Here it is, after 8:30 p.m., and I'm regretting trying to eat a normal meal. I had half a ham-and-cheese sandwich with an heirloom tomato and bell peppers, plus some milk. That was around 7 p.m.
By 8:20 (thank goodness for the journal I keep!), I came down with such severe abdominal pain and nausea that I had to get Hubby to bring my nausea meds into the bathroom for me. Uh, too much information?
Sorry.
I have so many wonderful heirloom tomatoes and other produce sitting here, waiting for me (and family) to eat. But I can't. It's very frustrating.
On the 15th, 3 days ago, I had another attack as bad as the one that put me in the hospital on the 10th. Luckily, I had all of my meds here, so I took 3 (yes, three) of the Zofran (which is a melt in your mouth emergency nausea pill) plus two of a different pill, one of a third pill, and I changed my behind-the-ear nausea patch. I finally calmed down quite early in the morning and fell to sleep, finally, by 6 a.m. I read and re-read my journal from the 15th and from August 10th and can NOT figure out what those two days have in common to make me have such intense attacks.
Nothing.
So ... what do you eat when you can't eat? Never again will I have jello as that's what I threw up on Aug 10th when all of this started. Instead, broth. Applesauce scratches my stomach. Oh, and about a half of a banana is ok (a whole one is too much).
I did my barium swallow yesterday and now my dizziness is worse. I get my results in a week or two. Here's hoping they found SOMETHING that will help solve my health scare/problem.
Take care, people. You never know what something horrible will attack you. Can you imagine trying to do any kind of work with severe nausea and abdominal pain that has you doubled over?
Eat healthy. Please. Not for me, but for you and your future.
Read the labels on the products you buy. If there are more than few ingredients, put it down and make it from scratch.
Helpers Gone but Now We are Afraid
We fired the "Helpers" today. Suspicious that the hours worked reported to us was not accurate, I watched them carefully today. First of all, the woman never did anything to help. Second, out of 3.5 hours reported, he really only worked a total of about 20 minutes! What?!?!?!
So we fired them. And now they are a little threatening, saying that I underpaid them, when, in fact, I very much overpaid them for work that was never ever as I requested.
I'm sitting in the living room, lights out except for outside where we have ALL of our outdoor lights on so we can see what is going on outside. I fear they will return. Hubby says he'll sleep out here tonight, and keep an ear out for anything that isn't supposed to be there.
So glad they are gone. But this stress isn't good for my nausea.
I did eat lunch today, though. Nothing big. Just a banana and some oatmeal.
By the way, met with my g.i. doctor this week who said all of the blood work has come in and nothing seems amiss. He is scheduling some more testings, including an upper g.i. to look at stomach and a colonoscopy to look at the other end.
Plus, he wants a special kind of test that involves a tube with a camera on the end to enter through the vein on the right side of my neck to check my liver's pressure and will do a liver biopsy.
Another doctor, an ENT, has scheduled a barium swallow to see why I'm having troubles swallowing. Wonder if that problem has anything to do with my nausea.
Well, at least I got some of my favorite instant oatmeal down: 1/4 cup quick-cooking oatmeal, 1 tbsp. pineapple powder, 1 tbsp. banana powder, and 1 tbsp. of raw sugar. Delicious and it stayed down!!! Might add a bit of cinnamon the next time.
BTW... the fruit powder I mentioned in the last paragraph is real fruit, in powder form. I get them, among many others, from www.justtomatoes.com.
So we fired them. And now they are a little threatening, saying that I underpaid them, when, in fact, I very much overpaid them for work that was never ever as I requested.
I'm sitting in the living room, lights out except for outside where we have ALL of our outdoor lights on so we can see what is going on outside. I fear they will return. Hubby says he'll sleep out here tonight, and keep an ear out for anything that isn't supposed to be there.
So glad they are gone. But this stress isn't good for my nausea.
I did eat lunch today, though. Nothing big. Just a banana and some oatmeal.
By the way, met with my g.i. doctor this week who said all of the blood work has come in and nothing seems amiss. He is scheduling some more testings, including an upper g.i. to look at stomach and a colonoscopy to look at the other end.
Plus, he wants a special kind of test that involves a tube with a camera on the end to enter through the vein on the right side of my neck to check my liver's pressure and will do a liver biopsy.
Another doctor, an ENT, has scheduled a barium swallow to see why I'm having troubles swallowing. Wonder if that problem has anything to do with my nausea.
Well, at least I got some of my favorite instant oatmeal down: 1/4 cup quick-cooking oatmeal, 1 tbsp. pineapple powder, 1 tbsp. banana powder, and 1 tbsp. of raw sugar. Delicious and it stayed down!!! Might add a bit of cinnamon the next time.
BTW... the fruit powder I mentioned in the last paragraph is real fruit, in powder form. I get them, among many others, from www.justtomatoes.com.
Helpers not really working out
The helpers we found through Craigslist are really not working out. Disappeared for a day completely with no word until I sent a strongly-worded text. Thinking this time next week, we'll have them gone. I keep hoping the man will do something like I actually tell him to do, but so far, only one project has been done to the way I requested and demonstrated.
