Art in motion: My Art Legacy Experience #RCArtLove

   The past few weeks, I've been preparing for an art event called The Art Legacy Project, where stories and art come together. It's about connecting, working together and inspiring others, it's highlighting someone's passion and after it was over, I know I was meant to be chosen for this event. A huge thanks first off to the sponsors The Elks Theatre, Simpsons Printing, The OWN, The Rapid City Arts Council and the Suzie Cappa Art Center.....and all the wonderful people in the audience who were hopefully impacted by this event in some way.

My display area featuring artwork,

my travel coffee table book, photography

Copyrighted by Sydnie Ness

Along came Judy.....I was first approached by a member of the Art Legacy Committee in January/February if I would be interested and wow was this in my realm....a storyteller is weaving a tale while I'm illustrating live with 20 minutes to start and finish a painting?! Yeah, this project could be amazing!
As many of you know, my recent diagnosis of Hashimoto's has been a big breakthrough and I'm still learning how to handle all those situations that life throws at you. Your endocrine system is critical in handling social situations, body temperature, heart rhythms, metabolism, controls your growth, critical thinking... it has a huge impact on your body and your life. I have been striving to operate at full capacity and sometimes my body still  questions me. I kept focus on my day to day and for a change, I thoroughly enjoyed this moment. My anxiety was low and with the help of my family, my Hashimoto's didn't stand in the way of  my day.
During a quick meet and greet at the offices of the Dahl Fine Arts Center, Rapid City, South Dakota, a month before the schedule event, I met my storyteller. He was late for the initial meeting and when he entered the room, there is no way a guy of that height can enter undetected!

Fred and I looking at my creation after his story was told

Copyrighted by Sydnie Ness

He started talking about this woman he admired,  his coworker and it struck me because he wasn't her brother, husband, father....he was a man admiring this woman  who impacted his life with her quick wit, can do spirit and drive to succeed. This sounded like my kind of woman! There was a big connection.....There has never been a challenge I shirked away from and especially with my Hashimoto's, I quickly became my own advocate and began learning all I could, when I wasn't sleeping, that is. My husband would attempt to keep up with my research and watch with supportive tones. I want to paint Judy's story!
Judy Bialka was her name and over the course of two meetings with Fred, I learned they were in the sanitation business together, she built her own company, she had a successful 'pink cart' campaign and that she commented how she would "kick cancers ass!" . A woman in that kind of business is a strong one. And she built bridges with her mouth to get things done. For 10 years., I was an aquatic director and head of the maintenance of the pool (that my friends is overwhelmingly dominated by men). Another similarity. He talked about the great lengths she would go to help people. She was diagnosed with melanoma cancer and fought for six years! My father-in-law whom I've grown to love and admire is on the war with melanoma...another sign for me that this match-up was destined.

"United against cancer"

By Cris Ness 2016

I spent my free time painting almost daily when I wasn't serving tables or serving beers.  My husband would ask in the mornings, "so, what are you going to paint today?" He quietly sits in the same room and occasionally looks, and when I'm done, he always get a giant grin on his face and hugs me...I love this kind of artistry reward system! Lots of great things came out onto the canvas....but I still didn't know how I could bring to life this woman who Fred so admired for being a trailblazer, a whirlwind, a colorful woman to admire. Days ticked by and a week before the event, I still just had a blank canvas going on in my brain with fleeting images of pink garbage cans, a colorful whirlwind, and a pig and a chicken putting on a breakfast together.
Fred, Anne who was our Black Hills Storyteller liaison, and I again had a coffee meet. A week earlier, I had shown the duo my style of work. In  the winter months, I started this random candle light series...and it made my family go hmmm, made my dog bark and growl at the painting, of which I exclaimed, "Honey!!! I pulled  emotion out of  the dog!!!!" They looked at the woman and stared.

My very own bookmarks "Into The Night" :)

I JUST LOVE HER!!!

