Q and I went to a function today and witnessed a travesty: at the end of the event, the kitchen staff started throwing away loaf after loaf of untouched artisan bread. Shortly after the shock wore off, I inquired, "you are really throwing all of that in the garbage?"
"Yes."
"Um...can you not do that? I can take that to the Scranton Mission or a soup kitchen or something."
After disappearing for a while, she reappeared with plastic bags. Another guest helped me bag and carry over 13 shopping bags of food to my car, and then I was off. I first stopped at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen where I witnessed a man in a wheelchair, several other guys and one woman, shooting up and drinking in the parking lot. They were being absolutely obnoxious, screaming at each other, slurred speech at 4 in the afternoon. I didn't realize that Scranton had this problem, one I hadn't seen since I lived in San Francisco.
When I got home, I was thankful for all my family has, grateful that, for the most part, we are all healthy and safe from this despair I witnessed. I started to think about the pain that those people must be experiencing, the lack of self-esteem, self-love, if you will. Its as if they hate themselves, so they are punishing themselves. Those thoughts brought me back to the tragedy that just occurred in Aurora.
There, we unfortunately have another case of someone that lacks self-love. His hatred and despair for himself and others didn't cause him to act out like the people I saw today, but instead, caused him to leash out on hundreds of innocent people. Strange, huh? Some people turn that hatred inward, while others turn it outward, towards innocent people. I wonder what causes that? But, I am reminded by what I've heard from so many brilliant friends that remind me that you can not place the confines of logic on people and situations that do not have basis in reality.
We will never truly understand why what happened, well, happened. There really can be no explanation. We should, instead, place our focus in 2 directions. First, in honoring the memory of the victims and helping their families to move forward in the world without them, not to mention, helping the survivors to cope with their new normals.
Secondly, we really need to take a harsh look at our gun laws. Why do we allow such large magazines? Are they necessary? Let's say we don't try to change the Constitution and just work within its confines. One of our problems in this nation is the complete need for overindulgence. Is it not overindulging when we need multiple weapons, automatic weapons, large quantity clips, etc...? Let's ignore big business and the NRA. Let's ask ourselves why the US has more gun fatalities than our other 1st World allies. How do we allow something to purchase 4 handguns in just a few short months? How do is it that we have had multiple school shootings, and now, this? Something needs to change when it comes to the gun laws.
My heart goes out to all of those that are hurting across the nation. May loving and happy memories flood your mind and push the pain aside. May you find comfort in knowing that your loved ones lived full lives and are now at peace, never to feel pain or fear again.
To all of the victims, the images burned in your minds will eventually be replaced with images of hope and happiness. Stay strong and find comfort in knowing that it was simply not your time to leave this earth.
To those that lost their lives, my heart is with you. May you rest in peace as you join the others that have gone before you, including my brother.
None of this makes sense. Not a single bit. I fear for my children, that they must grow up in a world that sees this violence so frequently. I hope this is simply a strange anomaly that ends soon.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
It has been a while!
WOW! It has been quite some time since I last posted on here. Turns out, though, that I happen to have a little time on my hands tonight, as P and the 3 big kids are visiting his parents for a little mini vacation. I thought I'd be loving this, having time to myself. I will say that I love having one on one time with Q, but I am missing the rest of my family.
So much has happened that I want to capture for posterity's sake. Here's a mini recap (pictures to follow another day):
1. C had her surgery. It was supposed to be a 2 1/2 day stay at the hospital that turned into 7 days because she was having problems voiding her bladder. At one point, she had over 400 cc's of urine in her bladder, which, might I add, has a capacity of 200 cc's. She is doing well today. She has had one UTI since her surgery, but it did not lead to a fever spike and kidney infection, we believe. That points to the surgery being successful, so I am very comforted by that.
2. I got a job. Did I write that yet? I won't share too much because I know that there are all too often, people that end up loosing their jobs because they bad mouth the employer online. Not going to get me there. What I will say is that
3. With the job, came a new member of our family: Jang. Jang is our nanny, and we LOVE her. She truly has become part of our family. Without her, we would not be successful. She helps take the kids to their activities, helps with household chores, and even bathes the kids. More importantly, the kids LOVE her. She does crafts with them, plays outside with them, and pretty much does a better job at being mom than I do. She is truly an amazing partner.
4. Let's talk mommy guilt. I have it. I have tons of it. There are no play dates. No family vacations. I missed Q's first steps. All 3 of the kids have asked me to quit so that we can "go back to the way it was" when I used to be a SAHM. And let's take L's eye appointment. He missed his last scheduled one because the office wrote down July, but it was in June. This never would have happened if I didn't work. P has been amazing when it comes to stepping up and running errands, especially for the kids, during the business day. I feel like I don't see the kids much, anymore. Lately, I leave before they wake and come home around dinner time. We've been trying to let them stay up until 9 so that we can spend time as a family. They love it and do well with it because they can sleep in. Me? Not so much so. After they go to bed and I have tons of household items to take care of...not to mention, I have some vegging to do! The kids have called me Jang on several occasions. Please her heart, but when I told Jang this, she was quick to tell me that, "That's okay. Sometimes they call me 'MOM'!" Talk about yanking my heart out and stomping on it, chewing it up and then putting it back in my chest. Ugh! The important thing to remember, though? I am one happy mommy! I'm grateful that my kids love their nanny as much as they do, and I am grateful that P and I love and trust her, too. So, if that means that I feel a little replaced sometimes, that's actually a good thing, and not a bad one.
5. All that being said, I now have the answer to the age old question of: Who has it harder: stay at home or working mom? I know you are eagerly awaiting my response so that you can shoot back, so here you go: neither! That's right. Its not whether or not you work, its whether or not you have a support network behind you. Stay at home moms do not get any relief from their responsibilities, meaning that they are always solely responsible for the safety, well-being and happiness of their, often times, demanding children. BUT, stay at home moms that have a good support network can spend time bonding with friends, get to workout and enjoy the milestones in their childrens' lives while still having their own. Working moms may only get relief from their responsibilities when they are driving to and from work (though I often use that time to make phone calls to take care of family responsibilities). Now, its not just the stress from the kids that is on their shoulders, but also the stresses from work. There truly are not enough hours in the day. Now, I've had the "pleasure" to have experienced both roles, and both with little/no support (when P is out of town) and with strong support. I can tell you that being a stay at home mom with no partner (spouse, reliable caretaker, grandparents, etc...) is HARD. I imagine that being a working mom with no support is hard, as well. Its having P and Jang...and my family, especially my mom, around that makes being working mom, well, work. We are a team. I think that's easier than being an unsupported SAHM. So, the answer makes sense, now...right?
6. Did I mention that I love Jang?! :-) Because I do! We are so very blessed to have her in our lives, to help us raise our children.
7. J celebrated her 5th birthday. She had a fantastic party; small, but amazing. We had her party at Arts Youniverse in Wilkes-Barre. They danced, did an obstacle course, got their faces painted and then made flags. The girls made flower flags and the boys, pirate flags. The flags were made with wax and dye on canvas. Really cool!
8. Our little Q is now walking and Scarlett has re-emerged. If she doesn't get her way, well, you better watch out. The temper tantrums this little girl throws are out of this world. And what sets her off? Anything. When I come home from work, I have to sneak into the house to use the restroom. If Q figures out that I'm in there, she will insist that I hold her, and then wails when I put her down to finish up and wash my hands. Crazy girl. Crazy, I tell you ;) Gosh, I love that girl. Can't believe she just turned 1!
9. I've gained weight. UGH! That's right. Working is hazardous to your health. This past week, I've really buckled down and stopped eating the constant flux of desserts, candies and chips that come flowing around my desk on a daily basis. I started working out at 6 am, which is a 5 am wake time. Its been 3 weeks since I've gone to the gym though, since P has been out of town a lot the past few weeks, and I've been in training. I am excited to get back to the routine though, as I am more motivated then ever to get this excess Q weight off of me.
10. We tried planting a garden and all my plants died :( I guess next year we will try buying the plants and NOT the seeds.
11. J completed her first year of tee ball, and L, his first year of coach pitch. They both improved so much over the season. I can't even tell you how proud I am of them for sticking it out and growing. L can't wait for next year, despite being hit in the mouth with a bat. Boy, oh boy is he growing!
12. I am missing my friends. I am missing hanging out with my mommy friends and sharing chuckles and stories about our hubbies and kids. I take it back...being a working mom is SO much harder ;)
13. I am still struggling with getting properly organized so that dinner flows properly. I think that is truly the key to success: organization. Now, to find this guy, as he is alluding me. I will find you. Don't you worry.
Wow. Is this a pity party or what?! hahaha....
In a nutshell, life has thrown us some curve balls, but they have given us great rewards. Sure, we haven't figured out how to hit all of them, yet, but we will get there...eventually.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
New Beginnings
Life has been crazy and hectic since my last post. Here's some of the great things happening in Casa de W.
1. My sister gave birth to a healthy as can be expected, baby girl, Samantha Leann at 30 weeks gestation while visiting PA from NC. Sammi was 17 inches long, 4 lbs. 2 oz., is breathing on her own, pooping, and sucking ever so lightly on a pacifier. She'll be in the NICU until she at least reaches 34 weeks gestational age, so Pat will be hanging in PA with the baby for the next month.
2. C had her appointment with her nephrologist, who has cleared her for surgery. We are currently looking for an automatic blood pressure machine with a child sized cuff so that we can monitor her blood pressure. This will help to determine if her high readings were stress related or indicative of kidney scarring. The Nephrologist noted that the right kidney is smaller than the left and may be scarred. This could cause high blood pressure and protein in her urine. Little to no risk of this turning into something that would cause the need for a transplant or dialysis. WooHoo!
3. We registered our big girl for Kindergarten. She is so thrilled and doesn't quite understand that she will have to wait for September for school. This month, she will play tee-ball for the first time, and next month, she'll have her dance recital for ballet and tap.
4. Baseball season has started for L (not for J, yet). This will be his first year in coach pitch, and he is finally excited. Originally, he was fearful of having to hit a moving ball, but he seems to be more excited as practices progress.
5. I got a "real" job. By real, I mean a full time, out of the office, job. I am working for a local healthcare BPO, as a process analyst. Boy, oh boy. There is a lot to do. I just hope I am as good as I sold myself to be. The people are all really nice and seem dedicated to doing the right thing, though, there is a mix of those that are looking for a free ride. Here's hoping this career is worth missing my babies.
6. As a result of getting a job, we also got a nanny. The kids love her, well, I think. J seems to be giving her some problems if she's told to do things she doesn't want to do. It pretty much sums her up, as she behaves the same way with me (until I lay the smack down ;-) ), so I will have to assume she feels comfortable around her. The thing that makes going to work easier is that Q just loves the nanny. She waves to her constantly and smiles in her presence. Though I don't want to be replaced, I am glad she feels safe and loved.
7. P and I are having a bit of a difficult adjustment to both of us working. The other day, we woke up and realized that there was no bread, no fresh fruit and not much in the house that the kids could or would eat. That night, we went grocery shopping and didn't get home until 9 pm. Don't worry. We won't be having that problem again. We spent a month's budget in one night. Here's hoping I can figure out a good schedule. If you've got one, please share.
I'm also having a hard time trying to figure dinner out. By the time I get home, I nurse the baby, then its 6 pm. The kids need to be in bed before 8, and 3 nights out of the week, we have "stuff" to do. We'll figure it out, but I'm guessing it'll take time.
