Kale Chips

Kaia foods stopped carrying the kale chips that I like so I had to find a new brand. Since my diet is so limited, this was a major downer. Luckily, New York Naturals nailed the recipe for my salt and vinegar kale chips! If you want a salty snack I recommend looking into these! They are healthy and raw (meaning they are dehydrated, not cooked) so they keep all of their natural vitamins and minerals and they are truly delicious!!

http://www.nynaturals.com/

25 LBS!

John and I were in Kroger a few weeks ago and found this 25 lbs bag of carrots! I wish I had the time and energy to juice them all! Also, this is my first posted video using my new flip (thanks Gina & Melissa) so look out for more videos to come!

Green Smoothie

I want to share a delicious and healthy smoothie that I discovered about a year ago from Victoria Boutenko (a raw foodist). I made one almost every morning last summer but I got out of the habit during all of this craziness - so today marks the return of good green habits!

Ingredients: Spinach, Avacado, Mint, Pear, Coconut Water (sometimes I add kale or dandelion for extra kick)

Blend together!!

 And Voila!

Don't be afraid of the green color! It really is delicious! mmmmm! 

Think of all the good vitamins you're getting - what a way to start the morning!

Instant Comfort

Wouldn't it be nice to have one of these in your pocket at all times? So cute.
I hope everyone is having a good day! Yay Sunshine!

Take a Minute.

Today is just one of those days where nothing seems to go right. The ones where you don't get to sleep long enough and then throughout the day you continue to hear bad news. So I propose that we take a minute to send prayers, or positive thoughts, or meditating wisdom, or love, or whatever it is you want to send today to everyone you can think of. Friends and family,  anyone that might be having a rough day, even strangers on the street that look like they could use a pick me up.... think of them and wish for the best. And if you still have room after all of that, send some love to John's family and to my friends Taylor and Grace as they are all having a rough week.

"Love and Kindness. That's all there is"

Words Of Wisdom

I wanted to take a minute to share with you how important it has been for be to receive messages, emails, letters, packages, text messages and everything else from my friends and family.  Recently I was thinking about support and how difficult it is for people to be there day after day, week after week, month after month, for someone with a chronic illness. It's so much easier when someone has something like surgery and the recovery is only a week or two - people can stick around for that. So I wanted to say thank you to everyone that continues to stand by my side even after all this time. When you make a comment on my blog, or send me a letter or even a simple text - it makes my day easier and reminds me that I have people I can turn to. Lately, especially this month, I feel like I am very far away from my "real life". I can't believe I have been a part time student for over a year, living at home for 11 months -  away from the friends, school and town that I came to adore. Of course, I have a wonder family and a few friends that are home with me but even they have felt my isolation as my health has declined over the past year.


With all of that said I really wanted to thank you all again for being there for me. This past week, as my next IVIG was rapidly approaching (and my anxiety growing and growing) people sent me so many supportive words, pictures and packages and it was an enormous help to my mental state. One thing that stood out and is worth sharing, are a few wise words from a simple text that I received that said this:"I won't say "be strong" because you already are an incredibly strong and dynamic woman. instead I will say "know your strength." Right when I was thinking I was going to loose it these words reminded me that I have come so very far already. Yes, I do have more obstacles to overcome but with the love and support I am receiving and the progress that my doctors have made I know that "we are closer than ever."( That last quote is something I hear quite often, from John, when I need a pick-me-up)

(and laugh)

Stumbled upon this wonderful book a while ago but I just found it again and loved it even more! Take a minute and read through it- it will take five minutes at most! It is beautiful and inspiring and cute cute cute!

 

Here is the link: An Awesome Book!

Update about IVIG #2

I just wanted to take a minute to update you on what has been going on. I was supposed to have treatment (IVIG #2) this past Friday but was still experiencing side effects from the first one and made a decision not to do it. We have been talking to the immunologist every week on the phone and she keeps assuring me that the next one wouldn't be as severe: she planned on adding more fluids, steroids to help with any inflammation that would occur, and a much slower infusion rate. Although all of these things sounded helpful, my anxiety continued to grow. The past two weeks my emotions have been haywire and I felt like I wasn't ready, mentally or physically, for another attempt at an IVIG.  As this fear grew, my Mom and I started talking to my primary doctor about what she would do. Although, she did not know why my body was reacting in this way she did feel that my IV should be delayed until I felt better or my headaches were under control. With this advice, and a ton of personal research, I called it off.

I am happy to tell you that I am out of the house, sitting on my computer at a coffee shop, finally having relief from my severe headache and feeling a little bit more like myself. Unfortunately, feeling like myself also comes with my fevers and fatigue that have returned in full throttle. Of course I am frustrated that I can't catch a break right now but I know we are going to work this week to make a decision. We are looking into changing the IVIG brand or possibly doing SubQ injections which are smaller, more frequent injections of IgG that come with few side effects (but are a lot more work and more costly). Ultimately, the decision is up to me- which is terrifying because I don't know what is right. I wish someone would glimpse into the future really quickly and let me know which door to open. I'm sure I will take all of my doctors advice to heart and we will get me fixed up in the foreseeable future- I just hope months like this come few and far between.

I will do my best to let you know my decision and the new treatment dates as soon as I know! Keep me in your thoughts because your support has been so helpful to my mental state. Thank you!!

Inspiration

I was stumbling around on the world wide web last week and I found this youtube video- this boy without arms (born this way) is amazing and can do anything and everything.  Gave me some inspiration and I wanted to share it with you all.

 

Here is the link to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfL2U0BJ48g

Mother's Day

 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

I am appreciating this holiday so very much today- my mama has been my rock through all of this and I am happy that there is a day to admire her and all that she does.

Mom's Blog

Here is a link to my mom's blog where she has been documenting everything that has been going on with my health. It may be helpful for those of you that feel uninformed sometimes- especially when I am not feeling well enough to blog! It also gives a little more of a realistic perspective of what is going on. You have to enter your email address to get access but I promise it won't send you any junk mail!

Anyway, here it is!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meganbringe

3 Days Until IVIG #2

The countdown is getting so close to my 2nd IVIG. I must say, I am incredibly anxious. I'm pushing the doctors to change the brand of Immunoglobulin so that the IV doesn't have any sucrose in it (apparently most of them do and can be a major cause for headaches). I'm hoping they'll listen to me because going through this month again sounds completely dreadful.
I'm so appreciative to everyone who has been sending me positive thoughts- thank you. Times like these would be impossible without you.
Now, let's see if I can finish up some homework (finally able to look at a computer screen without getting an instant migraine!). Ya-hoo! I'll take what I can get!

(and laugh)

I thought this was incredibly adorable and it made me smile.