If It Doesn't Kill You, It Will Make You Stronger

I feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth for the last several months as far as connecting with all of my good friends and family on social media. As I lay in bed last night contemplating everything that has went on in our lives over these past several months I get a clearer vision of why I have been disconnected. The easiest way to put all of these events onto paper is for me to do a chronological timeline of everything that has happened:

October 2012
We are finally able to work through negotiations on a home for our family out in the country. We are so excited to finally have more of the lifestyle that we have always wanted for our children--5 acres, house at the base of the mountains, beautiful yard, ability to have all of the animals that we want, delicious well water, and just plain freedom to roam by moving into a house that seemed perfect for our family.

In our contract we had until May 31, 2013 to purchase the property. We put together what we thought was a perfect plan and moved forward to make it all happen:
1. We listed our rental house for sale in Utah so that we would have the necessary down payment for this house.
2. We rented our downtown Malad house on a contract with the option to buy
3. We worked with our accountant to get our taxes where they needed to be to qualify for the loan

November 2012
We excitedly pack up our things and move into our new "dream home"!

December 2012
I start to have some weird physical symptoms, including eating a whole bag of chips, and start to wonder if I could I be pregnant???? NO!!!!! I am just starting to get my body back into good health (worked very hard to take off 30 lbs. and had a goal that I was very focused on to have it all off by February 2013).

My hunch was confirmed by an at home pregnancy test and then I became very scared as I spent the night reading on the internet of other moms, like me, who had become pregnant with a copper iud in place. I read everything from birth defects, to miscarriages, to healthy pregnancies. The next day I was in to my OBGYN for an evaluation.

The IUD was still perfectly in place and I was congratulated for beating the 1% odds. The lady who did the ultrasound said she was the first pregnancy she had see with a copper IUD in place in over 6 years.

This news sent me into a severe 3-4 month depression. I even skipped writing our annual Christmas letter last year--the first time in 15 years. Financially we would definitely have to buy a new vehicle, I had just gotten rid of ALL of my baby stuff, and I had no maternity insurance. Physically I was scared to death. This would be my 4th c-section and after the last one I was told that my uterine lining was very thin and I would be very high risk for another c-section. I have also had to learn to put my total trust in the Lord with the risk of the baby having A-T. I already have three children with this horrible disease and having four would just add to this heavy burden that I already feel.

February 2013

February 6, 2013

Rachel sees the doctor for cough, congestion, fever, and vomiting after cough. She is diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection.

Week of February 11th: heater and computer go out at our feed store, we then have major electrical problems, and to top it all off we experience our first robbery.

February 18, 2013

I take Spencer in for a doctors appointment because he is having some very strange physical symptoms--flu like symptoms, breathing problems, rapidly losing weight, going to the bathroom all of the time, and constantly thirsty. He is diagnosed with Type I diabetes and has his first ambulance ride where he is taken to Primary Children's Medical Center for a four day hospital stay.

February 20, 2013

Ben comes home sick with the flu

February 22, 2013

We receive a phone call from our Malad tenants because they can no longer afford to pay full rent. We are forced to give them a major reduction in rent to keep them there.

February 23, 2013

Dallin wrestles for the state wrestling title as a Freshman and mentally breaks down and loses to a kid that he had previously beat four times in a row.

February 25, 2013

Enoch is seen by the clinic for a concussion in a skiing accident. He also reports having had a deep cough since having the flu a month ago. He is diagnosed as having allergies which is believed to be causing the cough.

March 2013

March 7, 2013

Rachel sees the doctor for cough, head congestion, ear pain, and chest congestion. Her respiratory and cardiovascular seem to be ok and she is put on an antibiotic for an ear infection.

March 12, 2013

We take our three youngest children (Ben, Bekah, & Rachel) to their three year visit to John’s Hopkins hospital in Baltimore Maryland for an evaluation with the rare disease that they have, ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). We are so relieved to learn that overall the twins are doing incredibly well (in fact, they labeled them as being in the top 5% of A-T children that they have seen from all over the world) for their age and diagnosis. It is confirmed that Rachel too has A-T at this appointment.

While at this appointment they are very concerned about our children’s coughs that they have recently come down with, especially Rebekah and Rachel’s coughs and we are given studies and an education on lung disease and how children with A-T die from this condition. They send us home with a prescription for a very strong antibiotic for Rebekah & Rachel and ask us to please follow up with our local doctor as this is a potential life threatening situation for our children.

