Tending trees and battling briars in search of nature’s healing power

I have long been an early riser, and today was no different, as I was up at 5 a.m. During summers here in Alabama, we have about three hours when we can go outdoors before the heat of the day makes gardening and other activities uncomfortable. But today was different, as I had to wait until 8 a.m. before venturing outdoors.

I was hoping to spend about half an hour trimming overgrown privet bushes, trumpet vines, and the ever-nasty greenbrier vines from the neglected borders of my garden. My hope is to have a mixture of pine forest and a manicured garden at my house. When I live here year-round, I come close to achieving that goal. As it is now, though, I’m losing the battle.

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Physical limits and tool troubles

I began working with my electric chain saw. In recent years, I’ve bought smaller, more lightweight tools because I don’t have enough strength to pull the starter cord on gasoline-powered engines. I blame the anemia caused by my cold agglutinin disease (CAD).

CAD is a rare autoimmune disorder in which self-targeting antibodies attack and destroy red blood cells at low temperatures, causing symptoms like overwhelming fatigue. For me, that’s usually below 50 F.

So I have to work within my own physical constraints. If I’m pulling weeds in my flower plots, I can last for several hours. But if I’m doing more physical work, such as pulling down greenbrier vines from oak trees, the maximum time is only about half an hour.

Today, I was hoping to work for 45 minutes before stopping, but my tools had other ideas. I started with the small chain saw. Sadly, because privets have flexible stems, they became entangled in the chain and pulled it off its track. Putting it back on is a job for my husband because it’s greasy and I don’t like to do it. So I switched my plan to weed-eating some previously poisoned vines.

That lasted about 20 minutes. I always wonder whose battery will run out first: mine or my Weed eater’s. Today, because I’d done some gardening before weed-eating, it was mine that wore out.

That was the extent of my outdoor endeavors for now. I might get back to it, but probably not. The muscles in my arm are telling me that it’s not normal activity, and they don’t like doing it. Roy Smith, a hematologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, recommends retraining our muscles to metabolize oxygen more efficiently, but my muscles have dropped out of that particular program.

Planning for a pine-filled future

It’d be nice to have the summer growth cleaned up before winter, primarily because of my travel schedule. I’m leaving for a tropical climate next week. I plan to return over Christmastime for my next doctor’s appointment, though. In the time between my blood work and my follow-up appointment the following week, my husband and I plan to replenish the forest next to our yard with Alabama’s state tree, the longleaf pine.

That’s for a number of reasons: First, pine trees are graceful beauties. They sweep the clouds from the sky and perfume the air with their turpentine scent. Second, they provide a home for all sorts of species of wildlife, especially birds. Even in my urban setting, hawks and owls have found homes in my trees.

One thing CAD patients need to consider is maintaining our emotional equilibrium, as we’re prone to depression. Gardens and the great outdoors help to counter that tendency. I’m keeping an eye to the future by providing an environment aimed at exactly that.

I was reminded of this as I perused a September holiday calendar. The semiannual celebration of National Wildlife Day is coming up on Sept. 4. While I won’t be in the U.S. for this celebration, I hope the wildlife at my home will enjoy their refreshed habitat.

Note: Cold Agglutinin Disease News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cold Agglutinin Disease News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cold agglutinin disease.