New Eating Habbits

I found on the internet a diet that claims to stop and in some cases reverse heart disease. I really have no other options since this thing is progressing so fast. We are constantly increasing meds to keep up with the chest pain and keep it bearable. So after finding Calldwell Essestyn's ideas on how to fix the problem I googled some more. I found that his son Rip is an iron man, holds records swimming, and running all over. He swam from Alcatraz to the bay and won that. He came in third in a race that Lance Armstrong took first. The guy is also a fireman. He managed to win over his whole station to eating a plant based diet after a bet of who could have the lowest cholesterol. They found out that one of their fireman brothers had an almost deadly number and combined with his family history he was a walking heart attack. Long story short the guys went on this plant based diet to save one of their own and have stayed on this diet ever since. The diet is great for heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimers .

I started this plant based diet on Monday the 4th of April. So far so good, no meat, no dairy and no oil! There are two ways to doing it, one way they ease you into it eliminating something each week, cadet style. The other way is "fireman" style which I did. Its all hands on the first day out of the gate. I have had a lot of firsts during this week, Hummus (which I made) , Kale and some fake sausage patties.

First off the food I'm eating is so good! I can't believe the tastes that can come from some of these plants. I have always eaten a well balanced diet but vegetables meant peas, carrots, corn or salad. My first day out for lunch I had toasted bread with hummus spread generously on it, green onions and cilantro on top of that, thinly sliced lemons covering that. My cooked Kale came next piled high with lemon zest on top and a few slices of tomatoes. It was so good! I would never have eaten those things together let alone on a sandwich but it was the most flavorful sandwich I have ever eaten. I got the recipe from Rip's book The Engine 2 Diet. Tomorrow Phil has obliged me with an opportunity to make our main dinner dish vegan style. I think I won him over with my home fries tonight. The potatoes and onions were cooked with no oil or butter but had some of the best flavor we have ever had in home fries (breakfast potatoes), they were also topped with quartered cherry tomatoes...mmmmm.

If any of you were thinking about doing a plant based diet there is a web site that has great recipes. Even if you wanted to just change one or two meals a day that's a huge deal on starting to clean out your system. http://pcrm.org/kickstartHome/mealplan/index.cfm I got my home fry recipe from this site. Now I'm not against eating meat, I cook my husband and son meat every day. My dad is a cattle rancher, its in my blood. But I can't live for my food, I have get my food working for me to live for my son and family. If this is my best shot other than the 18 pills I have to take each day than so be it. Plus its kinda fun to say I eat vegan style. I'm not in the norm anymore...going against the grain. :)

Busy Meline's

We finally got heat in this house this winter! It got below zero for a few nights in a row so we pitched a tent in the living room. Placed the space heaters to point in and camped out. Bradach loved it and it was a nice way to keep our minds off how real the situation was. Here is a pic of our new pellet stove, we got a steal on it. Its one of the best and the guy just never used it so he sold it cheap.

Bradach playing in the tent
Bradach and his best friend and sister :) Sadi, they wrestled in the tent.
Mommy and Bradach laying down for bed in the tentOur new pellet stove, Phil made the hearth, he did a great job!

We took a trip to visit my new nephew, and of course his sister and parents. We also got to visit and meet the newest member of the Meline family, Carl and LeeAnn's little girl Mallie.

We stayed the first night of our trip at the Come on Inn in MT. Forgot the swim suits (well Grandpa packed his) but for some reason I packed a swim diaper, lucked out there!

Meet Robert Morris Moldenhauer the 4th aka Bob
This is Mallie, she is adorable.

Mardi and Bradach frosted Sugar Cookie hearts for VAlentine's day....we strategically left the cookies there when we left :) I think these two stinkers ate more frosting than they got on the cookies.

Just an update since the last post was about my trip to the Mayo. I went and got home safely. It was well worth the trip. I got a diagnosis, and even though I'm not better and they can't fix it we can treat my symptoms. I'm learning to not let my chest pain get out of control or even last for more than a few minutes. Its causing my heart to starve of oxygen (ischemia). If I want the best possible outcome of a long happy life I have to stay on my meds and keep my symptoms under control. The disease is called Mircrovascular dysfunction and Prinzmetal's(which just started a few weeks ago), in a nut shell if I get over stressed or exert myself my microvessels (the smallest ones, capillaries) close off instead of open to get my heart oxygen. I'm tired most of the time, its an extreme fatigue...not just a "I didn't get that much sleep tired". Life is changing and we are adapting to my new life, it affects my husband and son as much as it does me. I'm glad Phil was already capable of many household duties ie cooking, cleaning, dishes and laundry because most days I can't do it. I'm learning some new hobbies like fly tying and knitting, we also got net flix so I'm watching some TV series that I never watched before. If one GREAT thing came out of this disease its that I have a new found patients with those around me. I'm not so quick to scold Bradach or make sure he is doing the things that are socially acceptable. I'm learning to enjoy the good days and push through the hard ones. I'm especially thankful for my love of my Heavenly Father and the love he has for me. Without it I wouldn't be functioning as well as I do now.

