The Winner

After a very scientific drawing, the winner of the Magpie Ima Biennial Crafty Giveaway is Mimi who will be the recipient of a lovely handmade gift. Mimi, please send your address privately so I can ship your little something and thanks to everyone for your comments, each and every time. I always appreciate you taking the time to respond to all my crazy posts.

I plan on making that little giveaway something tomorrow when we're scheduled to be snowed in. I love that 1/2" of snow is enough to call a snow day here in Portland. It's OK. I need the time to recover from today's 3 hour and 45 minute dental ordeal. After saving up $2000 over the last year, I finally took the plunge and had all of my old amalgam fillings removed and replaced with a safer alternative. Since I'd already lost three fillings in the last couple of years, I think it's safe to assume that they were all starting to break down and would eventually need to be replaced anyway if I hope to keep my teeth.

But what really drove me to take this big, terrifying, expensive step was simply this: my doctor believes that the trigger for my Grave's Disease may well be toxic mercury exposure as the amalgam fillings placed in my teenage years begin to break down. Numerous studies indicate mercury's negative impact on thyroid function, especially in relation to autoimmune disease. The arguments for ridding my body of mercury were very persuasive even though I knew it would be huge for me.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up. At the very least, I've proactively dealt with the inevitable deterioration of decades old fillings and replaced them with a far safer alternative material. And...hello? I sat there for nearly four hours while eleven fillings were replaced. That's something right there given my dental phobias-- a huge step, really.

But wouldn't it be something if clearing my body of toxins actually stopped this stupid disease in its tracks? I would so love to have my body return to normal and my old energy back.