Darla in the Desert 🌵☕📰

Darla in the Desert: hard‑earned lessons from life, the internet, and a desert that melts your patience first. Send ice! UPDATE 05/18/26 This is just a note to encourage you all: gabapentin seems to be doing the trick for the possible neuropathy. The neurologist has referred Dave out, and we may be getting an EMG. I’m sharing this so you can better prepare for doctor visits if you’re having similar symptoms. Moving the gabapentin to twice a day has helped tremendously. Taking it alongside the Parkinson’s medication also seems to help with sleep. The balance issues are now mostly a bygone thing — even simple trips to the bathroom are easy again. On extra-tired nights, the bedside urinal bags still help because uninterrupted sleep matters But now it feels more like a convenience than a necessity. Of course, hubby still milks the situation a little so he can get his bedtime mug of hot chocolate — and honestly, I’m thrilled to hand over this miracle l...

Fighting Inflammation: What’s on Your Plate? What people say, what research actually shows, and why it gets so loud in the forums Everything in this photo is in the chart below. Your coffee is already doing more than you think. ☕ Powered by curiosity — and actual coffee ☕ 🌞 A gentle word before we begin. Inflammation is one of those topics that can send families into a tailspin — especially when you're already carrying the weight of symptoms, caregiving, and that constant whisper of "Am I doing enough?" A few days ago in one of the groups, someone confidently announced that ivermectin was an anti-inflammatory — and the sparks flew. A few more people chimed in with their own "you should try this" suggestions, and suddenly we were off to the races. The truth is, most of us already feel like we aren't doing enough. Parkinson's is an octopus with a dozen tentacles,...

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you buy something through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I'd actually use — or in this case, wish I could afford right now. The Steamer Saga Nobody Asked For …But You're Getting It Anyway By Darla in the Desert Let me tell you a little story about a steamer, a shed, a Honda CR‑V, and the kind of budget decisions that make you feel like a responsible adult — even when life is throwing plot twists like confetti. A couple years ago — back when life was only medium chaotic — we bought a used countertop steamer. Used it once. Thought, "Hey, this is neat." And then, like every other well‑intentioned kitchen gadget, it got stashed in the shed . Not the cute Pinterest shed. The Arizona shed. The one that turns into a steamy sauna every summer. Fast‑forward to this week. Dave's lungs are fragile, we're tr...

An honest update on cancer, faith, a last-chance medication, City of Hope, a new Honda CR-V, and why we chose family over Egypt Some moments are worth holding onto. 🌵 A note on Parkinson's & cancer — keep scrolling for our important update ↓ Did you know? Research shows Parkinson's patients have a nuanced cancer picture. Overall cancer rates are actually somewhat lower than the general population — but with one important exception: melanoma risk runs about 75% higher. For those carrying certain genetic variants of Parkinson's, risks for breast, brain, and blood cancers are also elevated. The relationship is complicated — not simply "more cancer," but a shifted pattern altogether. Sources: BMJ meta-analysis of 17+ million participants (2021); NIH Mendelian randomization study (2024) I share this because so many of us are walking similar roads. In my own circle of friend...

Darla in the Desert: hard‑earned lessons from life, the internet, and a desert that melts your patience first. Send ice! GO: Chicken vs. rattlesnake desert showdown — the image says it all. This article was written by Darla, Grok, and CoPilot answering my blunt inquisition. Strap in for the answers and let’s have fun. GROK’S ANSWERS WHICH CAME FIRST — THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG? The Chicken or the Egg: Eternity's Dumbest Debate and Why the Chicken Crossed the Road (it wasn't to get to the other side) Side note: Before we even asked the big chicken‑egg question, I asked Grok how many times he’s been asked it. His answer? “About 50.” Delivered in 722 milliseconds. So yes — we’re not the first ones to wonder, but we’re definitely the most desert about it. For centuries, humanity has lost sleep over one question: which came first, the chicken or the egg? Science says egg (proto‑chicken laid mutated egg). Bible says chicken (God made birds on Day 5, ready to ...

Support the Blog — Buy Me a Coffee “Even my AI tried to tell me the quote didn’t exist — and I had to shove back until it coughed up the transcript.” A Moment That Demands Perspective Op-Ed by Darla Last night was, by every early indication, a third apparent assassination attempt on President Trump. Love him or hate him, in my mind that is an attack on our culture and our government—a would‑be judge, jury, and executioner all rolled into one. Details are still developing, but reports describe the White House Correspondents’ Dinner being waylaid by an apparent attempt on President Trump and members of his cabinet, with countless others—journalists, wait staff, guests—potentially in the line of fire. Fortunately, the Secret Service was able to apprehend the man before anyone was hurt. National shock demands historical perspective, not panic, not guesswork — and that clarity matters more than ever when the public conve...