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Calories: 1350
Well, I went to the doctor yesterday. She charged me $100 and told me to go see a specialist. Oh, then she also said that I look pale and should have my blood tested for anaemia. I told her that I know I am anaemic; I am always anaemic. She said, "All the more reason to get you tested." So now I'm going to see the specialist on Monday. If I haven't killed myself by then.
As is perhaps obvious my depression has grown to such tremendous proportions that it now knows no bounds. Whatever that means.
In other news, our six week challenge is officially over! The final results are not yet in, but I think it's safe to say that Smiley is the winner! What's really surprising is that geevee almost caught up despite having gotten a late start. Not to mention her last incredible all-star week. Runner and I, the founders of the challenge, were totally smoked.
For those of you who are interested, I propose beginning a new challenge on Monday. My reasons for not starting right away are two-fold. First of all, I think it makes sense to start each week at the actual beginning of the week. That way those of us who find weekends tough may have more incentive to do well over the weekend so as not to ruin a good week. Secondly, perhaps we could use a few days before the next challenge begins to refine our goals, or for those who want to join the challenge for the first time to come up with their goals. This is kind of a selfish reason because these last couple of weeks have been a nightmare for me and have left me extremely demotivated and depressed. So I really need a day or two to get myself together. I just hope that the rest of you, who have all been doing so well, won't use these days off as an excuse to undo all your hard work. So I'm warning you now, geevee, that if that happens, the guilt will send me plummeting into an even deeper depression, and it will be all your fault.
Of course, if the rest of you think that it would be better to start a new challenge right away, that's fine too. Just keep track of your points over the next few days and I will add them to the new chart as soon as it's ready. But it might take a day or so because like I said, I need a little break to recoup.
Oh and if anyone else wants to participate, all you have to do is come up with a list of daily goals for yourself, for which you can earn up to 5 points a day. Of course, the easiest way to do this is to have 5 goals, but if you have less, you can always give yourself extra points for whichever goal is most important to you. If you have more than 5 goals, you can give yourself bonus points for the harder ones. Or you can choose to award yourself a bonus point for an extra special effort. Good luck everyone!
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Comment left by liza36 on 07/13/2006:
Snap out of it woman! Ok, now that I dispensed with the tough love, you're doing great, don't be so hard on yourself. Take the next few days to refocus your energies for another great challenge. You can do it!
I'm SO glad you went to the doctor, even if it's only to find out you have to see another doctor.
Good advice on the stretching. I actually don't stretch at all, so I'll start incorporating that. Someone also advised me to start yoga. Also good for back aches.
Hope you are having a great day!
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Friday
Calories: 625
Went running on my lunch break and ran three loops of the park near work (1.1 miles) in 9:50 each, which is the equivalent of 9 minutes per mile!
Saturday
Calories: 1800
Was very depressed after an early-morning trip to the bathroom. Had no breakfast and nothing to eat on the train to Belgium. My husband was in a good mood and seemed not to notice my depression. However I eventually broached the subject and that put him in a bad mood also. When we got to Brugge we found ourselves surrounded by throngs of tourists. This put us in an even worse mood, which brightened only slightly when we passed some people who were giving out free bars of chocolate. I wasn't going to have one but my husband insisted, as I hadn't eaten anything all day. The hotel was not up to his standards, but he was impressed to find Belgian TV shows in English. We watched TV for a while and then went to a grocery store and bought some snacks and drinks for the hotel. I got a couple of yogurt cheesecake bars which I had discovered in Germany. We each had one. Then we watched some more TV and finally went out for dinner. My husband complained that he didn't have any "restaurant recommendations". Since when is he interested in restaurant recommendations? I'd read hundreds but hadn't bothered to note down any addresses because I didn't think he would care. Finally we went to a pita place which was recommended in a guide we had picked up at the tourist office. We had to wait ages for our food and in the meantime enjoyed a Kriek - Belgian cherry beer. It was really good. My falafel sandwich was really good too. It seemed less authentic than the ones here as instead of hummus and tahini and eggplant it had carrots and corn and pineapple (!) but it was stuffed to the brim and really nice.
Sunday
Calories: 2800
Breakfast at the hotel was really good. I had orange juice, coffee, a slice of wholewheat bread with cheese and scrambled eggs, a slice of rye bread, a slice of fruit bread, a slice of honey bread, a slice of white bread with chocolate spread, and a bowl of yogurt with berries. It didn't seem all that much at the time but now that I write it all out I can see how the calories added up! Anyway, after that we rented a couple of bikes and headed off on a bike trail to Holland. We biked around a medieval village for a while and then headed to the North Sea. We passed a clog shop along the way! It took us a couple of hours to get to the sea. We got some ice-cream and sat on the sand for a while and my husband waded in the sea but he said the water was freezing cold so I didn't try it. I had some chips which we had brought with us. Then we got back on our bikes and headed back to Brugge. Although the countryside was flat, there were really strong winds blowing against us the whole way which made every inch a struggle. By the time we got back to Brugge we were exhausted and aching all over. We had covered 46 miles in total! We collapsed in the hotel drinking litres and litres of water, pop and Kriek! Then I had some more chips and some speculoos (Belgian spice cookies). At some point I began to sneeze uncontrolleably and realised I had hayfever. Soon I was lying on the bed completely stuffed up, with my eyes practically swollen shut. I missed most of the World Cup final, but my husband watched in growing excitement as France and Italy were tied and went into overtime. At this point I had to watch. Now I wish I'd mentioned this before, but a couple of days earlier we had been discussing the game and I had told my husband that it would be great if the French captain, who is totally idolised here, attacked another player and got sent off for unsportsmanlike behaviour. And that's exactly what happened! We could scarcely believe our eyes. After that France totally fell apart and lost in penalty strikes! We were delirious with joy (and, in my case, hayfever). Then we hurried out to get something to eat. It was really late so we just went to a fast-food stand in the main square. I had some Belgian fries with curry sauce, which I had been really anxious to sample ever since we arrived. We both really liked it, devoured the fries, and went to bed.
Monday
Calories: 2800
I had a night of sheer torment, awoken every couple of hours choking on mucus, with my sinuses so blocked up that my whole face was swollen and dreadfully painful. Even my gums ached! To make matters worse, I must have hurt my knee on the bike because every time I shifted positions I nearly screamed out in pain! Finally I managed to get some sleep and awoke to find that my hayfever had subsided slightly, although my knee was still so bad that I could barely walk! We had another nice breakfast (more or less the same as the first, but without the chocolate spread as I hadn't really liked it) and then wandered around town for a bit. We discovered some nice parts of town and I was upset that we hadn't come across them earlier. I was still quite full from breakfast but couldn't resist stopping at a waffle stand where I had a freshly-made Belgian waffle. It was delicious! Across from it was a lovely ice-cream place where my husband got a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of Bailey's. He gave me a taste - it was so good! But I enjoyed my waffle more. I was very sad when we had to catch our train home. We had some chips and chocolate on the train. We missed our connection at Lille so we wandered around a shopping mall there while waiting for the next connection. By the time we got home we were exhausted. I spent the evening snacking on pretzels and more chocolate. My husband ordered a pizza for dinner and I had a couple of crusts and a cheese sandwich with the last of the chips. I had an ice-cream cone for dessert since I hadn't had any in Brugge!
