Foggy, filtered light in the sky

Fresh snow on the ground after yesterday's temperatures of -12 C (about 10.4 F), but it became a little warmer today. It was foggy all over today, near Toronto. Soft and gentle.

The picture above was just snapped with the Blackberry camera, and slightly brightened to bring out the red berries in the foreground and to show the wonderful tones in the quality of the light. When you just look without seeing, it all seems to be just black-and-white outside, but there are these gorgeous tones hidden in the background of the day.

When I was a child, growing up in the semi-desert area of the province in the middle of South Africa, we didn't see much fog or rain, other than wild thunderstorms which I loved. I remember the few times we drove through mountains and ran into fog, I always thought it was like being in a cloud. I had a little green plastic cup and would hold that out the window, trying to scoop up some of the softness to eat. What a disappointment to always just find some drops in the cup!

Now, when we have a foggy day as the temperatures change here in Southern Ontario, it often occurs to me that what we see, is never what really is. What an adventure it is to live and discover each day!

Skywatch Friday

Goodreads to the rescue

I've always loved reading, since before starting school and am never without a book. Earlier this year I bought an Aluratek Libre e-reader to help with the eyes being affected by Lyme Disease, and to avoid having to hold heavy large-print books with the painful wrists. Falling apart and all that, you know!

It is becoming harder to keep track of books read, to be read, recommended, or read and enjoyed before.

For Christmas, the Hubby surprised me with a Lenovo Thinkpad tablet, which has a wonderful display for ebooks. I could download applications to add both Kindle and Kobo books, but am struggling with the Adobe Digital Editions installation. No matter, enough books bought and loaded through Amazon and Chapters!

If you're not familiar with Goodreads and like to read, check it out from the links here below! I'll try to add this widget or gadget or whatever it is called, to the right-hand side of this blog.

Anyone from South Africa reading here -- I've been trying for years to buy or order or find two books, both by Elsabe Steenberg: "Dat ek mag sien" and "Rooi Kanarie Hoepelbeen". Both have had a profound influence on me, and were never forgotten, even after decades. Years later I entered into a letter-writing with the author and we continued that until shortly before she died. So, if anyone finds any of those books in a second-hand bookstore or somewhere, let me know how I can pay for them, please! I did bring along another favourite, "Die Heuningwolk" by Maretha Maartens.

Let's see if this Goodreads widget works in the blog!

Meerkat's bookshelf: favourites

Sand and Foam

by Khalil Gibran

Confessions of a Shopaholic

by Sophie Kinsella

The Undomestic Goddess

by Sophie Kinsella

Mister God, This Is Anna

by Fynn

The Full Cupboard of Life

by Alexander McCall Smith

Christmas greetings - stories, pictures and news of the year

Hello! So glad you stopped by! If you dropped in because you received our digital Christmas greeting, thank you for taking the trouble. If you want to keep tabs on when this blog is updated (very infrequently), you can either "follow" on the right, or just put your email address in the space on the right side. When a new post is added, you'll receive an email notification and can then stop by at your leisure.

Some updates about our year, 2011, with a few photo links are below if you want to browse!

Bigger version is HERE (this page will stay open)

About our news and updates --- I'll just pick a few items, but this is easier than sending lots of emails around.
Please scroll down the blog archives (links on the right) if you want to read more entries or posts, see the picture of my medication, look at pictures taken at the Lyme Disease conference in Toronto, and so on.

RECAP
In January I was told by a doctor that the whopping doses of antibiotics I injected daily directly to the bloodstream via a permanently implanted IV line (PICC), was "going to kill me" because my body had turned toxic or something. I had to stop the medicine. This was supposed to be the last push in the treatment for Lyme disease, which was started in April 2010 after being sick since August 2007 with some "unknown disease".

In February the Lyme specialist pulled out the PICC line, saying he would have to do some research to find out what sort of combination medications he can give me. I have been off the medication for a month by then, and symptoms were coming back fast and furious. Pain, confusion, balance problems, cognitive problems, neuralgia, anxiety, depression, all sorts of infections, lack of appetite, being cold all the time, extremely dry skin - to name just a few. Costochondritis (a painful condition because of infection in the joints of the rib cage) was also diagnosed then and is still not gone.

In March I went back to see the specialist and received a tremendous blow: He could no longer treat Lyme disease. Another doctor had lodged a complaint against him for "treating a disease which doesn't exist in Canada". I was set adrift, like hundreds of other Lyme disease patients. Doctors are being forced out of practice. In the USA, four states have now adopted legislation to protect doctors against prosecution if they are treating Lyme disease.

