Two steps forward, one step back

Brain damage is extremely difficult to cope with especially because there aren't many standard or alternative treatments available. I am not interested in any pharmaceutical treatments so we have been trail blazing in the area of natural therapies.

When we moved into our new home here in Coatepec back in August 2008, we were fairly surprised to find there was an ozone clinic across the street. We had been regularly including ozone therapies into our lives for years so to have a clinic in front of our house was quite serendipitous. I had one ozone autohemotherapy session at the clinic. The doctor performed this by extracting a vial of my blood, bubbling it with ozone, and re-injecting it into my blood stream. I felt a positive difference after the one session: more alert, peppier, and the feeling that this just might be the way to heal my ailing brain. If a few moments of oxygen deprivation contributed to the brain damage, then it would make sense that supercharged oxygen, aka ozone, in my bloodstream would facilitate regeneration.

I couldn't continue the sessions at the clinic for a couple of reasons: 1) Cost- at around $100 per session, we couldn't afford it. 2) My hard to pick veins- it's always been really difficult to find a good vein to pick in my body. There was no way I could have regular needle pick sessions to get the ozone into my blood.

Since we already owned two ozone machines, we could create the ozone I needed but how to inject it into my bloodstream? My first thought was a PICC line but learned that they aren't practical for long-term use. Another option was the BardPort:
It's a port that is surgically installed and connected directly to a central line in the body. This eliminates the need to look for veins. In the world of western medicine, this is used by cancer patients to receive chemotherapy. In the U.S., our request to have one installed for ozone therapy would have been vehemently denied. Because the rules are more lax here, we were able to get one installed Febraury 2009. Now this accomodation of our request also had a downside. The doctor who installed it wasn't particularly knowledgeable on the subtle workings and proper maintenance of it. We were pretty much on our own which of course, led to trouble.

For about a month, all seemed fine. We were ozonating saline solution and then running an IV drip through my port. I was definitely feeling the benefits, mainly that I had more energy and less down time.
Then the port became clogged (probably with dried blood) and the first time, the doctor who installed it came by and used a needle filled with saline to push the clog on. This turned out to be a bad idea because when it clogged again, Diego used force to push the clog on only to have the catheter disconnect from the port. This was in mid-April '09. We bought another port (very expensive btw) and scheduled surgery for May 20th. What should have been a fairly simple procedure resulted in complications. Unbeknownst to us or the doctors, when the catheter disconnected from my port, it traveled through my bloodstream and ended up wrapping itself around my heart. So the surgeons spents nearly an hour and a half looking for it. Since I was left open for so long with a lot of poking & prodding, bacterial colonies entered the open wound and set up camp. With permission from Diego, the surgeons proceeded with the installation of the new port and closed me up.

We later went to Xalapa for an x-ray to find that the catheter was wrapped around my heart. We consulted with a new doctor who said that if I don't feel any symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pains, I should be ok. The catheter around my heart was the equivalent of harmless space junk, and we could deal with it when removing the new port sometime in the future.

With that behind us, I believed I was ready to begin receiving ozone IV. Diego and I realized that saline drips caused the port to clog easily so he investigated another way of getting ozone into my bloodstream. The answer was surprisingly simple and sort of obvious: inject ozone gas directly into the blood. Ozone gas will not cause an embollism like regular air will. And it worked beautifully! No more needing to sit for an hour and a half to complete the 250 cc ozonated saline drip. Just slowly inject ozone gas through a butterfly needle in the port.

We did this for about 5 months and during that time, I was not really improving. In fact, I had many terrible, brain fatigue days. We couldn't figure it out. Then in the fall of 2009, we noticed that the port area seemed infected. We began treating it with hydrogen peroxide and ozone cupping. We thought we had it under control but in December, I became really ill with fever, vomiting, loss of appetite- all signs of an infection in the blood. Apparently, the port had remained infected since the second port implant and using it transferred the infection to my blood. We stopped using the port to give me ozone IV.