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Comment left by sweetpea1977 on 07/11/2006:
How in the world did you survive two consecutive severely low calorie days (825 on Thursday, 625 on Friday!!)? I would have passed out!!
Anyway, it sounds like you had a pretty good time in Belgium (good food, entertainment, and plenty of exercise), other than the hayfever attack and bathroom surprise. I hope you are now going to fulfill your suggestion of seeing a doctor now. We need to figure out your health situation so you can move on with your life. :o)
Welcome home! We missed ya!!
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Comment left by missile on 07/11/2006:
It is neat to go on vacations to different places. I dont fly so my vacations are very limited. I hope your knee is better. Take care.
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Comment left by geevee on 07/11/2006:
Starting the new challenge on Monday is a good idea. How about adding one final column so that we can post our loss for the challenge?
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Comment left by Brian's girl on 07/11/2006:
How wonderful to be able to day these weekend trips to cities and even different countries, quite impossible here in the U.S. unless you live on or near the border.
What is your guys challenge? Could I join them, I see you are staring a new one and what are the parameters? I think this would help me with my exercise or lack thereof.
Yah for Italy...my grandparents were from there so I can relate.
See you later
Sandra
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Comment left by liza36 on 07/11/2006:
I thought of you as Italy won the World Cup, knowing you were not in France. I'm glad your Belgium trip was fairly successful. The bike rides sound so wonderful. Can't believe the distance you went. That's awesome! So sorry you hurt your knee on the bike. I hope you are no longer is pain from that. To change subjects, and not to be nagging, but when are you going to see the doctor? It's definitly worth it to get a complete physical and tests to ensure you are truly healthy, especially with your recent health episodes. Ok, I'll stop nagging now. But I hope you'll keep us updated on your health situation.
Hope you're having a great day.
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Comment left by smiley2 on 07/11/2006:
Hi BTC, Welcome back!!
Glad you had an enjoyable time in Belgium. Those free chocolate giveaways almost sound too good to be true, my DH would love those!
I agree with Sweetpea, think its time you get to the doctor before your situation gets any worse. If they know what you have they can tread it immediately and you can avoid any further damage.
Congrats on running those 9 minute miles, i can only dream away!
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Comment left by grlbythec on 07/11/2006:
I have enjoyed reading your journal. We lived in Germany for 3 years, and traveled extensively. It brings back great memories. The scenery is so beautiful, especially on bike. It also makes it nice when so many others are on foot or bike, just a way of life for them. Enjoy, Girl by the sea
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Comment left by Soon2BThin on 07/11/2006:
Whew, no wonder you were tired! What a great weekend! I can't believe you were able to do all that bike riding with your health problem! I managed to catch the end of the soccer game and thought of you when France lost, yippee! Get thee to a doctor, girlfriend!
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Comment left by Becca27 on 07/12/2006:
Welcome back! Thanks for your comment. It's probably just the angle of the camera because I'm not thinner than I was last summer. I am looking forward to starting a new challenge- I have ideas for new goals that i'm excited to incorporate. Although I will be in San Fran when it starts, i should have Internet access to log daily.
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Comment left by Runner on 07/12/2006:
Yes, welcome back, BTC! Thanks for your weekend update! I would love to visit Belgium someday...was it your first time there?
Are you recuperating from your trip? I sure hope you feel better SOON!
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Calories: 825
Wow! I'm impressed that so many of you know that France is playing Italy in the World Cup final. I thought Americans didn't follow soccer at all. Or is it just because of me that everyone knows?
I am thinking of taking all your advice and maybe making an appointment with the doctor when I get back from Belgium. Unless I'm totally better by then, which, from the scene of devastating butchery in the bathroom yesterday, does not seem very likely. Not to be graphic or anything, but it looked like someone had slaughtered and gutted a lamb in there. That effectively killed my appetite for the rest of the day - maybe even the rest of my life (at least that's how it feels). In fact, if we weren't going away this weekend it would probably have been my lowest-calorie weekend ever. Whereas now I'm just going to succumb to the temptations of Belgian waffles and chocolates and fries slathered in mayonnaise and probably need to be hospitalised on my return.
In the meantime I am trying to control this disease by eating as little as I can. There is quite a long list of foods which can supposedly aggravate it: fat, sugar, wheat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, nuts, corn. What's left?
Ironically, in all those years that I bragged of my iron stomach, I actually used to wish that I were allergic to certain foods, or even that I had a disease which meant that I had to give up certain foods, as I thought that was the only way I would ever eat less. And I guess I was right!
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Comment left by Umpqua on 07/07/2006:
I'm so glad you're going to get checked out when you return from your trip. I hope you feel better in the meantime though! Thanks for the advice on the unwashed veggies. I've been pretty careful about what I've been eating so far and haven't had any problems. I wash everything I get at home and have been aiming for all organic since I got pregnant. I also have a pretty good idea of which restaurants are safe around here since we eat out so much, so I think I'm safe on that front too! As for the World Cup, it's huge business where I work. I think my office is a little unusual though, since we have employees from: Poland, France, Turkey, Russia, South Korea, China, Australia, Romania....I'm probably forgetting some others, but you get the idea. There are a good number of Americans following the games too, for what that's worth!
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Comment left by MISSILE on 07/07/2006:
Thank you for telling me about the chart that you created. I would love to be a part of it when you guys start again. I hope you have a good day.
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Comment left by geevee on 07/07/2006:
When there's blood in the stool, there's a problem. Oh, how well I know about this from my mother's and her second husband's long illnesses. DO get it checked out!
World Cup - I tried to watch that boring game you described and lasted all of 5 min. Soccer is not my sport at all. I can't understand the attraction of it. I even checked on the France game the other night because of you, but couldn't take it. Ahhhh! I HATED the game in 8th grade when I was required to play it and have despised it ever since. I don't care who wins, but since you are living in France, and for your ske alone, I hope Italy wins. And Italian food for the game is so good anyway. I'm rooting for Italy and have a feeling it'll win.
As for the Challenge, it's the ONLY thing that's helped me to lose weight, so whenever it's scheduled to end, DO continue it! It's kept me on track.
Hope you have a lovely weekend in Belgium.
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Comment left by smiley2 on 07/08/2006:
Hi Alia,
Im so glad that you are thinking about that doctor's appointment. What you describe does not sound normal at all, and i think for peace of mind you should go.
