Tuesday, October 14, 2008

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER

Oh, my gosh....I was feeling so invincible. Pain free for days, I had wine with my dinner the other night. And dinner was pizza. I took Prelief with the wine as a precaution. It wasn't enough. Yesterday, late afternoon, and my bladder was in agony. It felt for all the world like I had a bladder infection, but I know it is just my carelessness catching up with me.

Did I mention that when I saw the urologist back in September she confirmed that I did have IC? Interstitial cystitis. A chronic inflamation of the inner lining of the bladder. No cure....but if I don't eat anything with citric acid, caffeine, or oxylates, I should do pretty good. So...no coffee, no tea, no wine or alcohol, no chocolate, no fruits, no tomatoes, and on and on and on. I can have meat, fish, poultry....but don't put anything on them! Fortunately, I don't think my condition is as bad as some, and I AM allowed to take a Uristat or AZO every day to help with any discomfort. But I may have to cancel my membership to the Westport Winery's wine club.

Hey....did you notice that it's fall? That this week has been filled with sunny, crisp mornings? Oh joy! I feel so invigorated! I'm working on quilt projects...doing my pilates...cooking labor-intensive meals...I just come alive this time of year. Too bad it's so short-lived.

Have you started your Christmas shopping? I have one gift bought and that's it. With the economy the way it is....and still not knowing when the final shoe will drop....I think this might be the year to be really cautious with our spending. Michael and I never really go crazy with the shopping for each other anyway, but I think we'll just exchange small gift certificates this year....his for Cabelas, and mine for the Fat Quarter Shop. We all have much more than we NEED anyway...right? Right!

I cleaned out my fabric stash last week, sending two boxes to a church that makes "charity" quilts for various organizations in town. I've always meant to do that myself (make the quilts), but my good intentions often get side-tracked. They were delighted to get all that fabric, and I am delighted at the prospect of getting new fabric to replace it.

I wish someone in my family shared my love of quilting. Sigh. It would be such fun to talk "fabric" and patterns and quilt together. My girlfriend who quilts hasn't done much of it since she took a full-time job. I miss the fun of working on projects together....and the companionship. I'm thinking I should suggest to Rebecca that she learn to quilt. Maybe she'd really take to it, and I'd have someone to pass all my quilt books/fabric/notions to. Good idea.

7 comments:

Lauren Tuttle said...

I'm sorry to hear you have IC, but I was diagnosed in March. My mom has it as well. The first few months are torturous, but you'll get through it. I want to send you a link to my blog, www.theicchef.blogspot.com I post all IC-friendly recipes and news articles. I haven't posted in a week or so because my IC has been bothering me, but I typically post 3-4 times a week. I know IC causes you to miss out on great tasting/mild food, but I don't post anything unless its delicious!

Good luck with everything!

Lauren said...

I'm always doing blog searches for people that cover IC. I'm happy I found you. No, I actually haven't tried any aloe capsules, but I have heard of them. Are these regular capsules that I can get a a health store?

Kathleen said...

The aloe capsules that are recommended are from Desert Harvest...and they are NOT cheap. If I remember correctly, they are around $65 for 60, and you need to take 6 a day for the first few weeks. Then I guess you taper off. Check it out at their website
www.desertharvest.com
I think they are made with the whole leaf or something...that's why they are $$.
I'm reading a book about a woman who healed her IC/bladder by drinking a tea made from the herb
marshmallow root. I'm going to try that.

ELIZABETH said...

No coffee! No chocolate! Oh dear. I think I could give up wine but the other two??? that would be hard. Sounds like you are taking control of it, good for you.

I've been down sizing Christmas for years now. I enjoy a little shopping and I enjoy a few days of carols and I really enjoy getting the family together and we don't even feel it necessary to have heaps of things to unwrap.

I have some handmade quilts and every now and again think about taking up the craft but quickly realize I truly don't have the patience for laying out the patterns, cutting and fitting and then the care that needs to be taken while sewing. I admire you gifted people.

Root vegetables, oh how I love the season of squash, turnips, parsnips etc and pots of stew simmering on the stove.

Kathleen said...

I'm with you, Elizabeth. I would much rather enjoy all the fun of a holiday and not deal with the gifts. My side of the family will draw names (on my August birthday) and so we have only one gift to buy, but Michael's family buys a gift for each and every one, and the dog, and the cat......sheesh. I think they may all just get my "famous" fruit cake this year!!

ELIZABETH said...

I love homemade fruit cake and wish my sister Barbara still made it every year. She'd give huge ones and I'd cut and freeze it so it could be enjoyed all year.

ELIZABETH said...

Knock knock. Where are you K?