I got an email from Karen today, and she is home from the hospital! Yeah!

Hi CC

Thank you for letting us know. I just logged on and the first thing I was looking for was a post from Karen! I have been thinking of her all day. Let's hope she makes a speedy recovering and can start posting again.

Margaret

Yes, I hope so, too!

I got an email from her, she was on the website, but she saw so many posts, that I think it overwhelmed her. I just told her to jump in rather than try to catch up.

Karen, glad to hear you're home again! :-)

Hi, Everyone! Thank you so much for your well wishes! I'm feeling so much better, but not quite up to par yet ... I'm still quite tired since I got very little rest while in the hospital - there is always someone in the room doing something!

I got ill very suddenly on Wednesday afternoon. I knew something wasn't right when I couldn't finish breakfast or lunch without it coming back up in my throat, but I felt good. Then I started feeling like I was catching a cold in the afternoon. It went straight to pneumonia. I was admitted into the hospital at 2:00 a.m. on Thursday and got home on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. central time (just in time to watch the inauguration!).

I know I probably gained weight while there since I had two IVs going the whole time, but I'm not worried about it. I'm sure it will come off. Also, the food they served me is unreal ... deep fried chicken legs, deep fried fish sticks, mac and cheese, ham and cheese sandwich, slice of beef with mashed potatoes and gravy on top, etc. It looked good and smelled good, but very unhealthy. Imagine that being served in a hospital!!! I wouldn't eat it, so they brought me broth and sugar-free pudding. It was okay since I wasn't very hungry and didn't feel like eating anyway. Finally, starting with Saturday's dinner, I had my provider bring me Zone meals so that I didn't get too OOZ.

Thank you, CC, for letting everyone know that I was okay. I missed our support group and the forum! I was surprised when my provider told me people were asking about me ... it warmed my heart!

Again, thanks for all your well wishes!

Karen, glad to have you back!

I can tell you that I often struggle with hospital meals, and so I generally NEVER eat lunch in the cafeteria. I always bring my own. I have seen the selections here, and it sounds very familiar to yours.

Hope you get more rest!

Thanks, CC! It's GREAT to be back!

Welcome back Karen!

Everyone was worried about you so it is good hear that you are home and on the mend.

I cant believe that a hospital would be serving up anything fried.

Margaret

welcome back Karen! glad to see your feeling better!

Welcome back Karen!

Glad your provider is taking good care of you. Get plenty of rest!

Thank you, Margaret, Kristen and Sue! It's great to be home! I'm getting lots of rest NOW! LOL! Yea, Margaret, can you believe a hospital serving that kind of food? Totally blew my mind. They gave me a menu to choose from every day, but they didn't give me what I ordered at all - just ignored it. Even my doctor wrote gluten-free on my restrictions - didn't listen to her either or else they didn't know what gluten-free meant! Anyway, I was glad my provider brought me my meals for Saturday dinner, all meals/snacks on Sunday and Monday, and breakfast on Tuesday.

Thanks, again, for your well wishes.

Karen - so glad you are back. tell me about hospital meals. Last Nov, I was in for surgery. My first meal consisted of nothing but sugar. A can of soda, jello, tea with sugar on the side. Next meal more soda and other sugar items. I told them, I don't eat sugar. Finally I got a cup of herbal tea and a banana. Not the best, but far better than the other. I finally got on the phone with dietary and said, I don't eat sugar. They still kept sending it, like my first almost real meal, still had jello and a peice of pie. Could not wait to get home. I wasn't even zonning then and it was still terrible from a health perspective. I'm glad your provider could help you out. But most of all I'm happy you are back.

Thanks, again, sue! I can't quite let the food served go yet. I did write a complaint on the exiting form. I think I will write a letter to the director of the hospital. It's a darn shame that you can't get healthy food in a hospital! They do give you options for a "healthier" meal, but you don't get it!!! Hopefully, I will get my frustrations out in the letter. LOL!

sue, I work in a hospital (don't know if you knew that). Same thing happens there, except that I don't think that they would have ignored the gluten free order from the doctor.