At this last meeting, Fred had been thinking about my candle series and how that might just be a good focal point for the painting. I had gone to that meeting with that very thought in mind. Earlier in the day, I had been talking to my husband about Judy (I didn't mention much about what this story was going to be about before then.) and he quickly uttered,"that candle stuff you were doing a few months ago would be perfect".
I decided to work on the background some more. I looked up her obituary online late one evening  and Fred had described her perfectly and this other background information filled in gaps as far as her achievements throughout her short life. Judy was a mere 47-year-old youngster when her fight was over. She was vivacious, victorious, tenacious, winning....how do you put that on canvas???

"She would come into a room like a whirlwind...and that's the feeling of how it is now that's she's gone..."---Fred Folsom

This quote from one of our meetings continually clicked in my mind. I painted a storyboard filled with all the images jumbling around in my mind. The next morning, I popped out of bed and began painting vibrant colors on the black...and then thought of tears washing and dimming that spirit away. My dirty dish sponge was the first tool and boy did it work brilliantly! The "tears" streamed down the colorful spirit, dulling the shine....and then a single candle appeared. This fit perfectly....and I could easily complete the entire art piece in that timeframe blowing away the viewing audience with the creation forming before their eyes. I knew what I was doing and I had four days to spare! Life was GOOD!
My husband was my stage hand and handled all my artwork and setting up---we woke up the morning of the show and made table easels out of sticks from our backyard, giggling and chatting about "my big day". He is so awesome!
Before I knew it, the display was up and people were taking their seats, the show began and after I took in the two pairs ahead of us, it was GO TIME! I've performed musically for several audiences, been in large orchestras, had the honor of being first chair in orchestra and have had the honor of being passed the conductor's baton...OH THE POWER!!! But I speak through my music, through the written word and if I get a microphone in front of me I lose my mind really...it's just blank LOL. Fred on the other hand is a chatty booming man who has a story for any occasion.

The process began...the colors came out, Fred's words rang in the darkness, I can hear people reacting behind me as the water trickled down the wet canvas and the colors ran down. I pulled the
lines through. Then Fred's voice cracks and I tune in for just a second and I can hear him taking a gasping breath and a slight pause to regain his composure. I tune him out and sink down in my chair...this man whom I just met and shared coffee with, has shared his soul with me and I him through my art and I'm going to get emotional. The candle begins to appear and before I know it, we are headed to the center of the stage and he gives me a big Fred Bear hug!

"Judy's Light", Cris Ness and Fred Folsom

Photo by Sydnie Ness

WE DID IT! And I think everyone in attendance will remember Judy, or in the very least remember
someone they love like that. We created a wonderful remembrance in honor of Judy, and Fred challenged everyone to be a Judy,-be that colorful person who never backs down.

Rocks: The importance of a few rocks and other things in your life

Bouldering in the Black Hills, South Dakota

Big week my fellow blog enthusiasts, Hashimoto's and Autoimmune warriors and loved ones also in the battle...I started a new hobby this week....BOULDERING! This can be a strenuous and extreme, fulfilling and challenging sport and it had me in it's grips from the moment I put on those uncomfortable climbers shoes.

My rock climbing rocks with me. Happy anniversary to us this week!

I love you, my Clayton!

I know starting anything new can be a daunting thought

when you are battling.

I'm no different. Bouldering is something I've been wanting to pick up and do and five month ago, I would've told you this probably wasn't looking like it could happen for me...EVER. I've always been active and my drive to succeed far outweighs almost anything...except when I was having my last Hashimoto's flare and my need to sleep won over everything. So just how do I get from barely being able to get out of bed to conquering a boulder with my physique and wits? Lots of research and understanding about how Hashimoto's people might not be able to utilize the nutrients you are fueling your body with. I started with an open mind about what the experts know and don't know about this autoimmune condition and the reality is that there are LOTS of contradicting evidence out there. If you are new to the journey, my advice is to realize that this condition is so personalized that it can take people decades to get a diagnosis...and I'm one of those people! With this in mind, remember to be open to try different things, think scientifically about yourself as a machine and fuel up as you should.

