Recovering

I think I'm about to my normal self.  A week in Tampa will seal the deal I'm sure.


This was indeed one of the strangest adventures of my life.  On Wednesday I got the official diagnosis of E-coli.  By that time, I'd had four days of iv antibiotics in the hospital and five days of oral antibiotics at home.  I worked some during the week so as not to get too far behind.


Even though, I really feel much, much better I have a way to go to get back in the healthy eating groove.  When I first came down with this, before I realized that I was as sick as I was, my appetite totally vanished.  I thought I was experiencing personal growth not wanting food when I wasn't hungry.  Oh well!  While I was in the hospital I was encouraged to eat anything.  Most of the time, whatever came to mind to eat, I immediately decided was too hard to digest.  Who knows what the fevered brain will think.  As a result, I let myself eat anything that sounded digestible.  Even at that, I only ate minuscule amounts.  I really thought I'd register a big loss, but that was not to be either.


Obviously, exercise didn't happen.  That is not unless pushing an iv pole over the bathroom threshold.  It is harder than it sounds, people!  The oddest thing is that I can hardly drink water.  I was chugging 100 ounces a day easy as can be before I got sick.  Now, I am really having to force the water to get up to 64 ounces. 


I think all three things will come back in time - healthy eating, good exercise and plenty of water.  Right now, I'm doing the best I can, and giving myself a great big break.  I don't think it is a cop out.  I think it is being good to myself as I continue to heal.  I'm not eating candy or junk like that, but I'm still thinking about what sounds good and getting that as much as possible since 65MD has been doing all of the cooking.


We'll be in Tampa next week.  I'm going to use that time to relax and continue to heal.  I'm hoping by the time we return, I'll be back to 100% and ready to battle these last few pounds.

Here I Am

I was much much more ill than I realized and I spent four days in the hospital getting iv antibiotics.  It takes all of my energy to get out of bed to go to the bathroom so I have not been in the blog community for over a week now.  It is closer to two when considering the minimal time I was on while out of town.  I'll try to catch up but I'm already weary from this short post.  I hope everyone is well and working their plan.


I go back to the doctor on Wednesday.  I hope to know more then.

I'm Back, Finally

65MD had a conference in Charleston, SC Wednesday through Saturday last week and I happily tagged along.  I love those trips.  All during the trip I mentally blogged about how well I was doing, how I was making good choices, and wanting only very small portions.  I was getting tons of walking in because we stayed right in historic Charleston and there were so many cool places to see, right in walking distance.


On Friday though, I began to feel achy and cold.  It was one of those days that got colder as the day went along and I only had a light sweater.  I thought my problem was I didn't have enough clothes and blamed the aches on not being in as good of shape as I thought.  Because we walked A LOT!  On Friday evening I was so cold I had the shivers.


Saturday he had only one early morning session and we came home.  I was still in bed when he got back just because I liked it there.  We got our things together, and had a few hours before needing to get to the airport, but nothing sounded fun anymore.  I was freezing and had a screaming headache.  I wanted nothing more that to be home in my warm and cozy bed.  Since I was opposed to walking around historic Charleston anymore, we checked out of the hotel and did a driving tour of Patriot's Point and Mt. Pleasant.  We still got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.


The flight home was uneventful but seemed to take forever as we had to connect through Baltimore.  Go figure.  The minute we got home, I got in a hot bath and just relished the heat.   I got out of the tub and put on my warmest winter PJ's and got in the bed.  It was 8:20 pm.  I got out of the bed at 8:45 pm on Sunday. I had spent 24 hours strait in the bed other than to go to the bathroom.


Poor 65MD checked on me regularly bringing me something to drink, offering to turn on the TV, etc.  All I wanted to do was just lay there.  At some point mid morning, I decided to take my temperature.  I'd had some ibuprofen about 1 1/2 hours before, so I wasn't sure if it would be accurate.  The reading was 99.4, which was a little surprising.  As the day went along I continued to take medication and monitor my temp.  It peaked at 103.8, when I finally called my sister the ER nurse.  She gave me some advice on medicating myself, but the most helpful thing she told me was there was a fever virus going around and it lasts about 48 hours.


I think I have turned the corner now.  My temp was 98.4 this morning.  I still took a sick day from work.  I'll use today to get my head back in the game and I'm sure that tomorrow I'll feel even better and to back to work.


BTW, as of this morning I'm only 2.8 pounds up from before we left.  I'm sure I'll shed that quickly and have a good report on Saturday.

Tea

I love tea. It is probably my favorite beverage. My most favorite way to drink it is sweetened with sugar and a little lemon. I almost never drink sugar sweetened tea anymore. I drink water almost exclusively. Sometimes I'll drink tea with splenda and lemon with my evening meal. Since I am once again trying to give up all artificial sweeteners, and tea just isn't the same unless it is sweet, I'm looking once again for an option.

