INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

Junie, keep us posted on what your surgeon has to say. Will keep you in my prayers.

DH has a walker with two wheels. Wish he would take short walks on the block to build up his strength. I have chariot duty in the morning. Have to get hubby to a doctor’s appointment. I think he wants to do lunch afterwards. I’m so leery about taking him anywhere now. Hmm, will have to look into the DE. There are some community cats in my neighborhood. I feed three and a neighbor feeds about four different ones. Hers will go into her kitchen to eat or for short visits. May not hurt to try and treat them. I say they are community cats because they will come around those they are familiar with and look for attention. Its been very interesting to watch them

Morning Feline. Nite, nite ladies.

Ah, we have opossums as well that live in the neighborhood. Was talking to a neighbor the other day. He has seen a raccoon. Haven't seen in it for a long time. Peregrine falcons nest at the Bascilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, a ten minute walk from my house. They are magnificent birds 🦅 to see in action. It’s interesting that the city has such wildlife. More so now than when I grew up (on the same block).

At my appt. with the colon surgeon yesterday she explained that the present day consensus (her words) among doctors today is that Diverticulitis is not caused by seeds getting lodged in the pouches in the colon, but rather due to our refined/processed foods, Obesity and NSAID use. Then after looking at my overall medical history, the amount of adhesion's I have from previous abdominal surgeries, etc. she described the actual procedure she'd perform if needed. Then she presented the risks & possible complications, such as ending up with an Iliostomy or colostomy (most likely temporary). After all of that I came away feeling that skipping surgery for this issue is what I will do for now. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of another surgery anyway. However, the idea of another attack scares the jeebers out of me too. I find it interesting though that this last bout was preceded by me eating a half of a piece of "Dave's Killer Bread" which is full of seeds.

On another note, it seems that after 2 injections of Xgeva, my vertebrae are hurting less, but I will talk with the neurosurgeon before I make a decision on that.

Ok, I need to get in the shower so I can get going and volunteer today. So have a great day everyone and a nice evening Feline!

Bye for now!

Junie

You have gone through so much. You're a positive person. Oh, what is going on with that idiot who caused the wreck when you toppled over? Did you get any compensation? Did they put that guy in jail?

I know Kirby watches out for you. With my three kitties, never a dull moment. And I would not change it. Actually, how long have you had Kirby?

JayMeb tamox killed my brain and exemestane has done nothing to restore it to its former glory

Feline - That is so me! When I was volunteering today (I do data entry for a non-profit once a week) I was entering some forms and for each group I have a post-it on them with each step I do listed so I can check them off as I go. However, for some reason I didn't do that and when I finished that group I couldn't remember if I'd scanned these documents into the digital file. Hmmm! I had to go and ask the coordinator to check on her computer if it had been done, and yes it had. It's embarrassing. I HAVE to stick to my routines or I end up with total chaos. And this is just one example of my experience with chemo brain. I made a cheesecake this evening and found myself reading & re-reading the recipe to make sure I had put the correct amount of each ingredient in. The cheesecake looks good as it is cooling on the counter. Hope it tastes good too!

jaymeb - I flew to Spokane, WA in January 2017 to meet Kirby's breeder and bring my Kirbs home. He was 12 weeks old at the time. Hard to believe he's 19 mos already.

I went to court on April 29th for the hear them man enter his plea, but his attorney asked for a continuance and when I stood to make my statement the judge decided to continue the case until June 25th. The young man is out on bail and didn't seem at all fazed by any of this. The defendant is a transient, has no job, insurance, etc. and the bus company isn't required to carry personal injury coverage because they are owned by a public entity. So no there will be no compensation. At this point I will be glad to have Medicare cover my medical bills. Even the police are not liable, despite the fact that they were in a pursuit at the time of the accident. I just focus on that fact that my injury could have been far greater, so I thank God for that blessing.

Egads - I have considered the Paleo option, but Palliative Care told me it would be unhealthy for me. However, I will look into it again. Thanks! Also, I am so glad you have had such great results.

Ok, ladies, it is now 3:02 a.m. and I am going to go to bed. I hope you all have a great night and I will check back later.

The Basics

Eat: Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, healthy fats and oils.

Avoid: Processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, most dairy products, legumes, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, margarine and trans fats.

Avoid These Foods:

Avoid these foods and ingredients:

• Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup: Soft drinks, fruit juices, table sugar, candy, pastries, ice cream and many others.
• Grains: Includes breads and pastas, wheat, spelt, rye, barley, etc.
• Legumes: Beans, lentils and many more.
• Dairy: Avoid most dairy, especially low-fat (some versions of paleo do include full-fat dairy like butter and cheese).
• Vegetable Oils: Soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil and others.
• Trans Fats: Found in margarine and various processed foods. Usually referred to as "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" oils.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, Sucralose, Cyclamates, Saccharin, Acesulfame Potassium. Use natural sweeteners instead.
• Highly Processed Foods: Everything labelled "diet" or "low-fat" or has many weird ingredients. Includes artificial meal replacements.

