In October, after our beautiful 10-10-10 wedding, we stayed in town to be near Jason’s mom who had a brain aneurysm two weeks before the ceremony. We canceled our trip to Canada to be near the hospital. Jason, nor I, was comfortable being out of the country and there was no question about staying local.
But, we decided to do some fun things and on day three of our home-town honeymoon, we went to the State Fair of Texas.
To say hi to big Tex.
To ride the Texas sized ferris wheel.
To walk the colorful midway.
To take in all the sights and sounds of the fair.
Including……Texas State fare of the deep-fried variety. And I do mean variety…….these are actual booth banners of what you can buy to eat – FRIED.
These are not even all of them. I didn’t get a picture of the fried beer. That one just turns my stomach……fried……beer??? Ick!
I will say the fried cheesecake was unbelievably good. Then, I really, really wanted a fried snickers. But holy cow, it was really big once it was fried. Jason and I settled on our last fried dish being the world FAMOUS Texas Fried Butter. Oh yahhhh.
The pictures don’t do it justice. The outside was sprinkled with sugar and honey. The center was warm and gooey and absolutely delicious! I heart butter.
This did not last long.
Then we left the fair, and fried fare, and we trekked our way to the car. Jason got short of breath.
Huh?
I chalked it up to lack of exercise, his nagging bronchitis diagnosis, and from too many corny dogs. Not to mention the exhaustion from before/after the whole wedding and mom in ICU stress.
Later, Jason felt worse. Was it the fried butter??
I mean, people joke about the fried foods at Texas State Fair, but seriously, he wasn’t doing well….he ATE fried butter.
The next morning, he couldn’t breathe laying down.
That afternoon, I kid you not, he ends up in the ER and then admitted to step-down cardiac unit. Our honeymoon continued in the hospital……..remember that? If you have not read my Diary of a Hospital Honeymoon, it’s a must read.
Eight days later, he is released with no diagnosis. We needed Doctor House.
But I knew……I just knew….it was the FRIED BUTTER.
And yes, we told them. They swore it wasn’t from eating fried butter, but really?!?! What do Doctors know about fried butter? The entire heart ward was FULL during the Texas State Fair, coincidence???? I think not.
My diagnosis was clear. It was the fried butter and no more of that crap!?!
And that’s where this post comes in, because Jason finally got the bajillion blood tests back the rheumatologist administered. The double strand DNA test confirms his illness is from fried butter Lupus.
It wasn’t the fried butter after all, but I’m still suspicious. 🙂
Jason gets to enjoy fried butter another day and add a THIRD autoimmune disease to his medical chart; type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and now fried butter disease Lupus.
At least we know now why he was hospitalized for so long, for no reason for very good reason. He was really sick (and not faking). We can look forward to treatment, and we can continue on with a prayer that it stays in remission (as it is now).
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and inquires to his health. He is doing very well with all of this. We both are. This is nothing that we can’t handle with God on our side and fried butter not crossing our lips.
Next year, I think I’ll try the fried snickers (j/k!).
P.S. I updated my blog header for Christmas. If you get this by email, or mobile be sure to check it out on a web browser. Many thanks, and happy, healthy no fried butter wishes.
Living, Loving, Laughing.... 
I am so glad you mentioned the new header since I do read your blog via e-mail subscription. So festive!
Lupus? Wow. As an east coast girl – who loves all kinds of food – I have to say that fried butter sounds scary 😉
Ho ho ho,
Colleen
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My mom has systemic lupus (among other illnesses) and now gets sick very often and stays sick much longer. She takes collidal silver daily as a supplement and it has improved tremendously. Jason might want to consider some sort of health supplement immunity booster just to beef up his immunity against illness. You guys have had a few rough patches at the end of 2010. I hope 2011 brings good health and happiness for all.
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I am making a rare appearance in the blogosphere just to say Angelia these photos of the fair are fabulous. Your photography continues to get even more fabulous. I have never been to the State Fair, I think maybe next year our daughter will be old enough for it. I am glad Jason finally got a diagnosis as to what caused his hospitalization but am at the same time so sorry to hear he now has Lupus to add to his list. Like SuziCate I would say look into all aspects of treatment, supplements, diet and everything to help keep this illness at bay. I hope 2011 is less traumatic and dramatic for all of you too. I love that middle photo in your new header too.