The dieticians don't get it. They think of corn and potatoes as vegetables, whereas we zoners would classify as a starch. I would put corn in a grain category!

Hi CC

I cant stop thinking about Karen!!! Is she ok? Does she think she will join us again on the forum?

I have also been thinking about sue ..... she and Karen have been great contributors to this forum - I miss them both .....

Hi, Margaret! Somehow missed this post yesterday.

I have been chatting with Karen via email. She is very busy and under a bit of stress lately. But, she is hanging in there.

Hi CC

Thanks. When I didnt see a post from you I was thinking something had happened to Karen! I hope she is going to come back to the forum soon.

Hi, Margaret! Thanks so much for asking about me ... CC let me know you asked about me. It makes me feel good that I've been missed. Happy face! I wish I had your e-mail address so I didn't have to tell you everything on forum (I'm sure not everyone wants to know); but I don't, so I will. LOL! I haven't been on the forum because I've been so busy dealing with my mom and other issues that I'm just plain worn out and, frankly, getting depressed. I'm usually a very happy, optimistic, upbeat person, but the challenges I've been facing this year have taken their toll on me. Here is what's been happening in my life.

My mom wants me to come over all the time. I've been going over about five days a week. As much as I love to see her, it's difficult for me and I get worn out. BUT, I will do whatever I can to make her happy. She is doing better, but we still know she doesn't have that much time left ... not unless something changes with her heart, which is unlikely since she is not a candidate for surgery. My brother came down this week, so I'm getting a little bit of a break. He goes back on Friday, and she already called today wanting me to come over Friday afternoon, which I will. So, it's going to be an ongoing thing for a while.

During this time, I had to find a new provider because my old provider is having a difficult pregnancy ... it looks like she will be on bed rest for the next seven months. Anyway it takes a lot of time and energy "breaking in" a new provider, and it is stressful to me. I'm not real happy at the moment with the new provider about several things, but especially regarding her cooking. I tell her how much protein, carbs, fat, but she is still cooking her way ... way too much oil and protein and not enough carbs. We've had several talks, but she is not grasping it. I'll give her one more week and if she doesn't change, then I'll have to find someone new. I'm telling her that tomorrow. I hate those kinds of talks! Wish me luck!

Also, I'm not feeling very well right now because I've had to cut back on my medicines. I've depleted my health savings account, which is what I paid my medicines with. I'm getting as much help as I can with the pharmaceutical companies right now, but my medicines are expensive ... over $4,000 month without any help. Of course, my health insurance pays 80%, but the new year for insurance started on 3/1/09 and I have to pay 100% until I meet my deductible. I'm on a waiting list for government assistance with my medicines, but that takes a while. The next few months will be a challenge, but I'm sure I'll get through it.

There have been a couple other small things lately, but the huge new stress is my niece Jenny, whom I love very much. I've mentioned it on another thread about how she has a malignant brain tumor ... glioblastoma multiforme grade IV. She had two surgeries last year, and my last update was that she is doing extremely well per her MRI on 12/1/08. Everything was looking so bright and optimistic! Well, Jenny recently had another MRI and the optimism is now gone ... she has developed a new tumor. The doctors say it is very grim because this tumor developed while she was undergoing chemo and Avistin treatments (she finished her radiation treatments last year). Her last Avistin treatment was on 2/23/09, and they can't do anything for two weeks after the treatment. So, on Monday, 3/9/09, she will undergo her third surgery. FYI, rarely is there a fourth surgery. I do have one blessing though. Since my mom and I can't travel, my sister has gotten Jenny's doctor's approval to let Jenny come visit us down here. They already had airline tickets for 3/22/09, and the doctor says Jenny should still be able to come. It'll be a bitter/sweet visit, but one I'll be forever grateful for. They will be here for my mom's birthday on 3/24/09 ... she will be 87. We'll make it as festive as possible. Party on! LOL!

