Mental Note: Avoid The Fried Rice

It's a testament to the popularity of your blog when you receive e-mails wondering when you're going to post again. It's been difficult scheduling updates between writing to my friends and other patients online and taking long, luxurious naps.

It's also been a challenge dealing with my body as it heals. I've been getting sick in the morning, especially if I eat breakfast too early. I've been moody and irritable for some reason. And those food cravings! I don't think that waking up at 2 am because you have to have a dill pickle is normal. My mother thinks I may be pregnant.

I was given yesterday and today off to see whether my body would be able to handle the fluid levels in my legs without any medications. Between my enormous appetite and time on my feet, I'm afraid that I haven't got this under control. I estimate that between Monday and today I've gained 9 pounds. The edema is moving back into my upper legs for another attack.

Another first today: eating at a mall food court. While walking in Square One Mall this afternoon for my daily walk, we passed the food court upstairs. All of a sudden, I had a hankering for Chinese food. Now, I'm aware that food sold at these places might not be the most well-prepared and gentle to the stomach. However, I had a craving and wanted to take care of it NOW, special diet be damned.

Everything seemed to be fine. In fact, if it wasn't for the severe stomach ache two hours later, I wouldn't have suspected a thing. At 2:30pm, I was here at the computer, writing e-mails. By 2:35 I was in my favorite room purging my lunch , umm, in every possible way. I had to take an Ativan and sleep it off. My stomach is still upside down as I write this.

So, mental note: next time you go to a mall food count, avoid the fried rice. Or better yet, avoid the food courts... at least for a little while.