Friday, October 14, 2011

New Bone Doctor New SHOES!!!!

I like him... and I am so excited .. we are heading out in a little bit and I am getting my first new pair of real shoes in over a year... I have to get a hiking boot style shoe with good ankle support.. I have to use my inserts... and can do short walks in the new shoes and alternate between the leg brace and the new shoes now.. and NO wheelchair Next week.. YAY!!!  Speaking of inserts..
 I wanted to get a new pair of orthotics too however BCBS has other ideas and says my diagnosis is not valid for a second pair  for 2011 ( actually third pair in all)   apparently the new agreement states that I am only eligible every 24 months for 80/20 coverage on new orthotics.. which is the difference between 64.00 and 380.00 .. soooo.. I will wait...   yet again for that and make do with the one pair that are correct that I use now and just alternate them between shoes...

So thrilled about no Wheel chair next week... I can start trying to walk like everyone else. and Disney is certainly in my very near future  YAY...... how EXCITED AM I  YAY.. I can also officially ride the recumbent bike sans brace  now.. so one day is swimming and one day is bike.. YAY... things are finally looking up ... both new gyn and the bone doctor said for me to give it about 3 or 4 months to really start feeling like myself again.. but I just feel so much better knowing that the pathway I am on his finally not blocked and things are good.. new shoes have made me very happy....  I am so easy to please.... I see some great riding on the motorcycle this weekend... some veggie chili making.... a lot of outside time.. yay...  wishing you a great weekend too!


 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I ONCE HAD..

I once went to a obgyn who said to me,  I only am interested in your breasts and vagina the rest of your body is not my business... yeah she actually said that.. and I actually left her.  this same doctor did a test to see if I was menopausal yet ... they sent me a blue card telling me I was.. I called the office  to asked about medications that I was taking since I was told I was in menopause and the nurse said to me NO you are not.. and I said I got a card saying I was from your office.. she never apologized but said it was a mistake... sigh.. on to another OBGYN who.. things go okay for the first year or two.. then she decided I need to be off my birth control pill which I take for hormone treatment... since I have high blood pressure . Now I had been on Apri for 10 years even when my BP was at its worst I never had an issue... my bp is controlled and doing great .. but she decided to change things.. this is in August.. i start the new pill and my whole world falls apart .. with out going into detail it was horrible .. the head of the practice calls me and tells me I need to get my tubes tied..  WHAT THE FUCK WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT??   she never read my chart never knew what the issues were... the reason she did not want me back on the original med was that in the event I had a stroke... everyone would look at them wondering why they had me on that pill... SO IT WAS TO COVER THEIR ASS not to protect mine.. that was the way it  came across to me... SO my internist writes a letter to this practice having them put me back on the regular pill and I am back to normal.. well not normal.. my pain level is horrible.. I had another doc tell me there are 2 things I would not wish on my worst enemy.. MS or Fibromyalgia.  A flare up is difficult.. you can cop out and lay in bed .. and hide.. or you can tough it out and deal with .. I chose the latter always...
So.. the latest issue is getting the fibro back down... and finding a new obgyn...  Today that happened..
You see after trying to call my former obgyn and no return calls,  after trying 2 new offices and no nurse calling me back.. even after a promise of I will call you back before 4pm yesterday... I finally call my internist and he set me up with a new doctor.. I saw the new doctor today... he is taking care of my issue.. he treated me with great kindness understanding and totally got why I am on the birth control pills I am on.. and what the purpose is... he has agreed to keep me on them at least 2 or 3 more years.. he will then run tests to see where my hormone levels are.. and if  I am at that level where I have to give up the pill then I will he said there are a lot of treatments out there that will work just fine... and not to worry..
He explained why the other doctors wanted me off the Apri but he did agree with me that if after 10 years of no issues.. and a good quality of life.. why change things... MY Blood Pressure is under control .. and is  excellent as a matter of fact.. as long as that remains the same then I should be fine for the next 2 or 3 years.. we just have to watch..... I was so thrilled with him.. A listener, an Understander and a compassionate doctor.. who tells great jokes too.....looking forward to a long and HEALTHY  experience with him as my new GYN. and his office staff is great.. and being that  he is in the same building as my Internist.. they can consult each other should anything need to be changed..
Having to start over yet again on new plan.. in 3 days I gained 5 pounds just from being off the original pill.. i have lost 4 of those pounds.. and feel confident I am back on track.. this was a mess.. a huge fucking mess for me... at the same time it is shocking how 1 little red pill helps me... and with out that little red pill I am a mess.. how does someone gain 5 pounds in 3 days.. and not even enjoy it ( you know.. eating terrible etc.. ) One of the first questions both my former ortho doc ( my ortho  who I love is leaving to work for a football team as the team surgeon... I start with the new doc tomorrow)  asked me and the new obgyn asked was how much weight did I gain and how fast did I gain it.. ? neither were surprised but both were bothered that that one doctor was more interested in covering their asses than really looking at the options for the patient... I am one body and if you change one thing for me it affects how this body works..
Well time for me to go start getting dinner ready  .. vegetarian chili over a half of baked potato .. with a dollop of fat free Greek Yogurt.. yum...

