Posts in the “personal” category

What are mast cells?

MastCellAware.com has this good answer to the question, “What are mast cells?”

I found their website when I was trying to learn about mast cell degranulation. As they state, “Each mast cell contains secretory granules (storage sacs), each containing powerful biologically active molecules called mediators. These can be secreted when mast cells are triggered, leading to allergic and inflammatory diseases.”

Aren’t you forgetting something?

*leaving a doctor’s office*

Nurse: “Aren’t you forgetting something?”

Me (flashing back to past failed relationships): “I love you?”

Nurse: “Um, no, the papers you brought in.”

Me: “Oh, yeah, thanks.”

A friend, ready to stab me with an EpiPen

A friend made a surprise trip into town this weekend, and when I started having raccoon eyes and breaking out in hives, she was more than ready to stab me with an EpiPen or two:

“Now?”

“How about now?”

“Maybe now?”

:)

“Mutant” is not the preferred nomenclature

Doctor says I probably have a genetic mutation, like a Ninja Turtle or the X-Men, but with currently unknown, latent superpowers.

Also, “mutant” is not the preferred nomenclature. “Posthuman,” please.

Mindfulness in baseball (Joe Maddon, Cubs)

From time to time Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon stresses mindfulness in sports. He may not refer to it as mindfulness, but he certainly refers to staying in the present moment, which is the same thing.

In terms of sports and winning, I like his quote at the end of the clip I’m showing: “It comes down to what team competes better in the moment.” It may not be as obvious in baseball as it is with sports like football, basketball, and tennis, but as I’ve gotten older it’s become very clear that a lot of close games are won and lost in just a few key plays.

Low-histamine diet infomation

histamine-intolerance.info has some good low-histamine diet information. If you suffer from allergies, mast cell disease (including mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndrome), and possibly other illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, this is worth learning about.

Mast cell activation syndrome (or mastocytosis) explains many mysterious health problems

In retrospect, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) (or mastocytosis) explains many mysterious health problems. For example, six years ago I took a routine blood test and my doctor found that my Vitamin D level was extremely low, even though I was out in the Sun every day and took a multivitamin supplement, in addition to drinking milk and eating a lot of cheese. Then last year I told my doctor that on four occasions it felt like bones in my feet, hands, and arm had broken spontaneously, but she just looked at me like I was crazy.

“Loaded accusatory silence”

A friend wrote these words today:

“Loaded accusatory silence”

It’s a beautiful phrase, and it refers to people making assumptions about what other people are thinking or doing. Rather than talk to those people to find out what’s really going on, they accuse them in their own minds (and also judge them to be guilty).

(The word “judgmental” comes to mind.)

My heart, dancing to the beat of a different drummer

Facebook tells me that I was having health problems three years ago, when I posted the attached image, and this text: “My heart has been dancing to the beat of its own drummer again lately, so rather than sleep at night I've been listening to the coyotes and watching movies. These were all good. You Kill Me cracks me up.”