Our Journey Dealing with Being Sick from COVID-19 and Resources to help with Immunity.

 

With this blog post I hope to empower you on how to strengthen your immune system if you do become ill from COVID-19. Our hospitals and medical staff are being over run by those who are severely ill from this highly contagious virus. If you have difficulty breathing, have a temperature over 104, are auto immune comprised and exhibiting symptoms you need to go to the hospital. This is a new strain of virus to humans, which means our immune system does not quite have enough antibodies to fight it off. When someone is autoimmune comprised, the system can over compensate and attack itself.

This is timeline breakdown on both Eric (Blood type A- and age 45) and my (Blood type 0- and age 31) experience has been with different symptoms and what steps we took to fight it each day. Some of the days were a little unclear due to being so weak and experiencing extreme brain fog.

Day 1:

Eric:

Diarrhea and a tickle in the throat.

Ashley:

Feeling a little worn down and lymph nodes in the neck swollen.

Day 2:

Eric:

Sore throat

Ashley:

Mild cough

Day 3

Eric:

Fever of 100.4.

At this point we upped our water up to about ten 8 ounce glasses adding in Himalayan salt. 

Why Himalayan salt and not Gatorade? Himalayan salt is cheaper and has no sugar content. Sugar creates inflammation in the body which wears down your immune system. I would suggest pedialyte as a better option than Gatorade if you don’t like the taste of salt.

What are some things we did to help with the intruding thoughts of him exhibiting symptoms?

We laid on the yoga mat and listened to a reiki session to clear our minds of panic.

Ashley:

Heavy coughing and anxiety over fear of possibly having virus.

Day 4

Eric:

In morning the symptoms seemed to be less. Extremely low energy and coughing. At night fever went up to 100.4. Shakes and chills started and lasted for the rest of the night. Slight pressure in chest, similar to a small child sitting on your chest, or a cat.

Here are supplements we incorporated at this time:

Liposomal Vitamin C: Absorption rate is higher than regular vitamin C.

Chaga Mushroom: Anti-Viral

Vitamin D3: Boosts the immune system creating the similar effects as sunlight, if you can not get outside in sunlight during this time. Don’t take high doses long term of this, maybe consume this every two days.

Sunlight. We laid out in backyard in the grass. Sunlight has been known to kill the virus. Each day we practiced our morning mediations outside.

Ashley

Weakened muscles, difficulty getting out of bed, and feeling like I was hit by a Mack truck.

Day 5

A pattern we have noticed with this virus is that the mornings and evenings are the toughest. Mid day our symptoms seem neutral. At night is when the fevers kick in and the overall body weakness. Body feels similar to that of running a marathon and not drinking enough water the next day.

Symptoms pretty much the same today. I noticed an increased desperate need for water. Without water by my side I feared death. Our breathing was never compromised, but we drank water every five minutes.

Day 6 

Eric:

Great news. Fevers seem to have gone away but we figured out that his baseline temperature seems to be at around 99 degrees, so he is quicker to fall into the category of the low grade fever zone. (99.5-100.4) We read that 104 degrees is where you need to worry, he has not reached anywhere near that. So that gives us hope.

Ashley:

Continued fatigue. Upon much research, we ordered a humidifier. This dry cough is stubborn and needs to be watched. It feels similar to cotton mouth. I completely cut out my sugar consumption and all dairy products at this time. Dairy leads to a build up of phlegm and sugar can lead to inflammation. My brain became foggy. I lost track of my thoughts easier and it was hard to think logically. Every cell of my being was fighting this unknown virus.

To pass the time we watched funny television shows and cute animal videos. I learned quickly what my anxiety triggers were and developed quicker personal boundaries when things upset me.

Day 7:

We sat in on a two hour long mediation and reiki session held by Rachel Hammond to calm our anxiety. Half the battle of this has been to re-train our thinking that we will get through this and not die.

Here is her website:

Healing Your Life with Way Chill Life

Today we used the massage gun to help break up the phelm in the lungs and chest so it would not get trapped. You can also do this by gently pounding on your chest. Be careful of swollen lymph nodes around the armpit area, they probably sensitive at this time since lymph nodes swell in the area of infection.