At the Mayo

No pictures on this blog, just a quick update. Phillip, Bradach and I left for Salt Lake on Christmas day. We went to Temple square to enjoy the nativity and the lights. Bradach went nuts for the temple and Moroni. He also loved the lights and the fountains. I arrived in Rochester on Sunday, the day after Christmas.
This is my second day at the Mayo and its quite a different experience. This clinic works very well! I have appointments scheduled through the week and one on the 12th. But chances are the one on the 12th will get rescheduled this week. I have been doing the weirdest tests and yesterday I got to meet with my cardiologist. She is very smart, I spent 2 hours with her...wow that was a detailed apt. I have consults this week with a pulmonary specialist, and an electrophisiologist (heart electrical function). And another one with my cardiologist. At least she has some good ideas and I know if she runs into a dead end she has about 150 other specialists to ask.
I miss my family with a passion but know that this is the place where I need to be right now. I have great support at home for my husband and my son. Can't wait to get home!!

Holliday Season at the Melines

I should start with Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for in the Meline home. We have wonderful parents that care for us. We have a home that has food. Phillip has a great job, I have a great job. Most of all we have a wonderful son that brings so much happiness to our lives. Bradach Thanksgiving day, giving me a cheeser.

I think Bradach is thankful for his new friend Sadi.

Christmas, season has been a whirlwind of emotions for me. I feel so close to the spirit and the true meaning of Christmas. Its AWESOME to know that God loved us so much that he could send his only son to earth to die for our sins. I can only imagine, I have a hard enough time leaving my son one day a week while I work. Its been fun teaching Bradach about the baby Jesus. He doesn't quite get it but he will.
Its also fun to see him get so excited and say ooo's and aaaaw's when we drive down the roads and see lights. He loves the tree all the activities we have done lately to welcome Christmas.
This year I made up a whole bunch of activities wrote them down and put them in a tin for Bradach to draw out each day. We stated out with making a paper chain with the number of days until Christmas and he has enjoyed ripping a chain off each day. We made a book of the story of the baby Jesus and a few other activities. Here are some pics of activities we have been doing.

This is our mog pog tree of love, pieces given to us from friends and an ornament that we have picked out one a year since we got married. Phil made the topper, I painted it the first year we were married, its a snowboard and ski's and poles and yes it lights up. If you look close you can see the chain...and its almost gone! Also there is Bradach's riendeer hands, one from last year and one from this year. He sure has grown! This is the Christmas book we made as a family, I know its not in order...too hard to take a pic that way :) but you get the idea. I like Phil and Bradach's colored pages the best.
These sugar cookies gave me a sugar high just looking at them. Bradach is an excellent decorator.
Ginger bread house time!

Bradach piggin out on the candy.He did get a few candies on the house.

Well that's what we have been up to! This week will include a family tradition of the Christmas Eve party filled with great family and lots of food. Christmas day Phil and I are driving to SLC to see the lights at the Temple with Bradach. Then the next morning I fly out to Rochester, MN. I will be getting some extra special attention at the Mayo Clinic there. Hopefully I will come out with an understanding of what is wrong with my body and with some luck maybe a fix it plan. If you have any extra room in your prayers this next week please add my family. Its really hard for me to leave my husband and son home. Thank you and may you all have a wonderful holiday season!

More Randomness

I think with my busy life style this random blogging might become a normal thing.
First off is Mardianna's birthday party. Mardi my beautiful niece turned one on the 4th of October. Luckily the weather was nice and warm....however Bradach's birthday falls in June and its always freezing, go figure.Don't look twice you were right the first glance, these two boys are twins. Bradach and JJ.

Mardianna the birthday girl.

Bradach got to go to the fire station and enjoy an open house. Probably the only kind of open house a two year old would enjoy. While the fireman was explaining the truck you would hear Bradach very loudly say "WOW that's cool!" He enjoyed the whole experience.

All of the soldiers in our area were deployed to Iraq in September. We are blessed to know quite a few of them. They serve our country and help others around the world in need. Blackfoot held a parade, and hot dog feast to say good bye.

Can you tell this little girl has pride? Her daddy is marching, she doesn't know whats going on but she knows how much she loves her daddy. Bradach and Leah showing support during the parade.

You couldn't help but cry while they marched and did their chants.

This is Jesse, him and his family are some of our closest friends. Its hard to see him go, however duty calls.

We took a took a trip to Spokane to visit Phillips family and my brother's family. Here are some pics of our six day vacation.

