Just home from having a basal cell carcinoma surgically removed from the back of my neck. It wasn't a difficult procedure, but one that caused anxiety all the same. From the political atmosphere to the pandemic to the Arctic Storm to Covid vaccines to this minor surgery.... all stressful.
But do-able!
The way life has been (and it hasn't been that bad considering what some have had to go through) this past year, I find myself waking up each morning saying "thank you for getting me to this day". And if you ask me as to who (or is it 'whom') I'm saying this to, I would have to say, "not sure... maybe God, maybe the Universe, maybe myself". All I know is that when things get a bit difficult, I tend to give myself encouraging talks and focus on just getting through today... usually works.
Going through the surgery this morning, my heart was beating out of my chest, but as I lay there being loaded with Lidocaine and then later as she was doing the actual surgery, I kept reminding myself of all the really terrible things people have to endure... and this being so minor in comparison. I talk to myself sternly (in my head of course) on these occasions... like, "Suck it up, you ninny!" It does work. I wonder if others do that too.
Anyway, I wrote this Monday and now it's Tuesday morning and although the stitches are pulling a bit as I move my head, all seems to be well. The doctors office just called and moved my appointment date next week as although the doctor doesn't normally need to be there for suture removal, she decided that she wanted to be there to check that all was going as it should. Kudos to her for that.
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Onto another subject now:
I made empanadas for the first time this weekend. Those who may not know what these are, they are little meat pies (they don't have to be meat), but generally are... sometimes with potatoes or cheese added. All in all, pretty simple to make.
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| beef empanadas |
OK, I have a question for those of you reading... are any of you on a gluten free diet or gluten free lifestyle?
Several people as well as a physician in our family have suggested I try this. I suspect that I could possibly be mildly gluten sensitive, but doubt it - as I can generally eat most flour products... as long as they do not contain too much roughage (as in 7 seeded bread). And I love bread! Our breakfast every morning is either one slice of Challah bread or Pagnotta bread bought at Central Market smothered in real unsalted butter and heated in the Aga for 3 minutes. This is all we ever eat for breakfast (along with coffee or tea of course) unless occasionally on a weekend, someone might want eggs or waffles. But I finally gave in and decided to try a few weeks of gluten free.
Today I have eaten a scrambled egg for breakfast, macaroni with cheese made with rice noodles (Annie's Rice Pasta and Cheddar) for lunch, and have no idea what I will eat for supper yet. The boys will be having Stuffed Shells and asparagus.
Anyway, we shall see. But if anyone has any suggestions or advice, I'd be glad to hear it.
Leaving you with some pics of grand daughter and her puppy. (If I've posted these before, forgive me... I do tend to forget.)
Have a wonderful week! Spring is really here... although it's still a bit soon for me to be sure if it will stay. However, the grass is growing high in the back and the black feral cats are enjoying hiding and jumping each other in it. Sure fun to watch...
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
Healing vibes from me, for your post-surgery recovery. ♥
ReplyDeleteI sometimes say "Suck it up, Buttercup." But as I've gotten older I tend to (try to) practice being kind to myself more than harsh. I read a quote a few years ago that stuck with me, that if being hard on yourself worked, it would have worked by now.
I'm not on a gluten free diet, but I have recently been tested for SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) and am waiting for the results. I have a lot of problems with something that has been diagnosed and treated(unsuccessfully) as severe GERD, and I've found out that SIBO can mimic GERD symptoms, as well as cause a host of other gut issues. All grain and seed products bother me to one degree or another, including gluten-free products, so I have to be pretty careful about what I eat. I do like Annie's rice pasta, it's good! I discovered it last year and it's my go-to easy comfort food. I've just started baking with coconut flour too, which is VERY different than using any kind of grain-based flour. I've only made three things, one of which was disgusting (and I tried that recipe twice), but two different muffin recipes are edible. Not as yummy as grain-based flour muffins, but still pretty good, satisfies my need for a baked item. I have a few other recipes to try and am on the hunt for more. (The web site Empowered Sustenance has a lot of yummy-looking grain-free recipes, though I can't say what they taste like.)
