an interesting read

May 13, 2009

You sure hit the nail on the head..........I agree with you 100% on this email on what you said. You have mentioned a few things here that I have never heard before.

Have a great day,

Hugs

Rosie

-- An interesting read

Focus on morewide-spread illnessesthan the swine fluMay 11, 2009My regularly imperturbable physician was "het up"when I last saw him. "Heck, people die of the regularflu all the time; that's not in the news!" I observedthat since neither Britney Spears nor Paris Hilton hadgotten arrested this week, the swine flu was thebiggest story around. "That's what I think!" Hedeclared. "The press is just bored and trying tocause trouble."He's got a point. I did a quick check in the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention stats, and lastmonth 55 pediatric deaths from regular influenzawere reported.Flu deaths are down this year, but are much higherthan swine flu. I wonder how many people died lastweek from drunken-driving accidents? How many hadheart attacks? How many women were killed by theirhusbands? People in America die every day in awfulways. The swine flu should be one of the least of ourworries.The swine flu outbreak in the United States is atribute to the power of the press. The swine fluepidemic in Mexico is a tribute to the poverty andignorance of some in its society.An epidemic worthy of discussion for those of usliving in Southern Utah is fibromyalgia and/orchronic fatigue syndrome, which affects the livesof countless individuals in Iron County alone (forpurposes of this column, I'll refer to it as CFIDS).I'm qualified to speak about this because I havethe disease. My son's suicide destroyed myimmune system, and after a case of acutemononucleosis, all my chances for healthynormality were dashed. I'm not a clinician, ascientist or a statistician, so all my opinions arebased on my own experience and observations ofthe impact of these conditions in the lives ofothers.I'm often reluctant to tell others about my illness.There's a certain stigma to chronic fatigue. Peoplelook at me as if I've just told them I was abductedby aliens. Dean Edell hasn't done me any favors. Isuspect he would change his tune were he toexperience this puzzling and frustrating betrayal ofone's body.My theory is that compromised immune systemsallow the Epstein-Barr virus free reign and causeshavoc in those who have susceptibility. Epstein Barris associated with multiple sclerosis, lupus, severalcancers and, arguably, CFIDS.A huge problem with CFIDS is that it affects everysystem in one's body. Severe vitamin deficiencies,kidney problems, bowel problems and thyroidfunction are only part of its repertoire.Adrenal function is compromised. HGH and DHEAcould be the miracle "cure," but currently,insurance companies are unwilling to pay forthese expensive drugs. Individuals are forced tosettle for less-effective health store remedies.Alternatives offer some relief, but this also isexpensive and mostly not covered by insurancecompanies.I read this once about CFIDS: "The good news is... you're not gonna die. The bad news is ... you'renot gonna die."

Indeed, the suicide rate for CFIDS sufferersis 9 percent to 20 percent higher than thegeneral population, depending on the studyyou read.These are the headlines we should be reading andreact to, not some flu that originated in a countrywhere the water's not safe to drink and many of itsinhabitants would rather live anywhere but there.http://bit.ly/8cfVSArlene Ball is an Enoch resident and a member ofThe Spectrum & Daily News Writers Group.Copyright =A92009 The Spectrum

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May 13, 2009

I also appreciated your e-mail ine. At this point I am convinced that Fibro is a mild form of multiple sclorosis. In the middle of the night I often feel the buzz of electricity running throughout my body and cannot sleep. Some who've never experienced this might think that's a pleasant thing but I am sure those of you who have experienced this feeling can agree it is very unpleasant. I have heard someone with multiple sclorosis explain this very feeling to me so I know it is somehow related. Yet you get no sympathy for this ongoing physical challenge.

Some of you probably read a previous e-mail from me letting you know that I now have breast cancer. What started out as the smallest possible lump has now turned into lots of swelling around the lump and looking very suspicious on all of my tests--MRI, Mammo, and Ultrasound. I will be seeking a 2nd opinion this Friday but am pretty resigned to the fact that my best option at this point is having a mastectomy with reconstruction and a breast reduction on my right side as they can't make my breast as large as it was originally. This possibility has the hope of foregoing radiation therapy if tests come back on the lymph nodes as being clear of cancer. Reconstruction can begin at the same time as my mastectomy.. Otherwise a third of my breast will be removed leaving me looking rather odd with 6 to 8 weeks of radiation therapy 5 days a week, followed by reconstructive surgery. I told my husband, this

is not how I planned on spending my summer vacation (I don't really get a summer vacation except maybe a week off somewhere during that timeframe--but, you know what I mean.)

