Low Acid Diet for Bone Health

Thanks to the Google news aggregate, I happened across this article in The New York Times while moseying around the internet yesterday. 
It's the first bit of research that makes sense to me into why osteoporosis is relatively rare in Asian countries and prevalent in America.  Over the years scientists decided it had to do with the amount of rice or soy in Asian diets.  Now it looks like it has more to do with American's skewed beliefs about portions and which side of the food pyramid is the most important. 
Now I'd love to see restaurants respond--before anyone applies pressure.

A day on the couch

Okay, I didn't spend the entire day on the couch.  I did work (what I consider to be) an important chore into the morning--changing the sheets.  The house is deteriorating into a cluttered place that needs a good weekend's worth of attention.  But for now I feel like my first priority is to rest and get better.  I feel Monday creeping up on me and I'm hoping I can handle an entire day at work. 
At least I found things to do while resting;  edited video from Thanksgiving Day, listened to many misc. stories on NPR, slept off and on and watched movies with Fran.

Thanksgiving 09

Complete with the Miller family tradition of listening to Alice's Restaurant on the drive north.

Then reality hit

That's what I hit after I spent several hours out and about with Lise today.  Of course, I feel like a dummy.  I should know better.

Now .  .  . how to make the 2 dishes I've promised to bring?  Yup, it's you Norm.  I mess up and come crawling to you for help.   Sorry

UPDATE

Thanks to a second wind and Fran the dishes are well on their way.  :>)

While visions of good plans danced in her head

I think I'll hit the grocery store first--while there's still a parking space left and then drive out to Eola Winery to buy several bottles of their Pacific Blanc.  Not only is it a great buy, but it appeals to the tastes of nearly all the wine drinkers in the family.  (I can handle sweet a few times a year)  Plus it goes well with turkey. 
When your family is as big as ours, deals are important.  :>)

Finding Recipes

How many years has it been?  Seems like a very long time since I've relied on finding a recipe in a recipe book.  Hasn't stopped me from collecting or using them (when the mood strikes), however.

This morning, I looked through the pile of printed out (previously used) recipes, the 3 different files I might have saved the recipe to and then (doh!) it finally occurs to me to check in one of my "Best Recipe" books.  Yup!  There it was!  The master recipe for candied sweet potatoes.  Phew!

A new fashion statement for the future?

As the radiologist led me to the x-ray room in the urgent care clinic, he thanked me for wearing a face mask.
"You're welcome!  I didn't want to "gift" my germs to everyone.", I replied.
He turned and smiled, "Did you see that cartoon, too?  Isn't that cute??  And yet . . . yeah."

I don't know how many people have seen that public service message of the cartoon man whistling through his workplace (he's obviously sick) happily handing out presents (germs) to all of his co-workers (I tried googling it without success--hard to pick the right search terms.), but it made me start thinking about having my own reusable face mask to have on hand.  Seems like that would be a good way to model responsible behavior for the wee folk--have the sniffles? wear your face mask!
My first thought was to find a pattern and make my own.
I came across an online bulletin board where nurses were talking about the very same thing.  Someone commented on the board about all of the criteria a homemade mask would have to meet--fit, layers, type of material, etc.  And then they left a link to this face mask business.  Fourteen dollars seems a little high, but if you can use them repeatedly maybe it's worth it.

Limbo-land or a day at the urgent care clinic

I had made a tentative-for-sure decision to go to the urgent care clinic the evening before, but after last night there was no doubt.  I don't lend much credence to dreams and their relation to real life.  Although, I do believe they are a way for the brain to chew on things while we sleep.  (ooo! scary mental image!) I had a few "fighting for my life" dreams in the wee hours this morning.  I had hold of the steering wheel and I navigated well, but it was definitely life threatening.  When I woke up, the bed was soaked.  I crawled into the guest bed and within a half hour IT was soaked, too.  I decided it was time to throw in the towel and take a shower.  I took my temp a few hours later and it was finally in the normal range!!  Yipee!
And so I messed around on the computer and listened to the radio until Norm crawled out of bed.  (Hopefully, he was able to grab a few quality hours after noisy me left.)  After breakfast, we headed north to take a spot in the queue at the clinic.  They let us do most of our waiting in the exam room where I could lay down with a pillow and Norm found a way to rest his head and close his eyes.  The doctor came, asked questions, listened with his stethoscope and ordered an x-ray.  The x-ray found "a significant spot of pneumonia".  Next they shot me in the hip with some antibiotic to give me a head start on healing.  Yay for healing!  Yay for getting better!
Not only had it changed from morning to afternoon by the time Norm and I were finished at the urgent care clinic, but the rain had become blue sky.

Sleep, sweet sleep!

All through this nasty flu, I've been thankful for being able to sleep.  It's not perfect sleep, of course.  My nights include a fair number of coughing fits and fevered sweats (even a week later).

