Books and Things: rare disease

Showing posts with label rare disease. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Animal Treat Cookbook: Biscuits Pour Animaux by Cassandra Bouclé

Genre: Pet Cookbook
Language: French
81 p.
Publisher: Alter Real Editions
Published: Feb. 2, 18
Source: From Publisher for review
Stores (French resources): Amazon Fr, Publisher Website

Des recettes 100% bio, faciles et économiques, pour chats, chiens et rongeurs.

Vous trouverez dans cet ouvrage des recettes de biscuits faciles et rapides à faire. Le livre se veut pratique : à chaque page, sa recette, avec la liste des ingrédients et des conseils pratiques. Les recettes peuvent être modifiées selon les goûts de votre animal, ou selon de sa santé. S'il doit éviter les biscuits sucrés ou salés, vous pouvez changer les ingrédients.

Ce livre de recettes est pensé pour les animaux, mais aussi pour leurs maîtres, qui doivent prendre plaisir à cuisiner, que ce soit pour leur chien, leur chat, leur lapin ou leurs autres rongeurs.

Bon appétit !

English Translation:
100% organic, easy and economical recipes for cats, dogs and rodents.

In this book you will find easy and quick cookie recipes. The book is practical: on each page, the recipe, the list of ingredients and practical advice. The recipes can be modified according to the tastes of your pet, or according to his health. If it should avoid sweet or savory cookies, you can change the ingredients.

This recipe book is designed for animals, but also for their masters, who enjoy cooking, whether for their dog, cat, rabbit or other rodents.

Enjoy your meal!

My thoughts:

I got a note from Melliane from Between Dreams and Reality Blog about a interesting treat cookbook. The only thing... it was in French. Since it was a cookbook I figured I could translate it well enough (with a bit of bad Google translate... LOL) to make some treats. It worked out well.

The book also consulted with a veterinarian to make sure the treats were nutritious and well suited for the various animals in the book. There is a section for dogs, cats, and rodents. It wouldn't be hard to convert some of these treats for horses if you know your horse. The recipes are simple, easy to follow and my dogs found delicious. My only problem was translating the recipe amounts since America usually uses cups instead of grams and ml. However, with a few grams to cups translations on the web according to product and I was able to get it done.

Dog treats and monster pup waiting for it to fall...

I did use gluten free all purpose flour for the treats but I'm not sure it is as necessary to do so elsewhere. I have talked to many people who have gluten problems in the US but not in Europe. So these treats became gluten free. I also substituted the rice milk for plain water since so little was used. The treats were made in ball form (as the meat scrap ones suggested) for ease in making it. These small substitutions worked!

The big pup letting me know the cat isn't getting this...

I made the Dumplings with Meat Scraps, Cheese Bites, and Biscuits with Apple. My dogs LOVED the meat scrap ones as well as the cheese bites. The split was with the apple ones. My pup loved them and my big boy was a bit lukewarm about it. He is a bit on the picky side (not too bad) and he still ate a few which is a big deal to me.

I also thought I'd make the Diced Tuna treats for cats and perhaps see if my neighbor would give some to her cat. It never made it over there. My dogs loved that one so much as well. There was nothing in it that a dog couldn't have in those treats so they gobbled those treats up. In fact, my malamute that I had would have LOVED them as those breed of dogs tend to love fish. In fact, I often treated her with fish. The tuna I used was the healthiest I could find and the fish could easily be substituted with salmon (which I may try later as I feel better about salmon).

To sum it all up, I really liked this cookbook. The recipes are easy enough to make and also make substitutions when needed. You could also use these recipes to make your own tailored to your pets tastes. I give this one 5 stars (and I'm very picky about what my animals eat). I think my pups also give it 4 paws (they don't have 5 paws.. obviously! LOL) which is their highest rating. For the US peeps, this one is well worth translating with a little help from the web. The book is also filled with very cute animal pics waiting for their treats.

🐾🐾

Bloggy Note:

Today is also Rare Disease Day. I had planned to do something better than a note today, but my plans have been laughed at a lot lately. So, please take the time and go HERE to the official website to learn why it is important to fund these diseases and disorders. One treatment or cure can lead to other more common diseases and disorders to be cured as well.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Rare Disease Day: MCAS

So, in Oct. last year I let you all know I had a form of dysautonomia (this post) for dysautonomia awareness day. Well, today I will do the same for rare disease day. I am rare (and not because I often feel like my brain is undercooked!) and I have MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome) which is considered rare and hard to diagnose. In very short, incomplete terms MCAS is a condition where my body thinks I should act allergic to things I have no allergy. There is a lot more to it, but since it is considered rare, it won't have much impact on you so I don't want to talk about my diagnosis. This is really going to be a short acknowledgement that there are people out there with rare diseases and disorders. Anything that has under 20k (in the US) citizens diagnosed is considered rare. Besides getting funding to help one rare disorder or disease helps more rare disorders to get recognized and diagnosed.

*Warning* Rant about to happen (but it is short)...

I do want to say somehing... I wouldn't have gotten diagnosed without the ACA. This is the main reason I was unhappy that Lord Dampnut (anagram of 45's name from the comedian Colin Macherie) and the republicans won in the last election. They were after the ACA and I believe them. I figure once Ryan guts it enough (already happening and has not only started to gut medicaid but also medicare with more down the road) he will probably implement his version in which those with preexisting conditions get put into a pool and get their insurance from that group. Yea, not affordable at all and quite frankly it sounds like the Hunger Games for medical help. Medical Games? Do not bet on me (just an FYI). So, I already know I will have to decide which medications I can keep and which will go. I have already made that decision but will only worry about it once my ACA is completely gone. I can't do anything else at this point. I will worry what will happen if something major happens but there is little else I can do at this point. Many of these decisions will be out of my hands. Others will be hurting as well and are even worse off than I am. Even if they keep some semblance of the ACA, I figure it will be so confusing it will be unusable. Seems to be the way this regime is going about everything. The insurance has less restrictions then I've ever seen, and so many people will be hurting so much more than even before the ACA.

