Hapi is sitting at his usual morning station to my left, happily munching the Harrison’s pellets. I’ve cut back on the fresh food a bit to make sure he keeps eating them. A few minutes ago hs stopped munching, closed his eyes, and took a little nap. I heard him grind his beak, a sign of comfort. If his feathers weren’t so patchy I’d think he has just been hungry without the pellets he has (and loves) now. His feathers look awful. I took him into the shower for a little wash yesterday and he freaked out, screaming at the gentle water stream like he does when I try to put a towel over him. He flew into a wall. Not a helpful experience at all. I have to see what the next step is in ruling out medical issues. He is vocal, playful, busy chewing at his toys, and eating well, but oh-so-bald. If I get a clearer understanding of his physical state I can better accept his appearance. WIll have to call Carol again to find out what’s next. Sigh.
The book I am reading on the relationship between autoimmune disease and ACE (adverse childhood experiences) is literally shocking to me. I knew there was some correlation, but the data presented in this book makes an undeniable link between the physical structure of the brain as it develops while being exposed to chronic serious stressors and physical illness later in life. This isn’t a case of someone looking back all the time, focusing on past bad experiences and getting ill. People who have “dealt” with the source of their “ACE’s” and have built “normal” lives, with healthy relationships and successful lives, are hundreds of times more likely to develop autoimmune disease in their 30’s - 50’s. Literally hundreds. Not to mention issues of depression and mood regulation. Changes to the gray matter of the brain, and the connections between parts of the brain (amygdala, neocortex.) I am stunned at the data.
Also, the epigenetic piece is HUGE --there are actual identifiable genes for being more susceptible to stress and being vulnerable to stress. Some people who do not have this gene activated do not experience the same level of developmental disruption when exposed to chronic childhood stress. I’ve always felt that my parents did the best they could with really challenging experiences of their own, and that no childhood or family is “perfect.” They had horrible upbringings, and I feel certain they were dealing with a host of DNA challenges as well, passed on to us. Studies have shown that the stress a grandmother experienced is passed down to her grandchildren in the DNA. This is not new news to me. Seeing it as a piece of the autoimmune puzzle, though, is.
Talk about a transformational learning experience for me! I think every teacher should read this book and I plan on recommending it to my colleagues in the fall. Imagine if providing young students with the understanding and coping tools needed to deal with ACE’s could literally keep something like RA, Lupus, heart disease, MS, and a host of other horrors from literally ruining their lives. Wow. Just wow.
Onward to creative, hopefully transformational learning today! Cheers.