On the Mend with Good Food
My health has been deteriorating consistently since my last doctor visit a month ago. My new specialist (for a little more than a year now) decided to attempt to simplify my myriad of medications. Some medications were eliminated while others were increased. He sort of consolidated similar medications while eliminating one or two he felt might be unnecessary and added one medication that he felt might help.
These changes did slightly simplify my four daily doses of medications but, unfortunately, my health has been in serious decline since my last visit a month ago.
I was getting more and more groggy, exhausted and weakened with each passing day. I was spending more and more time in the bathroom sick (no more needs to be said about that here). I was dizzy and I wasn't thinking clearly. Oddly, even though I was overwhelmingly groggy, I was feeling exceptionally restless. I was groggy, exhausted and restless all at the same time. I slept... a lot... and still couldn't get near enough sleep.
By the time this past weekend rolled around, I couldn't accomplish anything other than showering every few days and making meals for Sheila and myself. My hair was getting shaggy which, for me, is unheard of unless something gravely serious is keeping me from haircuts. By the past week, I was getting out of bed only to use the bathroom and then immediately wanted to head back to bed. Standing on my feet was exhausting and I was a bit dizzy while standing.
It wasn't until this past Monday morning, when I got up to use the bathroom the first thing in the morning and then felt it necessary to go right back to bed that it dawned on me that perhaps one of the changes to my medications is causing this significant decline in health. I was beginning to connect the dots to a medication problem.
When I look back on all of this timeframe with the new medication plan, I can clearly see that my health has been in decline consistently throughout this time. Mostly, however, it has only been the last 30 days which were grueling and I was now seeing that my health was in significant decline worsening each and every day since that last doctor visit. I don't think there was a single "fair" day in those previous 30 days.
My health was near its lowest, ever, this past Monday morning. As I was sorting out my morning dose of medications and struggling to keep my eyes open, I immediately made a command decision... I stopped taking a drug we had added 120 days ago and went back to taking a drug we had cut out of my list of medications. There was something deep inside me telling me that this was the medication change that had caused this significant deterioration in my health. I have always believed in listening to my body and my body was gasping for attention and trying to tell me something important at this point.
Within a day of changing my medications back, I was feeling significantly better than a couple of days prior. I was still unable to wander far from a bathroom but I was gaining more energy. Even that restless feeling was fading. The dizziness was fading too and I was feeling more sure on my feet. I was actually feeling better by the hour. That was a good sign.
This evening I am feeling okay... stable, anyway. I am in no way feeling "good" but I feel as though I am on the mend... slowly but surely.
So, as I mentioned above, I haven't had much energy for much more than cooking and showering each day. I haven't even been able to wander more than a few feet from the bathroom. As always, however, I've continued to do the daily cooking since I do need to eat.
Standing at the kitchen sink while cleaning up meals is excruciatingly painful on my spinal injuries so Sheila picks up the slack there while I prepare and cook all the meals. It works out well for us.
Now... on to the good things of this past month...
Over the past month, the only highlights to each day were some of the meals I prepared so here are just a few photos of recent meals...
Tonight, I made Eggplant Parmigiana with Fettuccine and tomato sauce... it was delicious and I ate far too much! The eggplant was firm and the sauce was tasty...
We had a salad with our dinner tonight too... I make my own house Honey Italian dressing so I am always happy with that....
Back a few nights ago, I made a summer-y meal... I fired up our snow covered grill and made some Grilled Herb Pork Chops with Broccoli and Grape Tomatoes and hand-cut French Fries... I can eat that broccoli and tomato dish all day long!
One Sunday morning, I felt like something small but different. I came up with making an Eggs Benedict Sandwich... that was good too but I could have used a bit of my Home Fries on the side...
I'm hoping my health now continues on its trend of mending. If it doesn't, then I suppose the problem was not the change in medications. That being said, I'm quite certain that one of those new medications did not agree with me on a long-term basis so I do expect to continue to improve over the next week or two since I've now completely eliminated that one drug from my long list of medications. (And, I'm again taking a drug in its place which we had removed from my medications.)
