The Whole Enchilada!

Good Saturday afternoon, November 17, 2018 @ 14:47:40. It has been a while since I last wrote a blog. I’ve had some tough days and really had nothing inside of me to share with you. Today you get…….The Whole Enchilada! This idiom describes a complete story, situation, everything. I am right now in that moment! Get ready! It’s live!!

Two nights in a row of less-than-adequate sleep sure took a toll on me. Emotionally, it is hard not to choose the negative thoughts and live in defeat. Spiritually, I tend to withdraw. It is really hard to pray unless a very important need is on my list. I could share a blog on the prayer needs that friends and family have. So I pray. I also listen to my favorite songs and music to help me hurdle the tough stuff. Physically, I am unable to function at or in my current “normal.” I just want to curl up with my blankee and nap through the day. It is not a reality though…so I struggle. Relationally, it takes so much of my already depleted reserve to keep my cool and appreciate the living gifts God has given me. I stay focused on D. He’s got his own bag of tough stuff to deal with.

I am secure in my chamber. Everything is functioning well. I have my mask on and I am appreciating the opportunity to do something as simple as sit in my safe place for an hour to an hour and a half. What a great realization that I have! I am helping my brain recover. I can see the snow falling outside and a quite peace is overtaking me. I could even take a nap but I have chosen to spend this time with you.

I woke last night (after sleeping less than two hours) with nausea and then turned on my side thinking that the nausea would leave me. No, it did not. It got worse. The whole room was spinning. I was disoriented and spinning inside of myself too. The waves of nausea were crashing against my esophagus. I had trouble swallowing because there seemed to be a ball of stuff interfering with breathing. I laid my body face-down on the bed waiting for the motion to stop. I was in a bad BPPV moment. Since my head injury in March of 2016 I have experienced these episodes far too many times. Each one has its own nature and grossness. The medical term is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. There is a sudden onset of symptoms: dizziness, a sense that your surroundings are spinning or moving, a loss of balance or unsteadiness, nausea, and even vomiting. BPPV is brought on by a change in the position of the head where little crystal inside the canals of the inner ear become dislodged and cause all the symptoms listed. BPPV is often associated with a minor to severe blow to the head. The treatment that relieves the symptoms is easily learned. I rely on D to assist me. It is called the Epley Maneuver. Following the maneuver there is a resting period where you keep your head from resting on either of your ears for a 24 hour period. I usually put a rolled beach towel around my head and lay in my recliner so I am sitting up a bit and I am not able to sleep on either side. This is real folks! I do not like it and don’t wish for anyone to experience something so troublesome that randomly attacks me.

D and I have not done the Epley Maneuver yet. We will take care of it before going to sleep tonight.

The Whole Enchilada!

I have changed my diet and I am adjusting well. Dr Hughes told me to discontinue all dairy products and limit ghee if I choose to use it in my new diet. I am motivated to do things right so all of the dairy (whole milk, cheeses, cheesecake, ice cream, butter.) that I loved has been successfully removed from my diet. I have found healthier replacements. I have replaced whole milk with almond milk and coconut milk. I do not consider cheese even in my tacos. I have found healthy ways to bake and enjoy foods made with coconut cream and coconut milk. I also found that I enjoy ghee. I add a tablespoon of MCT oil on what I am eating to get the boost I need. The most amazing thing that I have discovered over the past month is that I do not have those nasty sugar cravings any longer. I eat raw nuts and berries. I eat meats and vegetables. I enjoy a piece of fruit more today than I ever have. Bread and dairy and sugar are so far removed from my diet and I am noticing weight loss, less aches and pains and more energy. My body reacted with vengeance early on. WOW! My intestines had no clue what I was going to put them through. A few nights ago, I recognized that a jar of organic beef broth messed with me in a large way. It has maltodextrin in it. O my goodness. O my goodness. I will be preparing homemade bone broth from now on!

At Dr Hughes recommendation, I am purchasing two products to assist in my recovery and I am looking forward to the benefits I will receive. One assists specific brain waves. The other is light therapy for my entire brain. I am here in my hyperbaric chamber because of Dr Hughes. He ordered it for me and I am sold on the benefits of daily mHBOT. I am so grateful for the excellent care I am receiving from Dr Hughes. He is interested in assisting me recover! He ordered a lab test and the results are pages long. I will send a sample to the lab for heavy metal toxicity in two weeks. Dr Hughes is interested in this (me) whole person. He cares for his patients. And I am grateful. Thank you Dr Hughes.

The Whole Enchilada!

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner. Venue Church has a community dinner every year so I am preparing for our time together. I will be preparing a stacked potato side dish. It is yummy. It is baked yellow and red yams/sweet potatoes that are thin sliced and stacked. I will also be preparing my signature dessert dish. Pumpkin Marble Chocolate Brownies! I will attempt to alter the recipe based on my new diet. I am testing it out tomorrow. D and I will be eating a turkey breast and roasted veggies here at home before going to the dinner. We will be full when we get there since we are on a strict diet. I look forward to being with everyone. If any of you want to join us, please let me know. We would love to share Thanksgiving with you.

Thank you for your prayers. I need them. D needs them too. He will be having a procedure this coming Tuesday afternoon at the Dr’s office. He will not be seeing his physical therapist for a while because his condition is deteriorating. We are believing for the very best. We are living one day at a time. We are enjoying what we are learning about God’s sovereignty and grace.

Hugs,

Suz