Thanks for letting me know about my points, i didnt realize i was in front, seriously, its been a mad couple of days. I slipped up a bit the past few days, but its ok, im not going to beat myself up about it. Regarding the total points, im going with your points since i know i could have maked a mistake, i did some of my entries so fast. Also im not going to use that column anymore, cause i tried to paste 4 of them in last week in one entry and it messed a lot of my other entries up, so thats why i had to delete 2 or 3 and you couldnt find them. So from now on im just going to give the total points and you do the rest :) How long is the challenge still on for by the way? I have no idea in which week we are right now.....
Hope you have a wonderful weekend, hope its romantic and fun, and enjoy the great food!!! Where in Belgium are you guys going?
Take care, be safe,
Welna x
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Comment left by biscottibody59 on 07/08/2006:
I just got through reading an exhausting (the subject) article on Ulcerative Colitis on wikipedia. One thing I did not know people even did was get hydrogen peroxide enemas, which apparently can cause UC. And it made me wonder if you possibly have been overdoing it on the running/racing the last few months and your body chemistry just went haywire and just couldn't take it anymore.
I hope you share your symptoms with your husband, your mom--someone who can persuade you to get checked out. Please don't continue to put this off after your trip!
I can completely understand your feeling with the way that Dr treated you recently. And your apparent insight into what is going on with you will only intimidate them more--I know this all too well. I have almost no respect for Drs, still, you cannot continue to ignore these symptoms--you know that!
I'm sure you're already gone, but have a great trip!
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Comment left by Soon2BThin on 07/08/2006:
Girl, you listen here, Soonie is so worried about you! Please, please get to your doctor and tell her about your symptoms! You can't diagnose yourself from the Internet!! Maybe it's nothing but you need to know for sure. My sister had some problems like that and had a colonoscopy awhile back and they found that everything was okay. So don't dispare! Get thee to your doctor, right now! Love you, BTC!
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Comment left by Soon2BThin on 07/08/2006:
Oh, forgot to mention---my DH is into the soccer thing now too. His good friend is from Russia and he turned him on to it. I hope France doesn't win too.
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Comment left by bikini_wanting on 07/08/2006:
Good thing you're heading to the doctors soon because it seems like you've got nothin left to eat.
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Comment left by geevee on 07/09/2006:
SMILE! You see, it wasn't a sure thing after all for France. When my baseball game was over I turned on the World Cup in time to see the last half of the penalty kicks. I watched all of a couple of minutes and knew I didn't miss a thing, but I was so happy for you.
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Comment left by Runner on 07/09/2006:
Keep us posted, BTC! We all hope you'll be okay!
And I'm glad Italy won the World Cup! :)
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Comment left by Becca27 on 07/10/2006:
Hi BTC!
It's so easy to avoid dealing with health issues - I am always shocked that I am the first to tell people to go to the dr. but when it comes to myself, I avoid them like the plague and deny, deny, deny! GO!!!! I hope that you had a great time in Belgium and I hope that you are feeling better soon!!
Thanks, again, for your diligent efforts with our little chart. I have appreciated it so much and know that it has been work for you - thank you!!! While on vacation I did keep track and earned 24 addition points. Once I got back I wrote out new goals, though and am ready to move forward. I know I am out of the running to be on top, but I love the process and accountability. Are we starting over at some point?
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Comment left by sweetpea1977 on 07/10/2006:
Hey BTC,
I hope you had a nice time in Belgium. I look forward to hearing all about it. BTW, Im curious to know what your thoughts and feelings are about the World Cup winner. :o)
Jenny
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Calories: 1925
Came to work yesterday to find that someone had brought in breakfast pastries. They were in the office next to mine, though, so I just didn't go there. But by lunch I was starving and the thought of a croissant was just too tempting so I went and got one. It didn't even take the edge of my hunger so I had to have the lunch I had brought with me too, although I managed to stretch it out over the course of the day.
My husband suggested that we go to the cinema that night instead of watching soccer, so we decided to go see The Break-up. I told him I would run to the cinema and meet him there. I thought I would easily be able to make it in forty minutes as it is four miles away. I felt like I was running quite fast, too. But there were so many people, and so much traffic, and I got a little lost along the way, so I began to worry that I wouldn't make it on time and finally jumped on a train instead. I still ran for forty minutes, though.
The Break-up was pretty good - better than either of us had expected. We were the only people in the whole cinema. We split a box of popcorn. The France-Portugal game was still in progress as we went home, and the streets and metro stations were completely deserted. I asked my husband if it is like this in America during the Superbowl and he said it wasn't nearly as striking. I told him that if Portugal beat France I would wear Portugal colours and eat Portugese food for the rest of the month. He got mad at me for being "too into sports".
We got home just as France won. My husband was furious and told not to make the Portugese dinner I had planned for that night. I readily agreed, as it was almost eleven and I was quite tired. But then he changed his mind and told me to go ahead and make it, but not to have it ready for 45 minutes. That meant that I spent 45 minutes hanging out in the kitchen, slowly making dinner while my husband struggled with the exercise bike and eventually gave up in disgust. I made francesinhas for dinner - roast beef and egg sandwiches smothered with melted cheese and a spicy beer sauce. I was a little worried about the beer sauce as I hate beer and the very thought of it makes me feel sick, but I really liked it. However my husband wasted his whole meal. He had half a pastei de nata (custard tart) for dessert. He said he was sickened by the result of the soccer game!
I was a little hurt but then these soccer feasts were my idea and they've been a real culinary adventure for me. I've learnt about so many new ingedients and practiced so many new techniques in the past four weeks since the World Cup started - it was a great way to inaugurate our new kitchen. But last night's fiasco reminded me of how annoying it can be to cook for my husband. He never requests anything, because he doesn't like asking me to cook for him, but at the same time he says he appreciates my cooking and looks forward to it when he gets home. And when I don't cook, he complains of how unhealthy it is for him to eat junk all the time. That puts a lot of pressure on me to put food on the table, and then when he doesn't eat it I feel hurt and rejected, after putting hours of work into some elaborate dish for him, when it would have been easier (and safer) for me to just make a salad or steam some vegetables for myself. But I can't expect him to live off steamed vegetables or salad - he's 6'4" - and at the same time I don't want to give him an eating disorder by forcing him to clean his plate! This was always a huge dilemma for me in the past. Well, I have decided to take a break from cooking for the next two weeks, so that should give me some time to think of a strategy.
In the meantime I have several huge challenges looming ahead of me (as always). We're spending the weekend in Belgium to escape the revelry when France wins the World Cup. As always, I did all the planning for this trip, trying to meet my husband's demands (the hotel should be cheap, but really good; remote, but accessible by public transport, etc.) so this will be quite stressful for me. Plus I am always a sucker for those buffet hotel breakfasts. Then later this month I am going to London! My parents are going to be there on holiday.