I had no choice but to turn to antibiotics. I called my sister, a family doctor in Dallas, TX, and she prescribed the antibiotics. A three week antibiotic course cleared the infection from my blood, but that was only half the battle. The infection around the port still persisted rendering it unusable for the time being.

At this point, any doctor would have advised me to have the port removed. I wasn't ready to give up on it though, and I still wanted the ozone IV treatment. Fortunately, we had a secret weapon. From the ozone doctor across the street, Diego learned how to perform sub-dermal ozone injections. He was able to shoot tiny blasts of ozone under my skin aiming for and obliterating the bacterial colonies. We have been battling the infection with a combination of sub-dermal ozone injections, cupping the area with ozone, and hydrogen peroxide rubs. Six months later, we've made remarkable progress and have nearly won the war. I expect to be able to use the port soon :)

The irony of what I've gone through in the past year isn't lost on me. The very thing that was to help my brain heal (the BardPort for ozone IV) ended up setting me back, waaay back. But I soldier on!

Whoa! It's been a year....

since I last posted. A lot has happened but my condition is still the same. My body is stronger, and I am better able to deal with my brain damage. My doctor back in Austin, TX told me that it will take a long time for my body to complete the brain regeneration I need. He said to be patient and keep on. So that's what I'm doing :)

More to follow, just wanted to get started.

It ain't easy being the boss...

Along with the fact that it was nearly impossible to live off my monthly disability checks in the U.S., there was another draw to life in Mexico: affordable labor. In my current condition, there is so much I can't do for myself, and, as a headstrong, independent woman, it's tough for me to say this, but "I need a lot of help." And loving help is just what I am getting here :)

Of course, it has taken us nearly a year to build our ideal labor force. I feel like a small business owner trying to recruit the most intelligent, hard-working, & loving chicas this town has to offer. Instead of running a business for profit, though, we are running a household with the focus on my healing. My doctor sister, who runs her own medical clinic, tells me it's taken her a year and a half to assemble a stellar, reliable staff. Patience & perseverance definitely pays off.

All of the girls that started with us last year are no longer working here. We didn't have any major issues with any of them – though one did steal a yoga top from me :( It was more that as the days passed, we had a better understanding of what I, and our home, really needed from the girls that work here.

First, and most important, are an open mind and a loving attitude. On top of being American foreigners, we do things quite differently from the norm—from our diet to our alternative health practices. We need girls who can step into the flow and contribute to what we are trying to accomplish here. Feelings of love & warmth help me tremendously. Due to my limited mobility, my world is limited to life in the house, and I am extremely sensitive to the vibes of those around me. One woman who worked here had ego issues often accompanying a bad attitude. We had an open, honest talk with her about improvement, but in the end, she wasn't willing to change. It became too difficult for me to be around her so she got the axe. Another girl did a fairly good job, but she was a bit of an ice queen, just in it for the paycheck. The affection and empathy I need was missing, so we let her go as well. Firing employees is no easy thing; I teared up both times, but I knew it was the right decision for us.

Second, though the work here is not hard, a degree of intelligence is required. We need employees who pay attention, learn quickly, and pick up the daily routines. I never realized how much I actually did to run our home scene until I couldn't do it anymore. Before my disability, I worked full time, practiced yoga daily, prepared our meals, shopped for groceries, and did the housework. It sounds crazy, but I actually miss housecleaning. I peacefully accept my current condition, though. As I recently told a friend, I am getting a forced vacation on the sidelines, and the time will come soon enough when I am back out on the field workin' my butt off ;)

Last, I prefer having women around me who take care of themselves and have a pleasant physical appearance. This narrowed our search to younger women, 18-21 y/o. Most women I have met in my age group (30's) are out of shape and set in their ways. We were very fortunate to find Mirna who is 34 and is determined to improve. Aside from being a highly skilled, fantastic worker, she is open to change and enthusiastically adopted our fruitarian-based diet—giving up meat & dairy. She has lost 15 lbs. in the 4+ months she's been here, and she is always eager to learn about our natural health practices. Our other two employees are 18 y/o. Though the younger ones need more guidance and discipline, they are easier to mold and to teach new skills. And they've still got their youthful glow and pretty looks :)