I'll save the HEY YOU NEED TO GO GLUTEN FREE for another time, Hashimoto's warrior. Today, we are talking about the importance of healing from the inside out and supplementing your diet with vitamins and minerals to benefit your immune system, assist your body in metabolism (now that something that we always battle) and vitamins to help your nervous system, including your brain, to function better.

Here's my personal arsenal ... seems daunting but after I researched

each and every one of the beauties I was sold on

popping pills or mixing cocktails up for my well being to make 

my day to day living easier.

• Selenium: This element can be found in a variety of food including fish and Brazil nuts. People with thyroid problems, weakened immune systems and depression patients have all been found to be low in selenium. If you battle allergies or endocrine system problems, look into having your selenium levels tested.
• Tyrosine: This amino acid is critical to the nervous system and helps clear up any anxiety issues or brain fog that might be putting a veil over your world. Tyrosine is essential for helping you with how you perceive and interact with your environment. Addition of this amino acid has been helped to reduce chronic fatigue, depression and other symptoms.
• Zinc: If you are in a high risk category, like having Crohn's disease or other digestive or immune conditions, you need to take a look at this often overlooked mineral. Zinc aids in fighting infections, cell division and cell turnover to heal wounds.
• Vitamin E: This vitamin plays a vital role in a healthy immune system. It aids the body in regulating vitamin A. Vitamin E is an antioxidant which means it protects your good cells from harmful and damaging free radicals while you are healing. It's also fantastic for hair and nails...both of those are problem areas for Thyroid people.
• Vitamin C: Otherwise also known as L-ascorbic acid, this wonderful stuff boosts your immune system, supports good gut bacteria, combats stress and lowers high cholesterol among other benefits.
• Tumeric: Part of traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Tumeric aids in inflammation and adrenal gland stimulator. Personally, this stuff has made all the difference in the world with my chronic pain and inflammation and allowed me to perform my exercise routine pain free, a feat I hadn't been able to enjoy for nearly a decade.
• Thytrophin PMG: As with many medical routes, there is the inevitable controversy...welcome to Thytrophin PMG. I researched, talked to pharmacists and my personal healthcare team about the possibility of taking this hormone. I've got to say, I'm on month two of this supplement and I've had no side effects that I've noticed and I've got two week to blood work to see how this affected my system. Basically, this is being used as a decoy for my body to attack this instead of my thyroid. The medical field has actually recently documented the Thyroid gland repairing itself and regenerating just as the liver can. It just needs a little help to stop the onslaught of my amazing body kicking its' own butt. We needed a decoy until this vicious cycle can simmer down!
• Probiotics: Gut health means making sure you carry around the thousands of little bacteria that are essential to healthy digestions. Not having the right balance means sleeplessness, depression, metabolism issues, anxiety issues, and many other problems that are easily solved by getting the right bugs into your system. Look into the many forms of probiotics.
• Coconut Oil: It's not shown in the picture, but I enjoy the heck out of the this oil. It really has aided in healing my gut. I drink it in my coffee, my tea, I cook with it and I even use it as a skin moisturizer.

Ask your healthcare team to check any of these levels or look into the symptoms of deficiency yourself! Be proactive!

Staring up at those rocks, I was quietly nervous. I really have had many more days of good than bad and I know it can take upwards of two years to completely heal your insides from the damage your magnificent body can do to itself. I've been researching and adding elements to my health plan for five months. I've had to back off of my workouts because it became detrimental for me to do them. It was doing more harm than good at the time. I'm only up to two to three times a week in my workouts. Can I conquer these rocks? Will my brain be on point? How about my grip? There are times in life when you just breath, smile and begin to believe in your body again.

On my first day of bouldering, I took on some V4s and had a brilliant time enjoying the company of my life companion and best friend as we celebrated another year together.

