Thursday, August 6, 2009

End of Summer

Well, I'll start off with a few things I know I should not have done recently:

1) Cancelled my GI appointment. In my defense, I didn't have the money. I would really like to inquire about B12 shots though because my energy levels prefer to decrease rather than vice versa.

2) Missed my Department of Human Services appointment. The case worker called early in the morning in spite of my request for any time except that. Daniel picked up, assumed it was a bill collector, and didn't find out who it was until the very end of the conversation i.e. after I supposedly was not available. I really need to get this rescheduled and finished if I want to get the ball rolling on Tenncare. I don't know how long my COBRA coverage will last.

3) Partaken of the brownies I made last night. They were so good, dear lord..

With those out of the way, I would like to say I've made great progress as of late, and I'm very pleased with having begun living a semi-normal life again.

I've been walking for at least half an hour every evening around my apartment complex, resumed ballet practice so that I can start at K studio in September for adult classes, tentatively got a job at Joann, and am rearranging the apartment (no, not by myself) so that it won't be so closed off. I finally have my book shelf in the living room!

The ballet stretches have given me an idea of the effects of my medication. Namely, prednisone. Making your bones bend in every direction they should not is a bit more difficult after a year on steroids, but it feels wonderful to be active again. I do miss dancing..
One caveat: Always listen to your body. If you feel pain that isn't normally there during exercise and stretching then stop. You will regret it otherwise.

I notice that when I overdo things in that respect that my stomach becomes more active. I don't enjoy the extra cramps.

I've been cooking more lately as well. I made onion soup the other day that was actually quite good, but I would still prefer it with meat. All I used this time was:

4 medium onions
Olive oil to sauté them until brown
Chicken and beef broth
Garlic powder
Sea salt

It's fairly safe from an SCD standpoint. Next time however I wouldn't mind using a real garlic clove, chicken, and possibly zucchini.

The croutons were all right as well. I used my gluten free tapioca bread and olive oil. Daniel brought home some really wonderful cheddar that had been aged for a while, but it still didn't fix the fact that the bread I used is not the right kind. I might just cook the cheddar by itself until it forms a crunchy layer. I know that many people use this as a way to make flour free tortilla shells.

That is about it for now. We're all waiting for school to start, for our university aid to come in, and for a few answers that really can't come without time and patience.

I haven't taken my humira in two and a half months, am still off of loestrin birth control, and am down to 5 mg prednisone. I'm really hoping that I am not steroid dependent, but we won't know until I am completely weaned off of it; a very important reason to be careful with my diet and not eat horrible albeit tasty things like brownies.