March 28, 2013

We e-mail our landlords and let them know that our intent is to still close by the end of May. Our income looks good and we are just waiting to receive an offer on our Provo house. We are told that if we do not close by the end of May they will be raising the price on the property.  

April 2013

April 4, 2013

We are devastated to come to the realization that we will probably not meet the May 31, 2013 deadline to purchase the property because the offer that we thought we were going to get on our Provo house falls through. As we are unable to pay more for the property, we notify them in writing to opt out of our purchase option.

April 9, 2013

Rachel goes to the doctor for coughing and congestion that has been going on for 6+ weeks. She is having coughing episodes 3-4 times per day that sometimes lead her to vomit and the other night she was coughing so extensively that her face was starting to turn blue. She is diagnosed and treated for seasonal rhinitis and cough. John’s Hopkins Hospital is contacted to see if they have any further recommendations. If breathing problems return we are instructed to return to the clinic/ER asap.

14th: Our family dog, Hazel, dies.

22nd:  Larry comes down with severe stomach pain that lasts for a good three days. I try to convince him to be seen by a doctor, but he refuses and starts to feel better after three days and just attributes it to having severe gas pain.

May 2013

May 7, 2013

Larry woke up at 2 a.m. because of excruciating abdominal pain. Finally went to the clinic in the afternoon for an appointment. Larry is nauseous and the pain is causing shallow breathing. Larry is hospitalized for three days and diagnosed with acute pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas and requires immediate medical attention. 80% of pancreatic attacks are caused by alcoholism or gall stones, neither of which applies in our situation. Recurring pancreatic attacks can lead to death (because of damage done to the pancreas and the need to remove portions of it), diabetes, or cancer. It is at this time that we learn that Larry’s grandmother died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 49. Larry is 46. Cancer is ruled out at this time, but could be in the future if these attacks continue to reoccur.

May 10, 2013

We start to question our house as a source of contamination. We start to wonder if not being able to purchase the property has been a blessing in disguise. We have basic water tests run (Total Coliform and Escherichia Coli) from four different sources in the house (our shower, laundry room sink, upstairs bathroom sink, and the kitchen sink). All of the tests come back normal except for the Total Coliform test taken from the kitchen sink. The sample did contain total coliform which indicates an increased probability of disease causing organisms being in the sample. The sample did not meet the specification for potable water as established by EPA. We contacted the public health department and were told that because the kitchen sink was the only water source with a problem that it was most likely the aerator in that sink causing the problems. We took the aerator off and boiled it and swabbed it with a chlorine solution. After talking to the landlords we learned that the water testing they had done in the past had come back very good and their well was 200+ feet deep so we turned away from water contamination possibilities even though there are several other tests that could still be run.

May 15, 2013

I wake up in the middle of the night and the thought comes into my mind that it is the birds in the roof causing us problems! Birds in the roof, what do they have to do with anything???? I had never really paid much attention to them flying into the roof until I had that thought. I spent the whole night researching diseases caused by birds. I read about how “airborne spores from drying feces in air ducts and vents can settle on exposed food and transfer diseases.” Another interesting fact that I learned was that bird feces, if microspic pieces break off and become airborne, can contain dormant fungi and/or bacteria. When breathed into the lungs, the warm, moist environment of the lung lining provides a breeding ground for the infectious agents. These type of infections can also cause coughing, restricted breathing, and general body fatigue. I also read that in rare cases infectious agents, such as candida, can cause pancreatitis through bird droppings.

May 16, 2013

I call the landlord and express my concerns about the birds flying into the roof and causing possible problems. I briefly share with her the severe health problems that our family has been through since moving into their house. She dismisses our health problems as just a trial that our family is going through and is very adamant that it has nothing to do with their house. There is not even a commitment or offer to come and look at and/or fix the problems with the holes in the roof. This is very frustrating to us as we have tried to be good tenants always paying our rent early and taking care of the property. This is the first time we have contacted them about any concerns with the house and we are quickly shot down even though having a holy/leaking roof is a huge problem that should not be ignored by any landlord.

May 17, 2013

I spend most of my day on the phone with pesticide companies trying to find out how to have our roof inspected. In the end I learn that they will do nothing without the landlords permission.

May 18, 2013

I receive a phone call from the landlord that they are on there way to Malad to inspect the roof. She is still very adamant that there are no birds flying into the roof. After a brief inspection from the master bedroom window, they witness the birds flying into the roof and commit to come back the next weekend and repair the holes.

