What's Better Than This?

This is Emma.

She is happy!

Why? Because instead of sitting in front of the television last night, her mom, her grandpa and I all sat around the table and played Apples to Apples with her!  It was so much fun, and the enjoyment I got out of watching her laugh slapped me right into the Vortex of Joy!

We laughed, pointed fingers, cheered and clapped, and really had a wonderful time.

I hope to do more of that - connecting - making memories.

I look forward to having her with me all summer.

Things in my life are getting better these days.

Joe built out a safe house
in my son's attached garage,
in the hopes I would be able to sleep there.
It would be a fragrance-free place where I could control
the substances that make me sick.

I saw my specialist Thursday and he called last night with my bloodwork results.

Kidneys are a bit stressed so I need to drink more water.

The major thing was my Vitamin D levels, which should be around 50, but are at a low 12.

He prescribed high doses of D-3 until the levels come up.

With MCS, my body has difficulty absorbing and using Vitamin D from food.

The best source, according to my doctor, is the sun, and Portland, Oregon doesn't have much of that! In fact, it's now June 1 and raining cats and dogs outside.

He said that this explains why I feel so much better on those 3 month treks. 

I'm outdoors for 6 to 8 hours a day, 

absorbing natural sunlight and getting plenty of Vitamin D. 

Then once I stop trekking, 

my levels slowly divebomb and I begin feeling bad again. 

This made a lot of sense. 

Now if I could just convince my attorney 

and the folks at Disability 

that I NEED those treks for my health. 

I'm chomping at the bit to go walking now, 

but there's really no place in the USA that I feel as safe, 

and no place as well-supported as the Camino Santiago. 

So I'm looking into a walking club here, 

and will try to get some walking in 

as soon as the rain lifts.

The new futon I bought made me sick, sick, SICK!

Why, oh WHY do people use Febreze?

If they knew what it was doing to them...

Anyway, I covered the futon with a plastic cover, 

but that was no better, 

so I listed it on craigslist and it sold with a day. 

Joe helped me hang my Clark Hammock 

and now I'm sleeping like a baby. 

It's the most comfortable thing I've ever slept in. 

There are no pressure points, 

once it is correctly adjusted, 

and I have gotten over 8 hours each night since hanging it, 

which is amazing for me!

I also found a new potty chair at Goodwill, 

which makes nighttime potty breaks more convenient!

To top off the week,

Joe put a new breaker in for this Little House, 

so now I can make coffee and have heat at the same time

without tripping the electricity!

Life is good!