yeastie beasties....
All is going well except for some pesky fungi overgrowing in my whole system. Anyone that has had multiple doses of antibiotics can experience an overgrowth of the natural candida yeast normally found in our bodies. The antibiotics kill off the healthy bacteria in your gut that keeps the yeast in control. The overgrown yeast can get into your blood stream and cause all sorts of mischief. In my case I had begun feeling "sickish" since my minor out patient surgery on November 6. I was feeling irritable first ( to be expected ) and then I began having whooshing sounds in my head, rapid heart beat, drunk-like dizziness, headaches, and a complete brain fog along with some hives. I just felt pretty awful for a week and just hibernated in the house with absolutely no motivation to do anything except the necessary.

 I thought at first I was just recovering from the anesthesia and the fatigue of the long drawn out move. But then it dawned on me! I've had 4 rounds of antibiotics since May beginning with a root canal that I had that month. Then three more after my three surgeries ( lumpectomy, mastectomy, and nipple removal) with antibiotics after each. No wonder I had a yeast overgrowth!

I was glad that I could recognize this nasty condition due to having had to treat and eliminate the same problem in the early 80's. With helpful info online and getting some supplements and following the no-yeast diet, I have eliminated most of the uncomfortable symptoms in the last 4 days. I have to continue to avoid sugar and starches ( which feed the yeast ) as much as possible for a while and take some probiotics to replenish the healthy bacteria destroyed by the antibiotics. I have felt worse from this condition than any to date in my current health ordeal. Wouldn't you know that it was caused by the treatment of drugs making me sick!  But a necessary assault on my body, I suppose.

I've not heard from the Independent Review Organization reviewing my newest insurance appeal. I would hope to hear early but their time limit is up on Dec 14th. I'll just keep on waiting, but it is tiresome. At least I've had a chance to treat the yeast toxins and be in better health when the time comes. Also I'm so thankful for the time to recover and unpack from the move. This is also tiresome...... but we are settling into our new digs in Marietta and enjoying being close to family.

In the last appeal to the IRO I include images of my rib Hemangiomas. I took some camera shots of my CT scans from the Doctor's computer screen, uploaded them to my computer, and printed out hard copies to send along with other documents and letters. I'll share these images  below for you to see what I've been describing in previous posts. These CT images are viewed from below looking up toward my head so the right side of my body will appear on the left. They are "slices" of my mid section at different points along my chest.  The CT was taken in May of 2012.

 Posterior 7th right rib
 tumor
( lower left of chest wall
near spine )

Front right 5th rib tumor ( behind right breast )


I'll take a break on Thursday from my self-induced restriction on all things good to eat. Yum, pies and cake and the cornbread stuffing! My yeasties will love it but so will I. Happy Thanksgiving to you all and may you be blessed this season. 

if you haven't heard....
I'm not having the huge rib surgery tomorrow. I was not able to obtain an expedited independent review to appeal my continued denial of coverage for the rib tumors. The surgery was canceled and now we are waiting for up to 45 days ( standard review ) to get a decision from the IRO ( independent review organization ).

 I'm hoping and praying that a decision will come sooner and that if the ruling is overturned that my surgery could be scheduled before the end of the year. It would save us lots of money to get it in before January 1 because we have already met our max out of pocket for this year. You may think we are disappointed but after the move has worn us out we are relieved that we will have time to recover from the physical toll of this last month. I am having a minor procedure related to the breast cancer tomorrow in an outpatient surgery but will recover in a day or two and be back to normal. It will give us some time to unpack here in Marietta and get our life back in order.

The move took us longer than expected and it was just today ( Monday ) that we were finally able to hand over the keys to our landlord. We celebrated the day had FINALLY arrived! We really thought this day would never get here such was the difficulty of the move. We both walk with a limp, are stooped over a bit, have a few more gray hairs and constantly forget what day it is. Moving ages us old folks at least 3 years in a month.  Again, I state that we are glad that tomorrow is NOT my big surgery! God is watching out for us! His timing is always best.

I will keep you posted on the independent review. We appreciate all of you who have been so interested in how we are doing, praying for us, supporting us and loving us. We are humbled.