While at our house they experience a couple of Rachel’s coughing/breathing attacks and the landlord comments how she probably needs to be checked out as it almost sounds like pneumonia. Her sickness is something that I have been dealing with and trying to get help with for several months now.

I also express my concerns again that there is something in the house that is making us have constant health problems. Once again the landlord is very adamant that there is nothing in the house causing these problems.

May 20, 2013

I take Rachel to the Primary Children's medical center emergency room in SLC as she still has her horrible scary cough and I am wanting a thorough examination, especially with her high risk of having lung problems. I was very relieved to learn that she did not have RSV and that her lungs were clear! She had also recently come down with the symptoms of diarrhea and fever and was diagnosed with rhino virus which is a common virus that the general public gets. She was very congested and did display one of her coughing fits while there so we were sent home with a very potent antibiotic and told that if she did not completely clear up we were going to want to see a pediatric ENT.

I start to research other possible causes of chronic and even life threatening sickness that we have experienced as a family since moving to our new home. I research everything from formaldehyde, to radon, and finally molds. The one that seems to be the most fitting for what we are going through is toxic mold. Even though we have not visibly found the mold (we also have not looked very hard) we have several of the highest risks factors in our house for mold—leaking roof, wallpaper, a basement, and an unvented bathroom. We order a mold kit to test for what mold species are present in the home. 

May 22, 2013

I see the doctor for sore throat and nasal congestion. Strep test comes back negative. Diagnosed with allergies.

May 23, 2013

Thanks to some very generous family members who were willing to watch our children, we are finally able to get away for a few days for our anniversary. We have a wonderful time. One of the things that we discussed while away was our concerns with all of the sickness that our family had experienced while living at our new house, especially with a newborn on the way.

After reading about how infants can experience pulmonary homorraging and die from repeated exposure to mold we decide that this is not something that we can even take a chance with. This information coupled with the high risks for all of our A-T children and our whole family for that matter, we make the decision to move before our baby is born in mid July.

May 25, 2013

Our landlord returns to patch the holes in the roof. While there he comments that the roof really needs to be replaced.

I wake up with half of my face numb. By the afternoon my eye is going blurry. As we are on vacation, we go to an insta care clinic in Utah County on our way back to pick up our children. Stroke is ruled out and  am diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy and put on an anti-viral medication and a steroid. The next couple of weeks are very challenging as I have to now take medication that is always a risk when you are pregnant, I have a hard time eating and seeing out of the one side of my face, and I have to wear sunglasses and constantly put eye drops in my eye because I am not making tears and my eye is severely dilated.

We miss being able to visit with our family and get home late to see our children because once again we are at the doctor.

May 27, 2013

I talk to our tenants, who is now on a month to month contract, and ask them if they can please be out by the end of June.

I call our landlords and inform them our intent to move out by July 15^th because of our continued health problems.

May 29, 2013

I start having back labor pains after only 30 weeks. After a much needed visit to Dr. Cox I am relieved to learn that they are not inducing labor.

May 30, 2013

Larry goes to ER for almost cutting off finger in a work related accident. 20 stitches later we go home. He was very lucky to have missed his tendons or he would have had to have surgery. While there he is also evaluated for possible heart problems as shortly before his accident he was having chest pain. Luckily, everything checked out ok with his heart.

I also take Enoch in as he is complaining of breathing problems again and now tingling/numbness in his hands. His vitals look good so we will just wait until our appointment with the doctor in the morning.

May 31, 2013

Enoch sees the doctor for breathing problems that have been going on for 4+ months. He has been having a hard time since his last cold in Jan./Feb. He gets really short of breath, wheezes, gets nauseated, lightheaded and feels a burning in his chest every time he exercises. He denies problems with breathing during rest and is short of breath only when he exercises. The problems of allergic rhinitis and exercise-induced bronchospasm are addressed. He is also starting to experience some neurological symptoms where his hand is going numb while playing baseball.

June 4, 2013

My friend, Jen, from Pocatello learns of our situation and offers her furnished, unused  basement to us to live in if we need it. I tell her thank you, but we only have to make it to the end of the month so we should be ok. I am praying that we make it to the end of the month before we experience anymore health problems, but I am relieved that we have somewhere to go if we need to. It is very difficult to find a place to temporarily relocate with a family of eight.

June 5, 2013

I have known for about a week now, after visiting with other moms who have been through similar situations as ours, and doing research on the internet, that if stachybotrus (black mold) spores are found in our house that the only way to get better is to literally leave everything behind and start a new life. The spores get into everything and they are so dangerous. The only way to get rid of them is with 500 degree+ heat. If we were to move out and take our possessions with us we would cross contaminate our new home and bring the problem with us.

