Perspective

All one has to do is read this post from 13 months ago to know that it's all in your perspective. It seems like a very naive post compared to all we've been through in those 13 months.

I actually stopped blogging because I thought it was too redundant. Of course, when life started picking up, I was not thinking of my blog. What has brought me back to it is my efforts to change my life. Blogging was suggested as a way to do this as I catalogue the changes taking place.

It was even suggested that I purchase a webcam to document physical changes. That seems a little silly, but who knows? It may help me down the road. Perhaps accountability if only to my blog is what I am lacking when it comes to making permanent, productive changes.

As far as changes in the last 13 months: I probably should address that if only to document it.

I was released as relief society president and called as the seminary teacher for our branch. We were also released from our mission calling. No sooner did all that happen but Dorian's wife left him and took the 3 children to live in Connecticut (Aug 15, 2007). We knew they were there but were unable to have contact with them. I know that Dorian did establish contact with them, but I did not see them until Jan. 28, 2008.

I can't begin to say how much excruciating pain this has caused all of us. I don't even think Dorian, who suffered the most, realizes how much it affected the rest of his family. Dorian called at the end of January to say that Bonnie was sending Wyatt and Angelina back home so that she could care for Kayla better. What a relief to have them back home. I think they have been to hell and back with all the turmoil. It is very hard on them having their parents split up.

The day after Bonnie and the children left, Dorian was staying with Darius and Alicia so that he would not have to stay at his house alone. That night Darius had a seizure and became unconscious. The next day, he was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumor. After 3 surgergies, meningitus contracted as a result of the last surgery, and 4 horrendous weeks in and out of ICU, he returned home in a very weakened state. Dorian and Roger and I spent several nights in the hospital so that Alicia wouldn't have to be there by herself.

We really were not sure when he returned home whether he would be all right. As I prayed for him, I asked for guidance in how to help him. I was impressed to give him what was defined in the inspiration as "mild foods": basically vegetable and fruit juices, and organic foods. After a couple of days of this, he made some magnificent recovery, and we felt encouraged by his progress and his energy level.

The more we investigated this and prayed about it, the more drawn we were to health arenas that I had heard about over the years, but I had not been able to assimilate. I was impressed to tell him about a raw food lifestyle and specifically the Hippocrates program in West Palm. He went to visit and eventually spent a week there with Alicia and us.

The Hippocrates program is one that advocates eating raw vegetables, specifically greens and sprouts, with a good dose of wheatgrass juice. They also advocate the use of supplements like algae and superfoods (about $300 - $500 per person per month). Needless to say, it was frustrating to me to think that is what is required to for health.

Additionally, I was suffering from a horrible (worst I had ever had) yeast infection. Nothing I did seemed to alleviate the pain and aggravation. Again, I was praying about it. This time the Lord answered my prayer through another person. We were at an organic vegetable market (Josh's in Hollywood) drinking our green drink when I saw a young man eating lettuce leaves at another table. I remarked to Roger that I wished I could have the desire to do that, that I could love greens well enough to do that. Roger went over to him and asked him if he was a raw fooder, and he answered that yes, in fact he was.

We began talking, and somehow the conversation evolved around the fact that the reason I had such a bad case of candida was that I was consuming too large a percentage of fat in comparison to the number of calories in carbs that I was eating. Justin told me about a man named Dr. Douglas Graham who wrote a book explaining this, and he sold me a copy of the book which I read on the way home.

Dr. Graham recommends keeping our dietary fat to within 10 -15% of our daily calories. Carbs need to be in the 80% range for good health for humans. He is a natural hygienist which is something I studied quite extensively in the early 80's.

One thing I have learned through all of this is how highly addicted I am to fats. I am still learning this, and I will let you know how it works out as I go through the blog in the coming days.

I have made some amazing discoveries along the way, too much to go into at one posting. Hopefully, I can take one concept and expand upon it as I go through my journey the next few months.

In the meantime, Dorian is stuggling to be a single parent. We are struggling to help him with that in our realm of responsibility. Darius has had two MRI's since leaving the hospital both of which were clear. He lost his job last week and is struggling with how to respond to unemployment in light of all the things he is learning.

Life is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them!