This is a huge Radio Flyer wagon that the handle has been made into a slide.

Feeding the ducks with daddy at River Front Park. This park is so much fun, there are so many things to explore. Probably my favorite place in Spokane.

Grandma treated us all to a day at a rescue for big cats, we saw lions, tigers, panthers, bears and a snake. Here is Bradach and I playing on the monkey toys. I think I might have liked them a bit more than him.

This is Grandma and Papa's backyard. Bradach loved to swing, he loved it even more when Grandma or Papa would swing with him. He got to play with some cousins also, Ianna and Benny (there is no way I could spell his real name).

We have great news, we got a new addition to our family, her name is Sadi. Our last dog Nakeeta was too high strung to live in the cemetery. This dog however is a Great Dane and requires little exercise. She loves to lounge inside. She is so much fun we fell instantly in love with her. She loves to jump on the tramp with Bradach. She is very cautious and gentle with him. She is one year old and was the runt of her litter, along with getting prego at 6 months her growth is severely stunted. She still thinks she is the biggest of the big dogs though. she is very good on leash and Bradach walks her with no problem. She is perfect for our family and we love her dearly.

This is the collar Phil made for her, if you look closely you will see a purple flower with the rings. The center ring is yellow, and then there are green on the edges. Phil made one for Nakeeta but this tops all things he has made, the rings are very very light and the strongest material he could find. In all just the rings cost about $60, and with the time he put into making it it comes out to about $120. But she has a custom collar. The things you do for the ones you love.

Tornado of Randomness

Every day we make a shake, usually around lunch time. If Phil makes them they usually contain: banana, strawberry, mixed berry and milk. My shake is a little healthier usually consisting of: strawberry, blueberry, apple, orange, spinach and carrot. Or my new favorite peach, mango, banana, orange, strawberry. Here are a couple of photos of Bradach enjoying the fruits of our labor :o) Nope, not a milk mustache...much much better! Sportin' the fruity mustacheSign language anyone? If you guessed pig your right! He also threw in dirty to sum up the situation.Ready to go to the beach mom! I've got my tractor and my cool dudes (sun glasses)Bradach, daddy and oldest cousin Tyler at the St. Anthony sand dunes. Swimming at the sand dunes. I think he is sagging a little bit:o) I'm a mountain, rock, tree, river type girl but this is gorgeous! One of the most beautiful places I have ever been to.Bradach on Grandma Chris' four wheeler. He's a natural! Ever since Bradach was 2 months old he has been attending softball games and practices. I'm either coaching or playing. Here is a rare pic of me and Bradach just watching a game (Uncle Scoobs game). He is so good at games, he will sit and cheer talk about it. If he ever asks to do something it usually is softball, slides or sand dunes.

Fourth of July 2010

For the fourth of July we went camping again at Hebgen Lake. We left Friday and came home Monday. My parents came with us...or vise versa :o). We stayed at a camp site with my Uncle Daryl and Aunt Kandace. Most of the weekend was spent fishing, either tolling from a boat, or fly fishing from the lake or in the Madison River. Phil wanted to catch a fish so bad...and he did! they ended up catching 4 fish in all. Good job guys!
We went hiking up the Kirkwood trail head one day. It was only a few miles long, but was perfect for us since we had Bradach. Bradach was a great wildlife alerter. He let everything in the forest know we were there. And the occasional question "can I pet it?" came out of his mouth. During the hike Phil decided to take the high trail.....I told him it was a game trail, but he didn't believe me. Soon enough the trail just stopped. So we ended up bush whacking it and praying Bradach would warn anything like a skunk or badger to run off away from us. We saw some deer and lots of birds. I'm pretty glad we did not run into any grizzly bears, but my dad gave us his gun just in case. We have come upon black bears hiking in the Tetons and you just wait for those ones to pass....not sure what I would do running into the Griz though.
We also did some jet skiing. One of the days my mom and I took them out. We were across the lake and down a ways when it started to rain. It was sooooo cold!! We had to get across the lake to the marina. I couldn't see anything! We were going as fast as the pain would let us. Yes that's right, the pain. It felt like thousands of pins hitting your face at once. We didn't dare go slow and stay out, but 35 mph is pretty fast in the rain.
The night of the fire works Bradach wouldn't stay outside. He just screamed he was so scared. So he watched from the safety of the motor home. I roasted marsh mellows for him and Mamo made him s'mores. In his words "I like it!". The fire works were amazing sounding in the where we were they echoed off all the mountains and were so loud! I don't normally like loud noises but this was awesome!

The sign at the trail head. I love warnings like this!
This is the Bradach way to hike.
Hello! See the trail behind me, that was a real trail. Big diff from the game trail.Phil tending the fire he made.

Bradach and his first s'more

The reaction to the fire works.