Cherry takes the reins

Cherryfudge

@LadyWithAPlan, thanks for this. I'd wondered about doing it, my daughter in law used it to find where her problems were coming from. I suppose it would take some planning but that can't be impossible and if it means buying food - well! I always like that!

Also thanks for the mention of Monash - I love their free courses around food that I've taken via Futurelearn. I've just ahd a look, though, and it seems to be around treating IBS rather than reflux, and thankfully I don't have IBS symptoms. That's not to say diet isn't part of the problem: I've just looked up foods that affect reflux and realised my dietary dependence on tomatoes, garlic and onions could be a problem. Difficult, as DH is lactose intolerant so shared meals with any sort of suave will have tomatoes and onions!

I spoke to the doctor and asked about changing my medications but it looks as though I'm already on the line of least resistance, and alternatives to aspirin could have problems of their own. She said omeprazole can have interactions with other things but that's more in older people. In fact, she's treating it as a blip and has increased my omeprazole for three weeks to see if that reduces the symptoms. I know omeprazole is often given temporarily to see if that helps the person's body to right itself, so I suppose that's what she's trying with me. I've decided to continue to try not to have supper as I think the less is in my stomach at bedtime, the better - though I have to balance that with not going to bed hungry!

Cherryfudge

I have three hours before my course so I've added a bit to my list from yesterday and we'll see how I do:

• Get out in the daylight somehow - perhaps gather some foliage to donate to the flower arranging tonight? It will be ivy and variegated holly, I think.

• Set up dinner (liver and bacon casserole) in the slow cooker - some items are defrosting ready to do this. It will also enable me to use up the carrots. I see from @Sun_Addict's diary that the Christmas veg discounts start on Monday!

• Ironing. Enjoy the fact that warm room upstairs is drying things much faster than they would have dried last week!

• Most important is the tedious re-write of the job application, where everything has to be deleted and typed in by hand because the format doesn't allow me to update with my current post at the top. (Can you tell this is a bugbear?)

• I need to tidy out the fridge and see what needs to be used up.

• Buy the Secret Santa gift - still no list from the recipient, who's averse to institutionalised gift giving so isn't likely to comply. I might have a wander round a book shop because he likes reading.

• Perhaps get some more of one of my Futurelearn courses out of the way. It's nice to have a quiet house and headspace for it.

• See what other work training I can get done - it all goes on the timesheet, i.e. pay.

• Housework and tidying - there is so much to do. I think I'll take one area and try to improve it.

• Wrap some more gifts.

• At some point pop to the shops for apple juice and anything else I might think we need. The juice gets mixed with brandy to feed the Christmas cake.

Sorry about the formatting. It doesn't like copying across the bullet points. They're there when I open it to edit but don't show when I post it so I've added another layer!

LadyWithAPlan

Cherryfudge said:

@LadyWithAPlan, thanks for this. I'd wondered about doing it, my daughter in law used it to find where her problems were coming from. I suppose it would take some planning but that can't be impossible and if it means buying food - well! I always like that!

Also thanks for the mention of Monash - I love their free courses around food that I've taken via Futurelearn. I've just ahd a look, though, and it seems to be around treating IBS rather than reflux, and thankfully I don't have IBS symptoms. That's not to say diet isn't part of the problem: I've just looked up foods that affect reflux and realised my dietary dependence on tomatoes, garlic and onions could be a problem. Difficult, as DH is lactose intolerant so shared meals with any sort of suave will have tomatoes and onions!

I spoke to the doctor and asked about changing my medications but it looks as though I'm already on the line of least resistance, and alternatives to aspirin could have problems of their own. She said omeprazole can have interactions with other things but that's more in older people. In fact, she's treating it as a blip and has increased my omeprazole for three weeks to see if that reduces the symptoms. I know omeprazole is often given temporarily to see if that helps the person's body to right itself, so I suppose that's what she's trying with me. I've decided to continue to try not to have supper as I think the less is in my stomach at bedtime, the better - though I have to balance that with not going to bed hungry!

The reason I have not followed fodmap is I refuse to realise my love of onion, garlic and mushrooms might not be good for me.  It might be ok I'd rather not know
I am strictly GF and feel wonderful from that but it took me years to be strict on that. DF also helps as I get excema (bright red rash on neck and in scalp)  and cant breathe clearly within a couple hours  but I still do end up having odd bits on occasion - butter in cooking in restaurants or other peoples homes etc, v occasional cheese and chocolate even though I know I will have a reaction.

My DS has used FODMAP  to great effects...  but she  now knows she cant eat onions or garlic anymore ...! 
I think any type of food intolerance comes up with the fodmap - as its also a plan to see how the body reacts so the reflux generators would be highlighted ..

its just do you want to take the blue or red pill

Cherryfudge

Just spotted one of my typos in my previous post: meals with suave?! I meant sauce.

