The 2 Year Itch

Update - almost two years later... a lot has changed - including almost nothing at all.

I've reached a very strong self-diagnosing conclusion that I have psioriasis in my ears. A revelation, really, since I thought it was eczema originally. However my sister-in-law, who is an NP, noted that genetically it would be extremely unlikely I would have eczema, since my mother has psioriasis. Bugger. What can I do about it? Pretty much -nada. Here's what I've tried -

Olive Oil
Hemp Oil
Tea Tree Oil
All Kinds of Oils
Gold Bond 
"Lotion ad Nauseum" 
Neosporin
Ear "Serums" (off Amazon)
Juice Fast (10 days)
Veganism
Vegetarianism

Nothing works - - - - - except, Cortisone.

ugh, Steroids! But, they repress the inflammatory effects of the condition.

However, there appear to be severe side effects - not to mention the "addiction" that comes with an effective repression of the condision.

My sister has been using topical steroids (and oral) for decades, and has developed a serious skin condition called RSS - Red Skin Syndrome. Google it. It will freak you out. She's now attempting to "detox" and is preparing for a long, painful battle. Symptoms of RSS include itchy, burning, bright red skin that can cover most of your body. It's horrible watching her go through this - and she's advised me to drop the topical cortisone since the danger of RSS outweights the benefits of repressing the psioriasis symptoms.  

:/ May just be something I have to deal with for the rest of whatever I've got left.

Immunological issues are pre-disposed to genetics. For example, my brother has rheumatoid arthritis, and my mother has psioriasis. My daughter has asthma, and I had it as a kid. My sister had severe asthma, and then an unknown skin condition most of her life. My mother and brother have recently started taking immunological suppressant shots, and both have seen their symptoms magically disappear. However, one has to ask - is taking a largely unproven, immuno-suppressant drug safe in the long term? Sure, they feel great now, but I hate taking anything unnatural (if I can help it).

What else is there.. I guess that's my update. Life goes on, you figure some crap out, while you continue to encounter fork after fork in the road. Since relief may be found in the immuno-suppresant injection (nevermind the prohibitive cost) - perhaps I'll have another update in the future called - 

"To inject, or not to inject?"

Just saying "no" - for now. My gramps used to say, "it can always get worse" - and he's right, so I really can't complain.

Day 10 - The Gathering

Well, I've reached day 10.  Booyah!  I feel physically better today than any day of the fast, ironically.  I woke up at 4:00 am with extreme itchiness, but went back to bed, slept until 8:00, and have been lazy all morning.  I feel good.  Part of me wants to keep going, keep pushing, even as I type that "I need to stick with my plan and stop."

Today is my mom's birthday.  I'm bummed I can't be there for The Gathering Bruce Druidic Circle, which gets better and better every year.  While not a druid as a jack-of-all-trades, I'm a Druid-friendly Bard in the realm where Dungeons and Dragons is real.  It is real in our realm too, of course, we just pretend it isn't.  My mom is not a Druid either (she's a Cleric, a healer with +5 skill points in baking) and isn't altogether usually outwardly Druid-friendly (but on the inside she is truly a repressed hippy).  However it is her party, and even though Druids and Clerics don't traditionally get along, my mom's character alignment is Lawful Neutral, which works well with Druids who are always Neutral, despite some philosophical conflicts.

We're lucky to have mum.  My other sister, who is also a Cleric of Nephi, lives in Texas and is always missed at these gatherings.

8:30 - Jungle Juice

12:00 - Jungle Juice

Drove to Coronado Island to wander Silver Strand State Park, one of my favorite beaches in San Diego.  The marine layer kept it hazy and cool and perfect.  I walked about 4-5 miles and wore myself out.  There are hardly any people there this time of year so the quiet walk was just what I was looking for.

Headed back to the hotel for some juice, a shower, and some rest.

3:15 - Jungle Juice

6:30 - Jungle Juice

Served in a wine glass to celebrate the final night.

I'm not going anywhere tonight, going to rest and dream about raw vegan breakfast tomorrow..

Cheers!

Day 9 - Winner's Eve

Two days left.

I've decided to stick to my original plan, which was 7-10 days, then a transition to raw fruits and vegetables.

I am going to make it to 10 days.  I have been starting to think I'll go for 14, 21, and crazily, maybe even 40..  I think I need to temper my enthusiasm, take the 10 day victory, and transition.  I can still juice and just add a healthy meal or two in.

It is easy to 'get ahead of yourself', something I commonly recognize as a weakness of mine..  Keep reaching, keep pushing...  Which can cause you to both lose sight of your initial goal, endlessly moving the goalposts.  This can lead to lack of personal, internal self-recognition for accomplishing what you set out to do and / or devaluation of what you DID achieve.

