Hospital Menu

so i won't have to describe the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of every meal, i will list the food that was offered. this list includes everything: meal, condiments, and drinks....bread is always white

Monday
lunch: broth

Tuesday
nothing

Wednesday
breakfast: 2 slices of bread, bowl of milk (what am i, a cat?)
lunch: broth, hot dog, 2 slices of bread
dinner: rice with some kind of meat (i think it was meat), 2 slices of bread

Thursday
breakfast: 2 slices of bread, a packet of butter (breakfast is now known as "whats for bread?")
lunch: pickled beets, 2 slices of bread, noodles
dinner: cream of wheat, 2 slices of bread (by now, i was wondering if they just keep giving us the same 2 slices of bread we didn't eat from previous meals)

Friday
breakfast: 2 slices of bread, cream cheese
lunch: 2 slices of bread, fish, spinach-potato-cabbage mix, broth (actually, this meal was pretty good)
dinner: macaroni and cheese (i think this was diet mac and cheese because it had half the milk and cheese of others), 2 slices of bread

Saturday
breakfast: 3 slices of bread (must have had an extra slice laying around), butter, jam, bowl of warm milk
lunch: corn grits, beef stew, seasoned salad, 2 slices of bread, broth (again, not bad)
dinner: chicken and dumplings, banana, 2 slices of bread (not as good as mine, but still ok)

Sunday
breakfast: 2 slices of bread, cream cheese, bowl of warm milk
lunch: 2 slices of bread, broth, macaroni and cheese (wasn't too bad after i mixed it with my broth)
dinner: boiled potatoes, seasoned salad, and of course...2 slices of bread

Monday
breakfast: 2 slices of bread, bowl of white coffee (must have been my "farewell" present)

for those keeping track..that was 33 slices of bread:)

M.S.A.T.H...Part 4

a half hour later, i was awakened by "blondie", who told me we had to go down to see the anesthesiologist. i don't know why since i was just there on friday, but then figured what the hell. so "blondie" doesn't speak to me the entire way in the corridor or elevator..she just led me along, and i mean she led me by having her arm around my waist and guiding me. then she said "stay" and went into the office. ok...i must admit that i am in fact a bitch sometimes, but by no means should i be treated like a dog. then she came out of the office and and led me back to my room. i was then informed that i could sleep now, and i did, because i believed her.
a half hour after that, another nurse came in, woke me up and took me to the back office where she took down my information that was already written on 5 other documents in my folder. i then went back to my room, and knowing better than to try to sleep, i picked up my book and started reading. at around noon, blondie came in with some disgusting liquid for me to drink along with 3 cups of water to help cleanse my system. an hour later, my lunch arrived. it was a coffee cup of what i think is suppose to be chicken broth and i was told that would be all i am allowed for the day. oh joy. though if any other form of vitamin or supplement was offered, it might not have been so bad.
i then tried, and i stress, tried to take a nap, yet again. this time, i was actually successful for a few hours.....to be continued

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff?

i know that there are a lot of bigger concerns when dealing with cancer. there is the pain, the twinges, the not knowing, the nausea, the worrying about death, and the expense, just to name a few. but i would like to discuss the little things. they are the ones that are important to me but are dismissed by others who are not experiencing them.

1. hair loss- i am not and have not gone through chemotherapy. though my hair is in fact falling out and by the clumps. this is due to hormone imbalance (or so i read on the internet in a medical journal). i realize that great hair is just vanity, but it depresses me when i see enough hair in my hair brush to make a wig for a small child.
2. discharge- i am not referring to normal, everyday vaginal discharge. i am talking about the black, foul smelling that reminds you of a squid in a fish market. no matter how much i cleanse, i cannot get rid of this. i feel like the unsexiest person in the world with this even though it is normal. see my post The Squid Complex
   
3. fatigue- i do not work or have children running around the house, so this should not bother me. but then again, if i don't work or have children running around, then why am i so damn tired all of the time? we are eating a healthier diet, much more healthier than before the cancer. again, considered normal, but i just don't feel normal when i walk around like a zombie half of the time.
4. hot flashes- nothing like turning the heat off in 30 degree temperatures and then stripping down because its "hot?". i was a cook in many restaurants and am use to high heat. there is no reason why i am sweating at below freezing temps.

like i said, these are just the small things, but according to number 4, i am sweating the small stuff.