So, what I thought was going to be a GREAT 2009 has been anything but great so far. I guess my first clue should have been with me getting pneumonia right off the bat! It has just been one stress after another, which just makes my condition worse. I guess God is trying to make me stronger for when I need to pull strength from within. Okay, I get it! FYI, God, I don't think I need anything else to make me stronger! LOL!

On a bright note, I am going to be a great aunt again this month. I have two great nephews (just adorable as they can be!), and now I will have a great niece. My family really needs this miracle child! She is going to be sooo spoiled ... first grandchild on both sides of the family! We can't wait to see what she looks like. My nephew is very light skinned with white blond hair with blue eyes and his wife is darker skinned (olive) with black hair and dark brown eyes.

Margaret, I haven't had a chance to read the other postings. How have you been?

OMG Karen - it is soo great to hear from you. I feel guilty now for bugging CC asking you how you were.

I knew you would be pretty busy with your mum but am so sad to hear about all your other problems.

I am at work now so is a bit hard to write a long reply.

Hang in there. I must admit I have missed your posts as they were so full of information and really enjoyed reading them. I wont bug CC anymore so you wont get any pressure from me.

Not sure if you saw a link I sent you re natural ways of helping arthritis etc - the link is www.philalexander.com.au - this might help a little if your health savings have depleted. Your health system is very different from ours.

The talk with your provider has to be done. You have to be comfortable with her/him - especially with your meals which you had down pat before!

Regarding me .... well weight hasnt budged - measurements around waist havent budged but Sue and CC have been helping. I still have to be determined as I cant put anymore weight on. Would you believe that thing with my sister is still going!! We havent spoken but my mum keeps me up to date. It is my sister's birthday on 11 March so I will send her a card. My mum rang last night and my sister called out for her to ask me something so maybe things are ok on her side .... My husband said the card will break the ice. I would feel awful if I didnt acknowledge her birthday.

My mum is having a colonoscopy on your mum's birthday! I have been worried about this as some of the samples she provided had blood in them. She is bright and happy so hopefully it is something like polyps.

All the best Karen and look after yourself. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Margaret

Margaret, don't feel bad about "bugging me"! I didn't feel "bugged" at all. My main concern was that I didn't want to overstep my bounds and say something that perhaps Karen wanted to keep private.

Karen, all I can say is "hang in there". You definitely have a lot on your plate! I wish I could come down there and do something for you! (the weather would be nice, too)...

Get that provider straightened out! She needs to learn how to cook that steel cut oatmeal! Hey, wouldn't it be neat if you were able to teach her about the healthful benefits of the Zone?

Karen - oh my, just re-found this thread. I'm so sorry to hear all that has been going on in your life. The stress is really something. If you get a chance check out this link beinhealth.com My SIL's FIL went to the conference. It helped him tremendously. We are not working through the companion book A More Excellent Way. You seem my DH was dx with ALS July of 07. We feel this is the best way to deal with that disease. We are seeing progress. God is so good. Take care my friend, you are in my prayers.

Hi CC

Any word from Karen? Was just wondering how she is going.

Margaret

Margaret, she has been busy lately but she is doing ok. I think she is busy with family this week, and so I haven't talked with her this week.

When we emailed last, we both mentioned you! She had said that if she had your email, she would write to you. If you want, you can send me an email and I can get you both connected. If not, that is fine too. I understand how sometimes we just like to keep things in the forum, without having any personal attachments.

Anyway, if you want, here is my email, and I can pass it to her:
cranberrycat@hotmail.com.

Hi CC

thanks for the offer. I will organise an email in the next day or so.

I will watch for that, but just FYI I am going to be away at a bowling tournament this weekend, so probably won't be able to check email until late Sunday night, unless I happen to have time to check tonight.