Next year I'll try another fast, I believe.  This has been a great experience.  It isn't done of course - today, tomorrow, then 5 days of weaning clean foods back in slowly - but the weaning will be more fun.

8:00 - Pineapple, Banana, Hemp + last of Wednesday's JOTD

Ears are still very itchy and scaly today.. both of them..  applying vinegar and cream is doing little..  The only real 'break' I have found is to distract myself..  Just get out and do something, especially physical.  Body doesn't notice the itch while exercising.

I've also got a moaning headache.  Seems to be par for the course.

11:00 - Pineapple, Banana, Hemp + last of Wednesday's JOTD

2:00 - Coconut Water

Still fighting a bad headache.  I think I pushed it too hard walking 18 holes yesterday.  Probably dropped a pound or two.

Now that I can see the end, I'm craving artichokes.  It is the first thing I'm going to eat.

With one day left, and a fridge full of produce, I decided to make a 'jungle juice' cocktail for today and tomorrow.

Kale, Beets, Dandelion Greens, Pineapple, Green Apple, Pear, Lemon, Ginger, Parsley

Had to clean the juicer three times, but I have a massive pitcher full of jungle juice..

4:00 - Jungle Juice

Tough night.

I wandered downtown after a really long, hot shower.  The shower seemed to help my headache - it went from 8/10 to 4/10.  Remember that one.  I went for a walk to Jimbo's.

7:00 - Carrot, Spinach, Ginger, Lemon and a shot of wheatgrass.

After I left I almost caved and hit a pub more than once.  I soldiered on.  I went to a movie to hide for a couple of hours.

Then I walked home.  Ugh, not in the mood for seeing through The Matrix tonight.  Gaslamp felt like a bad Kurt Russell 'Escape From (?)' movie.

Really missing my kids.  I'm definitely feeling healthier but wish they could come stay with me.

Day 8 - We Don't Need No Water

Woke up this morning at 4:00 AM with very intense itching.  I avoided scratching or messing with my ears, but it is a bad itch.  Could it be worse because it is trying to heal?  I may need to wear oven mitts all day.  Treated with vinegar a couple of times, which burns at first (duh its acidic) but then seems to help with the itch.  The question is whether it makes it itch more later...  We'll find out..

Let the motherflipper burn.

7:30 - Pineapple, Kale, Banana, Carrot, Beet, Coconut Water, Lemon, Green Apple, Ginger, Hemp

Yesterday's Juice of the Day (JOTD) into the Vitamix with 1/2 pineapple, a banana, a thumb of ginger, two handfuls of chopped kale, a can of coconut water, and some hemp protein.

9:30 - The rest of the Smoothie of the Day (SOTD).

Took a half day from work and played golf at Balboa Park GC.  It was brilliant.  I walked the hilly, 18 holes with superlative views.  Pretty beat.

On the course I drank a CoGo Carrot Leafy Greens, a coconut water, and a can of grapefruit juice.

Not hungry, but the calamari sandwich I smelled leaving the 19th hole sure would have been tasty.  Eating for fun is what I am realizing I miss - I really wasn't hungry when I smelled that calamari..

4:00 Evolution Protein Power

6:00 Kale, Carrot, Beet, Green Apple, Lemon

Laundry night.

Heading down the elevator from the top floor, it stops on three, where a guy hops on.  He tells me he's just getting off one floor down.

I then realize he's a little stinky-poo.  He must have ripped a silent one in the elevator?  Thanks buddy!

I get to the bottom, where I go to the laundry room and move my stuff from washer to dryer.  When I come out, I see the old fart man coming down the stairs to the lobby.

He must have farted right as the elevator opened at his floor, and it followed him in.  He was so embarrassed he decided to say he only had to go one floor down after he cropdusted me.  I love that guy.

Another note - time is so slow here - I feel like I've been on day 8 the last three days..  Probably just the Groundhog Day diet..

Day 7 - Don't Get Cocky, Kid

What I can remember of this morning's dream had my brother paying an airline pilot $100 to let my nephew learn to fly the 747 passenger jet we were already in the air and flying on.  I don't know where we were going but my nephew sure was pretty excited.  He's got a high midichlorian count, after all.

7:30 - CoGo Protein

Ears are itching pretty badly.  I scratched my left too much and it got painful pretty deep.  I hope it doesn't get infected.  The Pzorzema Creme doesn't seem to do much, but I have only used for a day. Vinegar seems to help the itch after the initial burn goes away.  Eyes are dry and itchy, as per usual.  Sinuses are better here.  I stopped Nasonex steroid spray, but I can tell it was helping keep my nasal passages open so I may start again.