8. Weight loss has been a challenge for me, to say the least. I am having a hard time making it to the gym or downstairs to the treadmill because Q has, again, decided she needs mommy by 6 am every morning. So, exercise has been pretty much non-existent. Again, ideas are appreciated. And, don't get me started on food. My new coworkers seem to have an addiction to sugar that is contagious. HELP!
9. Let me not forgot my baby Q's milestones. After soldier crawling for 2+ months, she has finally decided to crawl on all 4's, just yesterday. She doesn't do it if she's in a hurry, but she will if she's going somewhere ever so slowly. Oh, and now she's decided that she should climb the stairs, too. She loves to wave, even though I was trying to teach her the sign for "milk", and she turned it into a wave. She's just an amazing little girl, like all my kidswere are. I can't believe she's growing so fast.
10. Today, we went geocaching for the first time ever. Basically, its a scavenger hunt. You are provided GPS coordinates to an item which you then seek. When you find it, you sign the sheet and celebrate your success. The kids LOVED it. It was great to do something outdoors as a family, and even better to do something that made us work together. If you've never done it, I recommend you give it a try. Visit www.geocaching.com and let me know what you think. This was recommended to me by a friend, so I am paying it forward by telling you about it.
To all my friends reading this: I love you and miss you, all! I wish we could chit chat more, and get together. Don't become strangers!
1. My sister gave birth to a healthy as can be expected, baby girl, Samantha Leann at 30 weeks gestation while visiting PA from NC. Sammi was 17 inches long, 4 lbs. 2 oz., is breathing on her own, pooping, and sucking ever so lightly on a pacifier. She'll be in the NICU until she at least reaches 34 weeks gestational age, so Pat will be hanging in PA with the baby for the next month.
2. C had her appointment with her nephrologist, who has cleared her for surgery. We are currently looking for an automatic blood pressure machine with a child sized cuff so that we can monitor her blood pressure. This will help to determine if her high readings were stress related or indicative of kidney scarring. The Nephrologist noted that the right kidney is smaller than the left and may be scarred. This could cause high blood pressure and protein in her urine. Little to no risk of this turning into something that would cause the need for a transplant or dialysis. WooHoo!
3. We registered our big girl for Kindergarten. She is so thrilled and doesn't quite understand that she will have to wait for September for school. This month, she will play tee-ball for the first time, and next month, she'll have her dance recital for ballet and tap.
4. Baseball season has started for L (not for J, yet). This will be his first year in coach pitch, and he is finally excited. Originally, he was fearful of having to hit a moving ball, but he seems to be more excited as practices progress.
5. I got a "real" job. By real, I mean a full time, out of the office, job. I am working for a local healthcare BPO, as a process analyst. Boy, oh boy. There is a lot to do. I just hope I am as good as I sold myself to be. The people are all really nice and seem dedicated to doing the right thing, though, there is a mix of those that are looking for a free ride. Here's hoping this career is worth missing my babies.
6. As a result of getting a job, we also got a nanny. The kids love her, well, I think. J seems to be giving her some problems if she's told to do things she doesn't want to do. It pretty much sums her up, as she behaves the same way with me (until I lay the smack down ;-) ), so I will have to assume she feels comfortable around her. The thing that makes going to work easier is that Q just loves the nanny. She waves to her constantly and smiles in her presence. Though I don't want to be replaced, I am glad she feels safe and loved.
7. P and I are having a bit of a difficult adjustment to both of us working. The other day, we woke up and realized that there was no bread, no fresh fruit and not much in the house that the kids could or would eat. That night, we went grocery shopping and didn't get home until 9 pm. Don't worry. We won't be having that problem again. We spent a month's budget in one night. Here's hoping I can figure out a good schedule. If you've got one, please share.
I'm also having a hard time trying to figure dinner out. By the time I get home, I nurse the baby, then its 6 pm. The kids need to be in bed before 8, and 3 nights out of the week, we have "stuff" to do. We'll figure it out, but I'm guessing it'll take time.
8. Weight loss has been a challenge for me, to say the least. I am having a hard time making it to the gym or downstairs to the treadmill because Q has, again, decided she needs mommy by 6 am every morning. So, exercise has been pretty much non-existent. Again, ideas are appreciated. And, don't get me started on food. My new coworkers seem to have an addiction to sugar that is contagious. HELP!
9. Let me not forgot my baby Q's milestones. After soldier crawling for 2+ months, she has finally decided to crawl on all 4's, just yesterday. She doesn't do it if she's in a hurry, but she will if she's going somewhere ever so slowly. Oh, and now she's decided that she should climb the stairs, too. She loves to wave, even though I was trying to teach her the sign for "milk", and she turned it into a wave. She's just an amazing little girl, like all my kids
10. Today, we went geocaching for the first time ever. Basically, its a scavenger hunt. You are provided GPS coordinates to an item which you then seek. When you find it, you sign the sheet and celebrate your success. The kids LOVED it. It was great to do something outdoors as a family, and even better to do something that made us work together. If you've never done it, I recommend you give it a try. Visit www.geocaching.com and let me know what you think. This was recommended to me by a friend, so I am paying it forward by telling you about it.
To all my friends reading this: I love you and miss you, all! I wish we could chit chat more, and get together. Don't become strangers!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Step by step guide to scheduling surgery
There is nothing more sobering than seeing a child, your child, afraid and in pain. Yesterday, I got that experience, again. C had her DMSA renal scan (that may be redundant, perhaps its just a DMSA scan) in Philadelphia.
We left bright and dark around 4:30 for her 7 am check-in. Okay jerk-offs! There wasn't even a receptionist when we arrived. Instead, we wandered around the hospital until I found a custodian to ask for assistance. I get it, you need to check in for the 7:30 appointment, but come on! Ugh! I was am tired. Forgive me for this satirical post. Anyway, when she finally got back there, the nurse (a fabulous man with the most lovely, sweet and soft voice) noticed that Cameron had a gunky cough. He warned against potential complications should she be sedated (important to know), but had her checked, and subsequently cleared by the ICU doctor.
At this point, they took her BP and it was like 128 over 82, or some ghastly number like that. He took it again, just to double check. This time, it came in at 111 over 59. That'd be great if she were an adult, but is too high at age 3. Grrr! How much of this is her being anxious? Not sure.
Step 1: They put some numbing lotion on her hands to prep them for the IV. This was the easy part. She screamed hysterically. No problem too big for Lemonade Mouth, or so I thought.
Step 2: They came back in the room and took a now calm C to the study room. This is the room full of equipment, like MRI and CT scan machines. When that door opened, she flipped out again. I don't know if its because she remembers the room, or if its simply that she knows that she's typically catheterized when she's around that type of equipment. We all reassured her that she got to keep her clothes on, but it didn't help because she'd already seen it. The needle, that is. She started screaming about the shot. Broke my heart.
She was so upset and really fighting them (boy, oh boy, she is one strong cookie), so they had to restrain her. They did this by velcro'ing her to the bed, with her arm strapped to her side. They have these sand rolls (baby blankets with sand inside) that they placed on both sides of her to keep her in place. Those, along with the huge velcro strap kept her secure...for the most part. Then, they were able to insert and secure an IV to her left hand, to which they injected the radioactive isotopes for the study.
Step 3: After hanging out, watching the fish and buying a little frog toy at the gift shop, we were able to return to begin the procedure. C was not happy about this. She clung tightly to me, just like a baby monkey clings to its momma, she held on for dear life. While grasping my neck tightly, she sat on the edge of the table and they injected the propofol into the IV. It was pretty immediate. One second, she was hysterical and screaming, "No wanna shot. Wanna go home. No mommy," and the very next, she was going limp in my arms.
I'd say the tears were pretty immediate. To have your child go limp in your arms, well, let's just say that's a feeling no one should ever have to experience...no matter what the reason may be. What an amazing thing the practice of medicine is. They proceeded to strap her to the table, insert the nose tubing and began the procedure.
Complications: Remember that sweet, sweet murse? Well, he mentioned that the cough could cause complications, and he was right. Several minutes into the scan, C's body started shaking and there was a very faint sound of coughing. Let's just say that momma bear was ready to attack the doctors and nurses. The coughing got worse and then it went away. This repeated several times. Then, the oxygen saturation of her blood dropped over 10 points, the lowest being 85. The doctor was notably alarmed. They suctioned her mouth and put oxygen on her. The doctor, noticing that I was distraught, assured me that this was no big deal. "The medical term for this is boogers. When she wakes up, she'll be fine. She just needs a good cough to clear it out." Okay. Thanks for that touch of humor there, doc!
Her pulse ox recovered nicely each time until there was 2 minutes 34 seconds left in the scan. They just couldn't get it over 90, so they were about to call the scan and reschedule for a later date. I was so torn. I didn't want her to have to go through this again (the drive, the trauma of needles, sedation, etc...), but I didn't want something horrible to happen to my baby. The stood right next to her, with the suction tube and were able to keep her at or above 90 for the remainder of the scan.
Step 4: My sleeping beauty spent 20 minutes in the recovery room so that she could awaken from her slumber and regain her bearings. That part was sweet. Her, laying so peacefully, done (or so I thought) with being poked and prodded.
Step 5: We went upstairs for C's appointment with her Urologist, and guess what? He was out to lunch! No kidding! Even though I had them call upstairs and tell them that we were there, but still in the study. His nurse, Miss Paula Jackson, tried to help us, but I wanted to see him to discuss next steps. So, we went to lunch instead.
Step 6: C noshed on fresh fruit and hummus while Q and I enjoyed some chicken marsala with brown rice and steamed veggies. Aunt H, who came along to help with Q (so grateful), looked like she was going to collapse from exhaustion since she works the night shift and had been up for a long, long time.
Step 7: We finally saw the Dr. and discussed the surgical options: 1. Incision 96% success rate, 2 1/2 days in hospital OR 2. No incision, inject foreign matter, 67% success rate, go home same day. Besides when I thought our daughter might be choking to death on her phlegm, this was when I really wished P could have been there (he's away on business) because I didn't want to make the wrong decision. Ultimately, I (or I should say we, since he agrees) decided to move forward with option 1 so as to decrease the need for further potential trauma.
Before the surgery can take place though, C has to have the issue of her high blood pressure resolved by a Nephrologist. She has an appointment scheduled in 2 weeks. Her Urologist said that they either need to put her on medication to regulate her blood pressure or he needs the Nephrologist to submit written sign off for the surgery. Okay. That sounds scary, right?! I don't know if she's just terrified of the doctors and that's why she's registering high, or if she really has high blood pressure. Eeek!
Step 8: To help figure out whether or not the high bp is caused by scarring of the kidneys, the doctor sent her to have blood drawn. This will determine if a certain protein is in her blood which points to poor kidney performance. Currently, her kidneys are operating at 43 and 57, instead of 50 / 50, so I guess it is possible that we will see this protein present in her blood, though I pray to God that it is not. Really, what more does my poor little girl need to endure?! Come on, already! My big girl was crying the whole time they drew blood. "Her hurt me!" She just kept repeating it. And Nurse Carla was so sweet too, apologizing the whole time. It was hard for me to not want to kick her for hurting my baby.
Step 9: GO the F home! Sorry, but we were there from 6:30 to 2:20. We were all climbing at the walls to get out of there. Thank goodness that the medical staff is so wonderful and caring or else this day wouldn't have been as lovely as it was, wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it did.
Step 10: Get everyone to bed at 7, with mom and Q falling asleep at 7:30. That's how I'm able to be awake right now...a power nap!
