I got really sick to my stomach post surgery this time, and I have no idea why because I have tolerated anesthesia well in the past. I started getting sick about 6 pm (we were back from the hospital by about 1:30 pm......the minute I opened my eyes in the first phase of the recovery room, they were trying to get me out of there post haste.) The nausea lasted through the late evening, and although I was able to keep a little bit of ginger ale down during the night, I lived on toast and vanilla protein bars (I like Power Crunch vanilla, no nuts, 13 grams of protein, and only 4-5 grams of sugar) for several days post operatively. I have found the bars to be less expensive ordering through Vitamin Shoppe, and free shipping over $30. My stomach still feels sort of off, but getting better each day. I think if they drew blood on me right now, it would come out the colour of ginger ale and be bubbly.
I received a "care" package from my wonderful friend Katie. She knows a thing or two about nausea, as she is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. She had mentioned to me a while back that a lot of her friends used "Gin-Gin" candies to help with morning sickness nausea, and that she kept a bag of them in the knitting bag that she takes to chemo. A week before the surgery (the most recent surgery) she sent me a great package from Amazon, and included in it were three bags of these "Gin Gin" candies. I tucked them in the drawer next to my favourite chair, and asked my friend Karen (who has taken care of me all three times I've had surgery in the last 8 months) to bring me a bag of them Monday evening. The Gin Gins are a hard candy, about the size of my thumbnail, and three pieces are only 35 calories. They really, really helped with the nausea, and I am going to make absolutely sure I have them in the house at all times! They are delicious too, and with such a low calorie count, a non guilty treat. Each piece comes individually wrapped (I had to cut open the little wrappers as my hand movements were limited and they were tough to open), so now I also keep a few in my purse. This is what the bag looks like:
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And they are available through Amazon.com. I hope none of my readers ever need them for nausea, but I wanted to share this tip!
I will be back later in the week with a "hormone" related post, I have a couple articles to share with you. I know a lot of folks, particularly here in the Southeast, are really suffering with what I heard termed as "Pollenocalypse" (pollen apocalypse)....very bad seasonal allergies. I have said it before, but prescription strength progesterone has all but eliminated my seasonal allergies. I haven't taken allergy medicine in almost 8 years now, and when I first moved to North Carolina, my allergies got worse because the foliage and flora here is more abundant and different than it was where I grew up in Central New York. Dr. Carr explained it to me that allergies are a form of failure of the immune system, and that the progesterone strengthens the immune system and is thus better able to fight off foreign substances like pollen and other allergens. I will attest to progesterone strengthening the immune system; I have had maybe two very light colds in the last 8 years, and that is it. I'm out and about in the world nearly every day, touching doors, grocery carts, gym equipment (God, I wish when people are sick they would stay home from the gym.......it makes me crazy to see people sneezing on the equipment) so I am certainly exposed to a variety of germs. I haven't gotten a flu shot in 8 years either, and have had no problems with the flu.
For those of you who observe, Happy Passover, and for those of you who observe, blessings this Holy Week and may your Easter be wonderful (and include a little chocolate!)
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