We have not gotten tested because our symptoms are not severe enough, but this virus is satanic in it’s presence. Eric is a former athlete and came from a background of rigorous training, and we probably tried to power through a little bit more than we should. Seems like at 4pm each day, we are thrown in the depths of the couch trying to keep our eyes open. From 4-6pm, we chug water and vitamins. Wonder if this has anything to do with our Mayor’s dramatic delivery At 5pm? What outside privileges are being taken away today? Then strangely enough, by 7pm we gain strength and are able to cook ourselves dinner and talk until about 11pm and fall asleep.

Eric:

Still no fever, however, cough is starting to sound a little more in the chest. Lymph nodes in the lower region of the face seem swollen. At night, we did a shot and a half of tequila to clear out the chest a bit.

Ashley:

Pressure on chest. Trying to focus breathing on my lower stomach. I began to overthink my breathing and got freaked out by shortness of breath. Shortness of breath was caused by trying to over extend doing house chores, not simple tasks. I am stubborn and this virus has taught me several times to just chill out.

Day 8

Yesterday was a pretty great day symptom wise, until nightfall hit. Both of us got low grade fevers and I had a full on panic attack because I felt so worn down. But, I take comfort in the fact that each day we are getting better. Our coughs are starting to moisten, although I do think an upper respiratory infection will happen next.

Last night we chewed on some garlic to fight the infection from developing into our lungs.

Day 9- Today:

Both of our coughs are now in our chest. They sound robust and phelm filled. Breathing is not impaired and there is no shortness of breath. Today is the day for hot tea and blowing of noses. This feeling is a familiar one and not as foreign as the virus itself. A viral respiratory infection can not be treated by antibiotics, so we simply must wait it out and treat each symptom as it comes.

 

Here are some warning signs that I found on the CDC website:

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include*:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

 

Other links we found helpful:

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/lifestyle-articles/how-to-boost-immune-system/

 

 

Hope this helps all of you, please let me know if you have questions about anything. I’m here for you. We are all in this together and the best we can do is connect with others and spread positivity in this time of need.

Phoenix

This is a fictional poem about someone struggling with mental illness who attempts to commit suicide.
I went up in flames

By my own hand

The pain

Cathartic

I finally felt release

Everything under a pressure valve

Hiding in the shadows

Now ripping at the seams

Oozing like the sludge that I am

Finally

The curtain call

Excuse me

As I take one last bow

The light slowly fades out

My body blue and orange

Just let me lay

Just me die

If I scream don’t come for me

Just put me out of my misery

I’ve committed

Fast track to the after life

Crispy hair

Burns my nostrils

Smoke chokes my lungs

This is my end

Nice to meet you

It’s been way too long

I’ve waited for you

Hold me

Tell me it’s going to be okay

That at the end of the tunnel

There’s a white light

That glows and takes all my emotions away

I just want to be numb

Numb today

I am jolted back down

To present day

By the stabbing pain

The branding of my body

As the sirens in the background play

Who the fuck is coming to save me?

Who the fuck cares?

Do they know what I’ve done?
I’m a monster.

Just leave me to die

I try to crawl away

I hear voices

Cries even

They hose me off

I hope they will walk away

But instead they stay

Here I am

My body is naked

Drenched in gasoline

Just the day in the life of a Bi-Polar with his meds in-between.

I know they can’t look away.

I am who I am.

The voices got the best of me

I can no longer pretend to be what I’m not

I guess the whole world knows now

I am a failure

Even at my own death.

But the tears that flow from their eyes

It’s something I did not expect to see.

This reality has put me to the test

I guess God has a plan

I’m here

And im alive

I guess there is no other compromise.

How to Stay Happy for the Holidays

Many Americans want you to believe that we are all happy during the Holidays. But, that is simply not the case.  This time of year can remind some of us that are finances aren’t in order, our family is broken, a death of a loved one or that we are alone.

