Thursday, July 16, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA!

 

 

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Today is my daughter, Tara’s Birthday and I just wanted to say Happy Birthday to her.

She was here for the 4th of July and I took this picture of her and Fifi in the kayak.

 

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In her 20’s, Tara was taking an amino acid, tryptophan, that cardiologist gave  their patients who could not sleep. It is a natural substance found in beans, turkey and milk. The only company that made it was in Japan and they made what is called a “hot batch”, which was contaminated. It caused many people to develop a disease called eosinophilia myalgia syndrome.

Simply stated this disease attaches to the lining of the body’s muscles and nerves.

It was terrible disease because  doctors were grabbing in the dark for ways to stop or slow it down. There is still no cure today.  For Tara, it moved around her body and for about 3 years, we spent a lot of time in Houston at the Medical Center, then her doctor moved to New Orleans and she still goes there today. It affected her eyes, throat, heart, her arms and legs and back, we joked at the time that we had visited every floor in the building seeing different kinds of doctors. There were not many places she wasn’t having problems.  They tried everything from Chemo to Cleaning the Blood and nothing really worked except pain killers which she takes everyday.  Tara lost a friend to this disease and many older people died also.

She has made peace with this disease and with the help of medicine,  massage and the Good Lord, she lives a fairly normal life, raising cows, goats, horses and donkeys.

She is a extremely smart and giving and caring  daughter and I love her very much.

 

Fifi says:

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA! YOU ARE THE LIGHT AND LOVE OF MY WORLD.

LOVE, MOTHER AND ROY

12 comments:

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Hope you have the best one ever. Hugs, Marty

Justabeachkat said...

Happy Birthday to Tara!

How scary that a medicine could cause so much heartache! I'm so glad though that Tara is doing good.

Hugs!
Kat

Deanna said...

You are one brave girl Tara and what a trooper!

Hope your special day is filled with fun, love and laughter!!

Deanna :D

SmilingSally said...

Happy Birthday Tara. I hope that she has a happy, peaceful day.

Anonymous said...

Hi Barbara and Happy Birthday to Tara! Thanks for popping in! Things are going pretty well here! Hope you've had a good week.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;0

bj said...

Happy Birthday to your amazing daughter.
As a mom, I can understand the terror you have gone thru all these years. God bless!!

Simply Debbie said...

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARA,
What a gorgeous name you have.
I pray it was the very best birthday you have ever had.
WHAT A JOY YOU ARE TO YOUR MOM.
US MOM'S ARE PRETTY PROTECTIVE OF OUR DAUGHTERS AND THE LOVE RUNS SO DEEP IN OUR HEARTS THE CORD OF LOVE CAN NEVER, NEVER BE BROKEN.
I am so very, very sorry for the pain, torture, and the agony of your disease and loosing your friend, that you have endured. I know you must be a very strong woman, as on the 4th of July, praise God you were kayaking with fifi......I live to see the day you and my Amy might be toodling out in the water together and your mom and me will set on the shore and cry with joy.
You have a beautiful mother, whose beauty is inside as well as outside and I know you are just like her.
I did not know of your battle as your Mom just listens to me and my battle with Amy but YOU WILL BE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF MY PRAYER LIST.....even if you are well, Praise the LORD above, WE WANT YOU TO STAY WELL.
Barbara,
I am so sorry I didn't see this post sooner...Lucy...you have some expainin' to do...........Thank you so very much for sharing your daughter's battle. LET US CARRY OUR DAUGHTER'S TOGETHER.....YOU ARE VERY SPECIAL TO ME.
I haven't been to my e-mail in 2 days, I think. Amy weighs 81 lbs...her cousin's little 6th grader weighs 2 lbs more than Amy.
The calves of her legs are just gone.....tomorrow, tomorrow...the SUN WILL COME OUT TOMORROW
Please wish TARA a HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY.
I love her name....it sounds real southern....I was born in Charleston, South Carolina
angel hugs and love
debbie

Marjorie (Molly) Smith said...

Happy Birthday to Tara, she sounds like a wonderful Daughter, I know you are proud of her, how strong she must be to endure such misery and continue to try to live every day to it's fullness. May God Bless and keep her.
I know the pain YOU as a Mother feel, we want to take our child's pain away, but can't and that hurts.
My prayers are with you also.
Molly

Southern Lady said...

Barbara, thank you for sharing Tara's story with us. I'm sorry I didn't get to wish her a happy birthday yesterday, but hope it was her best birthday celebration ever.

May God watch over her and fill her life with blessings.

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Happy Birthday Tara! I should say belated. Barabara as Debbie said, Lucy you have some spailing to do. Honey sometimes it helps to share our griefs. I will be praying for Tara, she looks so beautiful in her kayak. What a wonderful blessing, but terrible to have to suffer and live on pain killers. It's better known as: the good, the bad, and the ugly. You know Barbara I posted on your next post, but I want to add, you asked what you were doing? You didn't know what you were doing with the blog. You share with many women, you touch our lives in ways you cannot imagine. I have to tell you quite frankly our worlds will be a little less happy without you in them. You make me smile when you come to visit. I will always look at goats at the zoo and when I see one and think of my Purple Goat Lady friend. Yes friend. That is why you blog, Barbara because of friends. God Bless you and keep your family safe and healthy. Country Hugs, Sherry

Terry said...

Howdy Barbara
Happy ,Happy ,Happy Belated Birthday to your gorgeous daughter Tara :)
I pray for you Tara that this is the birthday that just keeps on getting celebrated with wonderful
happy unexpected suprises for you.
May your life overflow with love,joy,peace,and healing this day and all through the coming years.
Hugs to you Tara and your precious Mom !!!
Now Barb all my best to you too !!!!!
Big Big Hugs
Happy Trails

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Happy Birthday to Tara!

XO,

Sheila :-)