. I could
not wipe myself or brush my hair or shower or even get out of bed
without help. I was ready for a lead slug, literally. I had been on
methotrexate, a chemotherapy drug, and that had messed up my liver so
they took me off of it. I still have liver damage from that. During
the 4 months that I was unmedicated except for anti-inflammatories, the
disease ravaged me. Then came the Enbrel, and I saw a change overnight.
The inflammation subsided and I was able to move again and within a
week, I was well on the way to being Bev again.
So, I have continued to take this 'miracle' injection every week, unless
I am sick with an infection, like now. In that case, I can't take it as
to allow my body to try to fight infection on it's own.
Fast forward...
In the last six months, I have had two 'spider bites' and a 'boil'. I
have another 'boil" starting up now...Last night they confirmed I have
MRSA ...the original superbug. I probably got it from the first spider
bite last summer, and since I have practically a zero immune system, it
has become systemic and every little potential infection becomes
nastier. I've obviously developed it in the last few months, as my white
count is close to nil.(that happens with long term infections) At it's
simplest, MRSA is like a staph infection, a boil, for example. Highly
contagious nasty stuff with an open wound. At it's most complex, (no
open wounds or signs of the disease) untreated, it causes organ failure.
I had been taking Keflex for the spider bite, but MRSA is resistant to
that. I did not know that. I stopped taking it early the last time
because I broke out in hives. The bite eventually healed over, and I
gave it no more thought. However, this MRSA superbacteria can travel
throughout the body releasing toxins in various organ systems and that
is apparently what is going on now. Last night, I saw the beginnings of
another boil, and since I did not want to deal with a boil at Christmas,
I took the Keflex again. The first thing that happened was that I broke
out in hives, as I have done before. I should have known that I was
becoming allergic to the stuff. Then, I had trouble breathing, and then
the kidney pain began..it felt like someone was kicking me..very unlike
any other pain I have felt, although I would say it is far from the
worst pain I've felt, it was very, very uncomfortable and I couldn't
stand or walk, only writhe in the bed. I'm thinking now that treating
MRSA with Keflex was like poking a stick at a rattlesnake, and I know
now, that I have a kidney infection...still peeing red<g>, and some
liver problems, some of which was caused by the methotrexate, some of
which was probably slow deterioration from the Enbrel, and some recent
issues that I believe have resulted in my jaundice, and therefore
probably MRSA related as well. So I have this huge circle of activity
going on here,,,,slow degradation from the RA drugs, a side effect of
which lowers the immune system and allows superbugs like MRSA to take
hold in the body at every opportunity.
I'm once again on steroids and this time Septra DS. They say sulfa
drugs will help the MRSA and the kidney infection. It's funny that
several people have mentioned lately that I don't look well, but I never
the jaundice myself until today. I took off those rose glasses and
said, wow, I really am yellow!
I feel like if I could ever get well, I could stay well. I do have
pretty good eating habits, and I am developing more good habits
everyday. Lisa, ironically, I love cranberry juice. I have some in my
refrigerator now-been craving the stuff for a couple of months.
Cranberries are on my list of fruits to grow here, not that I could ever
grow enough to make all the juice I drink, but I love cranberry juice,
and cranapple, and cran-anything. Perhaps I crave it because I needed
it? I could make a case for that.

Some of you know that I went to med school for a while. I dropped out,
one of the 1% or less of students that do that. I won't go into all of
that here, but suffice it to say that I am well entrenched in western
medicine. Until I met you guys, I was never exposed to any other
way-thought all chiropractics were quacks..you know the type of person I
used to be. However, I am very spiritual, and I believe in body
energies and metaphysical healing and I believe that western medicine,
while it has it's good points, overlooks a whole lot of potential
treatments and remedies simply because they cannot be proven 100% of the
time. I also see the similarities between good medicine and good
government..is there such a thing, or has greed overtaken everything?
One of the reasons I left medical school was because I was sabotaged in
my lab research, and I looked around and thought--"these greedy, self
centered sons of bitches are the docs of my generation-no interest in
real humane care, just in it for the money" Perhaps even then, I saw
something that I did not deal with and explore properly. So now, I feel
like I have my foot in both worlds...I want so badly to be in the James
and Lynn camp, yet, I for the most part, remain in the Bob camp.<g> I
still believe in technology, but I also know that there are plenty of
alternatives out there to traditional American medicine. No offense to
any of you, as I think it all has merit taken as a whole. Each person
has to do what keeps them alive, both spiritually and emotionally, and I
know James disagrees with this, but some people do simply have more
issues because of genetics. (that's not a crutch) But my determination
to become healthy and live to see my grandbaby grow up has driven me to
make changes in my life and in my thinking. I can clearly see, now, how
my decisions over the past 7 years have directly influenced my health
today. I don't know that it would be better had I taken a more
non-traditional path originally, but I am now, in the midst of a life
changing decision-a mid life crisis of sorts-where I am considering
changing up and walking the road less traveled. I still have questions,
and I am not sure how to make the transition with the health issues I
currently have, but I just feel/know that if I could get well, I could
stay well, but how do I get well without the meds? I did some reading
this afternoon when I got up about phage therapy, and synchronistically,
James makes a post about Georgia and my BIL is coming in from the
Republic of Georgia on Christmas. (There has been a ton of synchronicity
in my life in the past few months, and I will not ignore it.) RoG is the
one of the few places that uses phage therapy for bacterial infections.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phage_therapy
This is not something that is taught in American medical
schools,,,,perhaps our mindset of experimentation is different or
perhaps we are too fearful of lawsuits, but to learn that that Soviets
have been doing this for the better part of century is amazing.
I've had some offlist conversations with some people here about their
non-traditional RA therapies/"cures". I intend to really explore this
further in the near future. I feel like I have to get off the
Enbrel...I have come to believe that I am slowly killing myself with
this seemingly miraculous drug that I have been so in love with for the
past several years. It is working for me, but perhaps I could find
something else that works that has less side effects like immune system
depletion or cancer risks or liver toxicities. I tell myself that there
is always more than one way to skin a cat, right? Also, my need for
prescription meds keep Ron tied to a job that has enslaved him. It
would be so wonderful if I were healthy and did not need all this
medicine. He could woodwork and build boats from home..it would be
freedom-for both of us. When he added me back to his insurance after I
quit my job recently, my pharmacy costs jumped from about 300/mo to
almost $500/mon for total meds. This is insanity. I want off the ride,
because I don't think I am getting better, even though I am making good
life changes like quitting smoking and exercising more and eating good
food. I feel like my health is being hi-jacked by a drug. I feel like
if I don't make changes, I will end at the gates of hell. I'm all
messed up in the head right now, but just know that I am on a path of
change. It may not be an overnight change, but I am walking ever faster
down the road. Thanks for reading all of this, and thanks to everyone
for their support and kindness...you guys occupy my thoughts more than
you know. As I was in the ER this morning, I was wishing I had James
401Cow jar..lol...just to pay for the ambulance<G>, serves me right for
spending all my money at Barnes and Noble, right? As a caveat, you all
should know that maybe in the political area that people don't change
their opinions, but perhaps they can in the medical arena.. Change is good.

Bev






Robert Walton wrote:
Bev,

Feel better, and I'm thinking of you. Get to the bottom of this.

Rob - Va _______________________________________________ Homestead
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The true significance of Sacajawea's involvement in the Lewis & Clark
expedition is that it was the first documented trip in history where men
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