Ok, Here's What I Think Happened...

Actually I know what happened, but the question is how, if at all, things are linked together...

Last June (of 2010) a doctor's visit resulted in a blood draw for a potassium check. It turned out low. Not good because low potassium can lead to a number of things such as high blood pressure that resists control (even by multiple meds) higher risk of cardiac arrest, muscle tiredness and a multitude of other bad stuff.

So, I went on increasingly large doses of potassium to try to rectify the situation.

To No Avail.

By September, I was prescribed up to 80 milligrams equivalent per day of potassium. But my levels were almost always lower than the bottom limit.

Worse, my GP couldn't understand why I wasn't absorbing it.

I did some googling and found that it could involve the endocrine system. But I wasn't sure.

About that time, I had a job interview. Part of the process involved a pre-employment physical. The company specified the doctor. So, I went.

It took him five minutes prodding me and finding out about the potassium that he shot out "You need to see an endocrinologist and be checked for Addison's disease".

That was enough for me. It congealed my suspicions. And his statement that I was "not fit for work" took a back seat.

So I found an endocrinologist. Problem was he appeared to be dragging his feet. Even worse, getting information back was horrible. His habit of saying "we can't just call you...we have too many patients" kind of tipped him off. This takes us up to (I think) early January. Maybe February.

The one good thing he did was put me on sporonolactone which is a blood pressure med that targets the secretions of the endocrine glands.

So, I decided to find a doctor in Iowa City. Found one. Dr. Thomas O'Dorisio. And we made the trip up there.

Their diagnosis was Conn Syndrome, which is caused by an over secretion of aldosterone by the endocrine glands, which are located on the kidneys. Higher aldosterone leads to a loss of potassium in the urine.

Side note: By early March, I had started (re)memorizing 1 John. By the tenth, my mind became a scrambled mess. I just couldn't deal with it. Verses ran together somewhat and trying to memorize new ones seemed fruitless. On our first visit to O'Dorisio, we found that during that time period, my potassium had shot up too high. The sporonolactone was working...but I was also still taking the large (prescribed) doses of potassium.

Strange though, as my potassium levels returned to "normal", my symptoms continued. The muscle tiredness, the confusion...even tremors and more.

Finally, my wife of 13 years (this August) took me to the E.R. of the local hospital for a potassium check....

To be continued....and perhaps modified.

Rick Warren: Welcoming Speakers that Promote the Occult

Well, here he goes, finally removing the mask he has had so very long.

We live in very dangerous times.

More Planned Parenthood Exposed.

This is just incredible. We know that the founder of Planned Parenthood (Sanger) had black genocide in mind. Well, things haven't changed. You can openly tell them you want to donate money to go toward the abortion of a black child and no opposition is given.

God have mercy on us!

Islam: James White Gives An Intro.

Part one of a multipart series.

Phil Johnson on Driscoll, et.al.

Planned Parenthood Exposed: Abby Johnson Tells the Inside Story

Here's an Update

Thanks for stopping by...and happy new year!

Yes, the blog has been slow. The past twelve months have been tough ones, mostly multiple health reasons...and I've been spending more time on Facebook. But things are getting better and I expect to spend more time here this year.

I have, of late, been doing some study in eschatology, for a couple of reasons such as firming up where I am and understanding other views better. It is all too easy to have a casual position and not a conviction. Then life happens and you find it necessary to clarify things.

My wife and I have spent considerable time looking for a church. We are currently attending one and with the exception of some (eschatological) differences, it appears to be fairly good although I am not-so-secretly wondering when "the other shoe" will drop. Until then, we will seek to love the bretheren and grow in Christ. Things like this help us learn patience.

Currently, I'm reading "Future Israel" by Horner, and I have another book on the way. Perhaps I could use posting chapter summaries as an excuse to keep things more active here.

So, again, thanks for visiting here. I know the crickets have been very audible for a long time here at the 'fly. Thanks for your patience and I hope you understand.

Blessings to you.

Why I Can Cheerfully Say To You, "Merry Christmas"

Seems that every year, I hear the same diatribes. "Christmas is pagan", "God never commanded us to celebrate the birth of Christ". On and on.

It's frustrating because you really want to give these people the benefit of the doubt that they simply want to honor God. Maybe some of it is done out of a pride trip. Don't know. Not my business to judge motive.

Furthermore, I'm not one to get involved in debates. I used to but hung that tendency up a number of years ago when I discovered that such discussions rarely get anywhere.

So, in the interest of helping some of you who might a) appreciate some information on the various arguments and why they fail, or, b) wish to use such information to persuade someone, I provide the following excerpt and link to a good article I recently found:

"Let me be clear. I'm not angry with people who don't celebrate Christmas. Individuals and churches have the liberty to celebrate or not. What is troubling is to hear those of us within the Reformed church that do commemorate the incarnation of the Son of God at Christmas labeled as compromisers, crypto-Romanists, idolaters, second-commandment breakers, and worse. Beyond that, the anti-Christmas rhetoric is inflammatory, but the reasons offered are pitiful..."

And, oh... Merry Christmas, and Praise God for sending our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sez It All!

Yes! He Is!

هو الرب يسوع المسيح للجميع!

What I'm Listening To...

It's been a long year. Much going on. Some medical things, some not. Not working as much as I'd like but God is faithful.

Speaking of faithful, I'm reading of God's faithfulness in an area that I didn't see coming. Specifically, I'm studying a little about the faithfulness of God as it relates to Israel.

I'm a futurist. I always have been. Just reading the Scriptures leads me that way. I've never seen any reason, excuse or whatever to agree with replacement theology (the Church is the new Israel) and the more I hear people argue for it, the more convinced I am that I'll never be able to agree with it.

There are a couple sources that I'm looking at. The first one is John MacArthur's work on "Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist" I'm currently going through the audio files and it is helping to organize many things that I previously understood. The second one I've yet to receive but it is Barry Horner's book "Future Israel". I've heard this is a masterful work. When it gets here I'll do a book report on it right here!

Thanks for your continued interest in my blog. It's been a very slow year and there are a number of reasons for that.

May the Lord bless you all!

The Qur'an Attests to the Truth of Christianity

Good series!

Pt 1:


Pt 2:


Pt 3:


Pt 4:


Pt 5:


Pt 6:


Pt 7:

The Seeker-Sensitive Movement: Your Thoughts Al and R.C...

Gotta Love It!