Quite a bit has changed in the past few months. An update is in order.

1. Hedy’s scratching
I used medicated shampoo that the vet at Guide Dogs for the Blind gave me. That helped. Her furious scratching seems to be connected to temperature and moisture in the air as well. Also, because Hedy turns out to be allergic to polyester (and all the fleece and dog blankets I looked at were made with it), I asked Sherry Dreese to make me some 100% cotton mats. At home, I put one on Hedy’s comfy foam pad (non-allergenic), and when I’m out at events, it’s easy to fold one into my dog bag. When we arrive at our destination, I lay out the mat and Hedy knows immediately where her place is, and the mat gives her insulation and a little cushioning from the hard floor.

2. Solo Uno
My jewelry line continues to bring blessings and surprises. In October, I had my first show and gallery opening in ten years. It was a shared opening with other artists. I never know if anyone will like my stuff, so I was uncomfortable and feeling awkward standing near the 4-shelf glass tower while people crowded into the Main Street Gallery for a look at the new show. To my surprise, several pieces have sold. It’s one thing to have my friends tell me how pretty the jewelry is; it’s another to have a stranger like it enough to buy it.

My friend Jim Horne took these pictures of the case.

I also set up a table at a crafts fair that the Lakeport Women’s Civic Club was holding in the Friendship Hall of my church. My friend Nancy Horne drove me over, expertly arranged my books and jewelry, and lent me a basket so I could show Sherry Dreese’s cotton dog mats (also good for babies). To my surprise, I sold some of my books and CDs, and one pair of earrings.

My friend Dan Worley took this picture of Nancy and me at the table.

Nancy took this shot. Hedy is snoozing on her cotton mat.

Here are a few of my latest Solo Uno pieces.

3. My projects

I’ve been diligently working on the books, and I’m happy to say that, before Christmas, “A Gift of Puppies” will soon be available to download from the Earthen Vessel website. I can’t tell you how excited I am that people will be able to read these twelve inspiring, informative, heart-warming stories.

The book on my parents and the account of how my dad invented microcurrent will be out after the first of the year.

4. My eyes

They’re better. You may remember that I burned them from too much time staring at the computer screen. They became so sensitive to light that I could hardly bear to look at the monitor. I began diligently wearing dark glasses and a hat. That helped. I started using my dad’s microcurrent regularly. That helped even more. But what has made the most difference is a huge change in what I do and do not choose to eat.

It came about because my friend Dan Worley watched two documentaries. One is called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. The other is called Forks Over Knives. Both can be found on Netflix.I had done green drinks before because I had taken training at the Gerson Institute in San Diego, CA, and did six months of Gerson Therapy to try to stop the steady and alarming deterioration of my health after the stress of my mother’s illness and death and my husband’s multiple strokes. The vegan diet and raw juices not only swung my health around, my eyes improved a great deal. Then I decided to return to “normal,” though I still ate mostly organic food and did not add salt. I stopped juicing because it was a lot of work and I was busy. I was careful, though, to eat only free-range, organic chicken and grass fed, humanely killed bison from a local ranch.

In October, Dan watched those documentaries and volunteered to make green drinks for both of us. He also implored me to stop eating meat. God had already been talking to me about not eating meat. There was enough solid research and documentation in “Forks Over Knives” that I decided to give it a shot. I did wonder whether I would get enough protein from a plant-based diet, but I figured I could always eat meat if I needed to. It was my choice.

Now, two months later, I must tell you that I have not felt weaker or worse. I have not missed meat or eggs, though I do occasionally miss cheese. The hardest thing for me is not eating fats or oils. I love fried foods. The Chinese eat Peking Duck where the crispy skin is the best part of the delicacy. I grew up devouring roast pork where the luscious, crackling brown savory skin is attached to about half an inch of solid, white fat. Sigh. But, I’ll tell you what—I went from a size 10 to a size 4 without working at it. That was a side benefit. I no longer have trouble getting my breath. And my eyes have stabilized. I no longer flinch from the computer screen. I have been able to read the Bible on my iPad, and that is a great relief. There’s a lot of difference between hearing and reading. I get much more out of it when I can look at the words.

It was a lot of adjustment at first because even vegan foods have oil in them, but when I learned that oils are the reason tissues become insulin resistant, I decided it was worth the effort. My hypoglycemia is not nearly the issue for me that it used to be. I do eat a little flax seed oil (recommended by Dr. Max Gerson) because I’ve heard research that shows the need for women to have a little oil in their diets. Other than that, I’m pretty much fat free.

So, you think vegetarians are strange and vegans are extremists? Wait! There’s more! I’m taking a raw foods class with Raw Chef Christina. She teaches us how to make gourmet foods that are guilt-free and full of vitality. For Thanksgiving I made nut nog (with fresh almond milk I made myself) and brownies that were unbelievably delicious. I’m not going to “go raw” for all my food, but I’m loving this new adventure and feeling better and better.

About a year and a half ago, Charlotte Gerson herself called to ask me how my eyes were doing. I told her I’d burned them and that I was traveling and not able to stay on the diet. She “gave me the black whip treatment” (her words) and ended by saying, “Aren’t your eyes worth it? What could be more important than your eyes?”

Lest you think I’m deprived, I want you to know I don’t feel that way in the least. I have seen what happens according to what I choose to eat, and I like the improvements I’m having in my eyes and in my health in general. I believe I can do this—and continue to do this without feeling deprived. In fact, I feel privileged that I can eat my way to health. The Chinese consider food to be medicine. I now understand how that can be. And the best part is that it tastes good.

Here’s Dan’s recipe for a green drink he created during the World Series. He calls it “Prime-Time Lime.” It not only smells and tastes wonderful, it’s pretty.

8-10 leaves of Romaine lettuce (hearts make it lighter)
2 leaves and stems of green kale (optional, for more nutrition)
4-6 sticks of celery
1 medium-sized cucumber
2 Granny Smith apples
1 Lime (peeled)

Put in your juicer and savor the flavor!

Makes 2 tall drinks