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Comment left by smiley2 on 07/06/2006:
Hi there :) I wanted to say Viva Le France, but i wont hehehehe ;) I think its a great idea that you guys are going on a weekend away to Belgium, i bet its going to be pretty romantic!!! Enjoy it, please do!! Dont stress about anything, just have a fun time. And regarding your cooking, do it for yourself, put all your stresses and joys in it, you are a expert chef in our eyes!!
Wx
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Comment left by Umpqua on 07/06/2006:
It's funny, I could care less about sports but now i'm hoping Italy will win! The weekend in Belgium sounds wonderful, I can't wait to hear about it. And I think it's a good idea to take some time off from cooking those elaborate meals. You can still eat healthy and get plenty of fruits and vegetables, and maybe your husband will have a newfound appreciation of your cooking after the break. Oh and my next photos will probably be my 19-week shots from my Disney trip (although I don't think I'll be barefoot down there ;) I hope you have a great weekend away!
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Comment left by geevee on 07/06/2006:
Having the croissant not making a dent in your hunger is the story of my life. This appetite we both have is such a problem.
I know how you feel about the World Cup because the Super Bowl affects me the same way. I'm simply not interested in that competition and go nuts with all the cheery people and huge Super Bowl Party sales at the super market. The deserted streets are nice though.
Well, enjoy your weekend away. That's a great idea. Italy might even surprise everyone and win. Wouldn't that be great?
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Comment left by sweetpea1977 on 07/06/2006:
Hey BTC,
I just got caught up with all your entries. Man, a lot has been going on with you lately. I hate to be a pushy worry wart, but I really think you should see some specialists for your health problems. I understand the reasons for keeping things to yourself, but something as important as your health should be discussed with your husband and medical professionals. Im really worried about you and just want you to be ok.
Ok, enough of that for now. I hope you have a wonderful time in Belgium.
Go Italy (even though Im of French descent, I want BTC to be happy!!)!
Jenny
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Comment left by Brian's girl on 07/06/2006:
There was one time when we had the theatre all to ourselves, it was to see Shrek but it was still in this one movie theatre months after it was released...it was nice to have all that space.
My brother's girlfriend was rooting for Germany on the weekend but as for me well I must go for Italy since my grandparents are from there, loyalty and all...lol.
I think it's been great that you have cooked all those different nationalty meals, I would have appreciated it very much if I ate cooked food, lol. Taking a step back though might be a good idea, take stock...see where you want to go from here...maybe even teach your husband to cook........
Sandra
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Comment left by biscottibody59 on 07/06/2006:
Q: What's the difference between men and women?
A: Men are crabby all month long.
Hope you're having a good day!
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Comment left by Runner on 07/06/2006:
I bet if you published a World Cup cookbook with all the recipes you've tried in the last few weeks, you'd be an instant celebrity! Honestly, I'm very impressed at how you've attempted so many new recipes. And I am glad you've enjoyed doing it, but I think that a 2-week break from cooking is just what you need!
I've really relaxed on baking desserts this past week, and it's been really refreshing. I often beat myself up in the kitchen when things don't turn out, so it's nice to have a break once in awhile. And it keeps me from consuming a ton of extra calories, too!
A trip to Belgium sounds fun! Try not to get too stressed with all the planning. If your husband is picky about the accommodations, I think he should join you in the planning!!
We both have some big challenges ahead of us with trips, but we can do this, BTC!
By the way...I'm glad that you didn't have a miscarriage...I felt so bad even suggesting that!!! But I do hope you don't have any serious problems, either. Please don't ignore the warnings that your body is sending you. We all want you to be healthy and strong!
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Comment left by missile on 07/06/2006:
I think that chart you have is neat, but I cant figure out what it stands for. I hope that you have a fun trip! I hope you have a great day.
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Calories: 1200
Had another good day yesterday. I had a light lunch at work, went home with my husband, lazed around for a bit, then had a pear and an empty ice-cream cone for a snack and got to work making dinner. Germany was playing Italy so I made German food: kasespatzle (dumplings baked with fried onions and cheese) and a black forest cake for dessert. The dessert was quite an event as I had some difficulty balancing all the layers on top of each other, especially as the cream refused to whip properly in the stifling heat. I gave my husband a large slice, then cut a small one for myself. I hadn't had much of the kasespatzle so I was starving and devoured it in seconds. And this cake was so loaded with calories, despite the fact that I had halved the sugar, that even my tiny piece had 350 calories! So I went to put the rest of the cake away and it collapsed! I was still so hungry and very tempted to dispose of the mess in the usual way, but I controlled myself and carefully reconstructed the cake instead, transferring it to a different container which would hold its shape better. I was still really hungry and had 150 calories left for the day but couldn't decide what to use them on. But then a little later my husband said he wanted another slice of cake, then got full halfway through and asked me to help him with it, so that's where my remaining calories went. Honestly it was probably the best way I could have spent them - the cake was so good! It was midnight by then but I still did my exercise bike for 40 minutes. I did the same program my husband had done the night before and he made fun of me for not turning the level up as he had, but I was feeling breathless and fatigued enough as it was, and anyway I still burned 300 calories and felt it in my legs afterwards so that's not bad.
Now here's what is bad - so horrific that I wouldn't even mention it were it not for the fact that it's been stressing me out so much I can no longer keep it to myself. But I'll try put it as delicately as I can. Basically, a few months ago, I suffered some gastrointestinal symptoms of a truly distressing nature. These only lasted for a few days, but then, two weeks ago, they returned with a vengeance. I'm talking blood, blood clots - the works. I was terrified and could not bear to speak of it to anyone. Not even my doctor, especially once she told me I might have a pulmonary embolism, as that kind of took my mind off this other thing, which I hoped would just go away on its own. However it did not go away on its own, so eventually in despair I turned to the Internet. And so I found that I am experiencing all the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. At first I was filled with horror at the increased risk of cancer (with eventual colostomy and that disgusting pouch that comes with it), but I was also relieved to find out the source of my discomfort. Apparently it is not affected by diet, so I did not cause it by my erratic eating habits, as I had initially feared. However, it is affected by smoking - smokers don't get it! Apparently smoking confers almost total protection from the disease, to the extent that some patients have actually started smoking and have gone into instant remission! So in essence, if I had never quit smoking, I would almost certainly never have developed this disease. Wow. I have learnt so much recently that has turned my whole world upside down. Running is bad for you, smoking is good for you - where will it end??
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Comment left by smiley2 on 07/05/2006:
Hi there Alia,
Im going to be frank with you, i really think you should go for tests so that you once and for all can find out what you have or dont have. This is your health, we still want you around here for the next 100 years and so does your husband and everyone that loves you. Please go for tests, otherwise all these symptoms is just going to interfere with your everyday life more and more till it drives you mad!