They are taking advantage of me, but I need them (him) to "work" a bit more to pay us back for providing enough gas to get here that first day, plus antifreeze we also bought that day.
My nausea is getting just a tiny bit better but now I have new symptoms: peticulae (tiny red spots in strategic places). I reported them to both my hematologist and my g.i. doctors.
Did I mention that my spleen is quite large and growing and that my white platelets are quite low and still dropping? Thankfully the two doctors are in the same building.
Why is my body suddenly falling apart, so completely?
Is it because I've been so fat all of my life?
As a side note, even with the nausea, I'm really not losing any weight. No one understands the why of this because you'd think I'd have dropped 50 pounds by now. It's been only 5-10 pounds since Aug 10, when I went into the ER.
Odd.
They are taking advantage of me, but I need them (him) to "work" a bit more to pay us back for providing enough gas to get here that first day, plus antifreeze we also bought that day.
My nausea is getting just a tiny bit better but now I have new symptoms: peticulae (tiny red spots in strategic places). I reported them to both my hematologist and my g.i. doctors.
Did I mention that my spleen is quite large and growing and that my white platelets are quite low and still dropping? Thankfully the two doctors are in the same building.
Why is my body suddenly falling apart, so completely?
Is it because I've been so fat all of my life?
As a side note, even with the nausea, I'm really not losing any weight. No one understands the why of this because you'd think I'd have dropped 50 pounds by now. It's been only 5-10 pounds since Aug 10, when I went into the ER.
Odd.
Help at the House and Farmette
Since Winter is coming and I don't have the strength to get some of our little farmette jobs done before the cold weather sets in, we put an ad on Craigslist and have hired a man and his wife to help out. Seems like a good fit. They understand that I'm quite ill, and are willing to help Hubby re-build our front yard fence (needed to take it down so the water well people could get to the well to dig it further). They will also build a new chicken coop for the 13 baby bantam chickens we have in our garage. They absolutely need to go outside within a month because they are getting so big and they need to acclimate to outside weather before the cold gets here.
As for me, I'm not feeling any better. And now, my insomnia is bothering me again. So I wait until Hubby is asleep, and if I don't feel sleep coming any time soon, I gather a few things (pillow, water bottle, phone) and go into the living room. Our wonderful but dumb Labrador retriever lays beside me, sometimes nuzzling my tummy or leg in sympathy.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to add foods to my day, like oatmeal. I tried it with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, but the sugar made me sick.
Ug.
I hope that soon, someone will figure out what's wrong with me and will help me be able to eat again. Once that happens, I can start posting on here again some healthy homemade instant meals!
Oh, how I look forward to that.
As for me, I'm not feeling any better. And now, my insomnia is bothering me again. So I wait until Hubby is asleep, and if I don't feel sleep coming any time soon, I gather a few things (pillow, water bottle, phone) and go into the living room. Our wonderful but dumb Labrador retriever lays beside me, sometimes nuzzling my tummy or leg in sympathy.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to add foods to my day, like oatmeal. I tried it with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, but the sugar made me sick.
Ug.
I hope that soon, someone will figure out what's wrong with me and will help me be able to eat again. Once that happens, I can start posting on here again some healthy homemade instant meals!
Oh, how I look forward to that.
Still Quite Ill so Sorry
It's been about a week since I got home from the hospital, and I'm sorry to say that I've made very little progress. I see my PCP tomorrow to discuss my hospital stay, and hopefully to get refills on the 3 meds plus the skin patch that are keeping my food in me.
Hoping she agrees to it. Because, even with the meds, I'm barely hanging on.
And now I have constant dizziness to go along with everything else.
I seem to be slightly better in the mornings, so I'm making sure I drink a protein drink (pre-made or Carnation instant with extra protein) plus a Bolthouse or Naked or V8 fruit/veg juice... for the nutrition. Then, if I can't get anything else to stay down during the day, I'll feel like I not doing too awfully bad, nutrition wise.
Again, I apologize for not doing much to help you on your health journey. I can barely think about food without getting more nauseated.
Thank you.
Hoping she agrees to it. Because, even with the meds, I'm barely hanging on.
And now I have constant dizziness to go along with everything else.
I seem to be slightly better in the mornings, so I'm making sure I drink a protein drink (pre-made or Carnation instant with extra protein) plus a Bolthouse or Naked or V8 fruit/veg juice... for the nutrition. Then, if I can't get anything else to stay down during the day, I'll feel like I not doing too awfully bad, nutrition wise.
Again, I apologize for not doing much to help you on your health journey. I can barely think about food without getting more nauseated.
Thank you.
My Health Scare
Today is August the 13th, and I just got out of the hospital.
You might know that since I had my right knee replaced in November 2014, my fibromyalgia has tilted into full pain mode, and I'm non-stop nauseated. The doctors I've seen said the nausea is from the meds I was on, so I didn't worry about it.
Then I had my second (left) knee replacement surgery in April 2015, and the nausea got worse.