Cancer Fighting Recipes

since my "Recipe of the Day" doesn't seem to be working out, i figured i would add a few in one post to try to catch up.

Penne and Tuna
1 small eggplant (1-1 1/4 lbs.)
8 oz. penne pasta
Spray olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 can (6 oz.) water-packed solid tuna, drained well
2 Tbsp. chopped green olives
2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup toasted breadcrumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut eggplant vertically into 3/4-inch slices. Trim away peel and cut flesh into 3/4-inch cubes. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet. Coat pieces well with olive oil spray. Bake 15 minutes or until eggplant is soft but holds its shape, stirring once to turn cubes. Cook pasta in a large pot of water, simmering until just tender. heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant, onion and tomatoes. Stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, cook until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes. Add tuna, mixing pieces into the sauce. Add olives, capers, basil and parsley. Cook just until evenly heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain cooked pasta, but leave some water still clinging to it. Immediately add it to the sauce. Stir to combine well. Serve immediately, if desired with a bowl of breadcrumbs to sprinkle over the pasta in place of cheese.

Apple Crisp
Canola oil cooking spray
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into thin slices or bite-size pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3 Tbsp. apple juice
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Combine apples, raisins and apple juice in bowl, toss well and set aside. In another bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. With pastry blender or knife and fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer apple mixture to baking dish. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over surface. Lightly coat top with cooking spray. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes more or until apples are tender. Remove from oven and let stand on wire rack at least 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature

for more recipes, visit my other site at "Recipes for Life"

Omega 3

we all knew that omega 3 was a healthy fat. it is found in milk, yogurts, and even hard boiled eggs we buy from the grocery store. but did you know that other than helping our cardiovascular, circulatory, and mental health, it may also help prevent cancer? some recent reports have shown just that.
foods such as fish (salmon, tuna, and even anchovies), flax, eggs, walnuts, and black raspberries are just a few that contain omega 3.

here is an omega 3 recipe that your family will love and you can keep them healthy at the same time.

Poached Salmon with Wild Rice
2 cups cooked wild rice
8 oz chopped walnuts
1 medium lemon
1 cup of dry white wine
3 pounds salmon (more or less depending on family size)
black raspberries
2 cups of yogurt

cook rice according to package directions. in the last 2 minutes of cooking, add 6 oz walnuts and let set. in deep skillet, place salmon, 1 cup of dry white wine and enough water to barely cover the fish. slice lemon in thin rings and place on top of salmon. cook on medium heat until fillets flake.
in several glasses, prepare the parfait. take a glass and add a tablespoon of yogurt, place a few black raspberries on top and repeat process until glass is nearly full (always end with yogurt). crush remaining walnuts and sprinkle on top of the parfait. repeat in other glasses until all ingredients have been used.

Cancer and Nutrition Go Hand in Hand

so i have been reading a lot about nutrition and diet when it comes to dealing with cancer. i have had some good luck as well. there are so many helpful foods out there to help prevent and combat cancer. it's amazing how the foods we eat everyday can either help us or hurt us.
sugar for example..it actually feeds cancer. not all sugars (natural that is found in fruits are OK), but chocolates, sweet desserts, etc...i never knew they were that bad for us.
i knew green tea was good for me and quite frankly, i like the taste, but this is also useful to combat cancer. interesting, huh? here's a link i found particularly resourceful from BBC News.
carrots, tomatoes, soy, olive oil, mango, and many more also help to fight cancerous cells.
i will be discussing all of these food in depth when i have fully read and understand all the benefits from them. as for now.. a recipe for the day will be added to each post. i hope you enjoy them.

Spinach Salad
this salad is very high in beta carotene which is essential in fighting cancer

1 cup raw spinach
1 medium carrot shredded or julienned (your preference)
1 medium tomato
2 teaspoons soy nuts
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 small orange

wash all vegetables. place spinach in a bowl and top with carrots. chop tomato and add to salad mixture. peel orange and separate segments. add orange and soy nuts to bowl. drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss all ingredients until equally combined.
serving size: 2