Congrats on teh 5 star day and making a multi layer Black Forest cake mmmmhhhh!
Wx
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Comment left by Umpqua on 07/05/2006:
Smoking is an appetite suppressant too, but that's not a good reason to take it up again ;) I completely agree with Welna - you need to get yourself to a doctor to figure out what's going on with you. It could be something mild or it could be serious, but you're taking a huge risk by just letting it go like this. Blood and blood clots are serious business.
I'm glad you're feeling better although the exercise may very well be hurting you more than helping you at this point. That black forest cake does sound amazing though, so I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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Comment left by Brian's girl on 07/05/2006:
It's incredible that the "health" authorities are now saying that everything that was bad for you is now good and vice versa. Listening to your body is key though, if it doesn't like something then it will tell you. I would not take up smoking again if I was paid too.
Sandra
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Comment left by Runner on 07/05/2006:
HI, BTC! Congrats on two "star" days! I've really got to get back on track and have a "star" day myself! It's pretty pathetic that I can go for days without meeting all of my goals.
I'm really glad that you managed to put the cake away without eating it! That is sooo hard for me to do. I really admire your discipline!! And you stuck to your 1200 calories. Way to go!
I am soooo sorry to hear about your gastrointestinal symptoms. Are you sure the blood and blood clots are related to ulcerative colitis? I hate to even suggest this, because I may be totally off, but do you think you could have had a miscarriage? Remember when you were having all those "pregnancy symptoms"? What if you actually were pregnant and lost the baby? Oh, I hope this doesn't distress you, but that was the first thing I thought of after reading your entry. I do hope it's not anything terribly serious...please get yourself checked out thoroughly.
I saw this on the Internet:
Miscarriage symptoms The most common symptom is vaginal bleeding, which can range from light spotting to heavier than a period. There may be blood clots, or other tissue that is not clearly identifiable. Sometimes a sac-like structure is seen.
By the way...I didn't see the France game, either, but I'm kind of glad I didn't! I bet things are pretty crazy in your neck of the woods right now...
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Calories: 1200
Happy 4th of July, all you Merricans!
I've kind of decided not to go for the pulmonary embolism tests. I have several reasons for this. First of all, I've done some reading up on the tests and apparently they're not very conclusive, particularly if the embolism is small or if it's been over 48 hours since the onset of symptoms. Well, the original symptom which aroused my doctor's suspicion has been gone for four days. And even if I did have a pulmonary embolism, it must have been a really small one for me to hardly feel it. It's supposed to mimic pneumonia and I've had pneumonia before - it was a lot worse than this. So I doubt anything would have shown up on those tests then, let alone now. Also, I went running yesterday and even though I ran slower than usual I still think I wouldn't have been able to do that if I had a pulmonary embolism.
I had quite a successful day yesterday and that did a lot to raise my spirits. I had a protein bar and some iron-enriched chocolate cookies at work, ran home, went grocery shopping, did not get hit by a bike on the way back, made some pastry and chocolate cake for the upcoming soccer feasts, and had leftover locro (bean and corn stew) for dinner and an apple for dessert. I had saved 250 calories for a snack before bed just in case I wanted to have a chocolate ice-cream cone, but I chose a spinach empanada instead. Boy did that hit the spot!
I was a little jealous when my husband went on the exercise bike and turned the levels up, which I've never been able to do. He also broke my record for calories burned. Why does he always have to do whatever I do and be better than me at it? He always shows off about it too.
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Comment left by geevee on 07/04/2006:
That's just the way guys are. They require reassurance and pampering. Lord help you if you intrude in their area(s) of expertise!
I was never a good pool player but one night I was on a roll and was doing fantastically, at least by my low standards, but the guy I was dating was extremely upset and couldn't stand the fact that I was beating him. I wasn't trying to beat him and was just so happy to be able to hit the balls into the pockets, but by doing that, I ruined the evening. The guy was furious with me. Can you believe it? I was so stunned.
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Comment left by maria777 on 07/04/2006:
Glad you're feeling better! Have a good day!
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Comment left by Runner on 07/04/2006:
Hi, BTC! I was enjoyed your upbeat entry and am glad that you're feeling better! Thanks for your comments on my entry. You're right...I need to look at Geevee and Becca as examples whenI feel like my hard work never pays off. It eventually WILL pay off...it has to! I just have to avoid the opportunities for a big setback, because it's always hard to rebound from a very high-calorie day.
Now that Germany lost, I guess I'll have to cheer for Italy! I think your theory about the games being rigged is a fun one...I'll have to ask my husband what he thinks about that!! We turned on the TV this morning to try to get the Germany/ Italy game highlights, but CNN was completely focused on Korea shooting off 5 missiles. My husband was disappointed, because he didn't actually get to see the game---it was on at 3am! But maybe they'll replay it tonight.
Congrats on having a low-calorie day! I'm proud of you!
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I'm doing so great, aren't I?
Had quite a rough weekend, to say the least. On Saturday my husband and I went out to buy weights so we can start weight-lifting. Only I can't start until I know I don't have a pulmonary embolism (i.e. never). There was a huge parade going on outside, which my husband and I watched bitterly. We didn't like any of the weights at the store and my husband thought they were too expensive, so that was a wasted trip. I did see some soccer jerseys I liked, inluding the Ukraine one and a really cool U.S. one (half-price! because obviously only a raving lunatic would buy a U.S. soccer jersey) but my husband thought those were too expensive too. England and Portugal were playing that evening so I made some traditional English food: toad-in-the-hole, potato farls and pease pudding. Although it was all really simple still I managed to burn the split peas, making them tough and impossible to grind. My husband told me to stop cooking and throw it all away. I spent the rest of the night scrubbing the burnt pan and crying inconsolably, even though the food was salvaged and the spotted dick (I'm not being obscene - that's really what it's called!) which I had made for dessert turned out very well. But England lost, and then France beat Brazil to get into the semi-finals and our night was pretty much ruined. My husband turned all the lights off and stormed into the bedroom in a deep depression. I stayed up watching T.V.
Sunday started off with another fight, though my husband apologised right afterwards. I didn't eat much in the morning but once I started I just couldn't stop. Then I was overcome with sleep and took a nap. My husband had planned to go out for some pop so I had asked him to fill my prescription for the pill but then it turned out he had enough pop for the night so he said we would just have a baby instead. We joked that when it grew up and asked us how it came to be we would tell it that we were too lazy to go out and get the pill since we had enough pop for the night, so we thought we'd just let ourselves get pregnant instead. We got pizza for dinner and I had three slices. It was really good. Then my husband and I had a long chat. He revealed the extent of his recent depression and frustration at being unable to play basketball after his injury. I'm sure this has contributed to my own depression too. I told him that we just have to try to shake ourselves out of it. So today I hope to make a fresh start!