Being the boss has been a grand learning experience as I have always been an employee and never an employer or manager. Luckily, managerial skills come fairly easy to me. Currently, we have 3 women working for us at different times. I manage the schedules, tabulate their weekly paycheck (we pay by the hour), and delegate the different tasks. I also focus on offering constructive criticism if a mistake is made by presenting solutions versus dwelling on the error. Because I appreciate their work and feel a genuine warmth towards the women, I like to befriend them while still maintaining my position of authority. It often feels like a tricky balancing act, but I am getting the hang of it.

With the recent hires, we have a smooth-running household now with plenty of help for me. Diego is free to shop for us at the mercado daily and to run other errands, because there is always someone here with me. Like a little kid, I can't be left alone for too long :P

I ♡ Choco

The town of Coatepec here in the interior of Mexico is quite charming and even a bit magical. Since we arrived, many things have simply fallen into place, from our lovely rental home to meeting just the right people. And most recently, Coatepec has gifted us the sweet & adorable Choco. He is a jack-chi (half jack russell terrier, half chihuahua) and he is my first pet ever!

He has always been a friendly street dog roaming our area. In mid-Feb, he started barking in the middle of the street at nights disturbing our sleep. Diego called him close one night, then made room for him to sleep in the van where he rested quietly. After a week of his sleeping in the van at night and running the streets during day, we thought, ok he's too cute, let's adopt him. Named him Choco (for my favorite sweet treat chocolate), bathed him, cleansed him of parasites, and began letting him sleep in Diego's room. This was early March. For the first couple of months, he and Diego bonded really closely. Once Choco felt safe with Diego, we focused on bonding him with me since I really needed his companionship. He resisted at first, totally attached to Diego. He was actually a lil sh*t to me in the beginning, ignoring me and growling at me. I could tell that because he had bonded with the male in the house, he felt his position was secure, and I could be snubbed. I started feeding him which helped but the turning point was a day of isolation for him after he growled at me and then having me be the one to let him back into 'the pack'. We also made a place in my room for him to sleep, and nights of sleeping with me has really bonded us. We've made great progress, and now he showers me with affection. I can't fully express how much this has helped me. Choco's pure, innocent love has touched me deeply, and I haven't had a single moment of depression or suicidal thought since we bonded. I recently read on the internet that one of the functions of a dog for the disabled is emotional support. How true!!

I have gotten really into my role as a dog owner taking the health and comfort of my Choco quite seriously. First was his diet. It was killing me to feed him commercial dog food as I drank my mango-naner smoothie. So I went to the GI2MR Raw Pets page and read a helpful post by the owner of a cute puggle (half beagle, half pug). She had just started feeding her doggie a raw diet with patties made of raw beef, raw egg, yogurt, & veggies, and her dog was thriving. Now Choco is very finicky so the first day, we thought we would transition him gradually to a raw diet. In his bowl, we put some of the commercial dog food and some raw ground beef. Well he proceeded to eat all the raw beef and turned his nose at the dog food he had been eating for months. He looked at us like, "It's about time you guys started feeding me REAL food." We returned the remainder of the commercial dog food to the store :)

So now he eats raw beef, loves chewing on meaty bones, and enjoys the occasional yogurt swirled with honey as a treat. He insists on being a total carnivore rejecting fruits & veggies. No worries Choco, more for me ;)

I swear he has gone through physical & emotional detox. The first week of his new raw diet, he seemed to be doing well then 3 days into it, he decided to fast for a day. He didn't seem ill or depressed as he was still his usual perky self. He just didn't want food. I didn't worry having just done a beneficial one day water fast myself the week before. The next day his appetite was back and he happily chomped down his raw ground beef.

