I am great how are you?

...I usually respond to peoples questions about how I am rather then responding with the truth.  Sound familiar to you?  Most people really don't care how I feel they are just asking to be polite so I try to be polite too!  I wonder how they would respond if I really answered them truthfully with how I feel?  Let me think on this a second and I will tell you exactly and truthfully how I feel today...

It is after 2 pm (I didn't get to bed till 6 am cause of the pain and brain issues last night) and I just rolled out of bed so my brain is still very foggy and I am having difficulty putting thoughts together.  I am having to type/erase because unlike my iPad this computer doesn't have spell correct and I am not spelling well but to use the iPad causes me problems when I try to post.   Please excuse any typographical errors that spell check doesn't pick up.   How do I feel...my brains very foggy, back hurts from my neck down my spine, arthritis is effecting my joints and the fibro is causing me to feel like I have a horrible achiness all over my body.  My head is hurting a little bit because of the bright lights of the screen and the brilliant light from the outside due to all the snow on the ground.  My mouth is dry and eyes feel scratchy due to the Sjogren's syndrome that is secondary to all the other crap.  My fingers feel like sausages but don't look swollen and my legs and feet are all achey and cramping but I don't want the doctor to know cause I don't want to go up on my meds.   So all in all how to I feel today?  Bitchy and I want to go back to bed even though I haven't been up a half hour.   I don't do pain meds because they don't work for me so I try alternative things to make it better...that and doing the mind over matter thing!

If I am feeling like that why am I typing this up and why don't I just go back to bed.  Well the answer is I am trying to have a life truth be told.  In about 2 1/2 - 3 hours I will be better.  Brain less foggy and body might even ache a little less and I might be able to venture out into the world.  I used to be out and about every day but now days I probably average 1-2 times a week going anywhere.  I can't handle loud noises, bright lights, or crowds very well anymore so I grocery shop in the middle of the night.  I go with my daughter and we shop a little, visit the book store or Starbuck's for coffee and I go to her house to craft and paint.  I lead a much different life then I did before the Fibro, CFS, and gluten issues took hold of my body.

I had 4 doctors appointments in January and I haven't the foggiest how much money was spent on x-rays, MRI, and blood tests.  I was told again that my orthopedic doctor doesn't believe in Fibro and that it is just a catch all for all the gripes about aches and pains...yes I will keep going to him because what he lacks in bedside manner he excels in diagnosis and treatment.  My rheumatologist told me that she now thinks I am truly a fibro victim (good word that) because she can see I am not faking symptoms but she can't find any medical basis for them but because I am on Medicare with BC+BS insurance they won't pay for any blood or radiography tests to prove it.  I get SSDI and I am sure to hell not in the market to pay for $800 - $1000 test to prove I have it  when the treatment wouldn't be any different if I had a positive test result.  $1000 is almost as much as I make each month and I am having problems just getting by as it is.   The bright side is I only have 2 doctors to visit this month and they are just follow ups to all the lab and stuff I am having done.  Joy!

                                                          
I was nominated for a blog award and normally don't accept them but I figure that this blog has a lot of good information for me and others like me.  The blog is called "Fibro Fighterz" and has an online magazine called Fighterzine!  They are also on FaceBook trying to get the message out that those of us with Fibro are not alone.  Thank you Fibro Fighterz!  Now you guys go check it out!

On the bright side...Here is a recipe that I thought that I would share for my gluten free followers.  btw is they ask you at a restaurant if the gluten free is due to diet change or medical issues always say medical because they use different ways to process and cook the food to prevent gluten contamination.   These cookies are more then Yummy!  I would give them a 10 star in a 5 star rating system!

Gluten Free Homemade Nutter Butters

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 10 -15 cookies depending on how thin/thick you make them.

Way better than store bought!

Ingredients

For the cookie:

•  2 cups oat flour (gluten free all purpose or almond flour would work as well)
• 1 cup + 2 T peanut butter
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 T coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 T milk (I used almond milk) You can add a bit more milk if the batter looks dry.1
• 1 egg (I used a flax egg replacement)

For the filling:

•  1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 T coconut oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
• In a saucepan, combine the peanut butter, flax egg, coconut oil, vanilla and milk.
• Cook on medium heat until everything is well combined and the peanut butter is soft.
• Set aside to cool down to lukewarm.
• Once the peanut butter mixture is cooled, add it to the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
• Form the dough into thin, long logs and place them onto a lined baking sheet. (see photo above for step by step instructions)
• Use a fork to make the impressions on the cookies.
• Use your fingers to push the sides of each cookie in at the center to shape them like nutter butters.
• Bake them in the oven for about 15 minutes.
• While the cookies are baking, add all the filling ingredients to a blender.
• Mix until smooth.
• Frost the cookies and form sandwiches after the cookies have completely cooled.