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Comment left by smiley2 on 07/03/2006:
Hey girl,
I still think you need to get that lungs of you checked out. Make an appointment and go! If nothing is wrong you will be relax after that and give running your all without any doubts, at least you will have peace of mind then.
Thanks for the comment your left me the other day. The weekend went quite well but lets just say i had enough of family for some time to come!!!!!
You asked about the Dubai job, well my husband was offered an interview but he declined since the start date only gave 4 days to get there and he had to give notice at his current job with at least 3 weeks, so that was a negative and then also the project was for just 4 months and we were looking to find something more longer term. Oh well, i believe all things happens for a reason. I got a job offer today here in Cape Town, but i declined it for various reasons. Will elaborate on it more in my entry later.
I also had pizza last night and Friday night!!!! LOL! I enjoyed it so much and i didnt really overindulge!
So anyway i seriously think once you get that tests done at the hospital other things will also fall into place. Its causing unneccesary stress for you and you most certainly dont need it!!!!
Here's to a fresh start!!!!!
Wx
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Comment left by Umpqua on 07/03/2006:
I hope you are going to get those tests done today. You'll feel better knowing you can rule out the PE and we'll all feel better too! I'm glad you and your husband had a long toalk, and I definitely think his mood is contributing to yours. I know it's like that with us, I think it's impossible to live with someone and not be influenced by what they're going through.
I never got a chance to respond to your previous comment to me, but I know your entry wasn't being critical of me and others who've decided to have children. I'm glad you're open to the possibility you could change your mind about this, and I was just trying to point that out. Of course between last night's obscene dessert and your husband's failure to pick up your pills, this may all be a moot point anyway! ;)
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Comment left by Runner on 07/04/2006:
Your British foods are so interesting! I have no idea what most of them are...especially the spotted dick! What IS the meaning behind that one???
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Comment left by Runner on 07/04/2006:
Okay, I just looked it up on the Internet! Maybe I'll try making that sometime!
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Calories: 1350
Wow! Thanks everyone, for your concern! I didn't mean to cause such alarm. The doctor did say that I probably don't have a pulmonary embolism. It's just a possibility because of the pill. I wish I had done the tests, though. At the time, I was thinking that I would either just drop dead or else get better. I didn't realise that I would spend the whole weekend wondering. I can't tell if this feeling of tightness in my chest is real or imagined. I'm sure it's nothing. I want to run. All of a sudden I don't care any more if I'm fast or slow. But I'll wait until Monday.
I didn't eat anything yesterday morning. I just left for the doctor's appointment and then went grocery shopping on the way home. I was crossing the street when all of a sudden a biker flew by in the wrong direction on a one-way street and crashed right into me. I said sorry; he yelled at me to watch where I was going. There was a hole in my grocery bag and flour kept spilling out as I walked home crying, with a huge scrape on my arm.
I made Argentine food for dinner - locro (a vegetable stew with corn and beans) and empanadas (with spinach, olives, raisins and hard-boiled eggs). For dessert I made medialunas filled with dulce de leche. Medialunas are actually just croissants, which are supposedly the hardest thing on earth to make. And I did it! They were delicious, too. I was so proud. That was my one indulgence of the day. And now my weight is almost 1.5 lb up.
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Comment left by liza36 on 07/02/2006:
Even is the doctor says you probably don't have a pulmonary embolism, it's extremely important to go to the hospital and have these tests done. I agree with everyone that posted yesterday, and feel you could be in a real health crisis. It's better to have everything checked out for sure than to leave it and be left wondering, all the while it may be getting worse. And DON'T force yourself to exercise. I know you want to, but until you have the green light from a physician, don't put your life in jeapordy!
I'm really worried about you, and I won't rest until I know you have sought further health treatment!
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Comment left by Runner on 07/02/2006:
Oh, my dear BTC! I've just read your latest entries...my emotions went from shock and fear to relief and concern! I'm glad that you're okay right now, but I agree with everyone else---do whatever you can to get things checked out! Please don't assume that you're okay. I'll worry too much about you if you don't!!!
I know how you feel about wanting to run...if anyone knows how you feel, it's me!
When I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidianism 9 years ago, I was training for a race that was 3 weeks away. I had wanted to run in this particular race for 3 years, and I was finally able to do it! Well, the doctor told me that I could NOT run...that I shouldn't do ANY exercise until my thyroid got under control. I was so upset...so frustrated! But then he told me that if I did exercise, I could send my thyroid into some sort of shock (since it was so enlarged at the time), and I could die from it. He told me right to my face that my chance of dying was too big for me not to take him seriously. So...my sister ran instead of me, and I got my thyroid taken care of. But I remember how I felt, and it was cruddy!
Anyway, I'm thinking about you, empathizing with you, praying for you, and hoping you'll keep us posted!
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Comment left by Runner on 07/02/2006:
By the way...your Argentine dinner sounded fabulous, as usual! You are the most creative cook I know!!!
Are French fans pretty crazy right now with World Cup fever?
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Guess who has a pulmonary embolism? Well, maybe. The doctor said I show 30% of the symptoms. She wanted me to get an X-ray and an ECG and a bunch of blood tests. But all the while she was complaining bitterly about how I had ruined her Friday afternoon and maybe even her whole weekend if the test results were bad. I asked if I could just do them on Monday but she said that if it is a pulmonary embolism, Monday will be too late. So I decided not to do them. I promised her that I wouldn't sue her. She said, "This isn't America - I don't give a rat's ass if you sue me!" Well, that's reassuring.
My husband is still refusing to let me exercise, even though I didn't tell him that the doctor expressly told me not to. And I was really looking forward to finally getting back on track, too.
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Comment left by Umpqua on 06/30/2006:
I'm on my way out the door right now and just saw your entry and HAD to write. I don't want to scare you, but I think you should go to the hospital right away. I'll be blunt - my coworker (who was 30 years old) died of a pulmonary embolism a few years ago. She thought she had pneumonia, said she said she got it every year. She was working from home complaining of shortness of breath the day she died. There was no time for testing, it just happened immediately. She was a smoker and was on birth control pills - not a good combination. I know you don't smoke anymore...and I'm really not trying to be alarmist. But I couldn't in good conscience not say anything about your entry. I sincerely hope you will get the tests done as soon as possible - a pulmonary embolism isn't a minor problem.
I'll be thinking of you and will write more later!
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Comment left by geevee on 06/30/2006:
PLEASE listen to Umpqua and get yourself right over to the hospital. My mother-in-law died of an embolism in her lung.
I'd also reconsider whether you should continue taking the pill.
Don't ignore the situation. It's too serious.
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Comment left by sweetpea1977 on 06/30/2006:
Screw that bitch doctor - this is your life we are talking about here! And as for your husband and doctor, I agree with them 100%. Do not do anything, (especially exercise!!) that could endanger your life. The best thing you can do for yourself right now is go to the hospital and get those tests done immediately.
