[KAM]

in reply to: insecurity? #1073574

Hi Shellie,

Remember there is more to life than GD. We are all in difficult times. Todays financial storms and corporate restructuring are causing us all to question what we have done and what we are doing. Every where you go from print to radio to television all we get is how bad everything is and how much worst it is going to get. It’s not what is hapeening to you, it’s just what is happening. Hang in there, we’re all in this together.

Kam

[KAM]

in reply to: Remission but still in "fog"? #1073786

The two halfes of the brain need to talk to each other. There is a new book out that is getting a lot of press called Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. Basically the Dr. that wrote the book did PET scans on a bunch of people to see what goes on in the brain…. One of the things in this book and in other books that I have read is that complex fatty acids, Omega III’s, helps the two sides of the brain talk to each other. The best source of this type of fatty acid is supposed to be flax seed oil. I have high cholesteral so I have been takeing flax seed oil + Omega III for the past six months. It may all be a plasebo but I sure seen to be more clear headed. NOTE: I do not have Graves, my spouse does. But it sure won’t hurt you and it may help improve your cholesteral, what the heck.

Kam

[KAM]

in reply to: Life Situations, Emotions, and Graves’ Disease #1073883

Sounds good on paper. I ordered Grave’s Disease in our own words. When I got it and started reading it I was met with, " Isee you bought another book so you can figure out what is wrong with me " Like I said her Endo says her numbers are in line so she is fine. I hear what you are saying though. It’s time to not take anything personally and stay in fieght. Sticks and stones, she’s lost so much weight it’s not like she can kick my butt or nothing. She is however addicted to crossword puzzles to help her memory so she has quite an extensive vocabulary. Luckily for me I’m Norweign and never really know when I’m being insulted anyway

[KAM]

in reply to: Life Situations, Emotions, and Graves’ Disease #1073881

I printed off the rest of that article this morning and read it over lunch. Things make even more sense as far as the emotional pain my wife is feeling. I apologize for making this sound like a big game on my last post. It’s not for her and it’s not for me but I need to keep a sense of humor about it or it really gets to me. So here is my 64000 dollar question ladies. How do I show or tell her that I kind off understand the emotional trauma she has gone through and maybe going through without having my head takin off? How do I validate her emotions? Can I even do that?

Kam

[KAM]

in reply to: Life Situations, Emotions, and Graves’ Disease #1073880

It seems that most of the articles I have found on the stress and emotional aspects of Graves are pre 1950. Once they figured out the treatment options those options have taken front stage. My wife most diffinately had big stressers in her life and one huge one two years ago. She was diagnosed one year later. Unfortunately she is one of the people that does not want to know anything more about this then absolutely neccesary. Her Endo says her numbers are in line so she is fine. Graves can’t have anything to do with our marraige problems. We are dealing with other family issues as well but who doesn’t. Once again, isn’t that life. I have realized now how emotional dependant both her and I are. This comes on the heals of realizing what emotions are. Not only that but it turns out that I actually have them too. (It’s a guy thing, who knew ” title=”Wink” /> ) As you ladies all know there is no talking to or reasoning with her when she is "in the zone" and the quickest way to get her into the zone is to point something out or swing the flash light in her direction, so to speak. But every bit of information gives me a better understanding and more confidence to try to slay the Graves windmill. It is a fact that women talk three times more then men so if you are going to open your mouth and take on a women with Graves you had better bring your A game or she will school you with one hand tighed behind her back. She may break a sweat because her heart is raising but that’s irrelavent.

[KAM]

in reply to: A Good Read #1073961

Thanks for posting this. As a spouse of a Grave’s person it is nice to get a better understanding of the psycological side of this disease. Not to then be able to blame every negative situation on Graves but it sure makes things more understandable. I am in a situation of which came first the chickin or the egg? My spouse seems to think that stress from our marriage made her thyroid go wacky. Yes there is stress in our marriage between the kids and work and social obligation but that’s life, isn’t it? I on the other hand would like to piont the finger at the white elephant, Graves, and say that this is why things have been so stressed. It is a disease and no one asked for it to show up. There is tons of stuff out there about treating or removing the thyroid but you have to dig to find information about the psycological effects on the person and their family.

Kam

[KAM]

in reply to: How can I be more supportive? #1074354

Kam here again. I would like to clarify my earlier post. You asked how you could be more supportive and I rattled off a bunch of stuff that you already know and have done. As I mentioned my wife has Graves and we have three teenagers. Dealing with both can be very frustrating, you are a saint to be dealing with them together. As a spouse I fully understand having some one you love very deeply show such hatred back towards you. If ever there was a disease that could use a 12 step program it’s Graves. There is a 12 step program for every thing else under the sun. Unfortunately there isn’t one for this so we must make due with what we have. Some times I think I enable the Graves too much so I will stand my ground, if you will, only to have to butt handed to me. It gets pretty old after a while. Some how you have to be able to talk about the white elephant (Graves)in the room without them interpretting it as their fault. Good luck. Therapy is good but you really have to search to find some one that understands Graves. There are many good books about how human emotions work. This is an emotional disease. A really good book that helped me a lot is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel. It is not about Graves but it pretty much sums up what living with Graves is about. Kam

[KAM]

in reply to: How can I be more supportive? #1074352

Hi,
My wife has Graves and we also have three kids, one a sophomore in college, one a senior in high school, and one a sophomore in high school. My wife and I were talking just last night as our oldest left to go back to campus for the spring simester. We were talking about how much pressure young people are under to live the ultimate college life. You might try doing a google search for eomotions enonymous, it is a 12 step support group and see if there is an active group in your area. If not purhaps look into an Al-ateen group. They are both places where she could go and say what is on her mind without feeling judgement. Our son stuggled a bit last simester for the first time in his life. There is an active SOBER group on campus that I hope he will tap into but that is in his hands. Is she willing to look at different schools? Maybe go to a two year school to do her generals, get an Associates Dergree and transfer back to a four year school. Maybe look at a technical college with a shorter degree program. A four year libirel arts degree isn’t for everybody. The long and short of it is that todays young Gen X people are really up against it. It isn’t good enough to go out and just do something or be yourself. It has to be X Game flips and dips and over the top live life to the fullest…… Before he left our son mentioned that it was nice to hear that we didn’t expect that out of him. It is hard enough staying positive as a 47 year old dad that isn’t expected to do anything yet along to be a young person in a world where you are supposed to do everything. Best wishes and like Red Green says, " I’m pulling for yah, we’re all in this thing together".

[KAM]

in reply to: NO TREATMENT #1074660

Hi,
Sorry to hear of your diagnoses. My wife was diagnosed with Graves a year ago. There is a book titled, Graves Disease, In Our Own Words. You can order it on this site or through Amazon. It is very factual and straight forward. I agree with the people that think this book should be manditory reading for every person and spouse diagnosed with this disease. I read it last month and wish I would have found it last year. If you are married or have a significant other please have them read this book.
Kam

[Author]

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