Near the beginning, I finally removed myself to the guest bedroom for 2 nights.  N wasn't happy.  He claims he can sleep through whatever I can dish out, but whenever I coughed, he stirred and with the major muscle pain I was dealing with--when the bed moved it was excruciating. 

It's certainly a mystery to me how he's able to sleep though coughing, tossing and turning.  Although, the noise from his sleep machine may block other noise out for him.  Me?  I wake up at the slightest sound in the house.  Which is why I began to wear earplugs a several years ago. 

It started out as an experiment.  At work, a group of us were talking about sleep and when I mentioned how often I had to get up during the night, someone suggested I may have a problem.  What?  Maybe a small bladder, but I was positive I didn't have sleep apnea.  I'm not sure if it was something I read or heard on the radio, but I decided to give earplugs a try.  For the first time in years I slept ALL the way through the night.  I was shocked.  I could still hear enough to know when things were going on around me, but all the little noises were muffled.   It took me awhile to find the earplugs I liked the best (Mack's Moldable Silicone Earplugs), but I've been wearing them ever since.

Sweet dreams to all of you!

The last tantrum

{I want to take a morning nap, but I thought the blog would help take my mind off this sharp little pain under my right shoulder blade that's just developed.  My rational side says, "it's probably from holding your arm a little wonky.".  My hysterical side says, "it's your lungs, damn it!  Call the advice nurse!"  And so I changed position and picked up the laptop.}

I'll admit it.  I used to be a champion tantrum thrower when I was small.  And boy oh boy did I get results (or so I was told by the family witnesses)!  How else is the youngest  of 5 supposed to get help or attention?  All those busy people bustling around the house; calling friends, having friends over, sewing, cooking, listening to 45's, primping that big hair, going square dancing. It's a big list and I felt like I was way at the bottom.  Isn't that what children usually think?

When I couldn't take it any longer, when I'd had it up to all of my 42" (just a guess), I ran to the junction of where hallway, living room and dining room met and threw myself (in a dramatic fashion) onto the floor and began to kick and scream like I had a chance at an Oscar.  The occupants grew still, looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and sighed (also a guess).  Either sister Susie or Karen would pick me up and try to console me and then see if they could solve this (epic) issue.

Then . . . one horrible day  (that I DO remember) . . . before either sister could scoop me up,  I heard my mother in a quiet tone, "Don't touch her, don't talk to her, walk away and find something to do.".
"But she won't stop crying.  She'll make herself sick."
"No she won't."
Mother was right.  That was my last tantrum.

How about that!  My back feels better.  Guess I can postpone my I-hate-being-sick tantrum.
Oops!  There it is  bleh

And now for a little sarcasm

Top Reasons Why It's Actually Good to Get Sick

1.  You'll have a smaller impact on the environment.  (I mean, think about it, you probably won't be driving much or running appliances, right?)
2.  You've always looked marvelous in your robe and isn't it wonderful to wear something so comfortable and forgiving?
3.  Getting sick is like an extra vacation.  You can catch-up on your reading and television shows.
4.  People at both work and home will soon discover how amazing you are with all that you do everyday.
5.  You'll save money on dining, gas and entertainment.  (No, this is not the time to think about the cost of your drugs. Besides, aren't they tax deductible?)
6.  You finally get to catch up on all that sleep you feel like you never get enough of.  Take those drugs, snuggle down under the covers and sleep like a bear.
7. Oh!  Don't forget about all those pounds you'll shed.  So what if it's something you wouldn't wish on even an enemy.  Weight off is a good thing!
8.  Enjoy those sleepless moments in the wee hours of the night (maybe you'll be testing your ribs by coughing.  One never knows with viruses.) by crafting your experiences into tales to tell co-workers, as well as family during the upcoming holidays.  It'll warm their hearts.

Okay, that's it!  Can't think of anymore--can you?

The Scarlet Flu mask?

Did I like being asked to wear a mask at the doctor's office today?  I didn't mind.  I want to keep this bug from spreading, too.  (Although, one could ask why I even went into work on Friday at all.)  Do I enjoy wearing a mask?  No, does anyone like their warm moist breathe being trapped on their face?
I can remember when Lise was a student at UO, remarking on the Asian students wearing masks when they were sick.  She wondered why they were so considerate.  Good question!  This is something we all need to start making a habit.
I was sure my bug started a ways back, but the doctor said I probably had more than one.  When I mentioned that it felt like I hit a wall on Friday, her eyes lit up, "that's exactly how h1n1 starts--hard and fast."  She asked a few more questions, swabbed my nose, "this may be uncomfortable.".  Yup, I think uncomfortable fits about right.  She told me I'd be hearing the results soon, but in the meantime she was going to start me on Tamiflu, "it cuts the duration in half and you've only just begun.".
Now I have this urge to curl up on the couch with a blanket, Hope and a bottle of Whiskey.  Isn't that a cure all??