Fibro Fridays

 

No, I still haven't been medically diagnosed. However, I have been making major changes in my life that seem to be working and I have a few friends that have recently found they too may be Fibro Warriors. So, I'm going to write a bit about my journey with Fibromyalgia, post recipes that I've either found and haven't tried yet, or tried with a review whether it was a keeper or throw that sucker in the trash, and it is my hope that by sharing the things I'm learning, my challenges will be able to help someone else out there that may be feeling the way I did and often still do.

This week, I've noticed increased swelling in my feet and ankles. So far I haven't been able to pinpoint the cause, I'm not eating salt or starch. I've gone cold turkey on removing the gluten from my diet, however, some of the things I've read do indicate swelling to be a side effect of eliminating gluten. Getting into the habit of reading the label of every little thing you put into your grocery cart can sometimes be embarrassing. I've also cut out all soda and replaced what I drink with gallons of water and green tea. Processed foods were among the first to go, but I still find myself wanting to reach for them simply because of the convenience factor. Yes, I KNOW they are among the worst things possible for me to eat, they are bad for a healthy person. Add into this the 4yr old who is accustomed to eating junk food when she's not home on the weekends increases the never ending challenge of having good food on the table. It's a slow process for all of us. Even Jimmy is coming around and eating things he'd never considered to be edible before I got sick.

Then there are the daily headaches, not migraines, just the everyday run of the mill headache that shows up about the same time every day. I am not one who likes to take medication of any kind, so grabbing the Motrin for a simple headache is not on the agenda. Thankfully, they come about in the afternoon and Tanya is home, so going into the bedroom and closing the door for a few minutes of quiet darkness has managed to be the solution for keeping them under control. I won't lie, there are times those headaches get the better of me and I'd give almost anything to have something stronger than OTC ibuprofen for pain management.

I know some people say they can't manage getting into and out of a bath with their Fibro, but I have to tell you I LIVE for my bath at the end of the day. I have one of those large soaking garden (with steps for easier accommodation) type tubs that I fill within about 2 inches from the top. I light some candles and to the water I add either lavender bath salts or bubble bath and just simply allow the aches and pains of the day to melt away. This is my sanity, my sanctuary, and I honestly don't know what I would do if I wasn't able to use it any longer. Perhaps remodel the bathroom to accommodate one of those old people walk in bathtubs??? LOL!!

Did you know there are over 60 different symptoms associated with Fibro? I didn't. But, I've been doing a lot of research, reading articles from medical journals and adding some WebMD into the mix, and I've found so much information I had no idea about.  So far the only thing I haven't been able to get a handle on and stop the progression of are the mood swings which have led to being irritable at the drop of a hat. This often leads to worrying about my family thinking they have done something to hurt or upset me. Luckily, Jimmy and Tanya have listened to me when I talk about the things I'm feeling and they pretty much understand when I say I need quiet time to regroup and find my normal.

Finding flavorful foods is also a challenge, but like so many others, I've found Pinterest to be a gold mine for gluten free recipes. So far I haven't tried anything I've found there, but there is a recipe for avocado hummus I plan to try over the weekend. The picture looked amazing, and I can use it for vegetables or even gluten free tortilla chips I made the other day. If you like tortilla chips but don't want to buy them in the store because you aren't certain what you may be getting, make them at home. They are easy and taste perfect with homemade salsa or guacamole. We use Mission brand tortillas, Tanya only eats the flour ones, but I've changed from flour to their corn tortillas for everything I do for Mexican food and I love, love them. Mission corn tortillas are also gluten free.

Ingredients

Twelve corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Fine salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush both sides of the tortillas with the oil. Stack the tortillas and cut the pile into wedges to make chips. Spread the chips out in a single layer on two large baking sheets and season with salt. Bake until golden brown and crisp, rotating the baking sheets once, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve.

It's a journey and often times one of the most difficult things I've had to do. I cannot begin to tell you how often I'd rather stay in bed and just let everything go to hell. But, I have a family who depends on me, so I fight each day and figure out how to live with the constant aches and pain.