I call the insurance company that we have our renter’s insurance through and am devastated to learn that we are only covered for water damage or fire and they have completely washed their hands of any mold issues, even though they know that black mold is just as destructive to possessions as fire. We are very upset by this news because of the unknown to our future and the financial debt that we are already drowning in because of all of our medical bills, time off work, gas bills, and specialty items that we are having to buy because of our situation are starting to pile up.

June 6, 2013

Larry has another pancreatic attack and is admitted to the hospital for a 3 day stay. We are thinking that we might be taking Jen up on her offer as we are really starting to believe that there really is something in our environment triggering these episodes.

The trip that I had planned to Nevada for my niece and nephews graduation and to visit with my family has to be cancelled. I was really looking forward to getting away for a few days, but once again I have to take care of my SICK family.

We also realize at this point that Larry will not be going on Trek with our boys scheduled for June 18^th as the risks with his attacks are too high. He and the boys are very disappointed about this.

I call EMSL lab to check when the mold results will be back. They tell me Tuesday and I beg them to please get them to us ASAP.

June 7, 2013

We receive the mold test results back from EMSL Analytical. The ERMI Interpretation of mold comes back at a level 3 for moderate to relative moldiness. Further investigation is needed to determine if sources of mold exist. Although we are EXTREMELY RELIEVED to learn that the stachybotrus (black mold) spores are not showing up in the testing, all of the detected molds in the sample are considered dangerous and toxic, particularly aspergillus flavus which produces aflatoxins.

Aflatoxin is a type of mycotoxin produced by aspergillus molds. Aflatoxins are very toxic and highly carcinogenic. When a person takes in a high amount of aflatoxins in a very short time it can cause a variety of health problems including disruption of food digestion, hemorrhaging, coma, or death.

June 8, 2013

Larry is released from the hospital and spends the day with the children at Enoch’s ball games. I frantically work hard gathering up our belongings so that we can move to Pocatello and be in a different environment. I am so exhausted by the end of the day from washing and packing that I am literally crawling up the stairs to get everything we need and get our family to a “safe” place.

June 9, 2013

We all stay home from church and have a much needed day of REST!

June 12, 2013

Enoch sees doctor for throat pain and runny nose. He is diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection that appears to be viral.

June 18, 2013

Larry has another pancreatic attack. He takes his pain meds and we take him to the Portneuf Emergency room where he is once again admitted to the hospital. By the time we get to the hospital, he is very weak and passes out while having an IV put in. This really freaked me out as my husband has always been very strong and I have never seen him so weak before.

The much needed shopping trip that I had planned was put on the back burner because once again I was taking care of my SICK family.

June 19, 2013

I spent a large portion of the day over at the hospital with Larry. They are having a hard time finding the cause of his pancreatitis and are seriously considering taking out his gall bladder. We both highly suspect that it is possibly mold related. 70% of all pancreatitis is caused by alcohol which is a toxin. The aflatoxins that are produced by some of the molds detected in our rental home are also toxins that can build up in your body and cause all kinds of health problems. Larry is getting headaches from all of the medicine and is not feeling well and I spend much of the day researching diets for him to cleanse his body and help him get better.

I had planned on being in Malad today packing up the house, but once again I am taking care of a family member who is SICK.

June 27, 2013

We are on a roll getting our things packed up and moved. I call my sister-in-law, who is watching our three little guys, and ask her if she can keep them for a little longer. Five minutes after getting off of the phone she calls me back and tells me that I need to meet her at the emergency room as she thinks Ben has a broken arm.

A broken and fractured right arm is confirmed by an x-ray. We are sent to the Pocatello emergency room where they will decide if surgery is needed.

At the emergency room, I am relieved to learn that the bone can be reset without surgery! As Ben has not fared well with anasthetics in the past, we opt to have it set without the anisthetic. He does have some lortab going through his system, but I was so proud of how brave Ben was as he endured the minute of excruciating pain by squeezing my hand and screaming out in pain. They strongly encouraged me to leave the room during the procedure, but I just couldn't leave my sweet little boy. He is looking at 2 weeks in his temp cast and 4 weeks in his permanent one. 

This was the first broken bone we have had in our family. We have had concussions and stitches, but this is the first broken bone. The crazy part is the only thing Ben was doing was getting off of his bike and he just happened to fall wrong. There wasn't even a glamorous story to tell.

