Desires

So Eric and I realized today that when I say I lost 20 pounds, that was pre-hospital, no-food-by-mouth for 24+ hours, etc. Thankfully, we agree that the goal is to gain strength, not weight. So we're measuring success by what I can physically accomplish rather than trying to regain my pre-sick weight. Two days ago, I took my first shower in more than a week. Yesterday, I took a shower, walked down the apartment hallway and stood at the sink for about 8 minutes to make instant mashed potatoes. And boy did I sleep hard. I could feel myself becoming one with the mattress and Eric said he had to make sure I was breathing I was out so cold. I wish I could say I'm enjoying eating whenever and whatever I want, but really I'm on a low-fiber, non-lactose diet and Eric refuses to buy me my most desired Chinese hot and sour soup and mac-and-cheese. I haven't even mentioned Starbucks...

Hard part at the moment, trying to safely build strength in order to make it to class next Tuesday and Wednesday from 1:15-3:45pm and desperately wanting Tuesday to come quickly when I'll run out of antibiotics. I want so badly to be healthy again.

Home

I'm home from a week in the hospital. Acute self-limiting colitis. Not clear what the cause was. Hemoglobin count is pretty low but I didn't need a transfusion. Lost 20 pds. Very weak. Strained a muscle trying to pick up the laptop. Thanking God for amazing parents, boyfriend and boyfriend's parents.

Not funny

No coffee in eight days.
No much-anticipated shrimp dip.
No favorite salsa.
No hot and sour soup.
No joke, there's plate of chocolate frosted brownies (one of my favorites) and strawberries in front of me. Someone must have thought it was a good idea to tempt Heather by putting these untouchables at my place in the classroom. We're not talking about a brownie or two. I can count at least five when I lower my laptop cover blockade.

Health Services said they would finally test me. But the results won't be back until Monday. (that would leave me five more days of cramping, and more undisclosed details). Thankfully, they said I could take an antibiotic for saminilla (sp?) poisoning since I can only trace the problem to a certain hamburger.

I don't know what I'd do without Eric forcing me to eat. I just don't want to but it made him upset this afternoon that I had only eaten half of breakfast and hadn't made lunch. I hadn't even realized I was missing a meal. I was just proud that I drank the orange juice...

Self-control isn't easy

So I've been pretty sick since Wednesday night. Initial inquiries from parents and the internet suggested it should have taken 2 days to work itself out. As soon as I realized that it wasn't getting better in 2 days, I learned that the Health Services on campus was closed for the weekend (!?!?). Internally weighing the co-pay price at the hospital compared to that at Health Services on Monday, I decided to try to wait it out... Last night was the worst when I woke up with cramps every hour or two. The good news: I survived two full days of class including a field trip to Brooklyn last week; Eric's been an amazing help by going grocery shopping for "sick food" and making meals (he got a good laugh joining the other men at the grocery store who were obviously sent there by their wives); I managed to make it to church to teach Sunday School (I'm not contagious) and I've only got 15 hours before Health Services opens.

Weird part- I recognize that diagnosing one's self using the internet is not the best idea but we thought we could come up with some pretty good remedies. Unfortunately, one site says, "Eat bananas and carrots for potassium," while another says, "Avoid fresh fruits and vegetables." When I was told to eat toast, I ate a toasted everything bagel and then a whole wheat pita bread for two different meals. Later, I found a site that said eat white bread rather than grains...

Regardless, it's my fourth day without coffee, patiently waiting to get better while shrimp dip, salsa and Pepsi all sit at an arm's reach away in the fridge and I have to reluctantly eat chicken noodle soup, yogurt, bananas, Saltines and Gatorade. I'm not sure how long it'll be before my patience and self-control run out...

Happy Holidays!

Um... so I don't have any New Year's resolutions. While Amie's husband's idea to do a sit-up a day was a great idea last year, it fell through around January 21st, 2008...

So I'm skipping that tradition this year. Of course, I want to get healthier, learn more and drink more free trade coffee, but...

Oh, wait-- D has a good resolution regarding getting out of credit debt and saving a specific amount of money in an emergency account. That's a pretty good idea...