From This Moment

Greeting My Darlings,

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. For the first time in quite a few weeks, I'm enjoying a lazy day on the couch with my boys. The truth is that I really needed the downtime today to just decompress, and reflect on the last few weeks.

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending Rupaul's DragCon NYC. This was the first time this event was held in New York, and as a fan of Rupaul's Drag Race, there was no way I was going to miss it. Although some of my favorite Queens were not in attendance, it was really cool to meet the ones that were there, as well as getting to see one of my favorite people, Michelle Visage. If you are friends with me on Facebook, or check out my Instagram, I'm sure you saw the pictures. All in all, I had a great time, and look forward to next year.

While coming home from the first day of DragCon, I was the recipient of what has been labeled a hate crime. Two boys/men decided to take it upon themselves and let me know they didn't approve of me, my lifestyle, or my fashion choice of a male romper and red glitter lipstick, by pushing me down a flight of steps, spitting on me, and calling me derogatory terms such as "faggot." They stole my cash and ID, and got away.

Other than a few bruises and a scrape here and there, I am fine. I attended DragCon the following day, and have gone on with my day-to-day life. It's been a week since the incident, and with time, all shall heal, and life will go on.

I'm not telling you this because I'm seeking sympathy or attention. If you noticed, I called myself a recipient, and not a victim. I'm nobody's victim, nor will I start to be now. As a Gay Jewish man, I know I have the odds stacked against me every time I walk out the door. Unfortunately, this is the world we live in today, but I will not allow other people's ignorance and hatred deter me from living my life.

Other than the isolated incident last week, there really hasn't been much to complain about. During my two-week break from work at the end of August/beginning of September, I got to play tourist and visit a bunch of museums, both historic and art. Looking at art has always been one of my favorite pastimes, and a great form of escapism. And truth be told, the works of great artists like Haring, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Monet, among others, always inspires me. I'm very lucky to live in a city that affords me the opportunity to view such masterpieces.

Things have been going well on the health front as well. I met with my Endocrinologist at the end of August, and it looks like being prescribed Low Dose Naltrexone, or LDN, was definitely the way to go. For those who don't know, Naltrexone, in it’s regular dosage, is a drug given to addicts to help curb their cravings. Over time, it was found that in small doses, Naltrexone helps with certain Autoimmune Diseases, including Hashimoto's. Since being put on it in May, my Thyroid antibodies have gone down by more than half, my liver enzymes have greatly improved, my blood-sugar levels have gone from Pre-Diabetic to normal, I have more energy and no brain fog, and I have lost 31 pounds. I'm really happy with these results, and extremely grateful to my Endocrinologist for agreeing to prescribe LDN to me.

Being diagnosed with both Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism is a major pain in the ass. Just to clarify, although both diseases affect the Thyroid, they are not the same thing. Hypothyroidism is simply an under active Thyroid, whereas Hashimoto's is an Autoimmune Disease where your antibodies attacks your Thyroid. You can be Hypothyroid without having Hashimoto's, but if you are diagnosed with Hashimoto's, you definitely are Hypothyroid. Being that I am diagnosed with both, I get the pleasure of taking on both issues at the same time. LDN helps with the Hashimoto's side of my Thyroid issues.

With the Autoimmune aspect to my illness being addressed, I have decided to turn my attention now to the Thyroid itself. I've asked my Endocrinologist about switching my Thyroid meds from synthetic to natural hormone, and she has agreed to allow me to try it. I will hopefully be taking part in a case study for natural Thyroid hormone medication in the very near future. Changing my meds may make the difference I'm looking for in order to live a decent life, or it may not. The truth is I will never know unless I try, and I am willing to try anything to improve my health. Of course, I will always keep you updated.

Overall, I had a pretty decent summer, and now that September is here, I get to look forward to my birthday. I'm not going to lie, turning forty-three is kind of crazy to me, but something I’m looking forward to. Usually for my birthday, I buy myself something special, and this year is no different. This year, I decided to focus on my health, and made an appointment for Cryotherapy. In case you never heard of it, basically it's a three-minute session in a chamber where bursts of -120 degree air is shot at you, and the purpose of it is to revitalize the immune system. This is something I've wanted to do for over a year now, and I finally built up the nerve to go ahead and actually do it.

Other than that, and wearing a new outfit (as I do every year), it will be a very low-key day. In fact, I’m actually not doing anything other than work, and spending time with my boys. Again, I’m not saying that for sympathy or attention. The truth is that over the last few months, I have been examining some of the relationships in my life, and realized that changes needed to be made.

To me, any relationship is two sided, and involves trust and respect, and without those two things, you basically have nothing. At this stage of my life, I don’t have the time, nor the energy, for anyone who makes it very clear that I’m not even a blip on their maps. If somebody wants me in their life, they will make some kind of effort, not ignore texts and calls, or do anything in their power to avoid seeing me. They will also know that a REAL relationship goes beyond Facebook.

Unfortunately, I have allowed people I held very dear to treat me in this manner, but no more. Personally, I’d rather have one amazing friend in my life than a group of people who treat me like dirt. I’m a kick ass friend, boyfriend, son, brother, worker and overall person who knows their worth and what they bring to the table, and if somebody can’t appreciate that, or doesn’t want that in their life, that’s on them.

With that said, it’s time for me to go and hang out with my guys. They are both giving me that “come spend time with us” look, or maybe it’s the “take us out or we’ll pee on your floor” look. Truth be told, they are just pure love, and rescuing them was probably the best decisions I have ever made. I cherish every moment with them.

Looking ahead, I wish all my Jewish friends a very Happy and Health New Year, and to everyone else, a great week.

Until next time…