Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead let life live through you. And do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?
~ Rumi
~ Rumi
Life is upside-down alright, or should I say simply, it's set on a delay. In Hawaii it is certainly a much slower pace of lifestyle and at this time, that is completely okay for me. While it's difficult to resist the urge to speed up and "get things done", I know that it's for the best for both my health and spirit, to enjoy this "free" time and not feel rushed to organize our home or plan...That's simply not Hawaiian-style. I still have some healing to do here, so I can't let myself run wild with the possibility of yoga classes galore or endless hours spent at the beach. I'm taking baby steps and no matter how much this seems to pain my ego, I know it's the right way to do it.
The first full day in Hawaii I was able to meet with my primary physician and was able to get the needed referral to an oncologist...unfortunately, that appointment won't be until March 10th. But regardless, I like my new primary and she's accessible by phone (I've already talked to here quite a few times) and has me doing some regular labs to keep a check on my levels. So, it's kind of funny that the first day I had my labs done here, was also the day I ended up going to the ER. No worries, let me backup.
Last Thursday, I was productive. Labs and medications first thing on the base, followed by some errands/groceries, and then organizing and cleaning at home with some yoga mixed in. I even was on the ball enough to have dinner ready for A when he got home, success! But, I wasn't feeling too good. Attributed it to overworking with the housework and figured it would go away with some rest. Didn't go away. We went to bed early and trying to sleep was agony. Figured I had some bad case of heartburn, indigestion, or maybe the flu that's going around. After Pepto-Bismol and some vomiting, I was convinced (finally) that we should head to the military medical center. Good idea. It was a very long night at the hospital. The place was busy to say the least. Luckily the triage nurse gave me Zofran and I am very thankful that she did. After watching some olympic hockey and curling on their TV we did finally get taken back sometime around 4 a.m., had some labs done, and saw the doctor. From his assessment, an ultrasound, and my symptoms, he concluded that I have a gallstone and may need surgery. Great, sounds like fun.
To add insult to injury, the doctor also said that now might be the best time to consider going vegan. Haha. I totally considered that like seven months ago, but then Aplastic Anemia came along. There was also a fourth year medical student that was present and I really wanted to say something to the effect of how ironic that idea was considering I've only added red meat back into my diet for the sake of my health, but I bit my tongue. The more reasonable statement he did make is that I should avoid [high] fat. My assumption about "high", since a certain amount of healthy fat in one's diet is essential. I seem to remember something from biology classes to the effect of all humans needing essential fatty acids from food, since our bodies cannot make them ourselves...but I deviate.
So once we got home around 8 a.m. and took a nap, we did some research on just what were the options and how should I be eating? It was kind of funny since there is a lot of contradicting information out there. Our conclusion for me: moderation with caffeine and dairy, avoid fried/fatty food (per usual), and be sensible with the use of oil in cooking...pretty much what we try to do anyways. We figured I could back off from protein a little but to keep eating some good quality lean protein. So, carry on and just try to eat more leafy greens but not take out animal proteins completely. Surgery most likely won't even be necessary, but I'm still going to keep my fingers crossed. How do I feel now? Much better, especially after taking it easy for a couple of days and focusing on resting, not to mention some quality Netflix time with my husband.
The first full day in Hawaii I was able to meet with my primary physician and was able to get the needed referral to an oncologist...unfortunately, that appointment won't be until March 10th. But regardless, I like my new primary and she's accessible by phone (I've already talked to here quite a few times) and has me doing some regular labs to keep a check on my levels. So, it's kind of funny that the first day I had my labs done here, was also the day I ended up going to the ER. No worries, let me backup.
Last Thursday, I was productive. Labs and medications first thing on the base, followed by some errands/groceries, and then organizing and cleaning at home with some yoga mixed in. I even was on the ball enough to have dinner ready for A when he got home, success! But, I wasn't feeling too good. Attributed it to overworking with the housework and figured it would go away with some rest. Didn't go away. We went to bed early and trying to sleep was agony. Figured I had some bad case of heartburn, indigestion, or maybe the flu that's going around. After Pepto-Bismol and some vomiting, I was convinced (finally) that we should head to the military medical center. Good idea. It was a very long night at the hospital. The place was busy to say the least. Luckily the triage nurse gave me Zofran and I am very thankful that she did. After watching some olympic hockey and curling on their TV we did finally get taken back sometime around 4 a.m., had some labs done, and saw the doctor. From his assessment, an ultrasound, and my symptoms, he concluded that I have a gallstone and may need surgery. Great, sounds like fun.
To add insult to injury, the doctor also said that now might be the best time to consider going vegan. Haha. I totally considered that like seven months ago, but then Aplastic Anemia came along. There was also a fourth year medical student that was present and I really wanted to say something to the effect of how ironic that idea was considering I've only added red meat back into my diet for the sake of my health, but I bit my tongue. The more reasonable statement he did make is that I should avoid [high] fat. My assumption about "high", since a certain amount of healthy fat in one's diet is essential. I seem to remember something from biology classes to the effect of all humans needing essential fatty acids from food, since our bodies cannot make them ourselves...but I deviate.
So once we got home around 8 a.m. and took a nap, we did some research on just what were the options and how should I be eating? It was kind of funny since there is a lot of contradicting information out there. Our conclusion for me: moderation with caffeine and dairy, avoid fried/fatty food (per usual), and be sensible with the use of oil in cooking...pretty much what we try to do anyways. We figured I could back off from protein a little but to keep eating some good quality lean protein. So, carry on and just try to eat more leafy greens but not take out animal proteins completely. Surgery most likely won't even be necessary, but I'm still going to keep my fingers crossed. How do I feel now? Much better, especially after taking it easy for a couple of days and focusing on resting, not to mention some quality Netflix time with my husband.
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