A simple guideline: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don't eat it!

If you want to avoid these ingredients, then you MUST read ingredients lists, even on foods that are labelled as "health foods."

Foods to Eat on the Paleo Diet:

Base your diet on these real, unprocessed paleo foods.

• Meats: Beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, pork and others.
• Fish and Seafood:Salmon, trout, haddock, shrimp, shellfish, etc. Choose wild-caught if you can.
• Eggs: Choose free-range, pastured or omega-3 enriched eggs.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes, etc.
• Fruits:Apples, bananas, oranges, pears, avocados, strawberries, blueberries, avocados and more.
• Tubers:Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, etc.
• Nuts and Seeds:Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and more.
• Healthy Fats and Oils:Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil and others.
• Salt and Spices:Sea salt, Himalayan salt, garlic, turmeric, rosemary, etc.

Try to choose grass-fed, pasture raised and organic if you can afford it. If not, then just make sure to always go for the least processed option.

Maybe Eat:

In the past few years, the paleo community has evolved quite a bit.

There are now several different "versions" of the paleo diet. Many of them allow some modern foods that science has shown to be healthy.

This includes quality bacon from pasture raised pigs, grass-fed butter and even some non-gluten grains like rice.

Many people now think of paleo as a template to base your diet on, not necessarily as a strict set of rules that you must follow.

Sensible Indulgences:

These are perfectly healthy in small amounts:

• Wine: Quality red wine is high in antioxidants and beneficial nutrients.
• Dark Chocolate: Choose one that has 70% or higher cocoa content. Quality dark chocolate is very nutritious and extremely healthy.

What to Drink When You're Thirsty:

When it comes to hydration, water should be your go-to beverage.

These aren't exactly paleo, but most people drink them anyway:

• Tea is very healthy and loaded with antioxidants and various beneficial compounds. Green tea is best.
• Coffee is actually very high in antioxidants as well. Studies show that it has many health benefits.

How to Make Your Restaurant Meals Paleo:

It is not very difficult to make most restaurant meals paleo friendly.

1. Order a meat or fish-based main dish.
2. Get extra vegetables instead of bread or rice.
3. Ask them to cook your food in olive oil or coconut oil.

Simple Paleo Snacks:

There really is no need to eat more than 3 meals per day, but if you get hungry then here are some paleo snacks that are simple and easily portable:

• Baby carrots.
• Hard boiled eggs.
• A piece of fruit.
• A handful of nuts.
• Leftovers from the night before.
• Apple slices with some almond butter.
• A bowl of berries with some coconut cream.
• Homemade beef jerky.

A Sample Paleo Menu for One Week:

This sample menu contains a balanced amount of all the paleo foods.

Feel free to adjust this based on your own preferences.

Monday:

• Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil. One piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Chicken salad, with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
• Dinner: Burgers (no bun), fried in butter, with vegetables and some salsa.

Tuesday:

• Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Leftover burgers from the night before.
• Dinner: Salmon, fried in butter, with vegetables.

Wednesday:

• Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
• Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
• Dinner: Ground beef stir fry, with vegetables. Some berries.

Thursday:

• Breakfast:Eggs and a fruit.
• Lunch: Leftover stir fry from the night before. A handful of nuts.
• Dinner: Fried pork with vegetables.

Friday:

• Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables, fried in coconut oil.
• Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
• Dinner: Steak with vegetables and sweet potatoes.

Saturday:

• Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Leftover steak and vegetables from the night before.
• Dinner: Baked salmon with vegetables and avocado.

Sunday:

• Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
• Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
• Dinner: Grilled chicken wings, with vegetables and salsa.

There is usually no need to track calories or macronutrients (protein, carbs or fat) on the paleo diet, at least not in the beginning.

However, if you need to lose a lot of weight then it is a good idea to cut carbs somewhat and limit your intake of nuts and potatoes.

Simple Paleo Shopping List:

There is an incredible variety of foods you can eat on the paleo diet.

This simple shopping list should give you an idea of how to get started.

• Meat: beef, lamb, pork, etc.
• Poultry: chicken, turkey, etc.
• Fish: salmon, trout, mackerel, etc.
• Eggs.
• Fresh vegetables: greens, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, etc.
• Frozen vegetables: broccoli, spinach, various mixes, etc.
• Fruits: Apples, bananas, pears, oranges, avocado.
• Berries: Strawberries, blueberries.
• Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts.
• Almond butter.
• Coconut oil.
• Olive oil.
• Olives.
• Sweet potatoes.
• Condiments: Sea salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic, parsley, etc.

It is a good idea to clear all unhealthy temptations from your home, including sodas, pastries, cookies, crackers, bread, ice cream and cereals.