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I’ve always thought all that fried stuff at the fair was just a heart attack waiting to happen. I mean, fried BUTTER? How do you even do that?! The fried cheesecake sounds pretty scrumptious though. I can’t blame you for being skeptical about the fried butter NOT being the culprit… I would’ve thought the same thing!
I’m really sorry that he got the diagnosis of Lupus, but at least you know now and can treat accordingly. You guys remain in my prayers – and I hope this next year holds a lot less hospital time for you. 😉
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The Texas State Fair…I can almost imagine, especially after watching Oprah’s episode on it 🙂 Texas just does it bigger and better than anybody else! Glad your hubby is ok now, but I would be careful with that fried butter! Fried Cheesecake is right up my alley!
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Fried cookie dough!? What, ew!
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Hey, nobody noticed the ‘Deep Fried Tempur-Pedics’ yet!
Thank you all for the well wishes. It’s good to finally have a diagnosis…and not need to find Dr. House.
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Angelia,
Fried butter disease….now there’s a new one!!!
Glad to hear this was figured out…and you can still enjoy all the specialties of the fair!
And know, too, I’m sending good wishes that all of this continues to be in remission…
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Love your holiday header. That is gorgeous.
Prayers to you and your husband.
Fried butter – omg.
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I think we can agree that ALL fried food, no matter how good it truly is, will make your stomach do a little unpleasant polka until you cleanse your system! I once had Fried Oreos at a street fair in NYC…actually, kind of horrible. I do have an affinity for funnel cake!
Fried butter? Just the name alone makes me want to try it…let alone with the honey and sugar on top. I will now have to read your honeymoon hospital posts!
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I’m pretty sure my arteries just clogged by looking at the butter pic. 🙂
You guys have been through so freaking much! My heart goes out to you two and seriously, you have been so utterly positive. You’re amazing.
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A trade of fried butter for fried green tomatoes just may be the answer 🙂 Glad everything is finally going the right direction for you both.
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Angelia, please keep me posted on Jason, and especially the hypothyroidism. I know quite a bit about that one because Keil was born without a thyroid glad. Once he gets his TSH in the normal range, he will feel a lot better! He will also drop a few pounds, as long as he doesn’t eat any more fried butter!!!
Everyone is right, Angelia–your photography just keeps getting better and better.
xoxo
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I can see how you’d confuse Lupus with Fried Butter Disease (j/k!) So very happy to hear that Jason is on the mend and so is his Mom! Happy, Healthy Husband and a Happy, Healthy Mother-in-Law: PRICELESS!!
Love,
Peggy
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I love fried food! It would be so tempting for me to try a bunch of yummy, trashy stuff!
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Isn’t it amazing the list of things they fry these days.
I would probably try the `melt-in-your-mouth` fried butter.
I’m glad you were able to find the diagnosis.
So sorry it’s another thing to add to the list.
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Hey, honey. I love the pictures of the Texas fair. Reminds me of when I was a kid living in Dallas….way back when (I was in first grade). Big Tex looked humongous to me as a 6 year old. He somehow looks different now, though.
All of this going on with Jason is sure puzzling, isn’t it? What do they recommend for him? I’m praying for all of you. Life has been a bit out of the ordinary for a couple of new newlyweds, to say the least.
I love your new header. The girls are beautiful and look so spirited.
I hope your mother-in-law is doing better and that you are able to have a wonderful first Christmas together as a couple/family.
Weezer
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I’m glad it wasn’t the butter!
How incredible to visit this fair. I’ve seen it on t.v!
I love your new header, but miss seeing YOUR smiling face. You should be there too.
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Oh, no. Sorry, I am so behind in my comments.
I’m thinking you’re all right. The more I look into these autoimmune diseases (and battle one, myself), the more I discover that our diet plays a HUGE role–but so do other things. Stress, environment, heredity. I just don’t think there are pat answers.
But, at least there are some factors we CAN control–like diet. But, I’m still having trouble with that one, too.
Must say–I have never heard of fried butter!! That almost sounds like a gift wrapped heart attack. 🙂
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I hate that it turned out to be lupus but at least you know now what you are up against. BTW… I love the new banner!
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That is a lot of fried stuff! To date, I’ve tried a fried oreo, twinkie, and Pop-Tart, but I’d like to try a fried Snickers, too!
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I am just now reading this. I can’t remember if I heard this diagnosis before (on FB maybe). I think I did because I remember something about inflammatory and you made me write a blog post.
Anyway . . . . I am glad that there is a diagnosis and there are ways it can be treated and dealt with.
I laughed at the fried matresses. That was funny.
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