These feelings are valid. I respect the sadness that is felt and the comparison. But let’s not be Alice falling down the Rabbit Hole. Your life is meant to be joyful, no matter what time of year it is.

Here are some tips to survive the Holidays:

1. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend here are some ideas:

Think of what talents you possess and use them. Are you a skilled painter? Paint a painting. Skilled writer? Write a poem. Good at fixing things? Fix their leaky faucet. Great cook? Make them dinner. Organized? Clean their house. 

2. You choose not to are or are unable to spend time with your family for the Holidays:

If you chose not to because your family is not healthy for you to be around. Stay strong in your choice. Good friends can become family. Nourish those relationships and stay in the moment with them. When we wander off in our mind and compare with other happy families, that’s when we may become depressed. Remember social media is a highlight reel of what people what you to see. 

3. A loved one has died and you are reminded of them during the Holidays.

Meditate on good memories and write down what you miss the most about them. Once you get those thoughts and emotions out, it will be easier to process them. 

4. You find yourself alone for the Holidays.

Focus on what hobbies make you happy and schedule your day full of fun activities. Attend church, a group meditation, or parade. Try not to stay at home if you find yourself feeling down about being alone. Have a movie on, make hot cocoa and create distractions. 

Always remember that Holidays only come once a year. These feelings are not permanent and you will get through them.

Tips to stop Co-dependency and People Pleasing

 

Did I offer to help without being asked?

Even if you have the best advice out there. You may come across as a know it all or a meddler. People want to feel empowered and intelligent. Others just want to vent. Try asking these things instead:

“Let me know if I can help.”

“That sounds really frustrating.”

“I can only imagine what you are going through, thank you for trusting me enough to share this with me.”

 

Is this person giving back the same energy that I am putting out?

If you have invited someone out multiple times and they keep saying no, it’s time to back off. Wait until they initiate hanging out again. 

In a relationship,  If you are talking about the future all the time and they remain silent. Listen to the silence and watch actions. 

Do they gossip about others?

Even if you think they won’t do it to you. They will one day. When you put your foot down and you piss them off. These types of people are insecure and bored. Often times they display narcissistic character traits. 

What could you be working on to improve yourself?

A lot of times when we brainstorm how to help others without them involved, it’s because we are running away from our own tasks at the moment. How dare we? They didn’t ask for our help. Focus on yourself. Not your circus, not your monkeys. 

If you find yourself doing this take a deep breath. It happens to the best of us. 

Write down your goals and your to do list.  

Can they fix this situation themselves?

 We may belittle someone when we start throwing out solutions for their issues.  Don’t take the problem from them and fix it. The long term effect of doing this is the relationship is an unbalance in responsibility. One person becomes the patronizing adult and the other become the irresponsible child. The parent role becomes passive aggressive and bitter because the person in the child role does not listen. 

How do I feel after being around them?

If you feel drained after being around them start to observe what makes you feel that way. Emotions come and go so we must be careful of that but if it’s certain behaviors they are doing, write those down. If it’s one upping, bragging, complaining etc… 

By doing these exercises you start to figure out where the line is for you and how you can set limits on yourself.

Am I telling you to become antisocial and self-serving?

No. I am explaining that your time is valuable and that you need to be your biggest fan. When you are being yourself others like you more. They don’t feel like you would crumble if they said no to you. A relationship with a genuine person is much less risky. Their ego is not as fragile.  It’s exhausting to be around someone who obsesses over who likes and dislikes them. It’s back to what I wrote before. Mind your own business. What are you avoiding doing?  There are bills to pay, soccer practices to get to, and a emotionally stable life to live.  

 

 

 

The Trap of Comparison

Lately I am falling into the trap of comparison. I know that it is a completely unproductive mindset but I have my bad days. Embarrassingly I will admit, it has been about others looks. This kind of comparison is a losing battle and almost laughable that my mind would go there but here I am. It is bothering me enough that I am writing about it. I live in Los Angeles, one of the most vain cities in the United States. Where the way you look can get in you in doors vs. not. Your opportunities increase the more you take care of your self. But then someone hotter comes along and it’s blown to shreds. I have seen so many 2.0 and 10.0 versions of me, it’s vomit inducing.  Yes, I get that there are tragedies out there that I should be focused on and how dare I.  But people are complex and just because I choose to write about this topic does not mean it is all I think about. With that statement out in the open there are a couple of things that put me back in my happy place and give me a reality check.