My cookies came out pretty thick. When I make these again, I will thin the amount of dough out that I use. I also initially added 1/2 tsp baking powder to the dry ingredients and I felt the cookies rose too much. That is why I left it out of the recipe.

If you want to cut the calories and sugar a bit, you can just fill the cookies with plain peanut butter instead of mixing up the sweet filling.

http://mywholefoodlife.com/2014/01/04/gluten-free-homemade-nutter-butters/

Cranberry and Banana Nut bread...

It has been a painful and troubling week for me.  It has been super cold and it snowed last Thursday and Friday so I was cooped up in the house until yesterday.  That is okay though as I do not feel good most of the time and all that cold just aggravated it more. I have been getting depressed because of the increased pain, arthritic pain in hips and hands, coupled with the increased fibro pain makes me unable to accomplish most of what I would like to get done.  I have got the Christmas stuff out of the shed and on to the patio but have yet to find the motivation to bring it in the house and to start decorating.  I wanted to smack myself yesterday when I heard me complain to a friend about being so lazy and not having anything done yet...  Fibro people forget we are special...we have to put up with stuff and issues others don't and if we aren't kind to ourselves who will be?   Okay enough pissing and and moaning...

I started on a gluten free and mostly dairy free diet just over a year ago at the urging of some friends and a doctors visit.  I posted about my reasons for cutting out gluten, sweeteners, dairy, and processed meats here.   I have added back in a little dairy but continue off the rest of the stuff and I seem to have less fibro fog and maybe a little less pain.  I do know though that my gut appreciates the non-gluten diet cause if I eat gluten I end up with horrible stomachaches, gas, gloating, and diarrhea for days.  I tried to eat some biscuits and gravy about 6 months into the change over and as in bed in agony for about 3 days...almost like having a horrible flu or something.  Anyway it taught me a lesson and I have been less likely to slip up and eat gluten and can always tell if I get it foods when I eat out.

I made a really good loaf of Cranberry Nut bread yesterday using a recipe I have used for years from Ocean Spray Cranberries!  Love Cranberry bread and this cooked up so moist and it is a heavy bread due to the fruit and nuts.  Here is a picture of what mine looked like cut...

Gluten Free Cranberry Nut Bread

About This Recipe
"From Ocean Spray 1998. Modified to be gluten free."

Ingredients
1 cup fresh cranberries, cut in half (I used a food processor and lightly chopped them)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons shortening or 2 tablespoons butter (I used coconut oil)
3/4 cup juice (one orange and one Meyers lemon and add water to equal 3/4 cup)
1 egg, well beaten

Directions
1. preheat oven to 350.
2. Prepare cranberries, nuts and orange peel and set aside.
3. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Cut in shortening.
5. Add juice, egg and peel and mix until moist.
6. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Loaf Pan: grease and flour. Baker 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out
clean.
7.  Loaf Pan: grease and flour. Baker 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out
clean.
8. Cupcakes: makes 16. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.
9. I do not wrap due to the gluten free flour, best if kept at room temperature.  (I wrapped mine and today cut it up and put waxed paper between each slice before putting it in a plastic bag in the freezer.  Gluten free doesn't keep well here more then two days)

Cranberry Fruit Nut Bread Recipe - Food.com... http://www.food.com/recipeprint.do?rid=492371
1 of 2 12/11/13 2:08 PM 

The banana nut bread is awesome also.  I have made it several times and it always comes out moist and "banana-ish"

Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffins of Bread with Crunchy Topping

4 cup gluten free baking mix
1 cup sugar
1 1/2  cup almond milk
4 eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
5 bananas mashed up
1 cup chopped pecans

Crunchy Topping
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c butter (I used coconut oil)
1/4 c pecan bits

1. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl except those for the crunchy topping.  
2. Mix the crunchy topping ingredients together in a separate bowl.  You may need to use a little more sugar if it doesn't look like lumpy sand.   
3. Line baking tins with cupcake liners and spray lightly with nonstick spray.   
4. Fill each cup about 3/4 full of batter.   Top with about tablespoon of topping.  
5.  If making a loaf this will make 2 good sized loaves so you may need to to make more topping.
6. Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of muffin comes out clean. Makes 36 muffins.  
7. Loaves...bake at 350 for 1 hour or  until a toothpick inserted in the middle of muffin comes out clean.

I plan on doing some more baking today so I will add recipes and pictures as I make stuff...I think I better watch out though I may be getting into the Christmas spirit or the Snowman Day spirit as I like to call the holiday!

