For the first time in a couple of weeks, I was actually able to finish my breakfast this morning! And so far I haven't puked!
Success!
I did go back to see a different doctor yesterday to get some more complete & aggressive treatment (cause - hey - when your patient has a tonsil infection on top of all this other crap, you should probably still treat said tonsil infection). The doctor wanted to draw new labs to recheck the possibility of stomach ulcers along with checking to see if maybe I have Mono. They also confirmed what I was already pretty sure of - I have lost 4 pounds in a little over a week.
Hopefully things will continue to improve now. I still have an appointment with a GI guy later this month. I'll feel a lot more comfortable when they have a definite diagnosis to go with all these drugs they are giving me!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Smoothie Recipe
I decided to try some more mushy-type foods since I'm having problems with my innards. I'm super excited about this smoothie recipe because it involves me eating cottage cheese (super high in protein) without having to TASTE or feel the texture of cottage cheese
Mix in yo blender:
1 C of frozen mixed berries
1/4 C frozen yogurt, plain
1/4 C cottage cheese
1/4 milk (more if you want it smoother)
This madness will get you a berry flavored smoothie treat for a total of 190-ish calories, about 25% of your DV of calcium and 11 smacking grams of protein. You'll get some little bits of vitamin D, vitamin C, and fiber but nothing spectacular. I'm thinking this will be an excellent post-workout recovery drink (after loads of water at least).
I tried it out, and I promise you cannot taste the cottage cheese at all. I'm even considering substituting all of the frozen yogurt for cottage cheese next time (that would bump the total protein up to 17 grams) - and I hate the taste of cottage cheese, so that should say something!
Anybody have any awesome smoothie recipes?
You'd think...
... that repeatedly puking coffee would make me not want coffee anymore. But amazingly enough, I could drink a fresh cup right after upchucking the last one...
Isn't that just gross?
Isn't that just gross?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
My Hero - HyoMax
So I have this stomach problem. It's not an all-the-time problem, but when it's going on it's really no fun at all.
It makes me feel nauseous when I'm really hungry, makes me feel nauseous when I eat, and occasionally makes me regurgitate my food. When it gets extra bad, it makes me feel like my chest and throat are in a vice.
I've had this problem off and on for a good long while now, but lately it's gotten super bad. After some devoted praying at the porcelain altar, I decided to finally see a doctor about it. And you know what? It turns out that I'm not supposed to feel this way!
After discussing my symptoms, we narrowed down the potential culprits to a herniated esophagus, GERD, or IBS (or some combo). She gave me a couple of prescriptions and an appointment with a GI specialist to have a camera stuck down my throat to take some pretty pictures of my insides for a definitive diagnosis. That will happen later this month.
Back to those prescriptions.
So, I am taking HyoMax - a drug for IBS that is supposed to stop my GI organs from spazzing out all the time. It's like a tummy muscle relaxant, and holy crap does it feel strange to me. You know how sometimes when you wear something super tight and you walk around with your gut sucked in all day long - then you get home and put on you PJ's and let everything relax? That relaxed feeling after a day of sucking it in - THAT is what this feels like.
Like I can finally breathe. Like I've been sucking it in my entire life, and now I finally get to relax.
It's strange though. It makes me wonder if this is what everyone else with normal insides feels all the time. If so, no wonder people like eating!
Now, this hasn't exactly fixed all my issues. I'm still having crazy weird chest/throat tightness that is borderline painful (think like when you are running and get side-stitches, only in the center of your sternum and up through your throat). Also, while the relaxed tummy IS super awesome, it also makes me feel like I've got no abs and my stomach is just hanging out all over the place... disconcerting to say the least.
So, here's to hoping the GI guy has something definitive to say...
It makes me feel nauseous when I'm really hungry, makes me feel nauseous when I eat, and occasionally makes me regurgitate my food. When it gets extra bad, it makes me feel like my chest and throat are in a vice.
I've had this problem off and on for a good long while now, but lately it's gotten super bad. After some devoted praying at the porcelain altar, I decided to finally see a doctor about it. And you know what? It turns out that I'm not supposed to feel this way!
After discussing my symptoms, we narrowed down the potential culprits to a herniated esophagus, GERD, or IBS (or some combo). She gave me a couple of prescriptions and an appointment with a GI specialist to have a camera stuck down my throat to take some pretty pictures of my insides for a definitive diagnosis. That will happen later this month.
Back to those prescriptions.
So, I am taking HyoMax - a drug for IBS that is supposed to stop my GI organs from spazzing out all the time. It's like a tummy muscle relaxant, and holy crap does it feel strange to me. You know how sometimes when you wear something super tight and you walk around with your gut sucked in all day long - then you get home and put on you PJ's and let everything relax? That relaxed feeling after a day of sucking it in - THAT is what this feels like.
Like I can finally breathe. Like I've been sucking it in my entire life, and now I finally get to relax.
It's strange though. It makes me wonder if this is what everyone else with normal insides feels all the time. If so, no wonder people like eating!