Update On Our A-T Children

Yesterday we returned from our 3rd trip back to John's Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD where we had our three
A-T children evaluated as part of a research study that we have been a part of since 2007.

As usual, it was great to see all of the doctors and nurses from the A-T medical team. They are always very kind to us and give us very helpful information and feedback about our children and A-T children as a whole. It is very helpful to meet with a team of people that not only study and research A-T, but see many other A-T children from all over the world.

Our suspicians that our 9 1/2 year old twins, Ben & Bekah, are doing quite well compared to most A-T children at this age, was confirmed at this visit.The doctors are very intrigued as to why this is. Our next step will be to do some more extensive genetic testing. They are wondering if they are among a very small percentage of A-T children who are making just enough of the ATM protein, that most A-T children are missing, so that they are functioning mostly normal or are they a handful of children in the world with A-T who make none of the ATM protein, but for some reason are doing relatively well???? While at the clinic, it was also confirmed through examination and sibling history, that our 2 1/2 year old, Rachel, does also have A-T. Her current development would be more typical of what they would expect to see for a 2 1/2 year old A-T child.

Larry & I are still convinced that it is the herbal supplement, protandim, that has significantly helped, and continues to help, our A-T children. The reason that we feel so strongly about this is that our children were headed down the digressive slope that all A-T children go through, but we watched them get better and improve with the consistent use of protandim. Most of the changes we have witnessed have been slow, but extremely significant and life changing. Bekah's immune system went from needing gamma globulin treatments back to normal and we have seen significant cognitive improvements in her as well. Ben has stopped choking when he eats, spilling his drinks at the dinner table, his balance has improved significantly and he was finally able to ride a bike all on his own at age 8 1/2, his walking and running have greatly improved, and we are starting to see positive changes in his speech. They also now both have the normal energy of any child their age. There was a couple year period when Ben & Bekah were riding in a stroller at school because of fatigue and bumping into other children being a problem. We have not experienced this problem in well over a year and they no longer have a stroller at school. Slow growth does continue to be a concern for them and they do still have some minor issues that set them apart from normal children their age (some drooling, small motor difficulties, and a little instability in walking), but if they were to get no worse than they are today, we believe they could go on to be independent and lead relatively normally lives.

In addition to watching positive changes in our A-T children, we have also seen positive changes in our friends and family who have had chronic headaches, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's, MS, psoriatic arthrites, and diabetes with the consistent use of protandim.

We did talk to the doctors briefly about our suspicions of protandim being a significant help to our children, but it is not something they are willing to hang their hats on. They did, however, encourage us to keep taking protandim if we felt like it was helping them as it is a natural product that has had no side effects.

Dr. Crawford, the neurologist, also commented that their ability to track with their eyes is incredible. He said that they are in the top 1% of A-T children with this skill level that he has ever seen. We also learned that all of the major damage in A-T children stops by age 14, so we do still have another 4 1/2 - 5 years to get through with our twins where breakdown and damage can occur.

We have always hoped for the best and will continue to hope for the best as we move forward on this A-T journey with our children. We also give great credibility to prayer in our lives and are so grateful to be surrounded by so many family and friends who have been their to support and love us as we have went through this journey.

Protandim by Norman G. Marvin, M.D.

MEET DR. Norman G. MARVIN, MD and Pharmacist 
                                               Professor in Family Practice
                                        University of Kansas Medical Center

                    
                                                                   PRAISES PROTANDIM

                                                   "I have seen more miracles in the first 3 months using this technology than I have in 50 years of traditional medicine"

Physiological Reactions to Protandim
by Norman G. Marvin, M.D. 

FREE RADICALS

   As you begin to take Protandim positive changes begin to happen within your body. Most of these you won’t be able to see or feel, but we know that they happen. For instance, your level of Oxidative Stress will revert to that of a 20 year old or younger in 30 days.

  Some people will also experience a Cleansing Response. As you rid your body of Free Radicals, you may experience a general malaise, nausea, or headaches. But rest assured this is not an allergy or a permanent problem. An adjustment should be made in the amount you take for a couple of weeks.

THE IDEAL REACTION

    The Ideal reaction is the gradual development of an increased sense of well-being. At first you will notice that you do not tire so easily. You will have more sustained energy during the day, and you will not become tired so early in the evening, and you will sleep much better. Next, you may find you are more alert in the mornings. As your sense of well-being increases, you may begin to feel more emotionally and psychologically secure. Little things do not bother you as they once did. Your old patterns will begin to change from “grumpy” ones to “happy” ones.

