Spencer's Yearly Diabetic Check-Up

Yesterday was a good day. We had our yearly checkup with the Endocrinologist (we see his assistant at our 3 mo. check-ups). I was somewhat nervous to go, as I have not been monitoring Spencer very closely with everything else going on in our lives (11 pancreatic attacks with my husband, a newborn baby and trying to recover from toxic mold poisoning with a family of 9). Our diet has been decent (fresh eggs from our backyard, fresh ground and homemade bread products, good quality meat, fresh fruits and vegetables and limited sugars) and protandim when he remembers to take it. His A1c was an 8.2, which is not excellent by any means, but he has only been taking 1:15 carb ratio and he has not had any lantus (the long lasting insulin) in 3 months--for some reason he is refusing to take it). This tells me that after 1 1/2 yrs. he still has pancreatic function! The doctor was totally amazed by this. He was also very open minded and excited to see where we can go with the treatments for the mold poisoning (what we believe was the original cause) and the gymnema and pancreatrophin that we have just started on at the recommendation of a chiropractor that we have been seeing. The endocrinologist requested to personally see Spencer back in 3 mos. and has ordered the measure of his insulin producing cells to be retested at that time. Spencer was very excited by the doctors encouragement and now has a lot of motivation to get serious about healing his pancreas because there appears to be a lot of hope. I am just thrilled to be working with an amazing environmental dr. and chiropractor and now have an endo who is rooting us on in our efforts to heal!

Thank You Health Well Foundation

Below is a testimonial that I wrote for the Health Well Foundation. A foundation that I will be forever grateful to.

"The Health Well Foundation has been such a HUGE BLESSING to our family of nine. In Dec. 2012 our family moved to a new home on five acres to start living a more "healthy" lifestyle. Within a few short months, our once healthy family developed Type 1 diabetes, asthma, chronic lung problems, chronic coughs, headaches, Bell's Palsy and recurring pancreatitis. After investigating, we discovered that the house we had moved to had toxic mold in it and we found ourselves running for our lives. We were lucky enough to get out of the environment within only 7 months and had high hopes that our "hellish nightmare" would end. 

Unfortunately, we have continued to suffer the devastating effects of these poisons. Having the heart of a mother, I agonized over how to pay to get my family the medical help that we so desperately needed. The testing we needed to have run to check for the presence of these toxins is $700 out-of-pocket per person, the initial visit with the environmental doctor is about $500 per person out-of-pocket, and the monthly treatments run between $400-$700 per person out-of-pocket for 3-12 months. The ability for our family to afford the medical help that we so desperately needed was IMPOSSIBLE, especially with my husband, our main breadwinner, off of work for more than half the year either in the hospital or recovering from 11 pancreatic attacks.

After exploring several different avenues, I found myself banging my head against the wall. I was finally referred to the Health Well Foundation. I e-mailed them our story not really knowing what response to expect. I was elated when a week later I received an e-mail empathizing with our story and informing me that they were going to try to get us the help that we needed. To say I was elated and felt great hope is an understatement.

Within a few weeks we were all approved for a grant and we have been able to move forward in healing our family. Unfortunately, we have learned that all 8 of us have these poisons present in our body, but we have great hope as we have the funding that we need to pay for necessary medical visits and treatments. These treatments are making a tremendous difference in the health of our family, especially in my husband, who is having fewer pancreatic attacks now and recovering A LOT quicker. The traditional doctors had done all that they knew how and had given up on him, but thanks to the funding from the Health Well Foundation we were able to afford to see the right kind of doctor, have the necessary tests run and afford the medication. We still have a long road ahead of us, but we feel so much hope. God bless this wonderful foundation and the donors that have made it possible for people like us to receive the help that we need!"

6 Week Celebration!

Today we celebrate 6 weeks (42 days) since Larry last had a pancreatic attack! This has been such a physical, emotional and financial ride for our family.


1st attack  4/22/13-4/25/13; Lasted 3 days--did not go to doctor
2nd attack 5/07/13-5/10/13; 3 day hospital stay in Malad; 15 days from last attack
3rd attack  6/06/13-6/08/13; 2 day hospital stay in Malad; 30 days from last attack
4th attack  6/18/13-6/20/13; 2 day hospital stay at Portneuf; 12 days from last attack
We get moved out of house where our family has been so sick
5th attack  8/11/13-8/15/13; 4 day hospital stay in Ogden; 30 days from last attack
6th attack  12/28/13-1/4/14; 7 day hospital stay at Portneuf; 142 days from last attack
Gallbladder is removed
7th attack   3/03/14-3/07/14; 4 day hospital stay in Malad; 65 days from last attack
End of April we see environmental doctor, Dr. Hope, who prescribes us Glutathione, binders, and several other supplements and lifestyle changes
8th attack   5/16/14-5/17/14; overnight hospital stay in Malad; 74 days from last attack
9th attack   6/05/14-6/05/14; day stay in Malad hospital; 20 days from last attack
10th attack--6/25/14