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Not Your Momma's Mac and Cheese

After a lot of perusing recipes and seeing which ones I could play with ... I created my own...
there are no additional oils  added ....

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350

The Ingredients are simple..

The concept simple... Make the Mac  mostly veggies,  keep the serving size to a half a cup...

 Recipe serves 8  ( REMEMBER 1/2 cup servings)

Fresh Baby Spinach not frozen  ( use whole Container )
1/2  cup Barella Plus Macaroni
1 Cup Whole Wheat Macaroni
1/2 red pepper chopped
Panko sesasoned bread crumbs or Italian bread crumbs
1/2 vidalia onion chopped
a sprinkle or 3 of  fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp fresh minced garlic
1 cup mix of Ramano cheese and 2% or Fat free Cheddar cheese
3Tablespoons  egg substitute
1/3 cup plus 3 level Tablespoons of Fat free greek yogurt
a sprinkle or 2 of Kosher Salt

****you can throw in other veggies  if you want. or not.. ( I did not) . Asparagus, mushrooms work well..
Cook Macaroni per package directions.   DO NOT USE ANY OIL

Sautee in own juices  pepper,  garlic onion and spinach... DO NOT ADD ANYTHING but a grind or 3 of fresh black pepper and a sprinkle of Kosher Salt.. Sautee Spinach until it has cooked down and onions are nice and glossy.

In a bowl add sprinkle of cheeses, and greek yogurt .. mix,  then add  sauteed veggies  mix well sprinkle in a little more cheese.. mix well...   once mac is cooked  add to bowl fold everything in well...

Pour into   glass pan that has been sprayed with PAM or other Cooking Spray..

Sprinkle bread crumbs and  rest of cheese mixture on top..
I used my toaster oven.. which had been preheated to 350...
I baked it covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 30 minutes...

 it is delightful.. everyone that has had a serving loved it...
glad that worked...

You can pair this with a Salad loaded with fresh Veggies ... and using a light balsamic vinegar   dressing..

*******I used my smallest cassarole glass pan... I think its like an 8x 8 ... not sure.. its small enough to fit in my toaster oven...

Okay I think thats it.. Enjoy....

HI WORLD

WOW we have been so slammed at work.. non stop crazy.. finally a minute to write for myself... I hate that it is sporadic but frankly after spending all day on the pc or mac .. I want to be off of it and get up and do things.. and that is exactly what I do.. if you want to keep up with me more regularly just friend me on Facebook.. Otherwise I check in here as often as I can... I admire those that can post every day  if not more... I just do the best i can..  Same old same old in our world.. working hard through the holiday season... had a great lunch.. tomato salad, pizza ( tomato and basil ) veggie burger by Morning star ... and a diet Seirra Mist Cranberry Splash I LOVE THOSE seasonal drinks.. 

TIme to go get busy again...