I'm looking forward to having a few fairly productive days with some energy... soon!
Oh... and I cut my hair this evening which is a sign that I am beginning to feel better!
These changes did slightly simplify my four daily doses of medications but, unfortunately, my health has been in serious decline since my last visit a month ago.
I was getting more and more groggy, exhausted and weakened with each passing day. I was spending more and more time in the bathroom sick (no more needs to be said about that here). I was dizzy and I wasn't thinking clearly. Oddly, even though I was overwhelmingly groggy, I was feeling exceptionally restless. I was groggy, exhausted and restless all at the same time. I slept... a lot... and still couldn't get near enough sleep.
By the time this past weekend rolled around, I couldn't accomplish anything other than showering every few days and making meals for Sheila and myself. My hair was getting shaggy which, for me, is unheard of unless something gravely serious is keeping me from haircuts. By the past week, I was getting out of bed only to use the bathroom and then immediately wanted to head back to bed. Standing on my feet was exhausting and I was a bit dizzy while standing.
It wasn't until this past Monday morning, when I got up to use the bathroom the first thing in the morning and then felt it necessary to go right back to bed that it dawned on me that perhaps one of the changes to my medications is causing this significant decline in health. I was beginning to connect the dots to a medication problem.
When I look back on all of this timeframe with the new medication plan, I can clearly see that my health has been in decline consistently throughout this time. Mostly, however, it has only been the last 30 days which were grueling and I was now seeing that my health was in significant decline worsening each and every day since that last doctor visit. I don't think there was a single "fair" day in those previous 30 days.
My health was near its lowest, ever, this past Monday morning. As I was sorting out my morning dose of medications and struggling to keep my eyes open, I immediately made a command decision... I stopped taking a drug we had added 120 days ago and went back to taking a drug we had cut out of my list of medications. There was something deep inside me telling me that this was the medication change that had caused this significant deterioration in my health. I have always believed in listening to my body and my body was gasping for attention and trying to tell me something important at this point.
Within a day of changing my medications back, I was feeling significantly better than a couple of days prior. I was still unable to wander far from a bathroom but I was gaining more energy. Even that restless feeling was fading. The dizziness was fading too and I was feeling more sure on my feet. I was actually feeling better by the hour. That was a good sign.
This evening I am feeling okay... stable, anyway. I am in no way feeling "good" but I feel as though I am on the mend... slowly but surely.
So, as I mentioned above, I haven't had much energy for much more than cooking and showering each day. I haven't even been able to wander more than a few feet from the bathroom. As always, however, I've continued to do the daily cooking since I do need to eat.
Standing at the kitchen sink while cleaning up meals is excruciatingly painful on my spinal injuries so Sheila picks up the slack there while I prepare and cook all the meals. It works out well for us.
Now... on to the good things of this past month...
Over the past month, the only highlights to each day were some of the meals I prepared so here are just a few photos of recent meals...
Tonight, I made Eggplant Parmigiana with Fettuccine and tomato sauce... it was delicious and I ate far too much! The eggplant was firm and the sauce was tasty...
We had a salad with our dinner tonight too... I make my own house Honey Italian dressing so I am always happy with that....
Back a few nights ago, I made a summer-y meal... I fired up our snow covered grill and made some Grilled Herb Pork Chops with Broccoli and Grape Tomatoes and hand-cut French Fries... I can eat that broccoli and tomato dish all day long!
One Sunday morning, I felt like something small but different. I came up with making an Eggs Benedict Sandwich... that was good too but I could have used a bit of my Home Fries on the side...
I'm hoping my health now continues on its trend of mending. If it doesn't, then I suppose the problem was not the change in medications. That being said, I'm quite certain that one of those new medications did not agree with me on a long-term basis so I do expect to continue to improve over the next week or two since I've now completely eliminated that one drug from my long list of medications. (And, I'm again taking a drug in its place which we had removed from my medications.)
I'm looking forward to having a few fairly productive days with some energy... soon!
Oh... and I cut my hair this evening which is a sign that I am beginning to feel better!
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