Every day an adventure

Dear Friends and family,

I missed a day yesterday. So I'll catch up a little from Friday to today, Sunday 1 Nov. at almost 11:a.m.

I went to SPIN again this morning. This was Alex's class, and a bit more demanding than Trigg's last Tues. But I took it easy enough. That's the great thing about SPIN; you control the tension on the wheel and work as hard as you want or can. Alex made me work harder because of his constant urging of the class, the many moves he had us make, and the energetic level of his music. But I felt really high afterward.

I came home and made cheese pancakes, using the delicious ricotta I had purchased the other day. Merwin likes a mid-morning snack with hot chocolate, so I invited him to share this feast with me. Years ago when Lincoln—now almost 49!—was a little boy I made him a cookbook, illustrated so he could see what to do. Cheese pancakes was one of the specialities that he could make. It's a recipe of my mother's: in a small bowl put about 2 heaping tablespoons of cottage cheese (the ricotta works well too), and an equal amount of matzoh meal, or you can use regular white flour, and one or two eggs (I used egg-beaters this morning). I also add a little pinch of baking powder, just enough to make the pancakes puff up nicely. Add lemon juice to taste to the batter (Merwin squeezed about half of a large lemon for me: I can't squeeze because of the tendinitis in my thumbs). I don't use salt: the cheese and lemon juice take care of that. If you have time, grated lemon rind is a nice addition too. I skipped that this morning. Yummy!

I had six changes last night, soaking wet each time. The wash will have to be done this morning. Maybe that's why the scale showed another drop in my weight. It's not catastrophic, just a 1/4 lb or 1/2 lb here and there. I ate as much as I possibly could yesterday: you'd be amazed at how much I can put away! I was so full. This is such an interesting twist in my life, because I have always struggled with my weight. I am a graduate of Overeaters' Anonymous, and several other weight-control programs. I am a success story in that area, but not without constant vigilance—that is, up to now. Now I can eat as much as I want and in fact feel I have to eat more than I want.

When I woke up this morning, I actually felt a little change, I think, in my spleen size, a little tiny space between it and my ribs, which hadn't been there a few days ago. So maybe the T&P are working! Wouldn't that be nice? Yesterday also was the first day in weeks that I had an exactly normal temp, 98.6. I consider anything under 100 to be normal, but real normal is even better.

And maybe you can tell that I am full of energy at this moment.

Another good thing was starting on a salt solution to clear out my nose passages. This is supposed to help with the drip that causes the coughing when I speak, exacerbated by the spleen's pressure on my lungs. I have a little tea-pot thing that I fill with warm water containing a packet-full of salt solutions. I tip my head one way (I'm a little teapot, Mimi) and pour, and then the other and pour again. It's quick and easy and it seems to be working. If only I could talk on the phone again I would not feel so isolated from my friends. Yes. email is great, and Merwin can relay messages, but to actually be able to talk would be heaven. But there is nothing like a good chat on the phone. Almost as good as a face to face.

Halloween went very smoothly. Lots of lovely children came by, and there is plenty of candy left for Merwin's store of goodies. It'll probably last him a year because he indulges himself very lightly. I don't eat anything with manufactured sugar. I did make myself an apple compote last night, and topped it off with a spoon of the ricotta instead of the usual yogurt.

More tomorrow!

Love to all,
Bernice