I really was selective about these pictures, not to mention that I'm too lazy to get up and get my phone. I have so many of a crying baby girl, but I think this day should be about moving forward, not being upset. C is scheduled for bilateral ureteral reimplantation for May 25. It turns out its Memorial Day weekend, so I guess it will be an emotional one at that. Let's just hope my sister doesn't give birth that weekend, too because I don't want to miss it!
Oh, since my last post, C celebrated her 3rd birthday. I'll have to post pics later!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Revelations from Living
We've had a very interesting last week.
1. We took a family vacation to Harrisburg. Okay, its not Disney, but it was a lovely time. We went to celebrate the 1st birthday of my cousin's daughter, Lily, and decided to stay for a mini vacation.
The kids think that hotels are just about the coolest things ever. We went swimming, ate Vietnamese food and then hit the State Museum and the Capitol building.
During the tour of the Capitol, Logan asked, "why is there so much gold in this room?" What a great question! It was hard for him to understand that the reason was simply that we had tons of money, so that's how they decided to spend it.
It really was a great couple of days.
2. Since focusing on our nutrition, I've noticed a couple of things:
a. The baby is constipated. Well, I think that all the kids are.
b. The W's are gassier than normal. Stinky! This is despite our bean sprouting because, let's face it, you can't sprout every bean you eat. Sometimes, you just don't plan appropriately.
c. When meat is near my children, they become a pack of hungry wolves. J never really was a meat-lover, but you wouldn't know that lately.
d. It is too difficult to eat out being a vegan, especially when the only "non-meat" option is tofu. Hello, endocrine system. Want some mutations? That can't be the only option.
This got me interested in reading more about veganism, which is essentially was a plant-strong diet is. I read about an 11 month old breastfed baby that died because of a lack of nutrients...her mother was vegan. I read about how to ensure that vegans get the proper nutrition. At the State Museum, I read about the diets of man, from the earliest man until now. I read a lot! And, I could read more, if I wanted. Then, a friend sent me a more in-depth review of the Forks Over Knives movie, with several rebuttal points. Intriguing.
What I've realized is that I am happy to cut the meat in our diets. It makes financial sense. It makes sense our strain on the environment. It makes sense to be kinder to animals. BUT, meat is not evil. The way we treat our foods is evil, i.e. hormones, pesticides, added sugar, overly processing, tons of added fats.
I am still going to continue this focus on nutrition. I will continue to ensure that we eat as few processed food items as possible. I will continue to sprout our legumes. I will continue to offer days with no animal products. I will, however, make meals with meats (fish is key) and eggs. The portions aren't going to be crazy large, though, like they are in many homes. A deck of cards each. That's it! I'm thinking, pesca-tarian with occasional other meats. My hubby will be thrilled, if he ever reads this.
3. C is a KLUTZ. That's right! Several days ago, J was jumping over her (a game) and then fell on her arm. Fast forward 2 days later and while trying to get a doll from the floor, she fell off of my bed and re-injured her arm. She has a huge black bruise from her wrist, about 3 inches up her arm. She continues to hit it and cry. She falls all the time and bumps into people all the time. She's a wreck, but we love her.
4. Never use your children in a lie. Okay, this one is obvious, or so you'd think. On Valentine's Day, I went to lunch at Wegman's and I really wanted to put C in the babysitting room. She'll be 3 in less than a month and she's been potty trained for nearly a year. So, I put her in the room and filled out the card with a fictitious birthday (come on, you know you've done the same, so don't judge me!). J was all, "mom, C is 3 now?!" I said, "C can go in the babysitting room with you." On and on go C and J about how C is 3. That afternoon, they told L that C can go in the babysitting room at Wegman's, to which he corrected them. Three days, I had to listen to C talk about how she is 3. Eeek! Seriously, this girl can talk for an hour, non-stop. I told the girls that I made a mistake. Now, C keeps talking to me about her birthday. Better get on that!
1. We took a family vacation to Harrisburg. Okay, its not Disney, but it was a lovely time. We went to celebrate the 1st birthday of my cousin's daughter, Lily, and decided to stay for a mini vacation.
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| P and J on the big pig |
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| Q, our little Cabbage Patch Doll |
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| My boy, L, humoring his father by riding on a snail |
2. Since focusing on our nutrition, I've noticed a couple of things:
a. The baby is constipated. Well, I think that all the kids are.
b. The W's are gassier than normal. Stinky! This is despite our bean sprouting because, let's face it, you can't sprout every bean you eat. Sometimes, you just don't plan appropriately.
c. When meat is near my children, they become a pack of hungry wolves. J never really was a meat-lover, but you wouldn't know that lately.
d. It is too difficult to eat out being a vegan, especially when the only "non-meat" option is tofu. Hello, endocrine system. Want some mutations? That can't be the only option.
This got me interested in reading more about veganism, which is essentially was a plant-strong diet is. I read about an 11 month old breastfed baby that died because of a lack of nutrients...her mother was vegan. I read about how to ensure that vegans get the proper nutrition. At the State Museum, I read about the diets of man, from the earliest man until now. I read a lot! And, I could read more, if I wanted. Then, a friend sent me a more in-depth review of the Forks Over Knives movie, with several rebuttal points. Intriguing.
What I've realized is that I am happy to cut the meat in our diets. It makes financial sense. It makes sense our strain on the environment. It makes sense to be kinder to animals. BUT, meat is not evil. The way we treat our foods is evil, i.e. hormones, pesticides, added sugar, overly processing, tons of added fats.
I am still going to continue this focus on nutrition. I will continue to ensure that we eat as few processed food items as possible. I will continue to sprout our legumes. I will continue to offer days with no animal products. I will, however, make meals with meats (fish is key) and eggs. The portions aren't going to be crazy large, though, like they are in many homes. A deck of cards each. That's it! I'm thinking, pesca-tarian with occasional other meats. My hubby will be thrilled, if he ever reads this.
3. C is a KLUTZ. That's right! Several days ago, J was jumping over her (a game) and then fell on her arm. Fast forward 2 days later and while trying to get a doll from the floor, she fell off of my bed and re-injured her arm. She has a huge black bruise from her wrist, about 3 inches up her arm. She continues to hit it and cry. She falls all the time and bumps into people all the time. She's a wreck, but we love her.
 |
| My stylin' girl, C. She is so much fun! |
Lentils
Lentils are a legume that is fairly new to me. I've eaten them only a few times before, in Indian food. They are known as daal, and in the dishes I've tried, they were extremely tasty. A few weeks ago, I tried to make lentils a meat replacement in shepards' pie. Not good! Not because they weren't good, but because the recipe I tried stunk. I actually didn't even attempt to serve it to P because I knew he would hate it.
This weekend, I decided to sprout the remaining bag of lentils, which really took less than 24 hours. Its so super easy to do, really. You should give it a try! Briefly, soak the lentils overnight, drain and let sit, moist for 12 hours. If not sprouted yet, rinse and let sit for another 12 hours. Anyway, I found a great site about lentils that had a few recipes that I decided to give a try.
Tonight's dinner: Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups of sprouted lentils
1 onion, diced
1 box (4 cups) veggie broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
scant 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
I didn't have time to mess around with doing it the prescribed way, so this is what I did: In a pot, saute one diced onion in some water. After the onion is transparent, add the spices and saute for a minute. Add broth, bell pepper and lentils, cover and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer for 20 minutes or less, until the lentils are soft. Add the lemon juice, parsley and yogurt. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, if desired.
P and L had 2 bowls. And the girls? Well, they ate it...even though all my kids despise red bell peppers. Oh, and I mean despise! This recipe is another keeper, but I will have to double the recipe because I only had a small bowl, since there wasn't enough.
With the rest of the lentils, I made the lentils and rice.
Ingredients:
2 cups of brown rice, soaked and drained
7 cups water
2 onions, diced
3 cups sprouted lentils
2 tsp pink salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp oregano
4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
4 bay leaves
Directions:
Saute the onion in a little water until transparent, then add the spices and saute for about a minute. Add water, rice and lentils, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer until rice cooks, about an hour.
The recipe, as recorded, has too much salt and garlic, so I reduced the amounts in the above ingredient list.
The kids aren't loving the texture of the lentils, but they are nutritious and a quite easy legume to cook up (read: it takes 20 minute to cook, not 2 hours). And, more importantly, they ate them :-)
This weekend, I decided to sprout the remaining bag of lentils, which really took less than 24 hours. Its so super easy to do, really. You should give it a try! Briefly, soak the lentils overnight, drain and let sit, moist for 12 hours. If not sprouted yet, rinse and let sit for another 12 hours. Anyway, I found a great site about lentils that had a few recipes that I decided to give a try.
Tonight's dinner: Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups of sprouted lentils
1 onion, diced
1 box (4 cups) veggie broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
scant 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
I didn't have time to mess around with doing it the prescribed way, so this is what I did: In a pot, saute one diced onion in some water. After the onion is transparent, add the spices and saute for a minute. Add broth, bell pepper and lentils, cover and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer for 20 minutes or less, until the lentils are soft. Add the lemon juice, parsley and yogurt. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, if desired.
P and L had 2 bowls. And the girls? Well, they ate it...even though all my kids despise red bell peppers. Oh, and I mean despise! This recipe is another keeper, but I will have to double the recipe because I only had a small bowl, since there wasn't enough.
With the rest of the lentils, I made the lentils and rice.
Ingredients:
2 cups of brown rice, soaked and drained
7 cups water
2 onions, diced
3 cups sprouted lentils
2 tsp pink salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp oregano
4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
4 bay leaves
Directions:
Saute the onion in a little water until transparent, then add the spices and saute for about a minute. Add water, rice and lentils, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer until rice cooks, about an hour.
The recipe, as recorded, has too much salt and garlic, so I reduced the amounts in the above ingredient list.
The kids aren't loving the texture of the lentils, but they are nutritious and a quite easy legume to cook up (read: it takes 20 minute to cook, not 2 hours). And, more importantly, they ate them :-)
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Menu Planning
I've been really sucking on the food front this past week or so, and I think I've got it figured out. I need to plan out our menus. This new way of eating isn't like the old way, where you can open the cabinet or refrigerator and 20 minutes later have dinner heading to the table. It is a pain in the butt.
Tonight, we had the funniest dinner. In the freezer, I had a tupperware bowl of alphabet soup in a tomato base (carrots, celery, onion, spinach, pasta, tomato sauce, basil, garlic and oregano). In the refrigerator, I had a spiced pumpkin soup with quinoa (pumpkin, onion, curry, cumin, nutmeg, garlic, quinoa, salt and pepper). Neither dishes were totally well received. Okay, the kids were fans of the ABC soup, and I thought the pumpkin soup was okay. But, let's be honest, they were both kind of just blah. I guess that's what happens when you don't add fat to the meal.
The biggest problem is the uncertainty of it all. What to make? Will it be well received? Ugh!
And, because I don't have a menu planned out, I don't know what to buy. My goal is to reduce our grocery bill and get back on track with healthy eating.
I've seen a variety of menu planning boards on pinterest: here, here and here. My goal this next week: to make my own board.
I've already listed my menu items to include on the board. So far, I have:
veggie burgers (any kind, like beet-y burgers, Morgan's Veggie Burgers, or these Veggie Burger Buns with a portabello mushroom as the meat)
sweet potato and quinoa chili
soup (yellow split-pea/lentil soup, African kale/sweet potato soup, carrot soup, Marakesh stew, curried lentil with cauliflower, roasted beet)
rice and beans (Almost Chipotle, Cuban rice and black beans, Cafe Rio)
bean and veggie burritos...I really want to try this Mexican Slaw in them
homemade pizza
Spaghetti
quinoa and veggie salad type thing (Heather's, Superfood salad, Tabbouleh)
I've decided to keep it simple for now. After we get this down a bit better than we have it now, I'll start adding one new menu item a week. Who knows?! It'll probably be spring then and time to change up the menu. Grrr!