I thought I'd found heaven with agave nectar until I learned that what we buy in the store isn't the same as what is touted as the sweetening panacea I'd thought.

Over the weekend, I decided to try my new favorite - honey. I've had hot tea with honey and lemon as a winter time treat, so why not in iced tea? Buoyed by my success with the apples, I forged ahead. I put honey in with the tea while it was warm from brewing. I added some lemon and poured it over ice. I eagerly took a drink anticipating another home run with the honey. It wasn't a home run. It wasn't even a base hit. It was a strike!

Honey in cold tea really does not work for me. That unique taste that it added to the apples doesn't work in cold tea. I drank it because I didn't want to be wasteful and it wasn't so horrible that I couldn't swallow it. I won't be making it again. Live and learn. :)

Anniversaries

Today is my wedding anniversary.  65MD and I have been married for 12 wonderful years.  Our life is far from perfect, but we're in it together and that makes it all the better. 


For the past 10 years, we've had to figure out how to celebrate our happiness while respecting the horrible tragedy that befell our country that day.  It hasn't been without challenges.


The first couple of years after the towers fell, and I told people my anniversary was September 11, their response was one of almost sorrow for us that our happy day was forever marred.  In more recent years, people respond with an attitude that is more like "why would you do that?"  Most of the time, now I'll say which anniversary it is first hoping the person will realize that my anniversary came first.    
Sometimes, I will jokingly tell people that not every woman gets the whole country to remind her husband that their anniversary is near.

It is a delicate balance to be sure.  Happy day to 65MD, and to the rest of the country, a day to reflect and remember the patriotism and bravery of those that lost their lives that fateful day.

Saturday Scale Says

This morning the scale read 173.2.  That is slightly above my zone of tolerance, but it really hasn't bothered me.  Even knowing that I have this trip coming up, I haven't gotten all freaked out it.  In times past, the somewhat recent past, I would have been trying to starve myself between now and Wednesday morning so that I could see a certain number on the scale. 


Would I like to have a lower number on the scale?  Of course!  But, I've learned that those freak-out crash things are counterproductive in the long run. I know what I have to do to get to my goal.  If I do those things I'll make steady progress and that is all I want, an overall downward trend.


I believe I have made peace with the concept of not being able to set a goal to weigh a certain amount by a certain date.  It really goes against my analytical brain.  I hesitate to say that because every time I do, it seems like I'm reminded that I haven't made quite as much progress as I thought.

Of course, I'd like to be at my goal weight sooner rather than later.  But once I get there I want to stay there.  I have a certain confidence that I will get there.  I just can't say when.

Apples

I have really been enjoying cooking lately. Since 65MD and I got together and agreed on the menus for the week, it has made life so much easier. One of the purposes of making out the menus was to keep from getting in a rut and to think of new and healthy ways to prepare some favorites. Last night as a part of our evening meal, that was apples.

I'd often 'fried' them with water, a little splenda & cinnamon for myself, but 65MD eschews all artificial sweeteners. So, last night, I used some local honey in place of the splenda. It served a dual purpose, besides sweetening the apples it helped with our allergies. It gave the apples a little different taste, but we both agreed we like it and will do it again.

I love it when stuff works out like that.

Smooth Sailing

I've got several days of smooth sailing here.   Time is stretching out between challenges and I only have two biggies on the horizon right now.  The next is a trip to Charleston where 65MD ('65 Mustang Driver)is presenting some research at a conference.  I love these trips.  He's busy until mid-afternoon, so can sleep in, shop, whatever and then we see the sights in the late afternoon and evening.  It is great.  We leave early on Wednesday morning and will be back Saturday.

We've worked out a fairly good pattern of eating out, which is great.  My problem is that restaurant food is usually very high in sodium and fat.  I'll just make the best choices I can, and deal with the consequences.  We're flying so I won't be able to take any food with me, but I'll find a local market and get some fresh produce that I can eat raw to have in the room for breakfast and lunch.  My only real issue will be the evening meal.  The place where we are staying does not have a workout facility, so I'll have to get creative about that. 

In the meantime, 65MD and I sat down and made meal plans for time between now and then.  He's totally on board with my choices, and has told his son that he will be too!  65MD has said for years that he'd like to lose 20 or so pounds.  Now that we're in the same neighborhood of amount of weight to lose, he's all ears about what I have to say.  And totally willing to do what I want.  He recognizes that this is a healthy way to live.


Now, all I have to do is make it work.

Happy Birthday, 65MD

Today is 65MD's birthday.  He's so special the whole country called a holiday just for him.  ;-P

We're having a chilly, rainy day so our plans have been switch up a bit.  That's OK.  I am enjoying it anyway.

I'll get back in to my routine a little better as the week progresses.

I hope everyone has had a nice, restful long weekend.

Saturday Scale Says

This morning 170.6!!