Cheers!

Just being natural.... It could save your life!

Cold/flu medications are not recommended for thyroid conditions!

Interaction with your blood pressure can cause severe

 heart problems and damage---even heart attack!

After spending five months taking the necessary steps of healing from the inside out...taking required vitamins and minerals, adopting an autoimmune diet, relieving my adrenal glands, finding the correct dosage of my synthetic thyroid medication, it has happened----I caught a cold/flu virus from my work that has been sending ordinary folks to the doctor after bronchitis sets up in their lungs. Foolishly, I quietly was measuring
my goddess self on how far I had come by seeing if I would contract this highly contagious plague. I felt it coming in and waves of failure feelings and setbacks washed upon my broken spirit.

So, what's a person to do???................

Being hypothyroid, it usually doesn't take much to give me an excuse to crawl into our cozy, soft bed. Turn to the the old fashion remedy of sleep!

And what do you do if you are so miserable, you just can't?

All Natural Tips for Dealing with Colds and Flus

• Apple cider vinegar: Try 1-2 teaspoons of it in an 8 ounce glass of apple juice or water. This remedy has been used for centuries and shortens the life of the virus while giving you a good immunity boost. Drinking ACV in your teas and juices throughout the day gives you an amazing boost and kills germs in your system.
• Vitamin C: Although most over-the-counter products are taboo for thyroid patients, vitamin C packets, vitamin C lozenges will speed up healing and ease sore throats. Double check the ingredients for any stimulants.
• Cinnamon candies: When medication won't do and you have a fire burn in your throat, look for extremely hot cinnamon hard candy to suck on.
• Essential oil for the steamy bath or in a steam vapor: I love my essential oils! Not only do they cure most of what ales me from infections to wounds to lifting my spirits, they can also attack any nasty little viruses that decide to invade my body through the air. I personally enjoy lavender, tea tree, orange, frankincense and eucalyptus oils. Put a few drops in your steam bath and this will help clear your breathing paths. Put about 20 drops of your favorite with distilled water in a spray bottle to kill any airborne germs and spray surfaces in your home or office. For a direct steam method, use distilled water and 2 drops each of your favorite oils in a saucepan and boil. Put a towel over your head and the pan and breath deeply. Doing this two times a day is all that is needed. I also make my own Vicks with coconut oil and eucalyptus and rub this on my chest and under my nose!

• Neti pot? If not, go out and get one and do it! A neti pot is a grand way to clear excess debris and mucous from your sinuses and it staves off the risk of getting a sinus infection from things not moving through your system. My only caution is for anyone that has plugged ear canals, you can tell if they are swollen and plugged by pinching your nose and blowing---if they pop or crackle, you are good to go; if they hurt and do not pop, that means you may want to throw in some Lavender and a carrier oil in your ear to make the swelling go down and infection doesn't set up in there, compounding the problems you are having already.
• Zinc it up! Zinc is critical in speeding up the process. Taking zinc within the first 24 hours of the onset of symptoms has been beneficial in shortening the life of the virus. There has been research that has contrary information about zinc, but from my experience, this mineral is great! I have been using it to "beef" up my weakened immune system.
• Drink fluids! Drink your fluids to rush this invader out of your system. Green tea, one cup of coffee, salty water, juice, plain ole water...get your digestive tract flowing to usher this illness out the door! It will help you to sleep better too, especially if you are losing fluids through temperature and sweating.
• Lastly, celebrate you conquering this junk with your own amazing body and compromised immune system! Your immune system is so amazing it not only fights itself, it fights intruders as well! #hashimotoswarrior #thyroid #autoimmune  As with any advice, talk to your healthcare team about the pros and cons of these tips or any vitamin/mineral and you can decide if it is the right thing for you.

