This is the "Blood Treatment" I have referred to

http://www.scottsdalenaturalmed.com/services/ubi.shtml

Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation or Photoluminescence Therapy Written by Cheryl M. Deroin, NMD
The wavelength of light used in photoluminescence treatments, wavelength C, corresponds to the wavelength of light from the sun that is known for its healing properties.  Dr. Gurwitsch, who researched photo-biology in the 1930’s, demonstrated that body tissues gave off tiny emanations of light in different wavelengths, all in the ultraviolet spectrum.  It has also been found that the blood of people who suffer from chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes and arthritis give off much more light than the blood of healthy people.  However, those who are sick have an internal deficiency of ultraviolet light.  The cells of those who are chronically ill are not able to transmit their synthesized light inward due to cellular disturbances. Ultraviolet light has been used in this country since the 1930’s, and in other countries much longer to combat bloodstream infection.  The benefits are much greater than the simple destruction of bacteria, viruses and other foreign substances.  Because only 200 ml of blood are taken out and passed through the UV light, about 1/25th of the body’s supply of blood, there is no direct destruction of foreign substances, but rather it is the effect of the light in the chemical energies of all cells which creates the strong response in the body. Photoluminescence corrects cellular imbalance in the blood.  One such method of correction is the normalization of white blood cells, whereby high levels will decrease and low levels will increase.  Ultraviolet blood irradiation (UBI) tends to build red blood cells in cases of anemia.  It also enhances the removal of fat from the liver, which if left untreated can cause elevated triglycerides and cholesterol.  UBI can increase cell permeability and is very effective in stimulating the immune system by enhancing the body’s own ability to produce antibodies. One of the most significant aspects of UBI is that it increases oxygen levels in the blood.  Oxygen deficiency blocks the basic physiological oxidation processes in the body which can cause fermentation of sugars leading to abnormal cell growth and blockages in the vessels.  Research done as early as 1925 demonstrated the increase in venous blood oxygen levels after photoluminescence that accumulates in the body with repeated treatments.

Check Mate

The only time I ever attempted to play chess, I was being taught by a second grader.  It was my freshman year at the University of CO at Boulder and I volunteered at a grade school just off campus.  It was a progressive charter school, the teachers names were Penny and Polly - there was a lot of free play.  I distinctly remember little blonde haired Jake patiently trying to tell my the rules of chess.  I even resorted to pulling out the "instructions" from the game box - after many attempts, we switched games.

But like most non chess players, I get the gist.  It requires patience, and mapping out a plan, but I have also seen it in the movies, that one wrong move, after hours of play, and the other players eyes light up, they take their time and then hop hop hop they jump all over you and yell check mate.

That's a bit how I have felt over the past few weeks.  Phoenix was a huge leap and bound of improvements.  I was patient, and I was a patient.  I stuck to a monotonous day, breakfast, lunch, doctor, home, dinner, bed.  I didn't see some of my friends there, I just didn't have any room for any other energy than the task at hand.  When I returned to Milwaukee, I was rewarded with many good days.  I ran into a friend of mine and she couldn't believe how good I looked.  She couldn't pin point it, your eyes are brighter, your skin looks great, just overall whatever they did to you its a noticeable difference.  And that 's how I felt - just lighter.  One of my favorite days was taking my niece to the grocery store - so simple.  But its what I always thought it would be like having a niece or nephew, just chilling.  She came over, we played, got in the car, she helped me grab all the items, checked out, it felt more like a scene from Mary Poppins - were the birds singing to us - felt like it. 

So after being back, a few bad days slipped in here and there - that's okay, to be expected.  Then the cold that was circulating made it to me, again - did I really think I would go all winter without a cold? I managed to deal with it, with only a daily dose of Pulmacort, as a preventative measure for my reactive airway disease - but I didn't need to be breathing in and out of the nebulizer - progress.  I was being patient, of course I was hosting my virus longer than others, but I was managing. 

This past Friday night I felt good enough to head to my alma mater high school to watch my friend's first grade daughter perform in the half time show.  I felt like yelling "I'm on top of the world" you can't imagine how great it feels to effortlessly do daily tasks.  I observed the students all decked out in their pajamas - something we would have thought of 20 years ago.  I crammed into the bleacher seats, and despite it being hot, it didn't make me feel faint - nothing a t-shirt and water couldn't calm.  And after, Steph and I headed out for a drink.  I was winning this game of chess.  I haven't had any alcohol in at least 6 months, but oh that Sierra Nevada sounded so good.  I haven't drank hard alcohol in years, wine often left me feeling congested, and beer with the yeast never seemed that good of an idea.  But I was stronger now...

Hop, hop, hop - check mate.  When I woke up the next morning with hives all around my neck like an ugly red turtleneck.  They were inflamed, itched, my cough was back and its like I fell down the rabbit hole.  One wrong move, that blissful beer - and five days later I am still paying for it.  The rash has come and gone, the cold simmered up, the fatigue increased.  Much like chess its been a mental game trying to stay positive - its like they say, the higher you go the further you fall.  So that's the good news, I am not used to feeling so good, so this tumble seems magnified.  I know its not, but its overwhelming, to map out and plan every move so carefully gets exhausting, on an occasion I want to forget about it and just go with the moment.  Not analyze every decision of every day like I am playing Bobby Fischer - but it seems as soon as I the opponent against this myriad of symptoms take a break, all the time, all the planning, in one second can come crashing down.

So, its off to a new board.  Start where I am at - rashy, uncomfortable, dealing with acute illnesses on top of the chronic, and a new adjusted plan.  My original one was to go back to Phoenix in February, but I got that glimpse of not exactly my "previous" self, but close enough, that waiting here all January seems like I am just wasting time, that I cant' bear to waste.  So, Jan 10th, I am off again, and despite knowing that I am going to be homesick, I am tired of watching on the sidelines, and hoping that more treatments, more time, my well self will stick around a bit longer.