In the meantime, Arno developed a "blister" on his right eye. There is a leaking vein which deposits fluid on the lens, and makes it difficult to focus. It went away after a few months, but came back. In November he had cold laser treatment to try and seal off the leak. We have to wait several weeks to see if the fluid was re-absorbed. It is not painful, but just annoying when trying to focus on close subjects.

He is looking after me with care and concern, and I'm very appreciative. When I located a doctor in the USA who was willing to take me on as a Lyme patient and arranged to see me as quickly as possible, Arno took the time to drive me the 7 hours, through pouring rain, fog, hydroplaning car and unknown roads to visit. During that visit, I was also diagnosed with co-infections called Babesia and Bartonella. There should be more in this blog to read about that. I am now officially battling Chronic Lyme disease.

In May we took two weeks holidays for the first time in our lives! We flew down to Florida and spent four days in Orlando, visiting the Animal Kingdom and Seaworld, petting cownose rays and enjoying the creatures and the plants we love so much. Of course we took in a few roller coasters as well! A few pictures are here. 

Arno at Animal Kingdom

We spent a few days in Daytona Beach which we found beautiful and would love to go back to! From there we drove to Miami, with a detour to Cocoa Beach, and flew out the next day to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.

While there, we stayed in a resort, but scheduled 6 SCUBA dives, spread over three days. We had to have a day in between, since after an excursion, I was sleeping 8 to 10 hours and had to have a day to recover! We loved it, the dives were great and we also managed some parasailing, something I've always wanted to do.

Someone took this pic of us

The new medication, as well as a severely restricted diet the doctor put me on in order to starve the Lyme disease bugs, made for interesting episodes, weakness, diabetic collapse and the like. Once again, Arno was a champion, looking after me, asking restaurants for special attention, and generally taking the responsibility of something I used to do for myself. I'm grateful to have him. Without that, I would have been a great mess!

Theo (our youngest) and Jenni are planning their wedding for August 2012. She is still studying - graphics design since she wants to be an illustrator for Children's books - and wants to finish her studies first. She just put up a site with some of her work. Click on the gallery link to see samples!  Jenn's Illustrations

Jaco decided to take a break from his studies and joined us working at the computer office in Bolton. He is doing a great job and we are all glad to have him there! He is doing inside work, removing viruses, helping to set up computers, writing a program to help us track time and jobs. Then ---- he fell off a ladder while alone in the workshop and broke the heel on his right foot! He was on crutches for 6 weeks, but seems to be back in good health now.

In September we had the Brampton Fall Fair again. I've been the Photography Convenor for a number of years now and am enjoying it tremendously. It saps energy, but is well worth the effort. That is the one volunteer position I didn't give up because of this miserable disease!
Those who like to look at pictures, they were divided into four days. I'll give the links below if you want to play. Day 2 is the one where I got to hold the big Bald Eagle.

• Fall Fair Day 1 - setting up and judging
• Day 2 - some of the exhibits and the Bald Eagle
• Day 3 - more entries and pictures of the Falcon show
• Day 4 - the horses and a guy making fantastic balloon creatures

In September I also turned 50. With the Fall Fair right across that day, I didn't even think about it. But Arno and our friends concocted a surprise party --- and what a surprise it was! Thank you again, everyone, for your love and support!

As a sudden inspiration, long-time email friend Amanda and husband Paul came to visit. Of course we had to take them to Niagara Falls, have them taste icewine, see the lovely town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, visit quaint St. Jacobs with the fabulous craft of the Mennonites, and admire the landscape, farmlands and beauty of southern Ontario. More pictures are HERE if anyone wants to look.

Our summer visit at the cottage belonging to friends, is always a highly enjoyable part of our summer, and we are grateful for the privilege. Sitting on the dock, looking at loons, watching the sunset and the sunrise, sipping coffee in the fresh air, sharing cooking duties --- peaceful restoration, recharging of batteries. And of course having some tubing on the lake as well! Pictures.

In November I saw the Lyme specialist again. She changed my medication (more info in the blog, under November 21). Arno has to sort out all the pills and supplements, since I get completely confused. At the moment my brain is acting as in the early stages of Alzheimer's. We're doing all we can to reconnect pathways and to stimulate the brain to heal itself. But sorting out more than 45 pills per day is mind-boggling at the moment! Not to mention cooking --- our electric rice cooker is one of the best things we ever bought. We eat a lot of stews and soup, steamed veggies and brown rice with pan-seared chicken or pork, or meat on the bbq (braai). Arno is enjoying having Jaco at home again, since the two meat-eaters can indulge a little!

