Archive | March, 2018

I Shouldn’t Worry

30 Mar

Well, the doctor’s appointment went well and I am scheduled for a Monday slot for the laparoscopy. My assumption that I would be admitted yesterday was off. After consulting with the O&G doctor on what’s ahead, I did a blood test and an ECG, necessary procedures before surgery.

I shouldn’t worry too much because this is not something unusual. Apparently, 176 million women worldwide are impacted by Endometriosis and I am just another percentage to the statistics if the laparoscopy confirms it. I should just focus on having a good weekend ahead.

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What Can I Eat? Part 2

29 Mar

It has been seven weeks since I last drank a cup of coffee or had a glass of alcohol. Yes, I am keeping track and I am very proud to say I have not had any withdrawal symptoms. In other words, the Infectious Colitis did me good in a good weird way, losing weight, shaping up and feeling lighter.

Although I cannot eat a whole lot of things for fear of a negative reaction and suffering the consequences later (remember the onions and turnips episode?), there were a couple of instances I could not resist chocolate.

I ate some several weeks ago and this was the only thing I caved in. I am okay skipping my cheeses, dairy, wheat, fried and spicy food but resistance to chocolate was futile. Sucker.

So when I discovered I could be having Endometriosis, suddenly the staples that I relied on (tofu, soy sauce, white bread, eggs and tuna) had to be eliminated, I was aghast. What can I eat then? The list of food to avoid is so long! Apparently, these food (plus beef and those to avoid for Colitis) do cause some imbalance and reaction. And the outcome is worse; sigh… so I better not chance it. And the chocolate indulgence has stopped too. But avoiding soy sauce is the hardest because of the food I am used to eating.

Two days ago, I stepped on the bathroom scale. Hmm… down another 0.5kg. It’s not that I am not eating, I am but small meals despite the limited choices. Honestly.

I rely on white meat to appease the protein urge. Vegetables and fruits have to be moderate, not excessive because I need to have the right balance. A high-fibre diet is bad for Infectious Colitis but good for Endometriosis while a low-fibre diet is bad for Endometriosis but good for Infectious Colitis. See the dilemma?

Coincidentally, the abdominal cramps struck last night albeit less intense due to the restrictive diet, so I am glad I am seeing my O&G doctor today at the hospital. Most likely I will be admitted for a laparoscopic surgery to get to the root of my problem. From there, we will then decide what course of action to take to resolve this once and for all.

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Battle of the Boxes

27 Mar

The one thing Hubby and I have been doing quite constantly is online shopping. Week in, week out, he’d buy something and I would too. Most of the time, he would buy air plants and I would buy things related to carving save for that one time, a toy for official pet number one and an accessory for M2.

I thought I topped it when my purchase of the workbench came in the biggest box ever. Until his purchase arrived a few days later.

An air-condition unit box. My… My… At 32” long, 18″ deep and a foot wide, what did he buy?

A staghorn fern! Gosh, I guess he won the battle of the boxes this time.

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Life is Short, Paint Your Toes

26 Mar

Out of the blue, I decided to pamper myself and have a pedicure done (something that I have never indulged before) instead of the usual facial treatment or body massage. And had the shock of my life.

The pedicure treatment cost an arm and a leg!!! My goodness. It was almost three times more than my haircut and my haircut is not cheap despite the style being short and plain, if you can even call the short crop a fashionable style. Then again if I had inquired about the cost beforehand, I wouldn’t do it.

Well, my toes look pretty now because life is short and one ought to paint their toes.

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Shaping Up

23 Mar

The carving experiments have taken shape and color! Citizen on a Tree is looking good despite the flat head. The flat head Gnome was painted much earlier and two nights ago, I finally painted up the Citizen.

These few days, carving has been slow because I had to work late, an unusual busy run which is good and I shouldn’t complain.

I hope this weekend, all the queued up pieces will take shape too. Can’t wait for the weekend.

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What Can I Eat?

22 Mar

So I went to the doctor last week to see what’s wrong with me experiencing the severe abdominal cramps again. The pain recurred a few weeks after completing the antibiotics for Infectious Colitis. And the symptoms are pointing towards a case of Endometriosis. Yay? Boo hoo hoo more like it.

If indeed it is Endometriosis, it’s not so much the pain I have to endure but suddenly learning the list of things I cannot eat has grown even longer! Double boo hoo hoo…

Coffee and alcohol remains on the list (am I surprised?), so are chocolate, dairy, beans, wheat-based, fried and spicy food. The list now includes red meat (there goes my steak urge!), fatty fishes (out goes the tuna too), soy-based food (like tofu and soy sauce), eggs and white bread!!! I was eating these things before learning it could be Endometriosis. Well, that does not leave me much choice.

Hmm… What can I eat? As it is, I have lost 3kgs (6.6lbs) the last six weeks already because the tummy has been very sensitive due to Colitis. Initially I gave myself until May 6, a three-month period to rest my innards from the problem but now with this new discovery (yet to be confirmed though), I may have to avoid more food for another stretch upon confirmation. I think I am looking at several more kilos to be shed. Oh my goodness.

It’s a tough balance because there’s two issues here. If I lean towards a diet to care for one problem, it may alleviate the other.

I am due for a follow up appointment next week. Stay tuned.

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Hammer Time

20 Mar

Last week, I had a short respite in the middle of the busy work week and escaped to the mall for a nice lunch with hubby. And after the meal, we took the opportunity to scout the place for a little bit. I am not quite the shopaholic for clothes and beauty stuff but I love browsing through the handyman aisles at the hardware store.

And I had to buy a hammer to use with my big chisel set! With all that supply of Meranti wood, I felt it was necessary to have a hammer to add on to my tools. Whee….hammer time!

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The School Holidays are Here

19 Mar

The week long school holidays are here and M2 is getting no rest. She will be busy with activities and having replacement classes in school on top of doing her revision at home. As such, we are staying put. It’s okay though because there’s so much to do with so much wood available.

We may indulge her with an occasional dinner outside instead of the usual home-cooked meals or we may even catch a movie, just to give her a little break from all that studying.

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A New Species

16 Mar

Suddenly, the balsa and the little Citizens of Gigglesville are forgotten with so much focus on the Meranti wood and Gnomes.

Feeling guilty, I decided to go back to the balsa. And you know what? I found myself unable to hold it properly. It’s so tiny! How did I ever managed to carve up a village of Citizens, Superheroes and all?

Working with the harder Meranti, my carving strength is so different. I had to reprogram myself to dealing with the soft balsa again. It wasn’t quick work as it used to be but I managed and after its completion, I jumped back to the Meranti.

Even though the big block is glued (two big pieces and two smaller pieces), it’s easier to shape and a new species came long. I think this has potential to be little Citizens. We shall see…

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Gnomes Alert, Part 2

15 Mar

There are now seven Gnomes, all in different heights and sizes, unlike the Citizens of Gigglesville where everyone is about the same size and height. To call the hamlet, “Gnomie-wood” is getting more and more appealing at this point.

The Gnomes currently ‘live’ in a tupperware (whereas the Citizens of Gigglesville live in trays). And with all their hats painted red, one evening I mistook them for being watermelons from the corner of my eyes. Just because we had watermelons a day before. Even M2 thought they were watermelons! Hahaha…

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Don’t they look like mouth-watering watermelons from this perspective?

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