Land of Osbourne

Greetings Land of Osbourne readers, Normally I don't blog about things like this but I'm pissed at the current politicians and want to get some things off my chest. If this sort of thing bothers you, I'm sorry. I won't do this often. I have a disease for which there is no cure. It is a painful and embarrassing. It is expensive. VERY expensive. Every 6 weeks I am required to have an infusion of a drug called Remicade. If I didn't have medical insurance, I would pay about $10,000 per appointment. Every 6 weeks. If I didn't have insurance through my work, I would be unable to get insurance on my own without Obamacare set up. He has protected me in making it illegal for insurance companies to deny me due to my pre-existing condition. Now, there is an expirament going on at the Mayo Clinic, and other places that are using stem cells from the person the stem cells are being used on. The stem cells are showing to eliminate Crohns disease. People who are aga...

One of the strongest, longest lived Betta fishes I've ever had died yesterday morning. Vincent, named after the Bones episode where the character Vincent Nigel Murray died. So I've had him for almost 2 years. Vincent was a tough little fish. On 3 seperate occasions, while I was cleaning his home, he slid down the drain into the garbage disposal. He lived, no problems. On another occasion he must have decided to check out the outside world, I found him (after who knows how long), and he lived. Like I said, tough little Betta. RIP Vincent.

Hi Land of Osbourne fans, Today is Remicade infusion day for me. As you may recall, the cool new awesome Doctors have upped my infusions to every 6 weeks instead of every 8 weeks. They couldn't just up the dosage as I am at the maximum amount I can have. So I have an infusion today between 12-2p. Then another in 6 weeks. After that one I go back and they are going to do a different sort of test to check out those pre-cancerous cells they found. (pre-cancerous meaning when these cells grow up they turn into cancer). Of course the cells were found in a part of my large intestine that is NORMAL, not diseased. They also tested me for some virus. Evidently, if I've ever had this virus, I can never be treated with this super strong drug called Tysabri. I guess this drug is at the top of the Crohn's drug food chain. If the Remicade stops working then that one is a possibility - if Humara doesn't work that is. (that is next in line I think). However, this Tysabri is prett...

Sometimes you have to die a little on the inside first in order to be reborn and rise again as a stronger, smarter version of yourself. Here are some lessons we’ve learned along the way: You are not what happened to you in the past.  – No matter how chaotic the past has been, the future is a clean, fresh, wide open slate. You are not your past habits. You are not your past failures. You are not how others have at one time treated you. You are only who you think you are right now in this moment. You are only what you do right now in this moment. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.  – You are who you are and you have what you have, right now.  And it can’t be that bad, because otherwise you wouldn’t be able to read this.  The important thing is simply to find one POSITIVE thought that inspires and helps you move forward.  Hold on to it strongly, and focus on it.  You may feel like you don’t have much, or anything at all, but you have your ...

Keeping your  Crohn's disease  under control can feel like a full-time job. That's because it is. Avoiding potential triggers can help prevent a flare-up. You may be doing things that are detrimental to your health. Do you know what they are? 1. Smoke Photo © hinnamsaisuy Smoking cigarettes  has a significant effect on Crohn's disease. The entire body is affected by smoking, including the digestive tract. Inhaled smoke enters the stomach and intestines as well as the lungs. Tobacco is a known digestive tract irritant that cause bloating, cramping, gas, and stomach rumbling. 2. Don't Drink Water Photo © Carmen Dirica If all you give your body all day is coffee and diet cola, you can't expect your digestive tract to treat you well. Water is essential to the good health of your entire body, as well helpful in preventing constipation and  replacing fluids lost from diarrhea . 3. Don't Exercise Photo © Ambro If you could spend 30 minutes a d...

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there; they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become.  You never know who these people may be; your roommate, neighbor, professor, long-lost friend, lover or even a complete stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. Sometimes things happen to you and at the time they may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower or heart.  Everything happens for a reason.  Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck.  Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul.  Without these small tests - whether they are events, illnesse...

