This post talked about a distinctive "Yettah lach," (Yoder laugh) at family reunions. And this one told of a malady known as "Yeddah grivvel" (Yoder irritable-restlessness).
Despite being a Yoder, I had never heard of either of these. Mom had restless leg syndrome, which she always called "nervousy bay," (nervous legs) but she was not a Yoder by birth and we never heard of the syndrome on Dad's side of the family.
What we did hear about was the Yeddah Schwachy Mauah, or Yoder weak digestive system. Dad and a few of his siblings were plagued with vague stomach ailments and sensitivities and pains. Dad couldn't eat fibrous or seedy things like berries, among lots of other things. I don't even know what his exact symptoms were; I just know that every so often he refused to eat something at the table because it would be too hard on his schwachy mauah.
Dad passed the ailment on to my brother Phil, who had schwachy mauah to begin with and then completely trashed his digestive system by being on pennicillin for five years after he had rheumatic fever, although of course at the time we didn't realize that.
So Phil lives on pureed cooked squash and just a few other foods.
In the next generation, Becky's Jason and our Emily have the Yeddah mauah, and one of Phil's as well, though not as bad. I think it might be Hillary. (Which would mean that the three 17-year-olds all have it....hmmmm....odd. Anyway...)
The Yeddah mauah are only one of Emily's many health issues, which I often research on the internet, hoping for clues and cures, while she rolls her eyes at yet another printout. Yesterday I got to thinking that she might have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, so today I went hunting. Yeah, the symptoms fit her, kind of. And the recommended diet lists said--my ears pricked up--cooked squash is recommended and berries are forbidden. How about that!
Wouldn't that be something if the Yeddah Schwachy Mauah actually turned out to be a real disorder with a real name, like maybe "Irritable Bowel Syndrome"??
Quote of the Day:
"Nah, Amos, du vaysht du setsht net aspirin nemma! Sis zu hot uch dei mauah!"
(Now Amos, you know you shouldn't take aspirin. It's too hard on your digestion."
--my grandma, back when I was a child listening from the living room as she shook her finger in my dad's face out in the kitchen and he humbly listened
(Ok, someone is going to wonder why I don't take Emily to a doctor. Nothing personal to my SIL Barb or anyone else, but the medical profession is marvelous with broken bones and mediocre at best with anything vague and chronic. And Emily at this point would rather suffer ferociously than submit to the inevitable invasive tests and questions.)
I know you've probably been to every site and researched probably till you felt sick yourself but seeing this post reminded me of a message board that has a wealth of information on health issues -- WellTellMe.com
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the doctors/medical help. When I was sick, I went a few times and that was enough. The one doctor told me I had more symptoms than the last time and that was kind of her answer. One of the symptoms she said was maybe because I was getting older...I was 24...I never considered that to be an old age but I guess I'm just living in the past. Ha!
There is a place for self-diagnosing. Hope you are able to get to the end of your daughter's health problems.
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ReplyDeleteWell, rats...I had another Yeddah for you on a friend's site, but the link won't post correctly. Let me try in like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.xanga.com/merniegirl/
603848473/welcome-home.html
You know you're in the middle of Amish country if you have trucks like this. :o)
What was it with that generation and aspirin? My grandma was so proud that her son washed an aspirin down the water fountain at school when the teacher gave one to him for a headache. He thought it would poison him.
ReplyDeleteI would also wonder about diverticulum.
ReplyDeleteDana (a reformed nurse, and lay midwife who has gone over to the dark side as far as my ex-peers are concerned. LOL )
The "Yeddah Hips" is the trademark in Ohio that you are a true Yeddah!!!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh about the weak Yoder stomach. You see, my dad was a Yoder, and had stomach problems as long as I can remember. I think some of his siblingd did, too. (At least they burbed alot!) Later in life he was diagnosed with diverticulitis, but my brother and I both have acid reflux, and wonder if he didn't suffer from that, too.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I love reading your blog and would have liked to meet you when you were in PA. We are neighbors to Ernie Weavers, in fact, live in the house they lived in before they moved down to the farm.
I had "irritable bowel syndrome" for several years, existing largely on white bread and potatoes. It hasn't bothered me now for about 10 years. A turn-around came when I started eating a lot of yogurt (a cup a day is a lot to me!) and realizing that it was probably stress-related...or maybe God just took it away!
ReplyDeleteThis is crazy! My husband is a Yoder and has the restless leg syndrome and stomach issues! I just read a book about "Eat right for your blood type" and many of the things that it says type A's shouldn't eat he has trouble with. Don't know if this would help with Emily but thought I would suggest it.
ReplyDelete