CORRECTING REACTIONS

   However, in a significant minority, a number of uncomfortable reactions may occur as you begin to cleanse your body of Free Radicals. It is not easy for your body to adjust overnight to a long history of Oxidative Stress.

   If you have a history of Chemotherapy and/or radiation along with many different prescriptions, you may experience some of the following: fever, rash or hives, excessive gas, headaches, increased thirst, weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, nervousness, and various body aches and pains in joints and muscles. When these reactions occur, you can be assured your body is making positive changes toward an improved state of health.

   If you recognize these as a correcting response, it will be easier to accept them as steps on the road to better health. These conditions are a small price to pay for long- lasting benefits.

THINGS TO DO TO HELP YOUR BODY RID ITSELF OF FREE RADICALS

   • Drink 8 8oz glasses of water daily. Also consider a combination of natural fresh fruit and vegetable juices. This will help flush out the toxins and contribute to the natural cleansing of the kidneys.

   • Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, and bran from the cereals. This can help accelerate\ the removal of toxins from the body.

   • Include an activity component in your daily routine. Walking for 15 minutes is a good place to start. Exercise, in general, is a great way to support detoxification.

   • If the reaction is too strong for you to tolerate, you can reduce the amount of Protandim for a couple of weeks, and then go back to one pill daily. This routine may need to be repeated, depending on the amount of repair needed at the cellular level.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE ANTIOXIDANT

Direct dietary antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E, while beneficial, are limited in their ability to neutralize free radicals, the scavengers that cause damage to the 50 to 75 trillion cells that make up your body. This destructive process called is associated with over 200 disease and conditions.

Typical dietary antioxidants neutralize free radicals one at a time. For example, one molecule of vitamin C kills one free radical. Then its job is over. While this may be helpful in reducing cellular damage, it is an inefficient process.

Why? Because your cells produce 300 sextillion free radicals daily. That's 300 with 21 zeros behind it! 

300, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 

To neutralize that many free radicals, you would have to consume 375 oranges or 87 glasses of red wine or 120 vitamin C tablets (500mg) per day!

On the other hand, Protandim's release of super antioxidant enzymes "eat up," or destroy a million free radicals per second, which reduces this number so significantly that you can't distinguish a 20 year old from a 80 year old.

                    FLIP THE SWITCH!

A well-kept secret is the fact that your cells can produce their own antioxidant enzymes, such as glutathione (the master antioxidant and detoxifier), superoxide dismustase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). These enzymes neutralize free radicals at a rate of up to one million per second! There is no comparison to normal antioxidant supplements!

As you age, your production of these protective enzymes diminishes, making you more vulnerable to diseases.

The combination of 5 natural ingredients in Protandim wake up your sleeping cells by activating a protein called NRF2, which sends a message to your genes to produce more antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic enzymes.

How important is NRF2 activation? Well, according to renowned anti-aging expert Dr. Nicholas Perricon, "Finding substances that can turn on the highly-protective transcription factor NRF2 holds the key to preventing a host of diseases." 

That's exactly what Protandim does! It flips on the switch for your good protective genes and turns off the bad age-and disease-accelerating genes.

After 30 days, Protandim will reduce your oxidative stress by 40%-70%, bringing your levels down to that of a 20-year-old!

So, exactly what is in this stuff?

Protandim's 5 natural active ingredients are:

▪ Milk Thistle Milk Thistle

▪  Bacopa

▪  Ashwagandha

▪ Green Tea Extract

▪ Turmeric Extract 

All have been used safely for thousands of years in Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine. It is the synergism of these plant-derived ingredients that lends the product its potency.

Protandim is 100% Vegetarian - Free of Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Gelatin and Yeast.

 The Banned Substance Control Group recently certified Protandim as safe and free of any and all banned substances.

There's nothing on the market like it.

Dr. Giacalone & Protandim Video

Dr. Joe Giacalone, Doctor of podiatric medicine, spent 15 years as podiatric surgeon, specializing in microsurgery and serving over 9,000 diabetic patients at the largest diabetic clinic in the state of Utah. He also served on the the official physician team for the 2002 SLC Olympics. Due to some health issues, he was forced to retire as a surgeon and gravitated back to his love of research. He spent 2 years on research and development of Nrf2 agonists in conjunction with the University of Utah. In 2012 he was introduced to protandim, an all natural Nrf2 synergizer with no side effects, and he immediately saw the incredible product and business opportunity that Lifevantage had to offer. He has been passionately sharing this education with others since that time.

