But that's over.
Regular readers may know that yours truly has had her share of adventures in health care. Thank you, God-Buddha-Allah-Oprah-Universe, her Affliction Plate has been filled: Graves' and Hashimoto's diseases (yes you can have both and if you don't believe her check in with her endocrinologist who is at the MAYO clinic and also treated Barbara Bush. There). She also suffered from Graves Opthalmopathy, a particularly unpleasant adventure that involved taping her eyes shut at night for a few months.
Then she had carcinoid cancer. (but got a really good story!)
Plus, she is a well-documented hypochondriac: weekly brain tumors masquerading as headaches or stubbed toes that most certainly will develop gangrene.
So the Matron gave herself a big old pat on the quaking back for NOT getting hysterical about something as middling as heartburn. Pat, pat and down two Zantac. . . . and baking soda, throat coat tea, omeprazole, lemon, or honey.
For three yeras.
Until December's Mystery Flu. Which nobody else got. And didn't feel like 'normal' sick. Three weeks of intestinal acrobatics followed the 'flu.'
On some level, the hypochondrial, cancer and autoimmune-prone Matron was not much surprised when an esophageal biopsy revealed . . . . a brand new rare disease!
(it's okay to grip your keyboard here and feel sorry for her for just a second--even if spitting out the story is taking a very very long time. Certainly, you will humor her. Poor Matron)
She has Eosinophilia.
So . . . her esophagus is chalk full of these darn little eosinophils, busy makin' her life miserable and eating, unpleasant. But she can LIVE with that. The tough stuff? The main cause of this disorder/disease? Food allergies.
Final testing comes Friday but it looks like the Matron may be allergic to a long long list of items that include wheat, corn, dairy, coconut, pineapple, orange, cocoa (chocolate), and those are just the things that she likes and can no longer eat.
Final testing comes Friday but it looks like the Matron may be allergic to a long long list of items that include wheat, corn, dairy, coconut, pineapple, orange, cocoa (chocolate), and those are just the things that she likes and can no longer eat.
There's the poor little chocolate-cookie-brownie-pie loving Matron's problem. No more favorite foods.
So she's over the Hump of self pity? Not yet. But accepting recipes and a new immune system.
11 comments:
Well the only recipes I have today are the ones as full of all the bad stuff as possible!
I'm so sorry--I hope your able to find something to eat that feeds your soul as well as your belly.
Bloody hell woman! You certainly don't bother with the small stuff do you? Wallowing in the pool of self-pity valid for a stretch or two longer I feel.
Wow. I'm flabbergasted--no chocolate? That's awful. But good to know what you've got, I guess.
OH dear!
But I hope it all leads to you feeling better.
Yes -- that's the bright spot -- I should feel much better! More energy and less heartburn!
check out "crispy living" on blogger for some recipes that might work.
Oh. Sorry. The worst part of it is the allergy to chocolate. Carob is a substitute but am not aware whether it can substitute in your case! But I'm glad you are feeling better!
Hello Matron...my mom's done the Graves and Hashimotos. My sister lost half a lung to the carcinoid. I eat a restricted diet with my hubs to keep his Crohn's/ Ulcerative Colitis at bay. (sometimes I am shamed in my health, although I do suffer terrible insomnia.)
Wallow at will, all are awful. Sending good, healing thoughts.
Your long time, loyal, silent reader. :)
Anonymous: I love you! Comments like this are a good part of the reason I keep writing! I see the analytics showing how many people come here every couple of days, silently reading. Worth writing for people who comment and ones who don't! And it's very reassuring to hear I'm not alone in this. The carcinoid was HORRIBLE and I'm so sorry about your sister -- and glad she survived it. Thank you for writing this!
I just recently discovered quinoa. It is a gluten-free grain. Maybe it won't be on your forbidden food list? I hope you feel better!
You have every right to wallow in self-pity and gather up bushels of sympathy!
Can you have almonds?
My 2nd son spent his first 4 years suffering from allergies to dairy and soy proteins, along with egg, citrus, and vinyl (perhaps latex?). He outgrew it eventually, but while he was still a nursing baby & toddler, it was a tough diet to follow for me. I feel for you. I'm just so relieved it wasn't worse than what it is!
My mom blamed her upset stomach and intestines on Warfarin and an extended recovery from knee surgery. By the time she got checked out, her abdomen was filled with cancer. So I'm GLAD YOU ARE ALIVE!!
I'm finally catching up with you. When my favorite browser stopped working, I had to switch to Google reader and I failed to copy a few blogs onto my new list... yours being one of them. Sorry about that!
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