 

1. They may get in the door quicker but if they have not crafted their skill, they will not stay there. Success is were luck, preparation and opportunity meet. Without the preparation success will not last.

 

2. One person’s trash is another’s treasure. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Notice how I am writing out over used sayings. Yeah they work but we have all heard them before. It gets boring. This is my point I am trying to make.  If you’re considering going under the knife make sure you are doing it for you.  Trends come and go.

 

3. Not all personality types will get along  with each other. This means no matter what you look like if you two don’t blend well, the relationship will be short lived.

 

4. This one is for my artists out there. You are telling a real person’s story. People are flawed.

 

5. Think of the children. I know, this sounds so Miss. America. Little girls and boys are sponges. The way we view ourselves and teach them that we are enough, has an immense impact on their own self image.

 

6.  We all poop, fart and have morning breath. No one smells of roses all the time.

 

7.  Beauty is temporary. We were born wrinkly/afraid and we most likely wrinkly/afraid.

8.  Everyone knows that Instagram model with all likes that is just horrid in person. They have a bad energy to them and hate life. It’s because of the pressure. There is so much pressure on fitting the mold of what the world wants.

 

I may re-visit this blog at a later date but these are the things I try and remind myself.

Rich but Spirtually Poor

You know what drives me crazy? People who are viewing your life from the outside looking in, yet pass judgement. Their focus seems to be on how much money this and that person has. Not a single conversation with them is without mention of who has what job and where their social stature is. These are some of the most spiritually poor people I have ever met.  They are spousesless and lack meaningful friendships.  There is so much more to life than money and job status. I would like to see them switch lives with someone else who has nothing and see how long they last. Truly experience life hungry and without a place to live. Then they will see how difficult it is to keep a sound mind. This is coming from a person who has been to the bottom, top and in between. Stay humble.

Sheeping with Wolves

Maybe it’s the Wolves that are the most insecure. They scratch and howl, while the Sheep keep focused. But they’re in a pack? They are followers. What cowards.

Yes!

Maybe…

Wolves are witty.  Witty and humorous, they say what you’re too afraid to say and you love them for it. You befriend them.

They’re not so dangerous, you say to yourself. Others are just jealous of how confident they are.

In their eyes you’re just a Sheep.

The minute you step out of the label they put you in, you too will get bit. How dare you turn on them?

They are Alpha. You follow them!

The Sheep gets shaved and the Wolf ends up alone.

Who is better in this situation? Both are doing what they are taught. Following their truth. The bottom line is, are they happy? Maybe you are a wolf. You don’t have many friends and aren’t afraid to step up when times get tough. But, don’t understand why others don’t want to be around you. Is there a big family and number of friends surrounding you? You have difficulty making a choice without phoning a friend? You might be a sheep. That’s okay too. Just love yourself. Not trying to be all Koom-bay-yah and shit but seriously…

We can’t all be leaders and some of us just aren’t family people. Each type is valid. So why did I write this rambling paragraph? Because, we would benefit in befriending both types. Not bullying or victimizing ourselves. Just be who we are. Know what we are comfortable with and push ourselves when things get stale. But never compare to our opposites. All Wolf or Sheep is predictable. Learn from each other and do not box each other in.