Through Nrf2 activation, protandim communicates with your cells, telling them to do what they are supposed to do naturally, but which they do less efficiently as you age. Nrf2 up-regulates "survival genes", which enable your cells to survive well in the face of stress from free radicals, aging, and other oxidants and down-regulates harmful genes that promote inflammation and fibrosis, thus helping your body to function at an optimal level as you age. This is why protandim is such an effective oxidative stress reliever, but because of the Nrf2 activation it is so much more.

Scientists understanding of Nrf2 has been around for about 15 years and is considered the "holy grail" of pharmaceutical research and development.  At one time, there were three Nrf2 products in development, but there were some deaths associated with one of the products that went to clinical trials so it was pulled from the market. One of the two products still in development stimulates Nrf2 by 600% and the other one by 200% . Protandim synergizes Nrf2 by 1800% and is an all natural product!!!

The "Agony of Defeat"

As I listen to the wind whip outside I can't help but parallel it's blowing to the winds that have been blowing in our lives over the past couple of weeks.

Last night was one of the most heart wrenching losses that I have had to experience with one of my children. Dallin took second place in state wrestling. Those who have experience with high school wrestling would look at this win as an unusual and an amazing accomplishment for a high school freshman, but when you understand that taking this title has been something that Dallin has dreamed about and been preparing mentally and physically for for several years you can see why this loss was so heartbreaking. He even spent his hard earned money from pipe moving on wrestling mats to put in our basement and practices on them almost daily with his brothers in addition to his wrestling practices at school. To see this dream ripped out from underneath him has been so hard because is all it took was 6 minutes of not being mentally prepared and making stupid mistakes on his part to have it all taken away. He was ranked #1 in the state and he had beat his final competitor the last 4 times they had wrestled. Dallin was by far the better wrestler. Dallin knew it and the kid that won knew it. That is what has made this such a devastating loss.

We understand that there is a much bigger picture to life and life is not just about high school sports, but it still doesn't take away the pain and growing experiences that we will go through as we experience this “agony of defeat”. This pain is unavoidable if you have put your heart and soul into something.

Last nights loss was just one more blow to the already stormy weather that has been blowing in our lives for the past couple of weeks. After all of our trials over the past couple of weeks, we were really hoping for them to end with a State Championship title for Dallin that he has worked so hard for.

The winds starting blowing on us about two weeks ago when our heater went out at the store, then the computer, then we had major electrical problems, and to end the week we were robbed at the store. The week after that started out with Spencer being admitted to Primary Children's hospital and being diagnosed with Type I diabetes, Tuesday Enoch was in a skiing accident and his still suffering from a concussion, Wednesday Ben came home sick with the flu, and Friday we got a phone call from one of our tenants because they had got a reduction in pay and could no longer afford to pay full rent, and then we ended Saturday with the State Wrestling Competition.

We have learned, and are still learning much through these experiences. Now that we have had a month from “hell” we are hoping that we can look forward to March proves to be a less stressful month.

Spencer's Diagnosis of Type I Diabetes

Monday, Spencer had his first ambulance ride. Poor Spencer has been suffering from "ketoacidosis" (a very serious condition in the body caused by untreated Type I diabetes) for about two months. Even though he had almost every symptom of this condition (increased thirst, increased hunger, increased urination, weight loss (he had lost 20+ lbs. in a very short amount of time) it took us a few months to wake up and realize the severity of the symptoms we were seeing. By the time he was seen by the clinic, his blood sugar was at 586 and he had the more advanced stages of "ketoacidosis"--weakness and fatigue, fast, deep breathing, and slow or confused thinking. After they received his test results back from the lab, we were immediately called back to the hospital where he was started on iv's to combat this condition and he was taken by ambulance to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City where we have been able to get his body back in balance and receive a completely overwhelming education about our new life. Even though this situation has added greatly to our already "full plate" I feel that we have much to be grateful for.

First of all, we were seen by an excellent nurse practioner at our local clinic who was very knowledgeable about this condition and very helpful in helping us deal with this situation. We also had the very unusual privilege and blessing of having Spencer transported in the ambulance for the 1 1/2 hr. ride by his aunt and uncle who are both emt's. This was a great comfort to us and Spencer at a very stressful time and we are very grateful to them for arranging their very hectic schedules to be there for us.

Secondly, I feel blessed that this is a treatable disease. As our family has experienced, nothing is more devastating than receiving a diagnosis of a disease that has no cure or treatment.

