Posts in the “personal” category

“Some people aren’t meant to stay in your life. But that doesn't mean they can’t stay with you.”

(from the terrific tv series, Limitless)

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.”

Asked if he made the album feeling it would be his last, he said, “Not specifically, but at this stage in the game, you know that all your activities are subject to abrupt cancellation.”

Amen to that, brother. That quote is from this article about Leonard Cohen.

“You love hard. There is no shame in that.”

(apparently from the book, The Lawman’s Surprise Family)

*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 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?”

:)

I didn’t like The Rolling Stones for most of my life, but I’ve started listening to them lately. This is a quiet song called, Fool to Cry, that seems to fit my mood of late:

Today’s song of the day is, You Want It Darker, by 82-year-old Leonard Cohen:

“I don’t know what love is, but I might love you. Probably love you.”

New England is now 14-5 without Tom Brady.

By contrast, Indianapolis went 2-14 with Peyton Manning’s backups.

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.

Doctors have a good theory on why my body is throwing GoUnconscious exceptions. Debugging starts tomorrow. Hope to be writing again soon. :)

Today’s song of the day is We Are The World, by USA for Africa:

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.

(The image comes from this espn.com page.)

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.

I like listen to Eye of the Tiger as I am able to start practicing yoga again, but Coming Out of the Dark by Gloria Estefan is another great “comeback” song for the rest of the day:

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.

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.)

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.”

This image is from the movie You Kill Me. It’s a cute/quirky movie with Tea Leoni, Ben Kingsley, and Luke Wilson, with great dialog. It’s one of the best “hit man” movies I can recall, right up there with Leon: The Professional and Grosse Pointe Blank. It’s currently available on Netflix.