I'm considering heading home on Sunday.  That will make the veg / fruit juice fast 10 days, heading home on 11, where I can continue or transition to solid fruits and vegetables for a few days.  I haven't decided.

I'm frustrated in that I am not seeing the improvement I had hoped, although I may need to either make adjustments or extend the fast.  Will keep plugging away - I'm learning a lot about my body and my health regardless.

10:30 Coconut Water

Took the day off today.  Went and hit some golf balls.  I feel pretty good - some tasty breakfast smells at the golf course, but if I stay busy it isn't too hard.  I'm in a zone now, I think.  It feels like I can keep this going whether I stay in SD or go back to the dirty desert.

11:30 - CoGo Carrot Leafy Greens

1:45 - Carrot Leafy Greens

Wandered Balboa Park and went to the Museum of Man, which was awesome.  I was tired but what an awesome place to space out for a couple hours.

6:00 - Kale, Carrot, Beet, Green Apple, Red Pepper, Lemon.

Finally broke out the juicer for dinner.  Delicious.

I miss eating for sure - never hunger in the tummy, but in the mind..  I want to eat, not out of hunger, but pleasure and habit..  I can't get Grimaldi's artichoke and mushroom pizza out of my head.  :)

8:00 - Kale, Carrot, Beet, Green Apple, Red Pepper, Lemon

Bed early.

Day 6 - La Dee Frickin' Da

Today is as boring as yogurt flavored jello.

"We've got ourselves a writer here.  Who is that, Bill Shakespeare??" - Matt Foley

Today is as boring as watching wheat grass grow.

7:30 - Kale, Apple, Pear, Ginger, Lemon + Hemp protein

Waking up I feel ok, itchy eyes and ears and a minor headache.  Seems to be par for the course.  I wonder if the headache has as much to do with losing weight as anything else.  Perhaps I need to try to drink more calories, especially with the 'green' juices are they are extremely low.

I've also added probiotics morning / night.

10:45 - Cogo Carrot Leafy Greens

1:45 - Evolution Essential Greens

Busy work day..

4:30 - Coconut Water

5:30 Cogo Vegan Protein

More fruit than anything in that one, but I wanted some extra calories and protein today.

Ears very itchy.  Left ear inflammed presumably from me scratching it.

Have been using Derma E Psorzema Creme today.  Helps a little.

Long boring day.

Kept thinking of Grimaldi's pizza with artichokes and mushrooms.

All I can say today is I made it.

Day 5 - Throw Momma From The SUV

Interesting side-effect of this juicing experience - last night makes three nights in a row remembering the dream I was having when I woke up.  This time, for some reason my whole extended family decided to move to Idaho for the snowboarding.  We were driving up a mountain highway pass with my mom, who thinks she is a great driver because she uses one foot to brake and the other to accelerate, as if she's driving a Star Wars Landspeeder instead of a large SUV.  In the dream, she made a jarring left turn, and I flew out the window and ended up hanging onto the highway guard railing ahead (somehow?) of her silver Acura MDX, dangling off the edge of the mountain.  Then my mother drove so close to the railing her SUV scraped my exposed fingers with her SUV on the road side of the guard rail. Somehow, *poof*, I end up back in her SUV, with only minor scrapes on the tops of my fingers.  I told her sternly, "SEE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE WHAT JUST HAPPENED!!"  My mom made a surprised face and a nervous chuckle.  My brother just sat scared with an incredulous look on his face in the back seat.

Dreams are weird.  I love my mom; it was just a funny dream.  But a weird one.

Just a minor headache today, very minor.  I was unable to avoid messing with my ears a little last night and both 'wept' a little.  Argh.  I'm vowing to try not to touch them for a few days no matter what.

7:30 - 1/2 Kombucha

Didn't upset my stomach, so I think it is ok.

8:30 - Evolution Sweet Greens

12:00 - Vitamix - Kale, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Ginger

3:30 - Kale, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Ginger

Headache so I doubled down on juice.

3:45 - Coconut Water

Headache breaking pretty bad, so I pounded some coconut water.

I think today I may rest completely, not even go for a walk today.  I can't afford for the headache to get worse.  I was going to hit yoga, but I think I will pass now.

5:30 - Kale, Apple, Pear, Lemon, Ginger

Headache feeling better after coconut water and juice - I'm going to go for a walkabout to Jimbo's.

6:30 - Evolution Protein

Stocked up on produce for the next couple days of juicing.  I hustled as fast as I could to get out of there because it is loaded with so many amazing goodies - and the healthy goodies were what were speaking to me the loudest.  That's a good sign.

Taxi'd home with the bags of groceries for $5.