Now, this hasn't exactly fixed all my issues. I'm still having crazy weird chest/throat tightness that is borderline painful (think like when you are running and get side-stitches, only in the center of your sternum and up through your throat). Also, while the relaxed tummy IS super awesome, it also makes me feel like I've got no abs and my stomach is just hanging out all over the place... disconcerting to say the least.
So, here's to hoping the GI guy has something definitive to say...
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Are you pregnant?
Foreword: This is an angry rant.
Yesterday I went home sick. On my way out the door, I was asked by one of our patrons why I was leaving. I informed him, "I'm going home sick." His reply was that of congratulations, because he assumed that I must be pregnant...
...
...
HUH?!?
When I corrected him, that uh, no, I am not pregnant, he then decided that I MUST be having MENSTRUAL issues....
...
...
WTF?!? JACK ASS!!! (Side Note: don't yet have a diagnosis for my stomach issues, but have it narrowed down to a herniated esophagus, GERD, or IBS.)
I wish I could say that this is a unique occurrence - this thing where I say, "I don't feel well" and someone replies, "Are you pregnant?" but this actually happens with great frequency now that I am married. I know that I am married and female and of childbearing age, and many individuals in that category may choose to have children so some folks may jump to that conclusion if I complain about ::gasp:: nausea. However, my current status does not change the fact that my personal life choices are just that - personal. Personal as in NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS UNLESS I TELL YOU. Additionally, I find it inappropriate and disrespectful to brush aside a woman's illness based on a blatantly false presumption that was made with woefully few facts.
For those out there who do not understand why this is inappropriate, disrespectful, and downright thoughtlessly rude - let me explain.
When you respond to a woman's complaint of illness by asking if she is pregnant, you ASSume many things.
1st - YOU ASSume that the woman shares similar lifestyle choices as you and will be choosing to have children.
2nd - YOU ASSume that she is ABLE to have children. Have you ever taken one second to think about the men and women who are unable to conceive and how hurtful your comment could be to them??? NO. Because you ASSumed that they could have kids. Because you didn't think.
3rd - You are asking a woman a question in the workplace that you would NEVER ask a man. A question that could in fact endanger her career advancement prospects (no matter how forward thinking you may think your company is).
4th - You are presuming yourself to be someone who deserves details about this woman's personal life, when, guess what, you don't deserve to know jack-squat. If she doesn't want to tell you what "sick" means, then you don't get to know what "sick" means. Sick could mean a horrendous bout of diarrhea, or one nasty ooozing smelly yeast infection - would you like to have those details? huh?? Didn't think so.
5th - You are ignoring the fact that this woman is going home SICK. That means quite literally that she is sick. So she probably doesn't feel like getting interrogated or, just as bad, getting freaking "congratulated" when she is SICK.
6th - You make a woman think, "DO I FREAKING LOOK PREGNANT?!?"
Just some food for thought. Feel free to pass this along.
Yesterday I went home sick. On my way out the door, I was asked by one of our patrons why I was leaving. I informed him, "I'm going home sick." His reply was that of congratulations, because he assumed that I must be pregnant...
...
...
HUH?!?
When I corrected him, that uh, no, I am not pregnant, he then decided that I MUST be having MENSTRUAL issues....
...
...
WTF?!? JACK ASS!!! (Side Note: don't yet have a diagnosis for my stomach issues, but have it narrowed down to a herniated esophagus, GERD, or IBS.)
I wish I could say that this is a unique occurrence - this thing where I say, "I don't feel well" and someone replies, "Are you pregnant?" but this actually happens with great frequency now that I am married. I know that I am married and female and of childbearing age, and many individuals in that category may choose to have children so some folks may jump to that conclusion if I complain about ::gasp:: nausea. However, my current status does not change the fact that my personal life choices are just that - personal. Personal as in NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS UNLESS I TELL YOU. Additionally, I find it inappropriate and disrespectful to brush aside a woman's illness based on a blatantly false presumption that was made with woefully few facts.
For those out there who do not understand why this is inappropriate, disrespectful, and downright thoughtlessly rude - let me explain.
When you respond to a woman's complaint of illness by asking if she is pregnant, you ASSume many things.
1st - YOU ASSume that the woman shares similar lifestyle choices as you and will be choosing to have children.
2nd - YOU ASSume that she is ABLE to have children. Have you ever taken one second to think about the men and women who are unable to conceive and how hurtful your comment could be to them??? NO. Because you ASSumed that they could have kids. Because you didn't think.
3rd - You are asking a woman a question in the workplace that you would NEVER ask a man. A question that could in fact endanger her career advancement prospects (no matter how forward thinking you may think your company is).
4th - You are presuming yourself to be someone who deserves details about this woman's personal life, when, guess what, you don't deserve to know jack-squat. If she doesn't want to tell you what "sick" means, then you don't get to know what "sick" means. Sick could mean a horrendous bout of diarrhea, or one nasty ooozing smelly yeast infection - would you like to have those details? huh?? Didn't think so.