The pics of your granddaughter and her pup are adorable. :-)
Take care!
Thanks for commenting, Kim. I've never heard of SIBO, but I will check it out. I was just going through a King Arthur Baking Co. catalog (that's the flour I use for all my cooking) and I saw this under Gluten free products: GF Measure for Measure flour. It says "Directly swap the amount of AP flour with the same amount of Measure for Measure flour. Works beautifully in your favorite recipes." I thought I'd try that. They also sell GF almond flour and coconut flour... but they are not 'measure for measure'.
DeleteBeing able to swap flour for flour 1:1 is great! You definitely can't do that with coconut flour.
DeleteI saw your follow up comment on my blog and wanted to say that the "no" list for foods is for GERD specifically (along with citrus, etc.). There are some things on the SIBO food list that I can't tolerate for reasons of heartburn. You ARE allowed "weak" coffee or tea if eating for SIBO (I don't want to say "diet," because it's not about weight loss, it's about digestive healing). I've been cheating and having one of the Starbucks coffee drinks a couple of times a week. I have a sweet tooth and can't give them up, won't, but I'm happy to modify and see if I can find alternatives that my insides will tolerate.
A lot of, Rian, is about finding YOUR tolerance limit to certain foods that are problematic for you. Once I've dealt with SIBO, or whatever it is, I will go for the food sensitivity bloodwork, because rather than just be hit and miss, I'd like to know for certain what foods my body can't process properly. The ND told me that there was no point in doing that test now, because with an inflamed gut "50 foods" (her choice of words) would come back positive, when that's extremely unlikely. So first things first!
I naively thought that I would be going to an ND for a few months, maybe 6 at most, and that would be it except for the very occasional check in or appointment for a flare up or other issue. I can see now that this likely is going to take much longer. :-/
"A lot of, Rian, is about finding YOUR tolerance limit to certain foods that are problematic for you." I think you may be right about that... since the problem only occurs once or twice a year, not every time I eat gluten (or whatever) otherwise it would happen all the time as I eat bread and gluten products daily. Maybe it just gets to a point and my gut says Stop! Don't know, but I will try this gluten-free for a few weeks. Ordered that measure for measure flour today.
DeleteHappy Spring!!
ReplyDeleteYou too!
DeleteHope you only get good results from your surgery and are healing nicely. Those beef empanadas really look good. May have to give that a try. Your granddaughter and puppy are both adorable
ReplyDeleteOur grass is growing too, had to mow last week. Whee.
I won't let DH mow the back... it's the cats' playground. (I mean he does mow the back, but now around Easter, I try to hold him off).
DeleteI don't seem to have any allergies to food, unfortunately. I keep eating and gaining weight, and I am almost ready to give myself a good talking to. But not quite yet. I do hope your surgery heals quickly and yes, I do the same myself with things I'd rather not have to do. I had not seen the puppy and pretty grand before, and I truly enjoyed looking at them today. Sending you back some (virtual) hugs. :-)
ReplyDeleteFood and stress seem to be my triggers... that much I do know... at least regarding migraines. As for the other (mild IBS?) I personally think it's more stress than food... but I will give the gluten-free a change - just in case. When I have an episode, I generally just stop eating for 3-4 days and drink plenty of water and a little Gatoraid and that usually works.
DeleteIt's good to know the little surgery went well. Done and dusted, as you like to say.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joanne. It did go fine and the doctor called yesterday to tell me that the lab results showed the area was now clear.
DeleteCongratulations on your successful surgery. As someone who can worry myself into a cold sweat over all things medical, I understand. I tend to write things out to deal with emotions and such. If you are not having any issues with breads, etc., why go gluten free? Just curious. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteJenn, I have episodes on occasion (2-3X a year) where anything I eat runs straight through me. If I don't eat, there's no problem... but 'something' must bring this on. I've always believed it was 'stress'... but people keep telling me it could be an allergy in my gut... so I'm testing it out.