Tonight, we had the funniest dinner. In the freezer, I had a tupperware bowl of alphabet soup in a tomato base (carrots, celery, onion, spinach, pasta, tomato sauce, basil, garlic and oregano). In the refrigerator, I had a spiced pumpkin soup with quinoa (pumpkin, onion, curry, cumin, nutmeg, garlic, quinoa, salt and pepper). Neither dishes were totally well received. Okay, the kids were fans of the ABC soup, and I thought the pumpkin soup was okay. But, let's be honest, they were both kind of just blah. I guess that's what happens when you don't add fat to the meal.
The biggest problem is the uncertainty of it all. What to make? Will it be well received? Ugh!
And, because I don't have a menu planned out, I don't know what to buy. My goal is to reduce our grocery bill and get back on track with healthy eating.
I've seen a variety of menu planning boards on pinterest: here, here and here. My goal this next week: to make my own board.
I've already listed my menu items to include on the board. So far, I have:
veggie burgers (any kind, like beet-y burgers, Morgan's Veggie Burgers, or these Veggie Burger Buns with a portabello mushroom as the meat)
sweet potato and quinoa chili
soup (yellow split-pea/lentil soup, African kale/sweet potato soup, carrot soup, Marakesh stew, curried lentil with cauliflower, roasted beet)
rice and beans (Almost Chipotle, Cuban rice and black beans, Cafe Rio)
bean and veggie burritos...I really want to try this Mexican Slaw in them
homemade pizza
Spaghetti
quinoa and veggie salad type thing (Heather's, Superfood salad, Tabbouleh)
I've decided to keep it simple for now. After we get this down a bit better than we have it now, I'll start adding one new menu item a week. Who knows?! It'll probably be spring then and time to change up the menu. Grrr!
Monday, February 13, 2012
wwYOUd?
Did you see last week's What Would You Do? on ABC? They had a really interesting bit about veganism / food preferences. Essentially, a vegan mom and her child go out to eat when she has to step away from the table. Now, all alone, the child is offered meat by the couple at the next table. This couple seems extremely consumed by their concern that the child is not receiving enough protein in her diet, so they order her a hot dog. wwYOUd?
It made me think about the conversations P and I have been having about how sacred people's food/diet choices are to them. Have you ever noticed that people are way passionate about their diet choices? Whether its vegetarian, vegan, paleo, carnivorous, boxed/convenience food, etc..., people get extremely upset and offended if you don't agree with them. *Okay, here's the disclosure: This is obviously a broad generalization, as I am friends with several people with conflicting diet choices with whom I am able to have very good conversations around food. This is more of a generalized comment on the population as a whole.* I know that one of my brothers seemed very upset when he found out that we were reducing our meat consumption. "I am a carnivore! Why would God give us canine teeth if he didn't want us to eat meat?!" Of course, I have a response, but there comes a time in one's life that you realize that there are some people you just don't argue with because frankly, you will never agree. My brother is one of these people. Come to think of it, most of my siblings are like this.
We must have gotten this temperament from our father.
But, I digress...Anyway...I was happy to see that most people stepped in to stop the meat pushers, but what bugged me is the fact that I can envision people doing this in real life; trying to convince your child that your diet choices are not healthy.
Now, I say that, but we do this slightly, with trying to convince others to eat fewer processed and high fat and sugar foods. So, where do we draw the line? When is it that you think it is appropriate to step in and comment to a child or their parent about their family food choice. Now, this doesn't mean to ask questions for understanding. This means to tell them that they are wrong and force your opinions upon them.
Oh, and another really thought-provoking thing I saw on TV. I LOVE it! Click the link and let me know what you think.
It made me think about the conversations P and I have been having about how sacred people's food/diet choices are to them. Have you ever noticed that people are way passionate about their diet choices? Whether its vegetarian, vegan, paleo, carnivorous, boxed/convenience food, etc..., people get extremely upset and offended if you don't agree with them. *Okay, here's the disclosure: This is obviously a broad generalization, as I am friends with several people with conflicting diet choices with whom I am able to have very good conversations around food. This is more of a generalized comment on the population as a whole.* I know that one of my brothers seemed very upset when he found out that we were reducing our meat consumption. "I am a carnivore! Why would God give us canine teeth if he didn't want us to eat meat?!" Of course, I have a response, but there comes a time in one's life that you realize that there are some people you just don't argue with because frankly, you will never agree. My brother is one of these people. Come to think of it, most of my siblings are like this.
 |
| My dad and niece |
But, I digress...Anyway...I was happy to see that most people stepped in to stop the meat pushers, but what bugged me is the fact that I can envision people doing this in real life; trying to convince your child that your diet choices are not healthy.
Now, I say that, but we do this slightly, with trying to convince others to eat fewer processed and high fat and sugar foods. So, where do we draw the line? When is it that you think it is appropriate to step in and comment to a child or their parent about their family food choice. Now, this doesn't mean to ask questions for understanding. This means to tell them that they are wrong and force your opinions upon them.
Oh, and another really thought-provoking thing I saw on TV. I LOVE it! Click the link and let me know what you think.
Set Backs
Last week was not successful on the food, weight loss or exercise fronts.
Exercise? What's that?! Besides the 3.7 miles I ran with Paul a week ago, Sunday, I've been pretty sedentary. I wish I could blame it on something, but I can't. I was just tired or stressed or busy or had a sick kid. I'm sure I could have but, I just didn't make it a priority. I had these grandiose plans of getting to bed by 10, up at 5 to start laundry and do at least 30 minutes on the treadmill. Then, MWF's I was going to take a weight class at the gym. No dice.
Weight Loss? Not a complete failure, but I didn't lose a single pound. Though, I didn't gain any either. I guess that part's a plus.
Food? Okay, seriously, I think this part has to do with most of my melancholy, blah feeling this past week. The first few days, I was doing okay, but then, stress and life got in the way and it was easier to fall back into old habits than to make a healthy plant-strong meal. My mom bought Chinese food on Thursday, P bought hot dogs, soda and chips that same day which resulted in having those items on Friday because I was busy attending to some other things (like my sick boy).
And then, last night, I made my family a beef soup because a. I had organic beef in the freezer still, and b. I know that they had a hankering for some meat. Me? I ate a salad. I have to say that a little piece of me was cringing as I saw my family eating meat, but I must remember that I want my kids to have a healthy relationship with food. And a little meat won't kill them, especially when its organic beef instead of hot dogs. Right?
I'm in a new mindset today, feeling rejuvenated and motivated. I'm hoping to get some work done this morning and then hit the gym for a 4 pm class, but only after making sure dinner is ready to be prepared when we walk back in the door. Well, that's the plan. Let's see what life throws at us.
Exercise? What's that?! Besides the 3.7 miles I ran with Paul a week ago, Sunday, I've been pretty sedentary. I wish I could blame it on something, but I can't. I was just tired or stressed or busy or had a sick kid. I'm sure I could have but, I just didn't make it a priority. I had these grandiose plans of getting to bed by 10, up at 5 to start laundry and do at least 30 minutes on the treadmill. Then, MWF's I was going to take a weight class at the gym. No dice.
Weight Loss? Not a complete failure, but I didn't lose a single pound. Though, I didn't gain any either. I guess that part's a plus.
Food? Okay, seriously, I think this part has to do with most of my melancholy, blah feeling this past week. The first few days, I was doing okay, but then, stress and life got in the way and it was easier to fall back into old habits than to make a healthy plant-strong meal. My mom bought Chinese food on Thursday, P bought hot dogs, soda and chips that same day which resulted in having those items on Friday because I was busy attending to some other things (like my sick boy).
And then, last night, I made my family a beef soup because a. I had organic beef in the freezer still, and b. I know that they had a hankering for some meat. Me? I ate a salad. I have to say that a little piece of me was cringing as I saw my family eating meat, but I must remember that I want my kids to have a healthy relationship with food. And a little meat won't kill them, especially when its organic beef instead of hot dogs. Right?
I'm in a new mindset today, feeling rejuvenated and motivated. I'm hoping to get some work done this morning and then hit the gym for a 4 pm class, but only after making sure dinner is ready to be prepared when we walk back in the door. Well, that's the plan. Let's see what life throws at us.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Hey Doc...
...did you leave your brain at home? You wrote a prescription for the wrong medication and fed me conflicting information. Hello?!
Okay, I'm no doctor, BUT I am an educated mother. Meaning, you told me that my child has vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), so I researched it and have paid close attention to everything you've ever said.
Yesterday, my mom and I took C (along with Q) down to St. Christopher's Children's Hospital for her urology appointment. She had a kidney ultrasound and a VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram) in the morning and saw the specialist right afterward.
She did amazingly well during her ultrasound, especially compared to December 2010, when she last had one. At that point, they couldn't even read the test because she squirmed hysterically the entire time. This time, with the help of the iPad, she was much calmer. Hysterical? Yes, but only for the first 1/2 of the test.
The iPad was useless during the VCUG, though. During the procedure, they catheterized C, and then took pictures of her kidneys, bladder and ureters. I could see the second the dye became detectable, that she still had grade 4 reflux. It was such a bummer, as we were really hoping for some signs of improvement. Nonetheless, it is what it is.
Previously, the Doctor said that if there was no improvement at this point, that we should move forward with surgery. I definitely have prepared myself for the potential for that. What I didn't prepare for was the Urologist saying, "Her kidneys have gotten larger, and there's been no improvement with the reflux. She's still young. Let's give it another year and see what happens."
----screeeeechhhhh--- HOLD THE PHONE!
Let's just say that was not what I was expecting. What happened to "there's a 60% chance that kids with grade 4 reflux will have to have it surgically corrected. Since we haven't seen any improvement at this point [12/2010], I am going to assume that we won't. But, she is still young. Let's give it 15 months, recheck, and if there is still no improvement, I would recommend surgery?!"
AND...her kidneys have increased in size. Let's just say, that's not good. The medical term is hydronephrosis. In essence, as a result of the urine coming back into the kidneys, they have been scarred and damaged. This decreases their efficacy and could cause problems down the road for her. Currently, her blood pressure is 110 over 64. For an adult, that is great. For a 2/3 year old, it is too high. Now, could her bp be up because of the stress of being in the hospital? Yes. But, I must note that while the nurse was taking her bp, she was calm and had a smile on her face. They also don't take bp readings on children this young at their primary care provider appointments. So, we really have nothing which to compare her bp reading. But, the fact of the matter is that high blood pressure is a result of damage to the kidneys, so we should be cautious. An appointment with a pediatric nephrologist was suggested.
That's when I told him that I'd rather not wait. C will be starting preschool next year. I don't want her to have to miss it for surgery and doctor appointments. She is terrified by the doctor already. There is no way that I want to prolong this for her. Each additional appointment with her urologist results in another catheterization which causes her pain and fear. Every time she has a fever, she gets catheterized. This is just really no fun for anyone, especially a toddler. Her medication has to be specially made, so I don't carry it around (don't want to lose it). This means that she can't spend the night at grandma's house or her friend's house unless I've planned it out and brought her medication along. The medicine is not cheap. And, let's not even touch the cost of health insurance. We selected our current plan based on surgery this year. Let' just say that it isn't cheap.