Humans are Ugly

This is me being real. I’m exhausted of being fake. My whole life since I was a kid I’ve been told to not be sad, why am I angry, there are people out there worse than I am. I was born sensitive and with a hyper awareness of the pain of the world. Reacting to every little emotion became distracting. So I went the opposite direction and put on a plastic smile. Where has this left me? Medicated and numb. Every now and then my repression fails and I become angry, passive aggressive and push people away. Why am I sharing this? I’m tired of society being uncomfortable with bad days and emotions. Every day I fight myself to get out of bed. To do things. Some days I lose and I just lay there. That’s the first time I have admitted that. Not many people want to talk about the ugly parts of themselves. The inner thoughts that go dark places and try and sabotage their self worth. But, when people ask me what’s wrong, I smile and say I’m fine. My second voice is a cheerleader and a unwavering optimist. It’s the fighter in me. I’ve been fighting since the day I was born. It’s all I know how to do. I fight even harder for other people than myself. I know the hell of our own minds if we let it drag us to too dark of a place. When I see the same pain in others, I can’t help but step in.  But here I am, faking a smile because it’s not pleasant to be around someone negative. Screw it. I hope this makes some of you very uncomfortable. Because this is real and this is me being a human being. We are flawed and ugly. We just wrap ourselves in pretty bows and scents to misdirect others from seeing it. All the years of being two faced has left me anxious and depressed. When I do cry, I can’t get out of it for hours or days  because I’ve spent my other days trying to be tough. If God gave us all of these emotions then why are we so scared of the bad ones? I know I am. We are taught that bad thoughts are evil and we must always think positive. But, where do the other thoughts go? They don’t go away. They are just lurking in the shadows, waiting for night to come. So here’s why I’m writing this. I’m taking off the mask and it’s not always pretty. I don’t have it all together and if you’re on here comparing yourself to others. Stop it. Because you never know about what others are going through. Los Angeles has tested me in ways I never thought. It truly has been an example of your problems will find you. I hope I can inspire others to talk about their struggles and ups/downs. I choose to fight and survive but I refuse to feel shame for being a human. 

Visions of the Future

Why is that I hold such visions of the future but there are days where I subconsciously destroy the steps to get there? Let’s stop lying to ourselves and say that others are better off. Yes, some may have had a head start but if that’s combined with laziness, they won’t be successful. There is always a way but our minds limit us. So why are our dreams so hopeful and our days so dreadful? Is our safety net webbed with poison? Is it patterns that we know are not helpful but keep us alive? Is that why we shame people different than us? What is normal? Because, the more households you visit, the more your answers will vary. So what is the answer to life? To go with every instinct? To stop thinking so much and start doing more? Learning all there is to know? Maybe that makes us spin in circles.  Perhaps it’s about finding out what you’re good at and going in a straight line to get there. Goals should be broken down into day by day steps. I get caught up in the moments and want to explore. I know that life is a forward motion and it’s hard for me to miss out. I’m attracted to things I may not be good at or relationships that may be challenging. I guess my biggest fear is predictably. Yet, as I grow older I want stability. I want to chase dreams and have a partner to share life with and friends by my side. I adore differences and changes but I crave safety. I feel like a fairy looking for a home. I want a permanence   but with an escape. I’ll starve in shackles. So how do we fit into the world where geographically viewpoints differ greatly? What might be viewed as insane in one culture is the norm in another? I think our souls die more and more with comparison and it’s about finding like minded individuals. Who see you and don’t compare. They know you are you and can not and will not compete for approval of others. We have moments in birth where we are alone and in death. I think as I grow older I learn that you must be happy with your path first. Your mind is the first voice you have to listen to and the last thing.

Set yourself on Fire

Spark
Spark
I will set you on fire
And stare at you until it turns blue
Then throw water on you
You think you’re in hell now
Keep walking on coals
And when your feet turn black
The crowd will disappear
The flame will extinguish
And you will be left
Raw and reddened
That’s what you get for walking across
The forbidden
Crowd around you enjoyed the show
But left when you started to burn
They couldn’t bear the decaying flesh
The thoughts were exciting
The image was terrifying
People panicked
And lost control
Eyes covered
And backs turned
They couldn’t face the truth
Of flesh in flames
That when we burn
We probably all smell the same
They believed they were better than everyone there
Only to realize
We are all the same
They couldn’t handle the sudden game change
So they went back to their lives
Of self medication
Burying the fears of the fragility of their lives
That it can be gone, if temperatures rise
Perhaps it’s the illusion and moments in between
That keep us from burning up from the feet