Accessible Gardening: #19 Practical Matters for Physically Challenged Gardeners , 1 by seacanepain

seacanepain wrote:
There is some interesting new MS research going on, Carrie. That thing with the African hookworms is not entirely considered fringe weirdness any longer. The theory is we have co-evolved with certain parasites and some of the relationships are more symbiotic than we once believed.
I would not buy the illegally sold worm eggs, of course. That would be like eating a piece of moldy bread instead of taking a penicillin shot. I do believe the research is worth watching. I think they are on to something important. The three disorders the research is focused on at the moment are MS, Crone’s disease and severe allergies, but I think it may affect the way other auto-immune diseases are treated in the long run. There is a paradigm shift involved. Instead of looking at the body’s component parts or individual systems it looks at a body the way an environmentalist looks at the planet. We really are a walking biosphere. Looking at ourselves that way might be the change of perspective we need to move forward.
We already take that approach here in a small way. The “milk” in our fridge is soy, almond, coconut or cashew milk except after one of us has been treated with anti-biotics. The cultured milk and active culture yogurt show up in the fridge then to restore the natural flora and fauna of the gut. There is a lot of new research that shows the little critters we host affect much more than our digestion. These “bugs” also affect our immune systems and of all things, brain function.
TTC, I can see why your doctor is encouraging you to consider surgery. The burns, bangs, bumps and bruises you’ve endured because of seizures sound terrible. I hope and pray you can find the right medication cocktail, but I would not take surgery off your list of options. Kay asked me to write that experiencing Charles Bonnet Syndrome after the surgery is extremely rare and she didn’t mean to frighten you about the surgery.
Kay is doing sleep marathons again. One day of serious work and two days to recover. Kay is accepting it as old age slowing her down, but I’m not convinced. This only started after she got really sick in Dec./Jan. Besides, weight loss isn’t the usual problem for women her age. Most of the other women that age I know have the opposite complaint. I’m waiting to see if she plateaus at the minimum weight for a female her height.
I’m taking Tramadol to ease the soft tissue tear and Nadi and Kay are watching me like hawks to make sure I obey docs orders. Who knew it could be so hard doing nothing. How are you coping, Beth? I’ve never considered mater murder, but I have some zucchini I would like to take a machete to.
It is muscadine and scuppernong grape harvest time. Those are the thick-skinned, southern fox grapes that are only a few steps away from wild. Kay’s loves the rich flavor and looks forward to eating them fresh. She considers what is normally available in the grocery store bland by comparison. I like the flesh and the traditional grape hull pie made from their skins is good as is the wine. It reminds me of a Greek wine I had once. The ‘Southern Home’ hybrid did not produce this year. Southern fox grapes don’t naturally cross with European grapes. I am looking forward to tasting the fruit from that cultivar.
(Jim)