What do we get for waiting? An extremely slight chance that the defect will self-correct. In 2010, he said that it was less than 10% that it would. Of course, I don't want to see my girl suffer and undergo surgery, but I don't want to put off the inevitable and make it more of a memory than it should be. I think that at this point, she probably wouldn't remember it at all. I'd much rather her have little to no memory, than to be traumatized further.
Next step? C will have a DMSA renal scan towards the end of March to assess the scarring on her kidneys. She's had this test once before and it wasn't pretty. 2 hours prior to the procedure, they inject radioactive dye into a vein. Then, the patient has to lie extremely still on a thin board as they have a device take pictures of the kidneys, from both top and bottom. C did not do well with this, so much so, that they had to take a huge cloth and wrap her entire body to the table. She was horrified. This time, they are going to sedate her. The sedation is at my request. Since they have to tap a vein anyway, why not give her some peace at the same time. I must admit that I am a bit nervous about how her body will react to the sedation (it isn't 100% safe, you know), but I think its best for her. Regardless, we can always change our mind about the sedation, if we deem it to be too risky, or if she seems willing to cooperate during the test.
The previous DMSA scan showed some scarring or a growth abnormality or nothing to be worried about. Don't you just love when the results are so definitive?! [this is where a sarcastic font would come in great use]. I'm feeling that this one will probably show more definitive scarring since we haven't seen improvement in the reflux, and we've seen the high blood pressure. Fingers are crossed, though, that it shows nothing.
After the scan, C will have another appointment with her Urologist to discuss the particulars of the surgery.We are hoping that our scrappy little girl can come through all of this with a smile on her face. I know that either way, our scrappy little girl will come through all of this with a smile on her face. Let's just hope that the Doctor shows up, on the same page!
Okay, I'm no doctor, BUT I am an educated mother. Meaning, you told me that my child has vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), so I researched it and have paid close attention to everything you've ever said.
Yesterday, my mom and I took C (along with Q) down to St. Christopher's Children's Hospital for her urology appointment. She had a kidney ultrasound and a VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram) in the morning and saw the specialist right afterward.
She did amazingly well during her ultrasound, especially compared to December 2010, when she last had one. At that point, they couldn't even read the test because she squirmed hysterically the entire time. This time, with the help of the iPad, she was much calmer. Hysterical? Yes, but only for the first 1/2 of the test.
The iPad was useless during the VCUG, though. During the procedure, they catheterized C, and then took pictures of her kidneys, bladder and ureters. I could see the second the dye became detectable, that she still had grade 4 reflux. It was such a bummer, as we were really hoping for some signs of improvement. Nonetheless, it is what it is.
 |
| This is Grade IV reflux. The white ball at the bottom is the bladder, the tubes extending from it, the ureters. At the top of the ureters, you can see that the urine flows into the kidney, the flowery area. |
----screeeeechhhhh--- HOLD THE PHONE!
Let's just say that was not what I was expecting. What happened to "there's a 60% chance that kids with grade 4 reflux will have to have it surgically corrected. Since we haven't seen any improvement at this point [12/2010], I am going to assume that we won't. But, she is still young. Let's give it 15 months, recheck, and if there is still no improvement, I would recommend surgery?!"
AND...her kidneys have increased in size. Let's just say, that's not good. The medical term is hydronephrosis. In essence, as a result of the urine coming back into the kidneys, they have been scarred and damaged. This decreases their efficacy and could cause problems down the road for her. Currently, her blood pressure is 110 over 64. For an adult, that is great. For a 2/3 year old, it is too high. Now, could her bp be up because of the stress of being in the hospital? Yes. But, I must note that while the nurse was taking her bp, she was calm and had a smile on her face. They also don't take bp readings on children this young at their primary care provider appointments. So, we really have nothing which to compare her bp reading. But, the fact of the matter is that high blood pressure is a result of damage to the kidneys, so we should be cautious. An appointment with a pediatric nephrologist was suggested.
That's when I told him that I'd rather not wait. C will be starting preschool next year. I don't want her to have to miss it for surgery and doctor appointments. She is terrified by the doctor already. There is no way that I want to prolong this for her. Each additional appointment with her urologist results in another catheterization which causes her pain and fear. Every time she has a fever, she gets catheterized. This is just really no fun for anyone, especially a toddler. Her medication has to be specially made, so I don't carry it around (don't want to lose it). This means that she can't spend the night at grandma's house or her friend's house unless I've planned it out and brought her medication along. The medicine is not cheap. And, let's not even touch the cost of health insurance. We selected our current plan based on surgery this year. Let' just say that it isn't cheap.
What do we get for waiting? An extremely slight chance that the defect will self-correct. In 2010, he said that it was less than 10% that it would. Of course, I don't want to see my girl suffer and undergo surgery, but I don't want to put off the inevitable and make it more of a memory than it should be. I think that at this point, she probably wouldn't remember it at all. I'd much rather her have little to no memory, than to be traumatized further.
Next step? C will have a DMSA renal scan towards the end of March to assess the scarring on her kidneys. She's had this test once before and it wasn't pretty. 2 hours prior to the procedure, they inject radioactive dye into a vein. Then, the patient has to lie extremely still on a thin board as they have a device take pictures of the kidneys, from both top and bottom. C did not do well with this, so much so, that they had to take a huge cloth and wrap her entire body to the table. She was horrified. This time, they are going to sedate her. The sedation is at my request. Since they have to tap a vein anyway, why not give her some peace at the same time. I must admit that I am a bit nervous about how her body will react to the sedation (it isn't 100% safe, you know), but I think its best for her. Regardless, we can always change our mind about the sedation, if we deem it to be too risky, or if she seems willing to cooperate during the test.
The previous DMSA scan showed some scarring or a growth abnormality or nothing to be worried about. Don't you just love when the results are so definitive?! [this is where a sarcastic font would come in great use]. I'm feeling that this one will probably show more definitive scarring since we haven't seen improvement in the reflux, and we've seen the high blood pressure. Fingers are crossed, though, that it shows nothing.
After the scan, C will have another appointment with her Urologist to discuss the particulars of the surgery.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Beans, beans, the magical protein...
Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat 'em, the more you toot! Heck yes! That is so true! Well, that's unless you sprout your beans.
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten this menu planning thing down, so thrice this week, I had to open my emergency cans of beans, instead of using sprouted beans. Not to worry, all you downwind from us. Today, I cooked 2 bags of sprouted beans, so we should be good going forward. correction: The chickpeas burnt because all the water burned off. Poop!
Here's 3 recipes we tried this week.
Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Quinoa Chili adapted from With Style & Grace
This is not the first quinoa and black bean chili we've tried, but this was the best! Next time, I'll add some additional veggies, like carrots, celery, zucchini, and the like. Here's what I threw in the pot.
Ingredients:
2 small onions, diced and saute'd in a little water
2 cans of black beans
2 cans of diced tomatoes
4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 large sweet potatoes, in bite size chunks
8 cups of water
1 cup of quinoa, soaked for 4-5 hours and rinsed
2 Tbsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
Bring all of this to a boil, reduce to medium low heat and cook for about 30 minutes, until the sweet potato is done. Serve with fresh cilantro and a bottle of hot sauce, if you'd like.
This is going to be our new go-to chili!
Spinach-Coconut Chickpea Fritters adapted from the family kitchen
These are a quick and easy meal, served with leftover soup. The men of the house enjoyed them immensely, though us girls liked them just fine. It could be the nutritional yeast that confused my palette. Next time, I think I'll reduce or omit it, and add some additional spices.
Ingredients:
1 can Great Northern Beans, drained, rinsed and mashed with a fork
1 can Chickpeas, drained, rinsed and slightly mashed with a fork
1 bag of Olivia's Organic Spinach, (just because I don't know amount), wilted/cut (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs + extra to coat
1 tsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut milk, the white part on the top of the can when you open it
1/4 tsp pink sea salt, or whatever salt you have
pepper, to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
Combine all the ingredients, form into patties (I got 13), press into additional bread crumbs. Put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes, flipping 1/2 way through.
Super Mac-n-Cheese
Now, this is not vegan, but this was a quick and easy lunch with protein and veggies for my favorite little girls. This is what happens when you decide to cook lunch instead of choosing sandwiches, and need a quick fix. All 3 of my girls loved it!
Ingredients:
1 box Annie's Organic White Cheddar and Shells
handful of baby carrots, chopped
handful of frozen broccoli, chopped
3/4 cup your favorite sprouted bean (I'd go with a soft one, not a chickpea)
sprinkle of garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
splash of your choice of milk (almond, soy, cow)
Boil the pasta, veggies and beans. When cooked, add other ingredients, stir and let your kids enjoy!
Side note: The photos are from the web since I didn't take pics. Just wanted to call that out!
The Monster Within
We all have a little bit of a monster, right? When the kids act up. When the spouse is just not getting it. And when you smell, or worse yet, you taste sugar!
No need to read that again. You saw it right the first time. I have a sugar-craving monster inside of me. I'm okay until the stress hits or I see it or taste it. Just one itsy bitsy little taste sends me into a sugar-eating nightmare.
It becomes all I think about. Its like a drug. My whole being is now focused on the attainment of sugar. Where is it? How can I get it? What can I make with it? How much can I get? How quickly? How many different flavors? Why has it been so long since I had the last bite?
Everything in moderation. I can hear you thinking it. Don't deprive yourself. That's not the problem. I've done it all. I swear, the sugar triggers something and out comes that monster...with vengeance!
That monster spends the rest of the day searching for the next hit.
Yesterday, I had it bad. And I. Mean. Bad. I think its the stress of C's appointment with her urologist tomorrow. We are hoping for the news that her anatomy has self-corrected, but if it hasn't, I'm just hoping to move forwards quickly with the surgery. That way, it can be a distant memory as quickly as possible, with little to no impact on her park time, come the spring.
Today, instead of resorting to donuts or chocolate, I opted for a healthier sweet treat when L requested oatmeal cookies. He had a couple during his 100th day of School celebration and thought it would be nice for the girls to have some, too. Now, that's a sweet boy!
Muffiny-Oatmeal Cookies
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups hot water
1 tsp cinnamon
2 shakes of ground allspice
1 shake of ground nutmeg
2 shakes of pink sea salt
3 packets of Truvia
1 mashed ripe banana (mine was rather large)
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup raisins
Mix the oats, spices, salt, Truvia and coconut. Add the water and let it sit while you mash the banana, just so that the water has time to penetrate the oats. Add the banana and raisins. If you need to add more water, do so, so that there is a nice consistency. You don't want them to be overly moist or overly dry. Bake at 375, turning and flattening about 10 minutes into cooking. Cook another 8-10 minutes.
I wish I could give real baking times, but my oven sucks, for the lack of a better word.
The results: These were extremely moist. I don't even think that needed the Truvia for sweetness, but I was a little worried that they may not have. The bananas make them very moist and fluffy. These reminded me a really soft granola cookie. I think next time, I'll shape them into squares or rectangles, kind of like bars. The kids loved them, but weren't overly keen on the raisins. It satisfied the sweet tooth, and I'm pretty sure that with a few chocolate chips, they'd satisfy that craving, too! Definitely a keeper!
Good night, little monster! Its time for you to settle down and mellow out. I've got another 18 pounds to drop. Leave!
 |
| This is you. |
 |
| This is you on sugar! |
Yesterday, I had it bad. And I. Mean. Bad. I think its the stress of C's appointment with her urologist tomorrow. We are hoping for the news that her anatomy has self-corrected, but if it hasn't, I'm just hoping to move forwards quickly with the surgery. That way, it can be a distant memory as quickly as possible, with little to no impact on her park time, come the spring.