Here are 11 things we all need you to keep in mind… You never really know how much the people around you are hurting.   You could be standing next to someone who is completely broken inside and you wouldn’t even know it.  So never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.  And remember that there are two ways to spread light in this world: You can either be a flame of hope, or a mirror that reflects it.  Be one of the two every chance you get.   The most important trip you will likely take in life is meeting others half way.   You will achieve far more by working with people, rather than against them.  Giving someone else a voice, and showing them that their ideas matter, will have a long-lasting, positive impact on the both of you. Relationships don’t create happiness, they reflect it.  Happiness is an inside job .  Relationships are simply the mirrors of your happiness; they  reflect  it and help you  cel...

April vs Crohn's update - for my friends, family & loved ones:  I am no longer in remission. The disease is active again. The last test I had showed precancerous cells. The "plan" is to increase the remicade infusions from every 8 weeks to every 6 weeks. Then in 8-10 weeks have another more techy test to check out these cells. this explains why I've been so tired. Not tired like I need sleep or stayed up too late, but tired like physically tired, like I just ran a marathon.  

So I had that University of Minnesota colonscopy appointment. Awesome experience overall, very glad I went there instead of Minnesota Gastroenterology. 1 doctor was there STRICKLY to watch the monitor that showed the pictures from inside, 1 doctor was there to guide the scope, and 1 doctor was there just to watch my vitals.  All in all, it went okay. Not fun by any means of the imagination, but you know. Okay.  Anyway, I got the test results back on Monday night that I have Crohn's Disease (wooo, big surprise there), and that everything else was as expected. Great.  SO I know I have to make an appointment with the new doc to follow up after the appointment, but have been working lots of overtime, been busy, bla bla bla. I get a call from the main Doctor that did the monitor watching. I guess there was a type/error on the test results I got. There is an "Indefinate Dispasia" which is medical jargon for "strange cells we don't know what they are, we...

Greetings Land of Osbourne readers, I know you've all been dying to know how I am doing and how John is doing. I know you love the cool stuff I post here, uplifting, thought provoking stuff, but I know you also love the Osbourne updates. So here we go. I went to the University of Minnesota and had a colonoscopy for my yearly Crohn's check. First of all, may I say - what an awesome place. I use to go to Minnesota Gastroenterology - where I felt more like a number, where it seemed like they were more interested in quantity of patients, not quality of each person.  The U of M though - awesome. I had 3 doctors in the room with me during the procedure - one to JUST watch the monitor, one to watch my vitals, and one to guide the scope. They took 9 biopsies too check for cancer. (yay). I have to wait 2 weeks for THOSE results. I am pleased to announce that there IS a portion that is NORMAL. Yep. NORMAL. However the rest is riddled with disease, scar tissue and other fun stuff. The...

1.  Look at life as a journey and enjoy the ride.  Get the most out of the detours and realize they're sometimes necessary. 2.  Do your best, but if what you're doing has caused you discouragement, try a different approach.  Be passionate about the process, but don't be so attached to the outcome. 3.  Wish the best for everyone, with no personal strings attached.  Applaud someone else's win as much as you would your own. 4.  Trust that there's a divine plan, that we don't always know what's best for us.  A disappointment now could mean a victory later, so don't be disappointed.  There is usually a reason. 5.  Ask no more of yourself than the best that you can do, and be satisfied with that.  Be compassionate towards yourself as well as others.  Know your calling, your gift, and do it well. 6.  Don't worry about something after it's done; it's out of your hands then, too late, over!  Learn the lesson and mo...

Here are some simple suggestions for those who want to break free from the mold and truly live more of their life – to experience it and enjoy it to the fullest, instead of settling for a mere existence. Appreciate the great people and things in your life.  – Sometimes we don’t notice the things others do for us until they stop doing them.  Don’t be like that.  Be grateful for what you have, who loves you, and who cares for you.  You’ll never know how much they mean to you until the day they’re no longer beside you.  Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you.  Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it to live.   Ignore other people’s negativity.  – If you allow people to make more withdrawals than deposits in your life, you will be out of balance and in the negative before you know it.  Ignore unconstructive, hurtful commentary.  No one has the right to judge you. ...