But this week, on the 10th, a few days after our well went dry, my nausea went bonkers, and I became uncontrollable nauseated, with vomiting and severe abdominal pains. My family took me to the Emergency Room (a 35 minute drive) where they did everything they could to get me quieted down. Nothing worked. It actually got worse because every time they flushed my IV with saline, the taste of it make my nausea worse. By 4 a.m., they had admitted me to the hospital. Over the course of the next 2 1/2 days, they tried many different medicines to calm my stomach. I threw up about 30 times in 24 hour period. You can bet my ribs and throat hurt.
It took the combination of three (yes, 3) medicines plus a nausea skin patch behind my ear to get me to stop throwing up enough to go home.
So, if I don't write much about making homemade healthy instant foods for a while, you'll know why.
Thank you for your patience.
You might know that since I had my right knee replaced in November 2014, my fibromyalgia has tilted into full pain mode, and I'm non-stop nauseated. The doctors I've seen said the nausea is from the meds I was on, so I didn't worry about it.
Then I had my second (left) knee replacement surgery in April 2015, and the nausea got worse.
But this week, on the 10th, a few days after our well went dry, my nausea went bonkers, and I became uncontrollable nauseated, with vomiting and severe abdominal pains. My family took me to the Emergency Room (a 35 minute drive) where they did everything they could to get me quieted down. Nothing worked. It actually got worse because every time they flushed my IV with saline, the taste of it make my nausea worse. By 4 a.m., they had admitted me to the hospital. Over the course of the next 2 1/2 days, they tried many different medicines to calm my stomach. I threw up about 30 times in 24 hour period. You can bet my ribs and throat hurt.
It took the combination of three (yes, 3) medicines plus a nausea skin patch behind my ear to get me to stop throwing up enough to go home.
So, if I don't write much about making homemade healthy instant foods for a while, you'll know why.
Thank you for your patience.
MRE RECIPE: Protein Popcorn
Yeah, I know. Weird. Yeah, popcorn, since it comes from corn, has a slight amount of protein. But this recipe will bump up that protein AND add flavor and nutrients. Plus it tastes cheesy without adding the dairy!
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup of heirloom popcorn kernels
2-3 tbsp. oil (olive, walnut, avocado, your choice)
3 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast Flakes
DIRECTIONS:
Place kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold down the top a few times, then put in the microwave for about 4 minutes. Take out when kernels aren't popping fast.
Once popped, take out and place in a bowl Add a little oil, the nutritional yeast flakes (and salt, nuts and M&Ms if you'd like). Mix well. Add more until you get the taste you are going for.
NUTRITION DATA:
NOTE: If you air-pop your popcorn, after it's done, drizzle on the oil before sprinkling on the other ingredients. It helps them stick, and adds healthy oils to your snack. You could also pop the kernels in a COVERED pan on the stove or over a fire (just be sure to add oil to the pan first!)
NOTE: Please do NOT use pre-packaged microwave popcorn .. it has toxins in it and seriously, you can do it just as easily yourself. // Also, my son has a problem with regular GMO corn (is it any wonder?) so we buy heirloom popcorn, multi-colored, from Azure Standard. They have a LOT of bulk products, many heirloom and non-GMO, and are so reliable. They rarely mess up my order.
NOTE: If you took my advice and are putting enough food and such away for a year, please be sure to add these ingredients, especially the nutritional yeast. You can use them in your dehydrated flax crackers, on pasta and so many other ways where you want to bump up the nutrition while adding a cheesy taste.
COPYRIGHT (C) 2015 Vikki Lawrence. This recipe is for your personal use only. Please do not copy or distribute without written authorization from the author. Thank you.
INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup of heirloom popcorn kernels
2-3 tbsp. oil (olive, walnut, avocado, your choice)
3 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast Flakes
DIRECTIONS:
Place kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold down the top a few times, then put in the microwave for about 4 minutes. Take out when kernels aren't popping fast.
Once popped, take out and place in a bowl Add a little oil, the nutritional yeast flakes (and salt, nuts and M&Ms if you'd like). Mix well. Add more until you get the taste you are going for.
NUTRITION DATA:
NOTE: If you air-pop your popcorn, after it's done, drizzle on the oil before sprinkling on the other ingredients. It helps them stick, and adds healthy oils to your snack. You could also pop the kernels in a COVERED pan on the stove or over a fire (just be sure to add oil to the pan first!)
NOTE: Please do NOT use pre-packaged microwave popcorn .. it has toxins in it and seriously, you can do it just as easily yourself. // Also, my son has a problem with regular GMO corn (is it any wonder?) so we buy heirloom popcorn, multi-colored, from Azure Standard. They have a LOT of bulk products, many heirloom and non-GMO, and are so reliable. They rarely mess up my order.
NOTE: If you took my advice and are putting enough food and such away for a year, please be sure to add these ingredients, especially the nutritional yeast. You can use them in your dehydrated flax crackers, on pasta and so many other ways where you want to bump up the nutrition while adding a cheesy taste.
COPYRIGHT (C) 2015 Vikki Lawrence. This recipe is for your personal use only. Please do not copy or distribute without written authorization from the author. Thank you.
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