Today, instead of resorting to donuts or chocolate, I opted for a healthier sweet treat when L requested oatmeal cookies. He had a couple during his 100th day of School celebration and thought it would be nice for the girls to have some, too. Now, that's a sweet boy!
Muffiny-Oatmeal Cookies
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups hot water
1 tsp cinnamon
2 shakes of ground allspice
1 shake of ground nutmeg
2 shakes of pink sea salt
3 packets of Truvia
1 mashed ripe banana (mine was rather large)
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup raisins
Mix the oats, spices, salt, Truvia and coconut. Add the water and let it sit while you mash the banana, just so that the water has time to penetrate the oats. Add the banana and raisins. If you need to add more water, do so, so that there is a nice consistency. You don't want them to be overly moist or overly dry. Bake at 375, turning and flattening about 10 minutes into cooking. Cook another 8-10 minutes.
I wish I could give real baking times, but my oven sucks, for the lack of a better word.
The results: These were extremely moist. I don't even think that needed the Truvia for sweetness, but I was a little worried that they may not have. The bananas make them very moist and fluffy. These reminded me a really soft granola cookie. I think next time, I'll shape them into squares or rectangles, kind of like bars. The kids loved them, but weren't overly keen on the raisins. It satisfied the sweet tooth, and I'm pretty sure that with a few chocolate chips, they'd satisfy that craving, too! Definitely a keeper!
Good night, little monster! Its time for you to settle down and mellow out. I've got another 18 pounds to drop. Leave!
 |
| Nom. Nom. Nom. Nom. Me go right after me finish ALL these COOKIES!!! |
Sunday, February 5, 2012
How Rigorous should we go?
This past week has been met with a lot of questions about our diet...oh, and must I not forget...success, too. That's right. I am now down 9 pounds, to date without really working hard on the exercise front, and frankly, just staying away from animal products. I must admit, I've had more than my share of sugar and crap, thanks to parties and stress.
Each time we've gone to a get-together, I've been asked about what we're eating these days. People have been more than willing to try to accommodate our family's new plant-strong lifestyle. Its much appreciated. I must say though, I've been really lax about it when we are outside of the home. Too funny, but L's teacher thinks this makes me the coolest mom. Not really. Its part laziness, part not wanting to be confrontational, part not wanting to be a hassle to our family and friends and lastly, not wanting to burden my children with always having to think about food.
What's that mean? Let's see if I can make that a little more simple. When we are out, I want my kids to be able to choose whatever they want to eat. If L and J are at school, I don't want them to feel as if they can't have the same foods that the rest of their classmates are having. I don't want them to have to explain to other kids that they don't eat meat or drink milk. This is a decision they can make themselves as they grow. I don't want my kids to feel uncomfortable, or my friends and family, when it comes time to eat. Food is already such a stressor for people; why should we make it even more so?!
I've read tons of literature on healthy eating and seen tons of documentaries. All you can really be certain of is that nothing is the definite right way to go. Many people say veganism is unhealthy. Many people say that consuming meat is unhealthy. Dairy is unhealthy. Others say consuming grains and legumes is unhealthy. Wow! That sounds to me as if there really is nothing that is healthy to eat. Right? Confused yet? I know I am.
Here's how our family has decided to proceed and tackle the each food groups.
Dairy: P and the kids still consume milk in tea. I use almond milk which has more calcium and equal vitamin D as cow's milk. We sometimes consume cheese, like when we are out (read: pizza) or when a dish that I've cooked really needs it. I still have some butter, and yes, we've buttered our bread for toast twice since our new way of eating. Oh, let's not forget the occasional ice cream. hee hee
Legumes and Grains: We are sprouting our grains and legumes in our to increase their nutritional value and their digestibility. This requires a lot of planning, which I'm not great with, so when I don't plan properly, we eat unsprouted beans and grains. Oops. I've got to get better with that.
Nuts: (Before you read this part, get all your giggles out. Okay. Done? Continue) We've started soaking our nuts over night, and then drying them in the oven to more easily digest them. The kids and I love our nuts. They are great as snacks, on salads, or ground up with dates and some coconut as a treat.
Animal Flesh: We have not purchased nor consumed meat in our home since we have started our plant-strong approach to eating. Now, that being said, P has been on business trips and ordered steak. L has ordered hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken at school. Every Sunday, the kids consume meat and eggs at my grandparents' house for brunch. Tonight, they had pepperoni pizza, chicken wings and dairy based dips at my brother's Superbowl party. Last night, pizza and hoagies at a birthday party.
Processed foods: We stay away from processed foods as much as possible. What's that mean? We don't really buy anything that's already made in a box. That being said, I will buy a couple boxes of organic cereal this week, just in case I don't have oatmeal made for breakfast or stuff for a green smoothie. With this class of foods, I will add tofu and all non-animal animal products (vegan cheese, tofu, vegan meat). I'm pretty certain that God didn't create those things, so why should we eat them?!
Soy: This goes for soy milk, tofu, edamame and any other soy products. If its not organic, I'm not purchasing it. That's it. Non-organic soy is not healthy, especially for developing reproductive systems. Hmmm...Monsanto, maybe you should stop poisoning your consumers! You can read about the dangers of soy here or here or just do your own Google search for dangers of soy. Organic soy, especially when fermented, and served in small condiment sizes are safe. So, occasionally, I will offer soy to my family, in organic form only.
Eggs: I'd say that we consume eggs once or twice a week, typically on Sundays and in baked goods. Eggs are hidden quite well, and frankly, I don't have the time, energy or inclination to search for them. Who does? Sheesh. We've got lives to live.
Fruits and Veggies: These are always available to my kids, and they typically choose to snack on fruit. We try to eat as many as possible, though some of us are more successful than others.
Healthy Fats: There is a big debate about healthy fats. Some say that no fats are healthy, some say you need healthy fats to live and lose weight. One argument made is that there was a big fat free push several years back, and as a result, our culture got fatter. To the arguer, this means that fat free is bad. Let's look at this a different way. During the fat free fad, the items that went fat free were mostly processed foods to which extra sugar was added to make up for the lack of taste. We know that processed foods and excess sugar contribute to weight gain, so we can not be certain that the fat free diet caused the weight gain. The Engine 2 Diet pushes no fats, or very little. For my family, especially with an infant, toddler, preschooler and kindergartner that don't have weight problems, we feel that healthy fat is fine and don't shy away from it. We offer avocado, nuts (preferably pre-soaked), coconut milk and unsweetened coconut.
In a nutshell, at home, we are striving to stay away from meat, increase our veggies and fruits, sprout our legumes and grains, soak our nuts, reduce our dairy and in general, stay away from as much sugar as possible. Outside of our home, we have decided to just allow our kids to make their own decisions. As far as the adults? P chooses meat occasionally. I have only eaten meat once, out of desperation and sheer starvation. We have just resolved to try to make healthy decisions, but indulge when it is appropriate and in the appropriate manner.
Let me be honest here. If you invite me over and have baked goods, I'm going to try some. Okay, I've said it! The sweet tooth reigns supreme. But, if you come to my house, you shouldn't be surprised not to find those same items here. Instead, we will be more than happy to offer you our fruit, veggies, legumes, nuts and grains.
Each time we've gone to a get-together, I've been asked about what we're eating these days. People have been more than willing to try to accommodate our family's new plant-strong lifestyle. Its much appreciated. I must say though, I've been really lax about it when we are outside of the home. Too funny, but L's teacher thinks this makes me the coolest mom. Not really. Its part laziness, part not wanting to be confrontational, part not wanting to be a hassle to our family and friends and lastly, not wanting to burden my children with always having to think about food.
What's that mean? Let's see if I can make that a little more simple. When we are out, I want my kids to be able to choose whatever they want to eat. If L and J are at school, I don't want them to feel as if they can't have the same foods that the rest of their classmates are having. I don't want them to have to explain to other kids that they don't eat meat or drink milk. This is a decision they can make themselves as they grow. I don't want my kids to feel uncomfortable, or my friends and family, when it comes time to eat. Food is already such a stressor for people; why should we make it even more so?!
I've read tons of literature on healthy eating and seen tons of documentaries. All you can really be certain of is that nothing is the definite right way to go. Many people say veganism is unhealthy. Many people say that consuming meat is unhealthy. Dairy is unhealthy. Others say consuming grains and legumes is unhealthy. Wow! That sounds to me as if there really is nothing that is healthy to eat. Right? Confused yet? I know I am.
Here's how our family has decided to proceed and tackle the each food groups.
Dairy: P and the kids still consume milk in tea. I use almond milk which has more calcium and equal vitamin D as cow's milk. We sometimes consume cheese, like when we are out (read: pizza) or when a dish that I've cooked really needs it. I still have some butter, and yes, we've buttered our bread for toast twice since our new way of eating. Oh, let's not forget the occasional ice cream. hee hee
Legumes and Grains: We are sprouting our grains and legumes in our to increase their nutritional value and their digestibility. This requires a lot of planning, which I'm not great with, so when I don't plan properly, we eat unsprouted beans and grains. Oops. I've got to get better with that.
Nuts: (Before you read this part, get all your giggles out. Okay. Done? Continue) We've started soaking our nuts over night, and then drying them in the oven to more easily digest them. The kids and I love our nuts. They are great as snacks, on salads, or ground up with dates and some coconut as a treat.
Animal Flesh: We have not purchased nor consumed meat in our home since we have started our plant-strong approach to eating. Now, that being said, P has been on business trips and ordered steak. L has ordered hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken at school. Every Sunday, the kids consume meat and eggs at my grandparents' house for brunch. Tonight, they had pepperoni pizza, chicken wings and dairy based dips at my brother's Superbowl party. Last night, pizza and hoagies at a birthday party.
Processed foods: We stay away from processed foods as much as possible. What's that mean? We don't really buy anything that's already made in a box. That being said, I will buy a couple boxes of organic cereal this week, just in case I don't have oatmeal made for breakfast or stuff for a green smoothie. With this class of foods, I will add tofu and all non-animal animal products (vegan cheese, tofu, vegan meat). I'm pretty certain that God didn't create those things, so why should we eat them?!
Soy: This goes for soy milk, tofu, edamame and any other soy products. If its not organic, I'm not purchasing it. That's it. Non-organic soy is not healthy, especially for developing reproductive systems. Hmmm...Monsanto, maybe you should stop poisoning your consumers! You can read about the dangers of soy here or here or just do your own Google search for dangers of soy. Organic soy, especially when fermented, and served in small condiment sizes are safe. So, occasionally, I will offer soy to my family, in organic form only.
Eggs: I'd say that we consume eggs once or twice a week, typically on Sundays and in baked goods. Eggs are hidden quite well, and frankly, I don't have the time, energy or inclination to search for them. Who does? Sheesh. We've got lives to live.
Fruits and Veggies: These are always available to my kids, and they typically choose to snack on fruit. We try to eat as many as possible, though some of us are more successful than others.
Healthy Fats: There is a big debate about healthy fats. Some say that no fats are healthy, some say you need healthy fats to live and lose weight. One argument made is that there was a big fat free push several years back, and as a result, our culture got fatter. To the arguer, this means that fat free is bad. Let's look at this a different way. During the fat free fad, the items that went fat free were mostly processed foods to which extra sugar was added to make up for the lack of taste. We know that processed foods and excess sugar contribute to weight gain, so we can not be certain that the fat free diet caused the weight gain. The Engine 2 Diet pushes no fats, or very little. For my family, especially with an infant, toddler, preschooler and kindergartner that don't have weight problems, we feel that healthy fat is fine and don't shy away from it. We offer avocado, nuts (preferably pre-soaked), coconut milk and unsweetened coconut.