Okay, soapbox is over. You can come out now. 😉

Here is the official Rare Disease Day Video:

I agree, getting a diagnosis is hard. Even if you aren't rare, it can be a hard thing to do especially when it runs afoul of a doc's ego. This is why the ACA (or good affordable health care) and research is so important. Also, while you are trying to get that diagnosis and are frustrated, remember this:

Sometimes this is more important to remember than those that say never quit. Sometimes you just have to have that melt down. Forgive yourself and move on. 💖

I also want to address something else. I have migraines so everyone (it feels like that on social media) is an expert on migraines... even those that don't know what they are exactly (other than a bad headache... if you believe that I have a bridge to sell ya!). So for those of you who don't hold a medical degree, please do not give unsolicited advice about a problem you know nothing about. [Edit: I'm really talking about those that insist that their way is the only way and to do otherwise means you are faking it. Generic posts do not bother me] Plus the cure you have found that your second cousin's ex-sister in law's best friend's aunt's uncle who knows a guy just may not be the cure the person you are talking to is looking for. Even though it usually comes from wanting to help, the best thing to do is just say "I believe you". When you have an invisible illness (rare or not, it doesn't matter) you are often told that you are a fraud. Hell, you tell yourself that enough times that even in the midst of pain you start to question it. Fakers are easy to spot so don't assume that everyone is faking it especially when there is evidence to the contrary. If you feel they are just in it for the attention then disengage instead of insult someone who might be genuine. Okay, off that soapbox for now. 😁

Okay end of post. I know there are so many other things I could have taken on, but since I know how it feels to be overwhelmed, I just took on a couple and hope I made some sense. I also hope you took something away from it.

If you want to get more involved with Rare Disease Day:

NORD: Programs and Services

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Monday, February 29, 2016

Rare Disease Day 2016

Today is the day when patients of rare diseases are trying to be heard. Remember the bucket challenge? Many people who never heard of ALS became aware of it. I knew about it since a family friend had it and I could see the impact of that disease. I also know a lot of people who are struggling with getting proper meds due to insurance limitations or FDA limitations. It is something that is important to recognize.

What is a rare disease? (from rarediseaseday.org)

A disease or disorder is defined as rare in Europe when it affects fewer than 1 in 2000.

A disease or disorder is defined as rare in the USA when it affects fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time.

One rare disease may affect only a handful of patients in the EU (European Union), and another touch as many as 245,000. In the EU, as many as 30 million people alone may be affected by one of over 6000 rare diseases existing.

80% of rare diseases have identified genetic origins whilst others are the result of infections (bacterial or viral), allergies and environmental causes, or are degenerative and proliferative.

50% of rare diseases touch children.

What is so important is that these diseases need to be more in the minds of the doctors, especially when the patient just doesn't fit the textbook in what they expect to see. In fact, a doctor once said that "...when you hear hooves expect horses, but don't discount the zebras". That is why you may come across the zebra as a representation of the disease. So many people get misdiagnosed or diagnose with it being a psychological problem because the doctor does not want to investigate further and refuses to see the zebra amongst the horses. A correct diagnosis is key to helping a patient either get better or at least feel better. Not all rare diseases are fatal, but all affect the quality of life in a person.

Rare Disease Day website probably puts it better:

The lack of scientific knowledge and quality information on the disease often results in a delay in diagnosis. Also the need for appropriate quality health care engenders inequlities and difficulties in access to treatment and care. This often results in heavy social and financial burdens on patients.

As mentioned, due to the broad diversity of disorders and relatively common symptoms which can hide underlying rare diseases, initial misdiagnosis is common. In addition symptoms differ not only from disease to disease, but also from patient to patient suffering from the same disease.

How you can help?

Not all rare diseases are invisible, but quite a few are... and those illnesses that aren't rare, this still applies.

Just become aware of the prevalence of the disorders. Personally, I would say that just listening or at lest not denying the person has a problem. Many of these are invisible so even if someone looks "good" they may be feeling terrible. I know that I can deal with a pain level of 6 with a smile... so you never know someone's internal struggle. Don't try to cure them. If they are going to doctors (yes, often plural) then they are well aware of their condition. A cure that your friend's brother's in-law's cousin twice removed had the same thing but is cured... good for them, but it may not be the cure for the person with the rare illness or really any condition. Often those with the same diagnosis do not have the same symptoms or the same medical regimen. Also, recognize that they may have to cancel plans in short notice because they had a flare up. They want to be there, but just can't. Don't take it personally. If you would like to have some idea of what it is like to have an invisible chronic condition read The Spoon Theory. She writes about Lupus, but it works for all kinds of conditions. If you have any kind of a chronic condition that affects how you live, I urge you to read it, it resonates with so many people.

Also know this: if you think about it, with all the rare diseases out there, you probably know someone with it. In fact, I can guarantee it. ;)

Find out more on social media:

Rare Disease Day on Facebook, Twitter (@rarediseaseday) Re-tweet and use the hashtag #raredisease, YouTube, Google Plus

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