Theo is doing lots of cooking and baking. His shortbread cookies are divine and in high demand for Christmas. He has been baking beskuit, makes pizza, has a fabulous potato soup and other things he makes regularly. Wonderful to see the boys being young men, and enjoying each others company.

This is enough gabbling - sorry if it bored you, but hope you are caught up a little about our lives! Working two jobs (two days a week at the church and three days a week at the computer place), keeping doctor's appointments and trying to get enough energy together to do some housekeeping seem to take more time than it did before.

Blessings to you and yours for Christmas. And thank you for keeping in touch, even if I'm bad at following up these days. Hopefully that will pass in another two years or so after treatment.

Christmas wishes

Winter sky; hopeful light

Winter always held a special magic for me, even before we were introduced to snow in 1997. There is just something about the crispness, the puffs of breath, the stomping of feet, and the appreciation of coming inside to warm up. Perhaps I'm older, but the winter light, the clouds, the sun traveling low on the horizon during the cold months and the light holding strange shadows really fascinate me here in Ontario. Today when I left the office, this was the wonderful sky that welcomed me outside:

Pink diffused light

I can't get enough of how the slightest bit of weak sunlight turns a mediocre scene into a delight. It takes my breath away with a dramatic sky, with interesting clouds being lit from the side and diffused light softly touching buildings and corners. The camera is usually nearby, not to take a prize-winning picture, but to capture a ray of hope when it is least expected, often while I'm pre-occupied with thoughts of traffic, chores, shopping or work. What a beautiful world we live in!

Skywatch Friday

Donkey Sanctuary

It was raining most of today, but we wanted to go get our Christmas tree. We stopped at the Donkey Sanctuary and got some lovin' in for the animals there. Since it was so wet, we didn't get to be very close to the donkeys, but did get some ears to rub, faces to scratch, velvety noses to pet and pictures of different critters.

This quote with the two donkeys in the background touched me especially.
A few more pictures are HERE. 

Afterwards we went to pick a Christmas tree from a nearby farm. Very weird with not a speck of snow around, though! We chose a very fat little spruce. Jaco, wearing only a T-shirt with a sweater over, was pulling the tree sled and was freezing cold as soon as we were among the growing trees to pick our own! We always try to get a fat tree, and this one was no different. It fills the corner in the house and the rabbit was sniffing the air. At least there's the smell of Christmas now, even without snow!

On the health front. The Lyme is being a pain again. Been having sore neck, various pains, headache, fever and all those familiar old friends again. But, if I allow those things to tie me down, I'll never get to go out, or spend time with the family, or make memories. So, pay a little for time out, rather than be tied to home and bed. Fair exchange, no?

Dr. Murakami on Lyme

Dr. Ernie Murakami posted on my Facebook wall: 

"I will be co-hosting the radio show every Sunday evening with Sue Vogan from North Carolina starting on Dec 4th, 2011 (07:00-09:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time)
I can dialogue with you then and any one interested in Lyme disease."

This is the information about the show:
Sue Vogan's Radio Show:
IN SHORT ORDER, every Sunday, 7-9 PM EST
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/in-short-order

He posted on his own wall: 

"The Medical Profession remains divided despite the Federal Governments, Provincial governments and other Associations making statements that Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis and a major epidemic is now eminent.

"... But it is only a matter of time when Education becomes the major issue in converting the non believers to believers.

"The evidence is mounting rapidly with the N.S. recent studies releasing the information that the tick population with Lyme spirochetes is rising.
The Manitoba Health Department in 2009 reported 14% of the ticks taken from patients were infected with Borelia burgdorferi and 5% with Anaplasma phagocytophelia.
Minnesota Health department has reported an average of 1000 serologically positive cases annually for the past 6 years.

"Along with these findings there are proportionate increases in Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis which the medical schools are not teaching and primary care physicians are not aware of any co-infections.

"Patients urgently need financial assistance to seek medical care in other counties now, why do families have to sell their homes, suffer in silence with a misdiagnosis, be ridiculed by physicians and eventually some commit suicide.(Two personal patients)

"I plead that our medical profession will soon sit at one table and discuss all the knowledge that is acquired by evidence based medicine."