In a nutshell, at home, we are striving to stay away from meat, increase our veggies and fruits, sprout our legumes and grains, soak our nuts, reduce our dairy and in general, stay away from as much sugar as possible. Outside of our home, we have decided to just allow our kids to make their own decisions. As far as the adults? P chooses meat occasionally. I have only eaten meat once, out of desperation and sheer starvation. We have just resolved to try to make healthy decisions, but indulge when it is appropriate and in the appropriate manner.
Let me be honest here. If you invite me over and have baked goods, I'm going to try some. Okay, I've said it! The sweet tooth reigns supreme. But, if you come to my house, you shouldn't be surprised not to find those same items here. Instead, we will be more than happy to offer you our fruit, veggies, legumes, nuts and grains.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Dinner FAIL
Boy, oh Boy! It really bites when you plan a dinner out, and then 2 minutes before serving it, you taste it and BLAAHHH--CK...it's disgusting. That is just what happened to me tonight.
The other day, whilst rearranging my kitchen (I moved the pots and pans to the closet and the food to the lazy susan- best. move. ever.), I came across a box of chocolate chamomile celestial seasonings tea. On the inside cover, there was a recipe for chamomile cauliflower soup. I'm adventurous. It's a vegan recipe. I have all the ingredients. How could it get more perfect?
I'll tell you...it could taste good. Here's the recipe, in a nutshell:
With 3 cups of water and 6 tea bags, make tea for 5 minutes. Cook a head of cauliflower in it. In another pan, saute 2 ribs of celery and 1/4 cup of onion until they're soft. Blend all the veggies with about a cup of tea.
It tastes like tea with a thick texture. I called each of the kids in so that they could taste it, to see how we could make it better. We added salt and pepper. Still blah. Then, I got this idea. P is British. He loves tea with sugar and milk in it. How about giving that a try? I added 3 packets of Truvia and some almond milk. I thought that just might make it palatable to the kids.
I pulled the freshly baked bread from the oven and dipped it in the soup. All 4 of my walking family dipped the bread in the soup. All 4 turned their noses up. C said, "ummm...no. I no yike that. Its yuck."
I guess that there will be some mistakes and fails when it comes to finding yummy plant-strong food to feed my family. I just hate that it costs me time and money. Blah!
Dinner? Kids: raw carrots and pb&j mommy: panini with hummus, cucumber, arugula, spring mix, tomatoes, mustard, avocado P: well, he got full off of our freshly baked cinnamon raisin bread
Lunch: we just snacked today on fruit...bananas and clementines
Breakfast: P and all the kids: Organic Toasted O's with almond milk and a touch of maple syrup mixed in, me and the girls: 1/2 sprouted wheat English Muffin with pb&j on it
Let's hope tomorrow's meal is much better than tonight's. It shouldn't be too hard to surpass Yuck-o! Maybe cheese-less homemade pizza or vegan meatloaf.
The other day, whilst rearranging my kitchen (I moved the pots and pans to the closet and the food to the lazy susan- best. move. ever.), I came across a box of chocolate chamomile celestial seasonings tea. On the inside cover, there was a recipe for chamomile cauliflower soup. I'm adventurous. It's a vegan recipe. I have all the ingredients. How could it get more perfect?
I'll tell you...it could taste good. Here's the recipe, in a nutshell:
With 3 cups of water and 6 tea bags, make tea for 5 minutes. Cook a head of cauliflower in it. In another pan, saute 2 ribs of celery and 1/4 cup of onion until they're soft. Blend all the veggies with about a cup of tea.
It tastes like tea with a thick texture. I called each of the kids in so that they could taste it, to see how we could make it better. We added salt and pepper. Still blah. Then, I got this idea. P is British. He loves tea with sugar and milk in it. How about giving that a try? I added 3 packets of Truvia and some almond milk. I thought that just might make it palatable to the kids.
I pulled the freshly baked bread from the oven and dipped it in the soup. All 4 of my walking family dipped the bread in the soup. All 4 turned their noses up. C said, "ummm...no. I no yike that. Its yuck."
I guess that there will be some mistakes and fails when it comes to finding yummy plant-strong food to feed my family. I just hate that it costs me time and money. Blah!
Dinner? Kids: raw carrots and pb&j mommy: panini with hummus, cucumber, arugula, spring mix, tomatoes, mustard, avocado P: well, he got full off of our freshly baked cinnamon raisin bread
Lunch: we just snacked today on fruit...bananas and clementines
Breakfast: P and all the kids: Organic Toasted O's with almond milk and a touch of maple syrup mixed in, me and the girls: 1/2 sprouted wheat English Muffin with pb&j on it
Let's hope tomorrow's meal is much better than tonight's. It shouldn't be too hard to surpass Yuck-o! Maybe cheese-less homemade pizza or vegan meatloaf.
Chance run ins...
Wednesday can be summed up in 1 phrase: chance run ins. It was a very frazzling day. One that made me want to jump off a cliff and shove ice cream and chips down my throat as fast as I could. Yes, I'm an emotional eater, and I know it.
I had to do 2 big errands with 5 kids that seemed to be more interested in running around than behaving. Then, while L was in time out, he laid down on his bed and broke the frames to his glasses. Let's just say, this momma was not happy.
But, some good things came out of yesterday: peace and a healthy dinner.
1. My buddy is no longer at my gym. Instead, she's gone back to the Y. C is destroyed because she doesn't get to play with Grace anymore. I'm sad because I won't see as much of my wonderful friend. In my mopey mood, I went to the arc trainer, thinking I'd just blah through my workout. That's when I met this lovely woman next to me. We struck up conversation about weight loss, losing our motivation to workout, and then, suffering a loss. She told me about her guilt associated with the death of her mother and the sadness that grips her heart. I shared the loss of my brother with her, and how I, too, was blanketed in guilt. If you've suffered a loss, you know what I'm talking about. The "what-if's," the "I should've' s," and the "if only's."
I revisited my journey of healing, one that I am still on, and shared with her the things that helped me, including T.A.P.S. and have a network of friends that understand. I shared with her things that my friend, Karen shared with me. After all, I think it was her words that helped me to focus on healing.
It was nice to be able to share with the lady next to me and to be able to listen to her, to be her shoulder for that 30 minutes. It helped to make me feel a little grounded, well, at least until the boys were picked up from school...eek!
2. My other chance run in was not so much by chance, as I guess it could have been expected. After returning from the pharmacy and Sam's club, I decided to pull dinner out of the freezer. I have been putting large quantity leftovers in the fridge for a couple of weeks now, but never quite figured out how/when I was going to use them. After being so frazzled, I figured now was as good a time as any. So, I pulled out some veggie patties and potato leek soup and threw them on the counter to defrost. Then, all heck broke loose, glasses broke, J had to go to dance, and the other 3 kids and I had to try to get L's glasses fixed (unsuccessfully). I was just about to break down and get Chinese or a cheese-less pizza when a friend refocused me.
While picking J up from dance, Melissa says, "What's for dinner tonight? I saw your blog. Its quite an undertaking. At least your kids are pretty good eaters, they eat a lot of different things." Okay, I'm paraphrasing, but you get it. I didn't have it in me to say, "well, I suck, I'm going to feed my kids fast food tonight, and there's no way I'm blogging about that!" It reminded me that I did pull dinner out; a healthy, plant-strong meal that would cost me no extra $$ this evening. SO glad I ran into her. I'm even happier she asked! Thanks, Melissa!
----------
Today's meals~
Breakfast: oatmeal with bananas and cinnamon
Lunch: whole wheat panini with hummus, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, spring mix and spicy mustard for me, pb&J and carrots for the kids
Dinner: veggie burgers, potato/leek soup for everyone (even little Q), plus a green salad for me
I had to do 2 big errands with 5 kids that seemed to be more interested in running around than behaving. Then, while L was in time out, he laid down on his bed and broke the frames to his glasses. Let's just say, this momma was not happy.
But, some good things came out of yesterday: peace and a healthy dinner.
1. My buddy is no longer at my gym. Instead, she's gone back to the Y. C is destroyed because she doesn't get to play with Grace anymore. I'm sad because I won't see as much of my wonderful friend. In my mopey mood, I went to the arc trainer, thinking I'd just blah through my workout. That's when I met this lovely woman next to me. We struck up conversation about weight loss, losing our motivation to workout, and then, suffering a loss. She told me about her guilt associated with the death of her mother and the sadness that grips her heart. I shared the loss of my brother with her, and how I, too, was blanketed in guilt. If you've suffered a loss, you know what I'm talking about. The "what-if's," the "I should've' s," and the "if only's."
I revisited my journey of healing, one that I am still on, and shared with her the things that helped me, including T.A.P.S. and have a network of friends that understand. I shared with her things that my friend, Karen shared with me. After all, I think it was her words that helped me to focus on healing.
It was nice to be able to share with the lady next to me and to be able to listen to her, to be her shoulder for that 30 minutes. It helped to make me feel a little grounded, well, at least until the boys were picked up from school...eek!
2. My other chance run in was not so much by chance, as I guess it could have been expected. After returning from the pharmacy and Sam's club, I decided to pull dinner out of the freezer. I have been putting large quantity leftovers in the fridge for a couple of weeks now, but never quite figured out how/when I was going to use them. After being so frazzled, I figured now was as good a time as any. So, I pulled out some veggie patties and potato leek soup and threw them on the counter to defrost. Then, all heck broke loose, glasses broke, J had to go to dance, and the other 3 kids and I had to try to get L's glasses fixed (unsuccessfully). I was just about to break down and get Chinese or a cheese-less pizza when a friend refocused me.
While picking J up from dance, Melissa says, "What's for dinner tonight? I saw your blog. Its quite an undertaking. At least your kids are pretty good eaters, they eat a lot of different things." Okay, I'm paraphrasing, but you get it. I didn't have it in me to say, "well, I suck, I'm going to feed my kids fast food tonight, and there's no way I'm blogging about that!" It reminded me that I did pull dinner out; a healthy, plant-strong meal that would cost me no extra $$ this evening. SO glad I ran into her. I'm even happier she asked! Thanks, Melissa!
----------
Today's meals~
Breakfast: oatmeal with bananas and cinnamon
Lunch: whole wheat panini with hummus, arugula, tomatoes, cucumbers, spring mix and spicy mustard for me, pb&J and carrots for the kids
Dinner: veggie burgers, potato/leek soup for everyone (even little Q), plus a green salad for me
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Recipe: Black bean Mexican "Sloup"
Have you ever set out to make dinner with a grand master plan? Alright. Tonight, I am going to make a black bean and corn soup with some potato and spinach balls. Fast forward several hours later, post visit to the park on this beautiful spring-like winter day, when I realized, "oh crap! It's 5pm!"
Don't you just love it? There is nothing you can do, you can't turn the clock back, you just have to suck it up and throw dinner together.
I promised L last night, that I would make soup for dinner. He really is a soup nut. Instead, I opted for a quicker spaghetti frittata. It was super quick, boil pasta, mix in canned pumpkin puree, basil, oregano, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese (okay, its not vegan, but it needed the cheese), then throw it under the broiler after the bottom browns on the stove. Quick and easy. Everyone loved it. But, L was bummed it wasn't soup.