I know what you mean about the choices, @LadyWithAPlan. It was quite hard adapting to not eating bread, but I've got used to it, while giving myself permission to have bread if I want to. Generally, though, it's not worth it because of the symptoms.

I've made a bit of progress with the list today: all items are defrosting ready for lunch and dinner and, while it's perishing out so I didn't stay long, I've had a few minutes of sunshine and collected some foliage.

I also wandered onto Futurelearn to see if they had any reflux courses but they haven't. I did one five minute stage of the elementary French one, though, which was entirely rehashing stuff I ought to know by now, so it was a tick-box exercise. I know I'm only doing this particular course to give me confidence: it's as if I haven't achieved something unless there's a certificate attached. Still trying to make up for the negativities of school, I think. Perhaps I need to make myself a certificate that affirms the off-curriculum things I've achieved!

This is to certify that Cherryfudge can make soup, laugh at her typos and has used her first aid training in real life.  

in_need_of_direction

Very useful skills there.  I was wondering if you could cut and paste from the old form, to a word doc then back to the new form?

Cherryfudge

in_need_of_direction said:

Very useful skills there.  I was wondering if you could cut and paste from the old form, to a word doc then back to the new form?

Certainly worth a try, thanks! 

Cherryfudge

Things still on the list:

• ironing
• work training
• wrap gifts
• buy Secret Santa
• shops
• more housework
• more fridge tidying
• job application.

Things done:

• Introductory session for January's course

• Heard from DS2 - they have exchanged contracts so he wants to come round with a van tomorrow which is fine apart from I'm out in the morning, looking after DGD1 at lunch and the company intends to commission the boiler in the afternoon.

• Dinner is in the slow cooker but things ran slow earlier so I didn't get lunch till after the course, meaning I'm not going to be ready to eat till late.

• Used up more bits from fridge and freezer.

Cherryfudge

So we've had the last of the evening classes: I've enjoyed them very much. I feel a bit sad that I don't have another to look forward to, but it's a zero hours contract so I'll just have to try to be available if they need me again. I think I've given a reasonable level of service, though it's a learning curve, and time between now and whatever's next needs to include plenty of swotting to give what I can in any other class.

I walked back via town so I raided the supermarket discounts and special offers. So much for not spending for some days: I've made up for it tonight. Some was gifts and special stuff for Christmas though.

Expenditure:
Housekeeping £41.48 (however that's wrong by about £1 as L!dl receipt had lots of things that don't ring true - charged me twice for chocolate, once instead of twice for pesto, an extra 60p on iced buns... Can I find time and effort to sort that out?
Gifts 2.74

Cherryfudge

Why, when I have a busy day ahead, do I wake up feeling fuddled and headache-y? I'm going to have to pull my socks up. First I'm going to get hydrated as I suspect that might help.

No idea when DS2 is going to turn up, so I've made the bed and am gradually moving things dumped in his room onto it, so he doesn't accidentally move them into his new house!

Last night's food shopping turned out to have a drip so the things I was wearing smelled of fish. I washed them with vinegar last thing last night and I've just put them on the washing line - and I think I've got rid of the smell.

Still getting used to the heating. I'm not sure I remembered to blip the dial once I'd set it last night, as I woke up at some dark hour feeling hot. Apparently it was off first thing though, so perhaps I'm just adjusting. It's odd that, while only the boiler is new, I'm much more conscious of zones of heat in the house. Perhaps the system flush has changed the efficiency of the radiators?

So before I go out, I have to get washed and dressed, move the rest of the things onto my bed, leave the path from the front door to DS2's room reasonably clear so he doesn't fall over the florist's bucket, for instance, or knock the clothing that's airing on the bannisters into the hall below. I also intend to grab snacks for DGD1 and myself to save buying at lunchtime. I'll probably only be looking after her for half an hour or so, but I can't feed myself and not her!

First, some water to drink, then plough on.

Cherryfudge

I managed all the above list but didn't leave the house till gone eleven and was back around 1.30 - and wouldn't you know it, neither DS2 nor the plumber has turned up yet! In between, I hoovered at a frantic rate so I was ready to take DGD1 - there was the added complication that the main hall, where I'd intended to let her play, was needed for a function but one of the pastors opened up the room where the toddler club meets so she could play there. She had all those toys at her command, and she wanted to stay sitting with me, playing 'Balloon pop' on my phone and watching a video of Grandpa (once I'd calmed her down from crying for Mummy).

The upshot is, Cherry has had two of yesterday's pastries already. Fortification. Oh, and some of the soup from the other day. Goodness know what I'll come up with for tea. DH is out for his second Christmas dinner. It turns out H is having a work Christmas dinner at the same place an hour earlier. I'm going to be back in the church, helping with the children's pre-Christmas event. That will be fun, and for once I'll get my steps in.

There are a few things I could be getting on with, and the first is to sit here drinking coffee.