Recovery and Examination

Wednesday

I did not react well to the various medications and concoctions that I was forced to take in preparation for my procedure today. Nausea and abdominal pain ensued, which put me in a terrible mood and worsened with the apartment situation. Breakfast and lunch was a continuance of the Clear Liquid diet mentioned the other day. Due to the lack of calories and just general feeling of grossness, I bypassed the gym this morning and took today as a Rest Day.

The procedure seemed to go fine, except that the nurse messed up my IV and I now have a lot of pain in my right (dominant) hand and a terrible bruise forming which will probably come to its peak tomorrow morning. Also, I still can’t seem to eat anything (not even liquids) because almost as soon as I got home, the old stomach pain started and now I’m trying to troop my way through that right now (my newer pain pills aren’t doing a thing). Here’s praying that tomorrow is better. I really want to go to the gym, but I just can’t do that after not eating for two days.

Thursday

Hooray! I’m back on pills again! My multivitamin and iron pills, that is. I truly have noticed a remarkable difference in my body in the week that I have been off of my supplements. My hair and skin is drier by a large degree and I’ve had poorer circulation in my hands and arms (noticeable from the blue nails and lack of sensation). So, I think it goes without saying that I am very glad to be able to supply my body with needed vitamins and minerals once again. I try my best to get these from my diet, but I know that I come up short many days. I at least always take my supplements while eating my breakfast, in the hopes that this will aide in the uptake of those vitamins or else, as Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory would say, I’m just achieving “very expensive urine”.

I gave my body something easy before I set out for the gym: 1/2 c unsweetened applesauce with a dash of cinnamon. Once in the gym, I still wanted to do something low-impact since I have been pretty calorically-deprived for the past two days, so I strayed towards where the stationary bikes are housed and settled down for an easy 30:00 hills ride which amounted to 6.57 miles.

After core work and a shower, I was ready to eat real food again! However, I have been advised to slowly incorporate foods back into my body, so I didn’t want to just jump right in with the oatmeal (sadly). Instead, I took some eggs, added in some spinach, soy cheddar cheese, and a dash of spices, and put it all on a plate with ketchup (I love the ketchup and eggs combo), and a sandwich thin smeared with strawberry preserves.

After breakfast, I rushed to get things together to pack lunch (banana, Blue Diamond Cinnamon Brown Sugar almonds with Cascadian Farm Honey Nut O’s, and a PB&J Larabar). I had my first real exam of the school year this morning and it was in Human Nutrition. I definitely over-studied and finished the test quickly and confidently. My body seemed to handle the food just fine, but I had a pain attack right before my Biology lab and had to go home early. My professor was very understanding and basically knew what I would say before I even had to open my mouth to ask to go home. Apparently I was looking pretty pale. So most of the rest of the afternoon was spent in the fetal position crying (partly from the pain, partly from frustration).

I’m sick of being sick. I’m sick of being in pain. I’m sick of not having any answers. I’m sick of no pain pills helping. I’m sick of so many things and I have the tendency to start crying about other things once I’m already crying from something else. The stomach pain just unleashed tears from so many sources and made me really glad that I have a strong support system and that my father was there for a shoulder to cry on and for bringing me back home.

I have another exam tomorrow, as well as some appointments and dinner plans; all of which I will hopefully be able to keep as scheduled. Because of my decline in health and need to study for an exam I may not even be able to take on time, I will not be reporting on the rest of my day, but I hope that you all will continue visiting, reading, and commenting on my blog. Somehow, it helps a little knowing that someone outside of my own community is reading my story and cares.