Thanks for reading....now it's time for a quick nap! :)

Messages from the Red Planet: Infrared Sauna Therapy

"Divine Waves In  Me"

   This week's subject: Infrared Therapy Saunas and how easily and affordable it is to have in your own home. After reading several documents and scientific papers on the effects of "red light therapy" on the human body and how it can help my Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, I set on the journey of how to build a portable unit for my home. The benefits of infrared therapy are vast. On my road to recovery from my latest Hashimoto's Thyroiditis flare, centering on key healing points is essential. Detoxification, pain relief, stress and balancing body chemistry are the key points to this plan and the answer that hits all of those points is the infrared sauna.

Sweating is a perfect way to rid the body of unwanted toxins. But what if you can't exercise due to illness or injury? The infrared sauna is your answer!

   Just what is a sauna? There are several types of saunas and the one that is most prevalent in the United States, where I live, is the Finnish style of sauna that is known as a steam sauna. Steam saunas utilize water on a heat source that creates steam to heat a closed off unit or area where a person is sitting or laying. They can take up for 30 minutes to heat up for usage and unless you want to plunk hundreds of dollars into a unit, it is not feasible....I'm leaning more in the price range of under $100 to see if it really works.

   My search started to become a reality when I learned just how easy it is to build an infrared sauna in your home. After looking into the basic materials I would need, I set out and had my own sauna in two hours. With just a wood board, three porcelain "chick" heating lamps and three infrared bulbs (both of these items can be found at a farm supply store, hardware store of online)  and a frame with heavy material used as an enclosure, a small ceramic heater and a temperature gauge  I had in my closet and I was cooking!

   I installed my new healthy infrared sauna (basically a wood board with three lamps attached to in inside a curtain of fabric) in my basement. No worries for me about a fire hazard besides making sure the fabric wasn't touching the lamps or the heater. I sat in the radiant heat with my workout bikini on because it is essential to have as much as your skin being exposed to the therapeutic waves. Remember to not look directly into the bulbs but other than that, I read a book and chatted with my outside world :). Also, you must rotate your body every five minutes for maximum benefits.

If you are new to infrared saunas, it is recommended that you start with 4 minutes sessions in 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit and work your way towards 30 minutes sessions.

   After my first session, which I stayed in for 25 minutes, I reached a level of relaxation that I've only been able to achieve through therapeutic massage. My skin was soft and silky. I felt refreshed and centered. I couldn't wait until my next session. Two days later, I again went in my DIY sauna and the result were the same. I also had some very sore muscles from my previous yoga session and I came out with no soreness at all! In 30 minutes, my muscles were not sore or stiff.

   There are three types of bulbs you can chose from: Near, middle or far.

• Near infrared bulbs are best used for wound healing and immunity boost.
• Middle infrared bulbs are designed for increasing circulation and promoting muscle relaxation.
• Far infrared bulbs are suited best for detoxification.

After three sessions, the verdict is in! Infrared saunas are an essential tool for anyone's health arsenal, not just for chronic illness sufferers. With just a few minutes three times a week, the body's immune response can be boosted, cortisol levels can become balanced and stress will melt away with the sweat running down your body. People can even use this tool to get over viruses and infections  more timely and boost your immunity for infections...and this therapy has been found in some cases to affect and kill cancer cells.

   Of course, as with any treatments, be mindful of your body. You know your body best. With this therapy there is risk of heat exhaustion. Watch yourself for light headedness or dizziness or clammy skin ( you will be sweating, but it feels cold and clammy, get out immediately).

   Do yourself a favor and think of ways to incorporate this in your home, especially if your health conditions make it difficult for you to exercise! People even set this portable system in their bathtub and then remove it and store it in a closet. It's so versatile and easily one of the best ways to help your body to heal and function at the best level it can!

And Ill close this post with a word to my fellow Hashimotians: BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR OWN HEALTH! Read, read, read. Try a new avenue to a better you and although you aren't the person you used to be, you can become a better version on this new person you've become. Hashimoto's is a personalized, invisible illness. Become your own crusader---even if all you can do is be a crusader from the comfort of you bed at times, we've all been there!