Watermelon

I love watermelon.  It is my very favorite fruit.  I love the ice cold sweetness on a hot summer day.  When I was growing up one of my grandfathers planted a patch of watermelons just for me.  They were called sugar babies.  They are a dark, dark green, almost black and grow to be about the size of a basketball.  I have hunted and hunted my adult life for a sugar baby and was unsuccessful until last summer.

65MD and I had gone to a local farmers' market.  I spotted it from afar.  I excitedly pointed out that there were sugar babies ahead and we had to buy one, no matter what the cost.  As we got closer to the booth we heard the proprietor telling another customer that the watermelons were indeed sugar babies.  I gave 65MD my best "I know everything" look and we bought one for $3.  We considered in an investment since we could use the seeds to plant vines this summer.

As the summer approached and we began to plan our little garden and gather seeds, I reminded 65MD often that we had to leave ample room for the sugar babies.  He was glad to.  There was only one problem.  He couldn't find the seeds.  We scoured the entire house, high & low and could not find those seeds anywhere!  I was disappointed to say the least.  One day as we were buying other seeds, I noticed a package of sugar baby seeds.  We got them. 

It took three tries for us to finally get some vines.  It seems the neighborhood 'wildlife' have learned about the fresh food in our back yard and get a good bit of it.  Finally, finally, the little green balls formed and I waited excitedly for my first homegrown sugar baby since high school.  They never seemed to get much larger than a baseball and then disappear.  There were five small ones the week before my sister came to town with her family and I was so hopeful that one would be ripe so that we could enjoy it while they were here.  Sadly, they never seemed to get any larger.



Again, one by one the little watermelons disappeared.  Over the weekend I went to check on them and there was only one left.  Nearby was a bit of rind where a neighborhood critter had feasted on the mini melons.  There was a bit of red left on the rind, which made me think perhaps that was as large as they were going to get.  I took the little rind to 65MD to get his opinion and he agreed.  We picked the lone remaining watermelon then.


Here is a picture of the whole melon.  That is a peach beside it for perspective.

Since the fast was over, I decided a little watermelon would be in order.  I was quite surprised when I cut it open and found this:

It was a bit overripe, and I was a little disappointed in the taste.  It wasn't so sweet. We'll try again next summer.  We finally found the original seeds.

The Fast

I started a three day fast on Monday. I didn't tell anyone that I was to fast for three whole days, not even 65MD at first. The main reason being, that I didn't want to announce another FAIL. It was do or die time for me. I knew that if I was successful, I could move on. I really didn't know what I would do if I was unsuccessful. It really wasn't an option. I went about 84 hours without food of any kind. I drank mostly water, but did have other sugar free beverages.




On Monday morning, I got a comment from Timothy saying that he was going to stand with me in this and fast on Monday with me, which was all I'd said. He even gave me a good fast to follow. That made me cry, it was so kind. Of course, at lunchtime at work, I had to come clean about my fast, even then I only said for the day. Everyone was incredibly supportive. (Why do I doubt my friends?) Mid afternoon, someone asked how I was feeling, and I had to say I felt GREAT! My mind was clear, I had none of that vague sadness around the edges of my mind. I felt like I could run a race, I had so much energy. Monday evening, l did a full 20 minutes on the stair stepper with no problem. In fact, I went over a bit because I was watching TV and wanted to see the end!



On Tuesday, however, I woke with a screaming headache. I was a little nauseous and thought I full on migraine was in my future. I thought it might have been triggered by the fast, but wasn't going to let that deter me from my goal. Then I remembered that we'd slept with the windows open and my problem was probably allergies. Since I couldn't be sure what the problem was, I took some Excedrin and a taste of honey. By the time left for work, I felt like the old me. Tuesday evening even after the stair stepper, it seemed like I had a lot of extra time. 65MD and I sat out on our porch and chatted during the evening. It was a lovely time.



Wednesday I woke up feeling fine, no headache. I could not drink all the water that I usually do in the morning. I felt quite full and so I didn't force any more down just for the sake of getting all the water down. I got through the day Wednesday with no issues, although for some reason, Wednesday evening was the hardest part.



I feel great. I feel in control again, like the old me. I'm being extra careful about my choices today because I don't want to defile my nice clean body. I had one piece of Ezekial raisin bread with cream cheese spread on it for breakfast. So far, so good!



I had a couple of big surprises. One, I lost a lot of weight. I'll announce that on Saturday as usual. That will help keep me from overeating today & tomorrow. Second, I never felt bad other than the headache, which I'm convinced was allergies. I was concerned that going three days without food would cause some woozieness at least. I never experienced any ill effects physically. Quite the opposite, I felt great most of the time.



I know that part of is was taking control back, but I really think a larger part was the cleansing that my body needed. In fact, I felt so good, that I'm thinking of making a fast a monthly habit. I probably won't do a three day fast again, but I could easily work in a one day fast each month. I just might make it my last day of the month plan.