5th - You are ignoring the fact that this woman is going home SICK. That means quite literally that she is sick. So she probably doesn't feel like getting interrogated or, just as bad, getting freaking "congratulated" when she is SICK.
6th - You make a woman think, "DO I FREAKING LOOK PREGNANT?!?"
Just some food for thought. Feel free to pass this along.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sending Sunday
The weather in Collinsville today holds a high temp of 65 degrees and a zero percent chance of rain - absolutely perfect weather for climbing! In a little while I'm meeting up with a freshly minted climbing buddy to drive out to Sandrock Alabama for the day.
Goals for the day:
- get new kid leading stuff on the boyscout wall & knob wall
- lead kennel club free
- maaaaybe lead that 5.10 on holiday block to the left and down of kennel club
I say maaaaybe because holy crap that's a 5.10 - waaaay over my leading limit. However, it's a super soft ten and if I freak out while on trad lead, it is a bolted line so I can always switch over to sport... if I'm a pansy...
...and my sister is probably the only person who reads this blog who also will have any idea what i'm writing about here - LOL. sorry y'all.
I'm off to go climbing!!
Goals for the day:
- get new kid leading stuff on the boyscout wall & knob wall
- lead kennel club free
- maaaaybe lead that 5.10 on holiday block to the left and down of kennel club
I say maaaaybe because holy crap that's a 5.10 - waaaay over my leading limit. However, it's a super soft ten and if I freak out while on trad lead, it is a bolted line so I can always switch over to sport... if I'm a pansy...
...and my sister is probably the only person who reads this blog who also will have any idea what i'm writing about here - LOL. sorry y'all.
I'm off to go climbing!!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Sleepy Sunrise
This morning was pretty much fabulous. My alarm went off at six o'clock, and I realized that I did not have to go to work today. The weather has cooled off, so I had the windows open to let in a cool breeze. After makings some coffee, I got cozy beneath my puffy comforter and simply enjoyed watching the morning arrive.
The sunlight played on the pine-needles of the tree by my window, and I watched outside as squirrels and birds chattered at each other while hunting up breakfast.
I re-did my to-do list to make it actually do-able. And I savored a morning of peacefulness - feeling the cool breeze on my face, smelling autumn in the air, sipping coffee, and being surrounded by the comfort of a warm, soft bed.
...
Now it's eleven o'clock, and I'm sitting down to lunch. I've already checked many things off my to-do list including a 2 mile run, meeting up with a friend, doing some Christmas shopping ($20 got me the craft supplies to make presents for 3 people!), getting quarters for laundry, running the dishwasher, filling up the car with gas, and returning a movie.
I've got everything I need to be productive at home and avoid the home-game-day-insanity if I want to. And I have plenty of time to get house cleaning & school work done before going climbing tomorrow.
All in all, a pretty awesome start to the weekend... it's nice to take a moment just to breath before the start of a day.
The sunlight played on the pine-needles of the tree by my window, and I watched outside as squirrels and birds chattered at each other while hunting up breakfast.
I re-did my to-do list to make it actually do-able. And I savored a morning of peacefulness - feeling the cool breeze on my face, smelling autumn in the air, sipping coffee, and being surrounded by the comfort of a warm, soft bed.
...
Now it's eleven o'clock, and I'm sitting down to lunch. I've already checked many things off my to-do list including a 2 mile run, meeting up with a friend, doing some Christmas shopping ($20 got me the craft supplies to make presents for 3 people!), getting quarters for laundry, running the dishwasher, filling up the car with gas, and returning a movie.
I've got everything I need to be productive at home and avoid the home-game-day-insanity if I want to. And I have plenty of time to get house cleaning & school work done before going climbing tomorrow.
All in all, a pretty awesome start to the weekend... it's nice to take a moment just to breath before the start of a day.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Eat more chicken...
I'm giving up on this whole vegetarian thing... Well... At least for a while.
I've tried it more than once, and I've lasted longer this time than in the past - but it's time to call it quits again. This week every work-out has been harder and harder, even though it should have been easier and easier. I've done much better than in the past about keeping my iron levels up. But honestly, I'm just too damn tired all the time. And I've been eating crap I hate to get my protein levels up and it's just gross.
No more icky cottage cheese.
Cause - eew. Just eeew.
Once my 50K is done and once the climbing comp is over, I will probably try again. And I'm not going to go all out and eat a cow every night like every other typical American. But yeah... I'm gonna eat some chickens.
I've tried it more than once, and I've lasted longer this time than in the past - but it's time to call it quits again. This week every work-out has been harder and harder, even though it should have been easier and easier. I've done much better than in the past about keeping my iron levels up. But honestly, I'm just too damn tired all the time. And I've been eating crap I hate to get my protein levels up and it's just gross.
No more icky cottage cheese.
Cause - eew. Just eeew.
Once my 50K is done and once the climbing comp is over, I will probably try again. And I'm not going to go all out and eat a cow every night like every other typical American. But yeah... I'm gonna eat some chickens.
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