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Comment left by gigi43 on 06/30/2006:
I know you're a "people pleaser" but this is ridiculous, Alia!
Get to the hospital (if you haven't already at the behest of the other DDers) and do not worry about ruining anyone's weekend. Besides, if you were to die you'd ruin a bunch of other people's weekend - your husband's, family's, friends', the mortician, etc. Okay so I'm being flippant but this is not anything to dismiss because you don't feel like going.
And DO NOT do any exercise!
Excerpted from the Internet:
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an extremely common and highly lethal condition that is a leading cause of death in all age groups. A good clinician actively seeks the diagnosis as soon as any suspicion of PE whatsoever is warranted, because prompt diagnosis and treatment can dramatically reduce the mortality rate and morbidity of the disease. Unfortunately, the diagnosis is missed more often than it is made, because PE often causes only vague and nonspecific symptoms.
The most sobering lessons about PE are those obtained from a careful study of the autopsy literature. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and PE are much more common than usually realized. Most patients with DVT develop PE and the majority of cases are unrecognized clinically. Untreated, approximately one third of patients who survive an initial PE die of a future embolic episode. This is true whether the initial embolism is small or large.
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Comment left by Soon2BThin on 06/30/2006:
Oh, yes, yes, definitely get yourself to a hospital. I hope you will take everyone's advice. We care about you here and really don't want anything to happen to you. Keep us posted on your condition.
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Comment left by atkins girl on 06/30/2006:
take care..
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Comment left by gg on 06/30/2006:
Are You Alright?
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Comment left by biscottibody59 on 07/01/2006:
You're allowed to be in denial my friend--for about a millisecond!
Then read Umpqua's comments until you get it, okay!?!
This is what an awful lot of doctors (who are the worst patients) happen to die from.
Take care and find out for sure what's going on!
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Comment left by biscottibody59 on 07/01/2006:
I didn't see your previous entry. I've known two people who had collapsed lungs (spontaneously). You will know it because you can't do anything but go to a hospital. Period. One of them promptly had the other lung collapse a couple years after the first one.
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Comment left by smiley2 on 07/01/2006:
Hi Alia,
I only wanted to do my comments tommorow since i just got back from an event and am bushed, but when i saw this i just had to reply!!
Please girl, get to the hospital, dont play with your life or health. You are the most important person in your life, so you owe it to yourself to go for that tests!!! Please dont think its not serious, you never know.........this is your LIFE we are talking about here!! Who knows, if you dont check this out now, it may prevent you from running ever again!!!!
Regarding the attitude of your doctor, you sure she is a doctor lol??? A doctor ALWAYS puts the patient first...mmmmh maybe you should check where she got her qualification from! Or just change doctors!!!
Let us know how it went and take it easy ok...no exercise until you know whats going on.
Wx
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Calories: 1900
So yesterday was even worse than the day before, and it was a rare chance to do well as there was no soccer that night. But it went terribly. It took me twenty minutes to eat everything I had brought to sustain me for the entire day at work. Luckily I had some low-calorie cookies in my drawer so I ate those when my stomach started aching with hunger again. I had intended to go running after work but my husband wrote me an e-mail begging me not to go, because of my collapsed lung. By this time I felt faint with hunger so I agreed and just went home instead. Once there I also agreed to order pizza with my husband. You think that's bad? I was still starving after three slices of pizza, so I had an ice-cream cone (with just a tablespoon or so of ice-cream as we only had the full-fat kind) and then a tablespoon or so of peanut butter. Needless to say there was no time to go on the exercise bike what with all this eating. And then when we went to bed my chest pains intensified, and my husband blamed it on the fact that I had insisted on doing it the day before when he had told me not to exert myself. Now he probably won't even let me go running this weekend. Perhaps I should just give that up altogether - I already practically have, if I would only admit it.
Then today I was looking on the web for information on collapsed lungs and I found that someone actually had a whole website about her experience of it. And, as is always the way on the Internet, her experience was a horror story involving chest tubes and major surgery. But it had a happy ending - she decided to take up running and ran a marathon in 3 hours 22 minutes (7:46 per mile). That's about the same speed as Runner - for a full marathon! Now you would think that I might find this story inspiring... yeah, right.
I've made a doctor's appointment tomorrow to check out this collapsed lung and to ask for a lifetime's supply of the pill, because I've decided never to have children - a decision inspired by several events. The first was a discussion with my husband, in which he pointed out that our kids would have to go to school, which means that we would inevitably re-live all the indignities and injustices of our own school days. This idea filled me with horror and I couldn't bear the thought of putting my unborn children through such torment. Then I thought of what I endured with my brother, which by all accounts would only be more pronounced with my own children - the sleepless nights spent crouched by his crib to make sure he was still breathing, the terror when for a moment I didn't know exactly where he was, the friendships and activities I renounced because I couldn't bear to spend a day without him, the anguish and guilt when I left for university, the hundreds of dollars I spent on gifts for him to make up for it... and to cap it all, the fact that he hates me now and won't even speak to me! It all seems so pointless... an exercise in futility.
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Comment left by Brian's girl on 06/29/2006:
Hi,
I totally understand and sympathize with you about the children part, there are many times that I wonder if I should have just remained childless. I am not so hard on myself anymore and realize that I am doing the best I can but it sure helps to have alot of support (my mother mainly) around for help, in ways she is much better than a husband...she feeds them, cleans up after them, buys them clothes...takes them on outings and always has a good word for them.
The compliments that I received at the meeting...let me think...my boss (yeah he was at my table) told me that he appreciated my patience and kindness to the customers and how intelligent I was. A co-worker...two of them in fact said that I am always calm and caring with the customers, they could never imagine me angry with anyone. One said she appreciated that the two times I was proven right (in a dispute with her) that I did not gloat about it when I was proven right. Another said that they enjoyed being around me and how they felt comfortable with me.
With each one I followed the rules and only said "thank you" and a funny thing happened, with each thank you I said it became easier and easier...I would encourage you to try it. I do know though what you mean about those people who seem insincere about their compliments...it is like they hand them out at the drop of a hat...I am also trying to give more compliments but only when I feel that they can be genuine.
Have a great day
Sandra
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Comment left by liza36 on 06/29/2006:
I don't have children, but always wanted to have them. With the death of my husband from a car accident, there went my dream of children. They can be wonderful and a huge joy in your life. You are still so young, I wouldn't discount it yet. There are those people though that are perfectly content without children. It is a definitly a joint decision you have to make.
Do take it easy, especially with a collapsed lung. I'll be anxious to hear what the doctor says.
Have a healthy day!
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Comment left by Umpqua on 06/29/2006:
First off, I'm glad to hear you're going to the doctor for your lung, please keep us posted on how that goes. I think it's wise to take it easy on exercise until you hear from the doc and are feeling better.