Some articles I have read and some other stuffs....

It has been a while since I have posted I and I want to apologize once again to my loyal followers...I sometimes get down/depressed and end up not posting or doing much of anything!  Does anyone get tired of the medical disorders controlling their lives, being the only topic of conversation with some of your friends?  I get so tired of not being able to do what I want to do or if I do it suffering for days later.  I tend to clam up and not do or say anything...I know I shouldn't do that but it is what controls me on good days!  I haven't rolled playing dead cause I keep reading and trying to understand why I have developed these disorders and I still haven't reached any viable reasons.  I have read some really interesting articles recently on the topics of celiac disease or gluten intolerance and fibromyalgia.



The first article I thought was quite interesting is about a blood test that views blood under a microscope that shows a clustering or patterning of blood molecules that only occurs in people with fibromyalgia.   What makes this test so interesting?  Well the test has been developed by Tony Buffington DVM PhD at the University of Ohio that was conducting some research on cats and cystitis and came up with this.  Nope the test isn't on the marked yet cause it has to jump through all the hoops etc at the FDA but there is hope on the horizon.  Blood Test Could Lead to Early Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia the article was reported by a professional journal and National Pain Report.com and can be trusted.   There have been other tests that the article mentions but they are expensive and not as conclusive as this appears to be.

A year ago I underwent a lot of testing for the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, dizziness and falling, nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and bloody stools.  When I first saw the doctor he was convinced I had an autoimmune disorder called Celiac disease and wanted to do some tests, blood and endoscopy.   The blood test came by marginal and inconclusive so he wanted to do endoscopy of the upper bowel and a colonoscopy where he took biopsies.  That all came back negative and he told me then that I DID NOT have celiac disease and it must be something else but he didn't know what and he put me on pills to help with the bloating and diarrhea.  AMAZING...yes but this is the attitude of a lot of doctors now days.  I think they are convinced we are just medication seeking and not wanting proof.  I read an article recently called Gluten sensitivity: from gut to brain  by a British physician that says there is a link between gluten sensitivity and the symptoms I have been having the past few years  I find it interesting that no where in the American literature could I find information regarding this same article.   Since it was published in several European professional journals it is just an example of professional bitchiness in the US....hmmmm....do you think the FDA is being bought off by big pharmacutical companies?  

I had an interesting experience last month with chest pain.  I had gone to do a little light shopping with Heather and about fell down a couple of times and then the pain started.  I didn't have any warning and so Heather zipped me off to the hospital where I spent the night!  My cardiac enzymes and EKG showed I wasn't having a heart attack but my daughter and doctor thought a night under observation and more testing was called for.  My thoughts on the hospitalization are pretty negative considering that I showed up with chest pain and I was triaged in the waiting area, when taken to the back it was almost 30 minutes before I had an EKG done or even saw the nurse.  The doctor assigned to me didn't come in the room but a doctor that is friends with my son saw my name and came in to see how I was and took over the case.  I never had oxygen on...not a single time while I was at the hospital.  I was never given my standard medications and went without all of them for almost 48 hours till I got home and took my own.  I had a couple rough weeks because of a flare up caused by immediate removal of drugs.  I guess I am a little critical here but as a critical care/ER nurse I recognize what was done right and what was done wrong.  I would have been fired for negligence but it seemed to be the average professional age of the nurses caring for me was less then 6 months as an RN.  Tells a story as to what the health care is coming to around this town!

On a more happy note I would like to share the fact that Pillsbury has come out with a new line of baked goodies for the gluten intolerant and persons with Celiac disease.  WalMart is even carrying them! 
 
 Pizza dough, pie crust, and chocolate chip cookie dough.  I also heard that they may be coming out with rolls.  It isn't cheap...$4.08 each at Wally world to $5.59 at Homeland but worth the price.  I love the chocolate chip cookies!

Tried a new recipe from Betty Crocker using my bisquick style mix and their recipe.   Here is the recipe!  Click on the link above for the complete recipe or to see the nutritional information.
 
Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
Chicken

• 2 1/2 cups Progresso® chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
• 1 cup Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Dumplings        

• 3/4 cup Bisquick® Gluten Free mix
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted   
• 1 egg 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• 1 In 3-quart saucepan, heat chicken broth, chicken, vegetables, salt, and pepper to boiling. In small bowl, mix 1 cup milk and the cornstarch with wire whisk until smooth; stir into chicken mixture. Heat just to boiling.
• 2 In small bowl, stir dumpling ingredients with fork until blended. Gently drop dough by 8 rounded spoonfuls onto boiling chicken mixture.
• 3 Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer.