GROUNDED FOR EIGHT TO TEN WEEKS!

Yesterday, I was dressed and ready to head out the door for my walk. My goal for the day was another seven to ten mile walk.

As I stood, I felt like someone had shot me from the groin down to the knee. To walk, I had to hold on to counters, tables, etc. All I could think of was the hip had given out and I was going to need the hip replacement that is know is down the road...somewhere off in the distant future, I've been hoping.

I called my Dr. DiLella at Ortho Indy.  He was in surgery yesterday, but I was able to secure an appointment for ten this morning.

The diagnosis?  ........ over training! He is recommending cross training instead of a single diet of walking.  I am to swim and ride a bicycle. Oh, great.....we just don't happen to have a pool in our motorhome. And I need to purchase a bicycle.  AND I love, love, love walking!  

                                                                                                                John and I have been looking into purchasing kayaks.  Now a kayak and a bicycle?  Good grief, what is next?   

On a happier note, Monday morning, the Miata went into the shop to be repaired and we should have it by the end of the week.  

Our final appointment is next week.  We are to have the follow up from our cataract surgery tune up. After those two appointments, we are good to go.  And I mean GO......as in on down the road!  

Today, I am making socks on my Circular Sock Machine.  It is not walking, but I have something to do as we wind up the next week and a half.  

Thanks for stopping in today, and for leaving your comments.  

AND thanks all for shopping through my Amazon link.  Yesterday, I purchased a 3-M Headlight restoration  kit.

Here is a great recipe!  What I like about it is that you don't have to bake it.  BUT, I like my carrots soft, so I am going to cook the carrots and apple a bit.  That sure beats heating up the motorhome with the oven.  

If you want, give the recipe a try.

Raw Vegan Carrot Cake

By Christine Roseberry from Just Glowing with Health

Yield: 8 servings 

For the carrot cake:
- 2 cups carrot pulp (see note below for instructions on using whole carrots)
- 1/2 cup pecans, soaked 6+ hours, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1 Fuji apple, cored and cut into medium size pieces
- 1 quarter size chunk of ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


For the frosting:

- 1 1/4 cup cashews, soaked 6+ hours, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder (I used extract)
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/3 cup water, more or less for desired consistency

1. For the frosting: In a high-speed blender blend all the above frosting ingredients, minus the water. Add the water in slowly using just enough to blend making it creamy. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.

2. For the cake: Place the chunks of apple into the food processor. Blend until it becomes coarsely shredded. Be careful not to over process. It should be coarse pieces. Then add the carrot pulp along with all the rest of the ingredients above for the cake mix. Pulse until it becomes a coarse sticky mix. Once again, make sure to not over process. (I placed carrot pulp and apple chunks in microwave for 2 minutes to cook a bit -just to tenderize them)

NOTE: If using whole carrots cut them into medium size chunks and add them with the apple to blend, making coarse pieces.

Line an 8x8 glass baking dish with wax paper. Press the mix evenly into the dish, then add the frosting generously on top. Place in freezer for about one hour. Take out of the fridge and let it sit for about 25 minutes before eating. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and voila'!

God Bless you all.   

A TORNADO, A FIFTH WHEEL AND FOUR MILES

Today began with a four mile walk and the I settled into a normal quiet day.  The quiet lasted until about three this afternoon.

I had walked to the Camping World Store to replace a retractable leash that broke on my walk with Oliver and Olivia this morning.     

Returning to the motorhome, dark clouds formed in the west and a gentle rain began to fall. The rain turned from gentle to a huge downpour just after I shut the door.  

Turning on the television, we find the screen filled with tragic scenes of the tornado destruction that took place just miles northwest of our location.  

Below, you see one of the tragic scenes that was broadcast from where one of the twisters hit.  

A fifth wheel was picked up and it landed on the roof of the house.  This surely gives us an appreciation of the strength of a tornado.  Thankfully, no one in either the home or the fifth wheel were injured.  



Our rain at our location was just the outer edge of the storm. We were very fortunate as we have been for the last two days. 

Looking at Weather Bug, it appears that there will be more storms in the next few days.  Ask me if we are ready to leave Indiana!  

Only one problem.  While parked at Camping World, a huge, really huge wrecker came to pick up a totaled motorhome.  After hooking the rig to the wrecker, the driver proceeds to back the motorhome into my Miata, my baby.
    


Now, we wait for repair.  When repair is completed, we are out of here.  

The plus point?  We get to see family more.  THAT is a good thing.  

Thanks to all who are making purchases through my blog. Every purchase is appreciated! 

How much did you exercise today?  

God bless y'all!

THE ELEPHANT WAVED HIS EARS (WHAT HAS NOT BEEN EATEN)

He has cooled our temperatures to the high eighties.  That, my friends is so much better than than one hundred four and one hundred eleven.  Believe me!  The lower temperatures and partly cloudy skies have been marvelous.  

In other ways, that darned cat elephant keeps trying to trip up John.  He has had a few tests ordered by our physician and every one of them presents a challenge.

The first test was a bone scan.  John has osteoporosis.  We knew that.  When I married him, he was just under six feet.  Then he was five feet, eight inches!  Then this test determined that he has lost, yet, another inch.  I had a feeling that he had because he seemed closer to me when we would stand and talk.

Then a blood test revealed that he is just at the demarcation line indicating diabetes. grrrrr.  On Monday, we went to his first counseling session regarding diet, testing his blood sugar, and exercise.  

Monday evening, he reported to the lab for a sleep study.  And you guessed it, John has sleep apnea.  Since he has been home from the hospital, I seem to hear every change in his breathing, often just making sure that he is still breathing.  I decided that he did have sleep apnea and told his physician who ordered the test.  

During the test, they woke him up and placed him on a cpap machine.  cpap stands for continuing pressure air pressure.  It is a quiet machine that makes sure the patient breathes properly.  John said that when he awoke, he felt better than he had in "who knows how long."  

So now, we are going to have a cpap machine and the machine to check John's blood thickness since he is also on a blood thinner.

Me?  Wellll, I'm on an anti anxiety medication.  I wonder why? hehehe  To help the stress and since we are finally off a heavily traveled country road, I have started walking again. 

As soon as it cooled down a bit, I purchased a good pair of walking / hiking shoes and Oliver, Olivia and I 

have hit the trails here at Brown County State Park.  

The kids and I took a walk after dinner which was a wee later than normal.  We started out on the park road, went to the nature center and there found a Discovery Interpretive Trail.  It was a short trail, but up and down the hills and ravines.  The walk to the nature center and the trail added up to be a good workout for me.  

On my way back another walker said that a very young fox had just crossed the path and maybe I would see it or at least hear it.  I was unable to do either.  The only wildlife I have seen so far is squirrels and an unidentified bird that I could not get the camera out fast enough to take a picture.  

Not much exciting to report, but life is what it is.  I'm off to fix dinner!

God bless y'all

  

GLUTEN FREE LIVING AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

I wrote a post for today hours and hours ago.  Every time I clicked on the publish box, everything came out befuzzled.  I have tried and tried to correct the mistake that I cannot understand that I have made, so I just say Geesh.....and write another.


What I was trying to share today is my adventure into the Gluten free diet world.  Gluten?  What's that?  It is a protein found in wheat, barley, wheat products.  And it is been found to cause inflammation of joints.  Joints as in body joints, not dives and other yucky places.  


Many people have found that by no longer eating wheat, their osteoarthritis improves.  I, personally, have two friends who have testified to the benefits of living gluten free. 


I ventured into this program after visiting with my orthopaedic surgeon at Ortho Indy, one of the nation's leading group of orthopaedic physicians.  


My physician, Dr. Mark DiLella, made the comment that after looking at the x-rays of my hands, that I am one arthritic person.  That comment gave me visions of being so crippled with arthritis in the years to come, that I might end up in a wheel chair or something similar.  


I know, I know, I have a vivid imagination and sometimes tend to see the worse case scenario.  That's okay in this instance as it has given me the kick in the arse to take charge of my future when it comes to how I will be able to move about.


Since we have returned home, I have not been able to do much felting due to the pain in my hands and back.  I was fortunate to have some inventory to take to the St. James Court Art Show in Louisville, Kentucky last week end.  


To be able to work  at the show, I had to have pain medication beyond the typical Alieve or Ibuprofen.  That was not "a good thing" for me and I sure did not want to think I had to rely on narcotics to get me through the rest of my life.


Two of my friends have been preaching / touting / sharing the benefits of a gluten free diet.  Bah humbug, I thought for the last two or three years.  


Last week, I asked myself what I had to loose if I tried the gluten free diet.  When I could not come up with one reason.  When I knew that I wanted to have a better life than sitting in a chair all day.  When I knew that I wanted to explore the deserts of the southwest this winter, I gave in and started to live the gluten free life.


Guess what!  It is an easy way to eat!  No wheat, that's it.  No bread.    So?  I can live without bread.  No pasta, hummmm.....well I guess I can live without linguine with clam sauce.  I can live without chicken and noodles....I think.


Well, I am on day nine.  I am still alive!  I have survived and it is no problem.  I feel like I am doing something positive about my discomfort.  As a matter of fact, I feel better already!  I am moving more fluidly and no pain!  I had no idea it would happen this fast.


It happened in such a sneaky way.  I didn't realize how much better I am until John and I were talking about it and voila!  I said, "hey... wait"  I feel better already!  


The next action I have taken in increasing my physical activity.  I am not sitting and reading all the time.  I am getting up and walking. I walked for about eight blocks with no discomfort!  This is tremendous!  I hope to get to the point that I walk a minimum of an hour daily.  


The weather is beautiful and is conducive to walking.  Arthur is going to have to chase me to get me down again!  Now, if I could just get rid of these crooked fingers.....  hehehe.  


I still must have the surgery on my thumb this Tuesday.  I have totally ruined that joint.  But guess what????  I will be able to enjoy my fiber art once again.  Life is good!  


I have put my life in perspective in the scope of all life.  A fellow blogger is fighting Lymphoma.  She will have surgery on Wednesday.  


Another blogger, at the age of thirty eight just lost her husband to a heart attack.  Sure makes my life simple, doesn't it.  


Yesterday, I wrote about the buds of life and the process we go through in living our lives.  I am so thankful for God and His blessings and His COMFORT in times of stress and need.  


My prayer for each of you is that your days to come are enriched with his love and blessings.  


God bless....N