November Update

He is a pro now at acupuncture needles!

It's been almost a month since I last posted so I thought I better sit down and record my thoughts and some of the things that have been going on for Thomas.  We've still had some up and down days but overall he's participated in more activities and played more than he used to.  This week has been a bit of a challenge.  His acupuncture treatment last Wednesday left him every tired and he mostly laid around on Thanksgiving.  Our acupuncturist noted that Thomas did not "gain" any energy but used his reserves last week and cautioned us to keep working on finding the balance of how much activity he can handle.  He was not able to increase the diatameous earth dosage either.   The week prior we went on a field trip to Shedd Aquarium with our homeschool group.  It was a long day for everyone but Thomas did well.

Our highlight for him on Thanksgiving was seeing him devour organic turkey breast, potatoes, broccoli and fruit (okay he tolerated the broccoli but everything else he savored).

  Friday morning he left with Joe and Chris for Chicago for Chris' hockey tournament.  It was bitter sweet because Thomas was supposed to be playing with his team in the tournament as well but we were thankful that he could make the trip.  It was quite a process to get ready for the trip as all the food for the weekend had to be prepared ahead of time.  So while making the Thanksgiving Day dinner, I also cooked tacos, spaghetti, lasagna and hamburgers to send with them.

Chris' team did not have a game until Friday night so they went to Lego Land for the first time before checking into the hotel.

Thomas had a wonderful time and of course Daddy bought him a new Lego set :-)

 He also swam some over the weekend but struggled with a headache.  His headache was pretty bad Sunday night and carried over into today.  We continue to use peppermint oil on his spine area to help with the headaches.  His leg pain also has increased again.  He spent most of  today laying down resting or playing quietly with toys.  He's also been enjoying making Minecraft Paper craft sets which we ordered off of Amazon for him as prizes for drinking his yucky supplements. He wasn't able to go to swim class tonight.

His hair is also starting to grow back  The pictures below are from March, April and November. There are still spots that haven't started growing back but hopefully soon they will too.  It's hard to tell if his Vitiligo spots (which the acupuncturist thinks are really from yeast overgrowth) are fading.  Mainly because they always look better in the winter as Thomas' tan fades and the spots don't stand out as much.

We have much to be thankful for!  

HOPE

If I had written this post earlier in the day, it would have had a different tone but thanks to our acupuncturist for his kind reminder this afternoon, my heart and mind are in a different mode.  He reminded me to focus on the hope that lies ahead namely the hope with have in Heaven one day and he encouraged me not to let Satan bring me or Thomas down.  I was feeling a little like Job (17:15) "Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?" 

 In reality, Thomas had a rough week. He was "up and down" all week in how he felt.  Last Friday's acupuncture appointment left him very tired and by Monday his head hurt and he just didn't feel real good.  Tuesday he enjoyed playing outside for 2 hours with new friends in the afternoon but immediately laid down when they left and basically stayed laying down or sitting quietly the rest of the night.  Wednesday was our home-school partnership and like always he went all out for his gym class playing capture the flag.  Afterwards while he ate his lunch in the cafeteria his legs were really bothering him and he grew very sad when he didn't feel up to join his friends to play in the gym.  He had brought a bunch of Minecraft paper crafts that he made and was hoping they would stay and play but at this age boys like to run around more than do sit down activities.  By Wednesday night, he just wasn't feeling good and went to bed early.  He didn't get up until after 8:30 a.m. on Thursday and he said he felt sick all over.  He's also VERY frustrated with the diet restrictions and with not feeling well to play.  

So this afternoon we had another acupuncture appointment and Thomas is still dealing with some fungus issues so he treated that and now Thomas cannot have any fruit or sugar for 25 hours again.  He wasn't happy about that but I encouraged him that he can do anything for 25 hours.  After the 25 hours (tomorrow at 4 p.m) he can have Siggi's Icelanic Yogurt as a new food this week.  

Thomas was very brave and tried one actual acupuncture needle today before leaving.  We typically use a laser technique but the needles are more effective.  The hope is that next week, Thomas will be willing to have 8 needles put in and left for about 30 minutes.  Please pray for him that he will be brave enough next week to give it a try.  It's always the hardest the first time trying something out.  

I am also to order him the Diatomaceous earth and start him on a tsp. a day.   It won't taste good but it will help bring his silica levels up and hopefully help his leg pain.  It may also help him rid himself of any parasites in his system.  

Our massage therapist said she'd let us borrow her Bio Mat tomorrow for a week and the acupuncturist approved Thomas trying it out.  We are super excited to try it out.  It has infrared heat, ions and an amethyst crystal.  More info can be found at www.biomatbenefits.com

We are going to keep encouraging Thomas this week but also I plan to focus more on what he can do and not what he can't.  

Now I rest in 1 Peter 1:3-6; Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  This inheritance is kept in heaven for you who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may suffer grief in all kinds of trouble.