Third, I wouldn't pick any of our children to have this disease, but if I had to pick one that would handle it with flying colors it would be my Spencer. He is such a responsible and conscious boy. Infact, I am confident that he will be correcting me if we are not managing his diabetes exactly how we have been taught. Essentially his pancreas (an organ in the body that is responsible for producing the hormone insulin that allows glucose to move out of your bloodstream and into your body's cells) has shut down. We will be acting as an external pancreas to give his body what it needs to function correctly. As he is a very responsible and trustworthy 13 year old, he will be able to take a large responsibility for his care that this disease will require.

Fourth, with this type of diabetes being insulin dependent Spencer can eat almost anything he wants as long as it is managed. He will be testing his blood sugar levels 4+ times per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime) so that he can adjust his dosages as needed. Before any meal or snack that has carbohydrates in it he has to count the number of carbohydrates he will be consuming and give his body the correct amount of insulin to process this food. It will take some time and experience to balance his blood sugars correctly and we will have to monitor and treat his low blood sugars as well as his high blood sugars. If we can prove that we can manage his condition over the next year we will be eligible for a pump which is a more convenient option for managing this disease.

Spencer is handling this diagnosis incredibly well and was such a trooper as he was turned into a "human pin cushion", especially the first night we were here and they checked his blood every hour on the hour. I really think that he is relieved to find out why his body has been struggling so much and that he finally has a way to take care of it. We all have some apologizing to do, however, as we have been teasing him about being lazy for the last little while. When he does get his body back to its optimal levels he is probably going to come back and kick all of our butts!

Last night I co-hosted a webinar for the A-T community about protandim with Dr. Joe Giacalone. Along with the several questions that I had afterwards, I also had a request to update my blog. I was very inspired by this request because I really didn't know anybody really cared or was watching for updates. I am going to try to get back to posting at least a few times a week. I have had a very rough few months and had just kind of shut the world out and hibernated into my own little world.

First of all, I have to admit that co-hosting last nights blog was very HARD for me and I was very SCARED.  I do not enjoy public speaking or being the center of attention. In fact, I was even nervous at my own bridal shower because like I said I just don't love being the focus of attention. Even though I have had a rough couple of months and have wanted to just stay in my own little world, when Dr. Giacalone joined our team and offered to do educational classes for me I knew that I had to get some educational information out to my A-T friends. As I read your stories and struggles my heart just aches for each of you and the struggles that you and your children are going through and I have to ask myself how I can just sit back and watch you and your children suffer when I believe that I have come across a product and science that has been life changing for our A-T children??? Yes, this takes a lot of effort for me to get this information out there, but if I can just improve the quality of one of your children's lives my sacrifice will have been worth it.

As you may recall from my blog, last year my mom had been dying from Huntington's disease. The care center where my mom was staying quit giving her the protandim, that she was doing so well on, and lied to us about it. She plummetted and went down hill quickly. We didn't catch what was going on for about 3 mos. and by that time she had reverted back to being a vegetable, had quit eating, and was down to less than 100 lbs. in weight. As siblings, we made the decision to put her on comfort care and let her go. She passed away August 13th of last year. We spent 11 days gathered around her hospital bed, in my sister's house, keeping her comfortable in her last days. Her death has been very difficult for me to cope with, but it has also been a great blessing as she know longer has to deal with an imperfect body.

In the fall we moved to a house out in the country on five acres--FINALLY! Even thought it is what we have wanted for quite some time, there have been a lot of changes to deal with and I still don't have my office put together!!

At the beginning of November I got very unexpected and unwanted news. We found out that we are expecting another baby again in July, even though the copper IUD that I had put in was still perfectly in place. We were the 1% that is on the statistical chart at the doctors office. We just seem to have a knack for beating the odds! The doctors only comment was that this must have meant to have been. I have cried a lot since I received this news, I have been so exhausted, and I have not felt well. I'm sure that some of this is enhanced because I am not getting any younger at age 39. I know with time that I will learn to love this baby and it will be a blessing in our home. My two year old, Rachel, was also a surprise and she has been an absolute joy and pleasure to have.

As far as my twins condition, they are still doing very well and we are very committed to giving them their protandim on a consistent basis. They are nine now and in the 3rd grade and they are still both very tiny for their age. Ben's speech continues to be hard to understand, he struggles with fine motor skills, he still drools some, and he has somewhat of a wobbly walk. Other than those things, Ben lives a relatively normal and healthy life and he is still riding his bike! Bekah also continues to do well. She does still struggle a little bit with fine motor skills and has some trouble writing, but she continues to be healthy and strong!!!