DeleteRian, I'm glad to read that things went relatively smooth today with that procedure... I admire your plucky spirit. You sound pretty pro-active when it comes to your health, if more of us did that maybe we wouldn't worry as much down the road. Anyway, good for you and I am not going to rest now until try to make some empanadas of my own :^)
ReplyDeleteDug, the empanadas are so easy. I just saute' a little onion and garlic in a little olive oil or bacon grease, add the groundmeat and a few seasonings, drain the fat off, then cut the 4.5 inch rounds of pastry (you can use Pillsbury Pet Ritz sheets), put some shredded cheddar cheese on the right side of each round, add about a tablespoon of ground meat, fold over (wet the edges with a bit of water) and use a fork to seal it shut. Wipe over the crust with a little egg wash, and bake at 375 until golden. (about 20 mins.)
DeleteThe dog and grand daughter are so adorable!! I had to go gluten free (celiac) there are so many hidden gluten. The first thing is to stop eating processed food. While King Arthur flour is ok there are far better. My email is on my blog. I would love to give you info I got when I began this journey. Send me an email and ill get you some things that will be helpful.Because this wasn't a fsd for me I went through stages of grief. This was very very difficult for me. But once I began to feel oh so much better it became easier you know? Rice pasta is ok for that nite but never a pasta salad or left over because it gets gummy. Being Italian i was determined to find good pasta...Barilla has one of the best GF
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, Peg. I will email you. I'm really not sure if my problem is gluten related, but I will give it a try for a few weeks.
DeleteIf you've shared the photos of the granddaughter and her pup before, I don't remember either. Adorable!
ReplyDeleteGlad your surgery went well. Can't help you with the gluten free diet, I can't imagine not eating bread.
Take care, stay well.
Oh,Mae, I can't imagine not eating bread either. But I'm willing to give it a try (a week at a time) and see.
DeleteYou reminded me that I have go to make that appointment with the dermatologist. Being 98% Irish, I am like a smorgasbord to a skin doctor. The dermo has taken the place of the gyno as my #1 most disliked place to go. Since I missed last year's appointments, I have grown twice as many spots. It should be a long appointment. All kidding aside, I am glad you were observant and got that basil cell removed.
ReplyDeleteThose empanadas, your granddaughter, and that cute pup (French Bulldog?) are all wonderful sights to see. Your granddaughter's smile warms my heart. Post her picture anytime.
I know nothing about gluten free. I live on flour and sugar and am still kickin'
Oh, I'm a smorgasbord also. But I don't mind going to the Dermatologist once a year. She's very nice. The first time she saw me, she took off 4 spots... and biopsied them... all fine. But yes, she does have to take some time on me. Asks me if this spot is new? (usually on my back) I have no idea.
DeleteYes, pup is French Bulldog. And I could easily say that I live on flour and sugar too... bake a lot, love bread and dark chocolate. But I am tired of these occasional episodes where I cannot eat anything for 3-5 days. So I will try this gluten free for a few weeks
My wife needs to be on a strict gluten free diet because of celiac disease.
ReplyDeleteI still like regular bread myself but I do eat gluten free sometimes when she cooks.
I've ordered some GF products to try. So far I've been just avoiding bread, flour, and processed food... and eating apples, bananas, cheese, eggs, and fresh veggies. I do miss my bread though. And I don't think I have celiac disease, but may have developed an intolerance or sensitivity to gluten...??
Deletegluten free is all the rage with everyone it seems. when people ask me if i am gf, i say no, i love gluten!!
ReplyDeletegood that your surgery went well, we have all had so much to deal with!! and your granddaughter is adorable!!!
Thanks, Debbie. I think I love gluten too... and personally don't think it's my problem, but I'm willing to check it out.
Delete