I am thankful at this time that I will live, that I have the support of a loving family and great friends and should still be able to have a normal life once this is over and done with. Updates later.

I am the only person in my family to have breast cancer! Also lucky enough to have Diabetes and Fibro. But I'm still alive and kickin--I don't think 51 is very old until I start adding up all that my body has endured. Now I say, what next? But, I know I can only take it one day at a time and that's just what I'm doing.

Deb H.

Deb Halvorson

From: Rosemary <lakeportrose@...> Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 9:55:29 AMSubject: Re: An interesting read

You sure hit the nail on the head..........I agree with you 100% on this email on what you said. You have mentioned a few things here that I have never heard before.

Have a great day,

Hugs

Rosie

-- An interesting read

Focus on morewide-spread illnessesthan the swine fluMay 11, 2009My regularly imperturbable physician was "het up"when I last saw him. "Heck, people die of the regularflu all the time; that's not in the news!" I observedthat since neither Britney Spears nor Paris Hilton hadgotten arrested this week, the swine flu was thebiggest story around. "That's what I think!" Hedeclared. "The press is just bored and trying tocause trouble."He's got a point. I did a quick check in the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention stats, and lastmonth 55 pediatric deaths from regular influenzawere reported.Flu deaths are down this year, but are much higherthan swine flu. I wonder how many people died lastweek from drunken-driving accidents? How many hadheart attacks? How many women were killed by theirhusbands? People in America die every day in awfulways. The

swine flu should be one of the least of ourworries.The swine flu outbreak in the United States is atribute to the power of the press. The swine fluepidemic in Mexico is a tribute to the poverty andignorance of some in its society.An epidemic worthy of discussion for those of usliving in Southern Utah is fibromyalgia and/orchronic fatigue syndrome, which affects the livesof countless individuals in Iron County alone (forpurposes of this column, I'll refer to it as CFIDS).I'm qualified to speak about this because I havethe disease. My son's suicide destroyed myimmune system, and after a case of acutemononucleosis, all my chances for healthynormality were dashed. I'm not a clinician, ascientist or a statistician, so all my opinions arebased on my own experience and observations ofthe impact of these conditions in the lives ofothers.I'm often

reluctant to tell others about my illness.There's a certain stigma to chronic fatigue. Peoplelook at me as if I've just told them I was abductedby aliens. Dean Edell hasn't done me any favors. Isuspect he would change his tune were he toexperience this puzzling and frustrating betrayal ofone's body.My theory is that compromised immune systemsallow the Epstein-Barr virus free reign and causeshavoc in those who have susceptibility. Epstein Barris associated with multiple sclerosis, lupus, severalcancers and, arguably, CFIDS.A huge problem with CFIDS is that it affects everysystem in one's body. Severe vitamin deficiencies,kidney problems, bowel problems and thyroidfunction are only part of its repertoire.Adrenal function is compromised. HGH and DHEAcould be the miracle "cure," but currently,insurance companies are unwilling to pay forthese expensive drugs.

Individuals are forced tosettle for less-effective health store remedies.Alternatives offer some relief, but this also isexpensive and mostly not covered by insurancecompanies.I read this once about CFIDS: "The good news is... you're not gonna die. The bad news is .... you'renot gonna die."

Indeed, the suicide rate for CFIDS sufferersis 9 percent to 20 percent higher than thegeneral population, depending on the studyyou read.These are the headlines we should be reading andreact to, not some flu that originated in a countrywhere the water's not safe to drink and many of itsinhabitants would rather live anywhere but there.http://bit.ly/ 8cfVSArlene Ball is an Enoch resident and a member ofThe Spectrum & Daily News Writers Group.Copyright =A92009 The Spectrum

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