Then a few days later, he got sad & depressed. He ate his meals but no perkiness. Lots of moping & napping and minimal interaction with us. The next morning he seemed to bounce back, sweetly showering me with love & affection, more so than usual, laying the Choco love syrup on thick. Then whenever I attempted to get up he would beam his chocolate brown eyes at me and snuggle closer. He used his sugary charms to keep me in bed an extra hour!

For his comfort, I picked out a new doggie bed for him. At first, he resisted his new bed making a dramatic show of how torturous it was to get in. With some coaxing, he hesitatingly got in, stretched out, and relaxed. "Oh, this is nice. What was I worried about?" thinks Choco.

He stays in his bed through the night occasionally joining me on my bed for a bit then returning to his bed. My favorite time with him is in the morning. As soon as I wake up, I call him to my bed for a morning snuggle fest. He is sooo sweet and loving- perfect start to my day :))

Where to begin??

Oh so much to share, where do I start? Ok, I'll begin with the groundbreaking treatment I am doing to heal my damaged brain. It's funny, before my current experience I never really thought about how vital a healthy brain is to everything we do, from regulating our energy levels to motor skills. Even having a slightly traumatized brain, like mine, can severely limit the physical body. I have no equilibrium so I can't walk without assistance, my hands tremor making it nearly impossible to perform coordinated tasks with my hands, and my eyes tremor giving me shaky & double vision. I also suffer spells of brain fatigue and low energy.

Enter O3 IV therapy

In early March, I had a BardPort installed to allow direct injections of ozone into my bloodstream. (Click here to read more about ozone therapy.) The damage to my brain probably occurred when I stopped breathing a couple of times in the hospital thereby depriving my brain of oxygen for many seconds. That combined with my then malnourished body resulted in my current condition. I am well nourished now on a fruitarian based, predominantly raw diet but my body needs oxygen boosts to heal. And that's exactly what I'm giving it.

We started by putting me on a once a day IV drip of 500 cc's of ozonated saline solution which lasted about an hour and a half. I did this for a month and got positive results. The ozone in my blood gave me the wind beneath my wings. I had more energy, felt stronger & sharper, and I could engage in life more actively. Unfortunately, my port had complications and failed in early April. The Mexican medical system will perform procedures with minimal questions but the quality can be sub-standard. Of course, I had no choice, no way could I get a port installed in the U.S. for ozone therapy. It's usually used for toxic pharmaceutical drug treatments like chemotherapy.

My oxygenated high lasted a couple of weeks after the treatments stopped. I then began to dip in energy and my neuro symptoms (dizziness, tremors) worsened. About a month ago, I had minor surgery to replace the old port. There were complications, and I am still recovering from that blow. The good news is that I've begun the ozone treatments with a new twist. Instead of the cumbersome process of bubbling ozone through a bag of saline to ready it for the slow drip through my port, I now inject ozone gas directly into my bloodstream. Whoa! Ozone gas does not cause an embolism as an air bubble would. It's the nitrogen in our air that is the problem while ozone simply dissolves into the blood releasing extra oxygen. For the first time in over 2 years, I felt pressure in my cerebellum area and inner ears shortly after the first treatment. These are the areas I have sustained damage and finally something is reaching it.

So I KNOW I am back on track. My path towards full recovery and healing has had plenty of obstacles but I persevere! I WILL get my miracle :D

What's up with Shayla???

I have been meaning to blog for months now but the roller coaster that is my life hasn't let up. This pic of me was taken yesterday, and I thought I'd share this glimpse of me now. Due to my utter lack of equilibrium, note how I grip the banister railings with both hands for balance & stability. Brain damage can be misleading because at first glance, I appear normal. Most who meet me have difficulty understanding the depth of my disability.

The lovely ruby red shirt was a gift from Lizard, picked out by his gf, Ashley. Gracias muchisimo!! When mercury retrograde is over (May 30th), I plan to have a more detailed post up. Really! :P

Hangin in there

A good e-friend just sent me this pic, and I gotta say that it captures me perfectly. Gracias Aimee :)) More coming soon...