Tonight, the plan was a Mexican inspired black bean and corn soup. In my rush though, I forgot to cook my sprouted black beans, so after quite the length of time, boiling them with the veggies, I realized I had made a mistake. What to do now? I considered picking out all of the beans, so I could microwave them, thinking that might do the trick. I considered letting everyone eat them raw, sucking it up.
I decided to finally use my immersion blender to puree the beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes and green chilies to make the beans smaller. That helped them cook a whole lot quicker. Now, though, I had this mush, instead of soup. I added some cumin, about 1/3 a bag of frozen spinach (just because I had it), and 1/3 of a bag of frozen corn. Now, it really looked like mush.
Oh, and a great benefit to blending the soup? The kids didn't complain that there were red peppers or tomatoes in there soup. We always get those complaints/cries. Today, it was just the mushy appearance of it.
L was destroyed because I said it was going to be soup and it didn't look like it at all. We topped it with cilantro, avocado and lime juice. And, when the kids finally agreed to try it, they loved it! Score! P even thought it was good.
In the end, it was a successful last minute meal. I'm calling it Black Bean Mexican Sloup because instead of looking like soup, it looked like slop. Good thing it tasted better. And, L decided that he is no longer going to look at his food before he tries it, instead, he's going to close his eyes and take a bite to determine if its worthy of his belly. Goodness! Love that boy!
Recipe for Black Bean Mexican Sloup (you may want to serve this over rice)
Ingredients:
2 cups of sprouted black beans, cooked
2 carrots, sliced thin
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 boxes of stock
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 can diced tomatoes, the regular size
1 small can of diced green chilies
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups organic corn (do me a favor and use organic when it comes to corn and eat it as God intended. It really is so much better!)
Garnish with: fresh cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, sour cream and cheese (if not vegan)
Directions:
1. Throw all items into a pot, up to the green chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer until veggies are soft.
2. Use immersion blender to puree.
3. Add frozen spinach and corn. Bring back to boil and cook until warm.
4. Serve with several garnish options.
Don't you just love it? There is nothing you can do, you can't turn the clock back, you just have to suck it up and throw dinner together.
I promised L last night, that I would make soup for dinner. He really is a soup nut. Instead, I opted for a quicker spaghetti frittata. It was super quick, boil pasta, mix in canned pumpkin puree, basil, oregano, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese (okay, its not vegan, but it needed the cheese), then throw it under the broiler after the bottom browns on the stove. Quick and easy. Everyone loved it. But, L was bummed it wasn't soup.
Tonight, the plan was a Mexican inspired black bean and corn soup. In my rush though, I forgot to cook my sprouted black beans, so after quite the length of time, boiling them with the veggies, I realized I had made a mistake. What to do now? I considered picking out all of the beans, so I could microwave them, thinking that might do the trick. I considered letting everyone eat them raw, sucking it up.
I decided to finally use my immersion blender to puree the beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes and green chilies to make the beans smaller. That helped them cook a whole lot quicker. Now, though, I had this mush, instead of soup. I added some cumin, about 1/3 a bag of frozen spinach (just because I had it), and 1/3 of a bag of frozen corn. Now, it really looked like mush.
Oh, and a great benefit to blending the soup? The kids didn't complain that there were red peppers or tomatoes in there soup. We always get those complaints/cries. Today, it was just the mushy appearance of it.
L was destroyed because I said it was going to be soup and it didn't look like it at all. We topped it with cilantro, avocado and lime juice. And, when the kids finally agreed to try it, they loved it! Score! P even thought it was good.
In the end, it was a successful last minute meal. I'm calling it Black Bean Mexican Sloup because instead of looking like soup, it looked like slop. Good thing it tasted better. And, L decided that he is no longer going to look at his food before he tries it, instead, he's going to close his eyes and take a bite to determine if its worthy of his belly. Goodness! Love that boy!
Recipe for Black Bean Mexican Sloup (you may want to serve this over rice)
Ingredients:
2 cups of sprouted black beans, cooked
2 carrots, sliced thin
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 boxes of stock
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 can diced tomatoes, the regular size
1 small can of diced green chilies
1 1/2 cups chopped spinach
1 1/2 cups organic corn (do me a favor and use organic when it comes to corn and eat it as God intended. It really is so much better!)
Garnish with: fresh cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, sour cream and cheese (if not vegan)
Directions:
1. Throw all items into a pot, up to the green chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer until veggies are soft.
2. Use immersion blender to puree.
3. Add frozen spinach and corn. Bring back to boil and cook until warm.
4. Serve with several garnish options.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Making our food more Digestible
Ever heard that eating healthy is expensive? IT IS! Holy hannah! In an effort to save money, I started looking into beans. Not only are they inexpensive dry, but they are a great substitute for meat.
PROBLEM! Sorry, but I have to say it. Beans make our home one stinky place. Oh. My. Goodness. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate any further.
Briefly, our bodies have a hard time breaking beans down. They get stuck in our intestines where they begin to ferment, causing a build up of gas which we release. Not good.
One way to combat this is to sprout your beans. Essentially, you allow the bean to sprout, to grow another bean before you eat it. For more information, click here. Basically, you soak the item over night, then you rinse and keep damp for the next 1-3 days, rinsing once every 12 hours, until the little sprouts form. Its pretty easy. To date, I've sprouted brown rice, chickpeas, black beans, oats and lentils (I think).
Do they taste different? I'd be lying if I said no, but not too noticeable. Does it help with the fermentation? Yes. Yes, it does. I defiantly have noticed when I've eaten canned beans, as opposed to sprouted beans.
When I was reading about sprouting, I also read that you should soak your nuts, too. Okay, are you done giggling? hee hee. Get your mind out of the gutter. The other day, I decided to do just that and soaked our raw almonds over night. After soaking, I dehydrated them in our oven. Yum! These tasted so much better than unsoaked almonds. The flavor was more developed and they weren't as mushy, if you could describe a nut that way. Okay, I think I should just call this topic done. Eek! hahaha
I'm interested in whether or not anyone else sprouts/soaks their foods to improve digestibility. Does it work for your family?
PROBLEM! Sorry, but I have to say it. Beans make our home one stinky place. Oh. My. Goodness. I'm sure I don't need to elaborate any further.
Briefly, our bodies have a hard time breaking beans down. They get stuck in our intestines where they begin to ferment, causing a build up of gas which we release. Not good.
One way to combat this is to sprout your beans. Essentially, you allow the bean to sprout, to grow another bean before you eat it. For more information, click here. Basically, you soak the item over night, then you rinse and keep damp for the next 1-3 days, rinsing once every 12 hours, until the little sprouts form. Its pretty easy. To date, I've sprouted brown rice, chickpeas, black beans, oats and lentils (I think).
Do they taste different? I'd be lying if I said no, but not too noticeable. Does it help with the fermentation? Yes. Yes, it does. I defiantly have noticed when I've eaten canned beans, as opposed to sprouted beans.
When I was reading about sprouting, I also read that you should soak your nuts, too. Okay, are you done giggling? hee hee. Get your mind out of the gutter. The other day, I decided to do just that and soaked our raw almonds over night. After soaking, I dehydrated them in our oven. Yum! These tasted so much better than unsoaked almonds. The flavor was more developed and they weren't as mushy, if you could describe a nut that way. Okay, I think I should just call this topic done. Eek! hahaha
I'm interested in whether or not anyone else sprouts/soaks their foods to improve digestibility. Does it work for your family?
Vegan Experimentation ~ Fighting Fatty McFatFat
Obesity is a problem in our country. We hear it all the time. The solution? Get moving. Yep. That's it. Congress, the schools and the 1st Lady all tell us that we need to exercise each day. I've done it. I've done it and felt great. I've loved it. But, I've learned a lot. The most important thing: It doesn't really help you lose weight if you are still eating crap.
That's right! Weight loss is more what and how much you eat than your workout ethic. I exercised for 5 months and dropped 2 pounds. That's it.
This time around, I've decided to focus on our food first, partly because I know it works and mostly because I'm a little bit lazy right now. In the last 3-4 weeks, I have lost 6 1/2 pounds. That's not tons, but I'm trying to lose weight responsibly, since I am still breastfeeding. Also, I've been kind of lazy and had a few fat girl days where I've enjoyed way too many of the sweets.
Here are a couple of great recipes that P, the kids and I have tried and really enjoyed. These are all easy things that you would probably have in your house any given week.
Vegan French Toast (adapted from the Engine 2 Diet)
Ingredients: Banana (mashed), Cinnamon, Vanilla, Almond Milk, Whole Wheat Bread
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a pie plan, dip bread in the mixture, cook on griddle pan.
Vegan Lemon Blueberry French Toast
add the zest and juice of a lemon and a handful of mashed blueberries to the above recipe
Veggie Latkes
Ingredients: 1/2 head of small cabbage, 2 carrots, 2 scallions, 2 potatoes, ground flax seed, water, flour, garlic powder, ground hot red pepper, salt, pepper
Directions: Mix 3 Tbsp. ground flax seed and 9 Tbsp water. Set aside until it gels. In the food processor, shred the cabbage, potatoes and carrots. Drain as much water from them as possible. Season with spices and add diced scallions, flax goop and approx. 5 Tbsp of flour. The flour is kind of there to suck up the water and the flax seed acts as an egg to help keep them together. Put mounds in a hot skillet, cover and cook on both sides for about 8 minutes total.
Variation: I added some left over mashed sweet potato and it was delicious!
Serve with an Asian flavored sauce (soy, rice vinegar and ginger) or even just ketchup.
P's Stir Fry
Ingredients: 2 packages of Shirataki Tofu noodles, cabbage (bok choy is a yummy choice), mushrooms, carrots, red bell peppers, edamame, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar
Directions: Cook all veggies until desired softness, add rinsed noodles, 1 part soy sauce, 2 parts vinegar, and freshly grated ginger (to taste).
Sprouted Hummus
Ingredients: 2 cups of cooked sprouted chickpeas, 1/4 cup tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 1 roasted red pepper, 1 big bulb roasted garlic, 1 small onion (caramelized), salt to taste
Directions: Throw all ingredients in a food processor and process until desired texture
Veggie Panini
Ingredients: whole wheat bread, spinach, tomatoes, spicy mustard, salad blend (I like the herb blend from Olivia's Organics), hummus, marinated artichokes
Directions: Spread generous amount of hummus on both slices of bread, pile the veggies high in between the 2 slices, put on a griddle pan and put something really heavy on top of the sandwich and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Dip in mustard, if desired.
Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients: Frozen bananas, dark chocolate chips (if you are having a craving)
Directions: Place ingredient(s) in blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Homemade Pizza
Ingredients: Homemade pizza dough, tomato sauce (seasoned with basil, oregano, garlic, onion) or coconut curry sauce, spinach, artichokes, black olives, garlic, any other veggies of choice, cheese (if desired)
Directions: Top the pizza dough with a generous helping of sauce, especially if you aren't using cheese, add veggies and bake according to the pizza dough instructions.
We've had a lot of trials with this whole vegetarian/vegan/plant strong diet that we've been working on. Some foods have been harder to give up than others, like hot dogs for P and the kids, and cheese. Cheese and milk. I've been more successful than the rest of the family, but probably because my true struggle is sweets...chocolate and sugar, in general. I've never been huge on meat, and the cheese/milk urge has pretty much been decreased immensely by the documentary, Forks Over Knives.
P has been doing really well, but admits that he doesn't think he'll ever be able to give up milk. That's understandable, he's been drinking milk in his tea since he was a wee lad in jolly ol' England. hee hee
I'm looking forward to trying some more veggie dishes, continued weight loss and some increased success and motivation on the exercise front. Stay tuned!
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