As for your decision on never having children, my opinion is that you shouldn't make hasty judgments as far as that is concerned. You're young, and your views could change. I know ours did - there was a point when we had pretty much decided against it. Our decision was for selfish reasons, because we knew it would be such a disruption to our lives and lifestyles. And then...things changed and we decided to do it. I also think most kids have a rough time of it in school, and it's just part of the growing up experience. I feel like it made me a tougher, better person in the end, and I wouldn't want to shelter my children from that. Just my opinion, but I know that at age 34 things have changed a lot for me over the years. And I fully expect them to keep changing!
And by the way (yes, I'm a pretty optimistic person), I don't think bringing children into the world is futile. Someone needs to propagate the human race. And despite all the tragedies and injustices in this world, I think it's a good place overall and that's a view I hope to share with my future children.
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Comment left by gigi43 on 06/29/2006:
BTC -
What's with the collapsed lung? Did you get in an accident you didn't report to us here at DDs? Take care of that, young lady!
As for the LASIK surgery, I don't know how they do it in different countries, but here I've always heard of people getting both eyes done at once. I think it's really rare cases they only do one at a time. If you're considering it, you should really check into it. I mulled it over for almost a year and then a brochure came in the mail for this place, just like a flyer showed up on our apartment door three years ago for the neighborhood we live in now. So I believe in Divine Providence! I don't think there's even a risk of going blind with the procedure (although of course it crossed my mind too!). I got to the point where I couldn't really wear my contacts anymore and I hated wearing my glasses. As I told Brian's grl, I don't know if I'm just particularly vain, but my glasses were wearing on my self-esteem big time. Plus when I thought about how much I have and would have continued to spend on corrective lenses, the $2,700 didn't even seem that much (plus we financed it). Good luck with your decision!
Oh, and I won't hold you to the "no kids" rule just yet. Your attitude right now just means that you're not ready. You have plenty of time to really decide. And really I think the "torment" is suffered by the parents more than by the kids!
Take Care,
Julie
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Comment left by Runner on 06/29/2006:
Hi, BTC! I am so impressed that you only had a tablespoon of ice cream...so basically you were just eating the cone, right? In my book, that's self-control!!!
Your idea of using working out as a reward for NOT eating is really intriguing! I wonder if I could do that! It would probably work!!
Pearl tea is called "bubble tea" in the U.S. It IS good, if you like the starchy tapioca balls. It's called "Zhen zhu nai cha" in Taiwan, and it originated here, but now it's pretty popular in America. It tastes kind of like chai tea. Here are two websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_milk_tea
http://www.bubbletea.com/
And a bit of trivia:
In September 2004, while defending a US$18 billion weapon purchase plan, the ROC Ministry of National Defense used bubble tea as an example of the overall cost of the proposed purchase. The Ministry stated that the total cost of the weapons systems would be equivalent to the money saved if all Taiwanese people had one less pearl milk tea per week, over a period of twenty years.
Also, one bubble tea is a good $3- $4 in the U.S., but it's only $1 for a huge glass here. I see skinny girls drinking it all the time, and I wonder how they can stay thin, as I know it's chock full of calories! Maybe they don't eat meals...who knows?
I'm so sorry to hear about your lung!! I do hope it heals soon! I should do some more reading online about that...if it can happen to runners, then I'm sure it can happen to me!!!
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Calories: 1800
Still haven't the courage to weigh, but at least I'm counting calories again. I just added them up at the end of the day but it's a start.
Now I have a strange pain in my chest, which my husband thinks could be from a leak in my lung. He says it will take a couple of days to heal. In the meantime I'm using it as an excuse not to go running (the real reason being that it's hot and I'm too lazy).
The feast yesterday was Spanish. I made fabada asturiana (bean stew), papas arrugadas con mojo picon (potatoes with spicy red sauce), and pa amb tomaquet (tomato bread). I was a little disappointed with the stew and bread, which I found rather tasteless, but the potatoes were good. I also made tortas de aceite (olive oil cakes) for dessert. Those were excellent! Sadly, Spain lost in most distressing fashion, which means that France is through to the quarter-finals. We had to turn the volume up to drown out the noise of honking cars and screams of joy from the street outside. I tried to cheer my husband up but he threatened to kill himself if I didn't leave him alone. So I did my exercise bike for 40 minutes. The leaky lung thing felt a little weird but hopefully I didn't damage it further. Apparently it can be caused by vigorous exercise so maybe I got it from those fast miles I did at the park near work on Friday. And I didn't even give myself a bonus point for that.
I managed to cheer my husband up by suggesting we escape to the Netherlands when France gets to the final, as we're now convinced they will. We just can't bear to be surrounded by happy people!
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Comment left by sweetpea1977 on 06/28/2006:
Hey BTC,
Your comment about wanting to buy my "fat" clothes at my yardsale made me laugh. If you need size 14 pants and XL blouses, then this is the place to shop this weekend! ;o)
Its funny you should mention chest pain as I was feeling some strange pains in mine recently. I wonder if your husband is right. If so, please dont overdo the exercise so you can recover.
Im glad you were able to cheer your husband up after the depressing game! Visiting the Netherlands sounds like a good idea to me! :o)
Jenny
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Comment left by Brian's girl on 06/28/2006:
Hi,
Hope this cheers you up...I read this in the newspaper yesterday:
At one of the world cup games, not sure which one, a man stole a woman's purse and inside was a ticket to the game so he went....sat next to the woman's husband (unknown to him at the time)the woman's husband then called security on the man to have him arrested for the crime he committed. LOL
Sandra
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Comment left by liza36 on 06/28/2006:
A leak from your lung sounds serious. I hope you take it easy on your workouts, because I'd hate for that to get worse or turn into something else.
A trip to the Netherlands sounds so wonderful. I really hope you get to do that. I was there when I was about 11 years old, and as a child didn't really appreciate all there was to see. I'd love to go back. My grandmother's family immigrated from Holland, so I should plan a trip someday. All I remember about it was the beautiful tulips. As a result, tulips are my favorite flower to this day.
I really appreciate your comments to my entry. I feel so discouraged. But you gave some good comparisons to people who quit smoking (glad you did by the way, its so much healthier) and they might have increased appetites. If I can counter the increased appetite, I may at least be able to maintain. I think I will have to focus on my daily actions of eating right and increase exercise and hopefully the natural result will be losing weight.
Have a great day!
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Comment left by Runner on 06/29/2006:
Leaky lung? Ai-yo! That doesn't sound good!
I am also distressed about France being in the semifinals. Let's hope they don't make it any further. Who are you hoping to win the whole thing?
What a great idea to escape to the Netherlands!!! You're only young once---just do it! :)
Your Spanish meal sounded delish!
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