Whenever it comes to anything like grades, or test results I become rather impatient. I need.to.know.now. I didn't want to wait until next Monday Oct 5th for the results from the mouth of my doctor so I phoned the nurse to see if my results from the second round of blood tests and my ultrasounds were back.
She said that they were and yes, my liver function tests were all high and they found through the ultrasound that I have some sort of uterine prolapse which is a fancy way of saying the walls of my uterus are falling or my uterus is sliding down. Interesting fact: this doesn't typically happen in women who are not postmenopausal. I am wondering if years of annovulation have put my body into menopause mode?? Who knows. I'm not going to get all fearful just yet because I will wait until Monday when I hear what my doctor says. All I know is this could get complicated. Nothing is ever simple with me. Ha!
Please pray it's nothing serious or that can't be fixed with a glue gun.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Alright, out with it
I felt the need to bring something up, and not because I'm expecting this to fix anything, but simply because it feels better to talk about it than to keep it all inside.
As I am now engaged and RB and I are looking to start a family in the next couple of years, fertility issues have weighed heavily on my mind. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which can be caused by any number of things but inevitably the outward symptoms include annovulation (no ovulation), irregular ovulation, weight gain, loss/thinning of hair and a whole host of other symptoms. I suffer from annovulation and have for the past, nearly 10 years, and no doctor has even remotely been able to figure it out. I finally was fed up and went to a doctor in my school's health centre and she has been wonderful at getting the ball rolling to figure this out.
It's frustrating to me because I see all of these young mothers who to me don't seem like they care much about their children. And then there is me, 9 years of schooling under my belt and I would drop everything in a heartbeat if I knew I could have the chance to have my own child.
So I have been in for blood work, ultrasounds today, and I have been told my doctor has issued further bloodwork because something with my liver functions isn't right. Some PCOS can be driven by Insulin Resistance Syndrome which is a fancy way of saying your body produces too much insulin than is actually used. The excessive insulin sends a morse code to your ovaries, stimulating them to produce excessive androgen hormone (male testosterone which is typically present in every female, but these are elevated levels). This excessive testosterone inhibits eggs being released which is probably the cause of my annovulation.
I'm unsure what the next steps will be. The reason is is caused polycystic ovarian syndrome is because the first signs were multiple cysts on women's ovaries. However, not all PCOS patients have cysts--so you can have PCOS without it which makes the syndrome all that more complex.
Untreated insulin resistance can lead to liver disease and I'm hoping, praying, that this isn't the case with me. Anyway, I had to get that off my chest. So if you read this, and you're bored at work today or at school....you know...think about me sitting in the office with 1 litre of water in my bladder while some attendant presses down on it making me super uncomfortable. And praise the Lord it's not you.
:)
As I am now engaged and RB and I are looking to start a family in the next couple of years, fertility issues have weighed heavily on my mind. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which can be caused by any number of things but inevitably the outward symptoms include annovulation (no ovulation), irregular ovulation, weight gain, loss/thinning of hair and a whole host of other symptoms. I suffer from annovulation and have for the past, nearly 10 years, and no doctor has even remotely been able to figure it out. I finally was fed up and went to a doctor in my school's health centre and she has been wonderful at getting the ball rolling to figure this out.
It's frustrating to me because I see all of these young mothers who to me don't seem like they care much about their children. And then there is me, 9 years of schooling under my belt and I would drop everything in a heartbeat if I knew I could have the chance to have my own child.
So I have been in for blood work, ultrasounds today, and I have been told my doctor has issued further bloodwork because something with my liver functions isn't right. Some PCOS can be driven by Insulin Resistance Syndrome which is a fancy way of saying your body produces too much insulin than is actually used. The excessive insulin sends a morse code to your ovaries, stimulating them to produce excessive androgen hormone (male testosterone which is typically present in every female, but these are elevated levels). This excessive testosterone inhibits eggs being released which is probably the cause of my annovulation.
I'm unsure what the next steps will be. The reason is is caused polycystic ovarian syndrome is because the first signs were multiple cysts on women's ovaries. However, not all PCOS patients have cysts--so you can have PCOS without it which makes the syndrome all that more complex.
Untreated insulin resistance can lead to liver disease and I'm hoping, praying, that this isn't the case with me. Anyway, I had to get that off my chest. So if you read this, and you're bored at work today or at school....you know...think about me sitting in the office with 1 litre of water in my bladder while some attendant presses down on it making me super uncomfortable. And praise the Lord it's not you.
:)
Thursday, September 17, 2009
How to eat NY without being in NY
Dawn is baking! I took a day off of school to just relax and hang out here at the house. I'm about to bake a great batch of NY Cheesecake Brownies that can be found in an excellent cookie cookbook that was recommended to me by Mrs. Shortcake. I will expand later with photos of the process. Wish me baking luck!
Monday, September 14, 2009
It's the hap-happiest time of the year?
Hello again from the hallowed halls of learning. It's me, Dawn. I know I haven't been around in awhile and/or written a decent post but I've been getting my bearings slowly but surely after this trek across the country. What this really means is unpacking, resting/sleeping, hanging out with RB and getting my feet wet again in proverbial academic pool.
The most interesting thing to date is my untimely cravings for peanut butter. Ever get those? Here I'll show you:
Down the hatch!
The most interesting thing to date is my untimely cravings for peanut butter. Ever get those? Here I'll show you:
Down the hatch!Yeah. That's me spooning peanut butter into my mouth. Originally I had brought it to eat with my oh so delish gala apples but found that the apple was overpowering the awesomeness of the peanut butter and thusly I ate the rest of my apple and spoon fed myself the rest of the few tablespoons of peanut butter. Mm. Peanuty goodness. It's a sin or at least it should be. The only thing that makes peanut butter better is chocolate with peanut butter.
I've been attempting to be more health conscious lately. What this really means is that I've been reading labels like a good girl. This doesn't mean I won't actually eat the 540 calorie 45 grams of fat Big Mac, it just means I'm consciously doing it! Erm, yay?
Now I need to consciously not eat it but that's next week's post.
I made RB a big batch of peanut butter (noticing a trend here?) sandwhich cookies which I would have posted if they had in fact turned out like the book said they would. Ever have that happen? Cookie recipe yields 6 dozen and you get only 2? And I don't understand! They said place generous tablespoon-fulls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet! I think maybe I'm just a more generous baker than the author. Not a bad thing! And RB actually loved them. Tonight I'm making New York Cheesecake Brownies. Wish me luck. I may come out of here with only half a 9 inch baking dish of brownies. Not a bad thing for the waistline!
I have a doctor's appt tonight to go over a food and nutrition/weight loss plan. Is bringing her a peanut butter cookie in bad taste?
Until next time.
I've been attempting to be more health conscious lately. What this really means is that I've been reading labels like a good girl. This doesn't mean I won't actually eat the 540 calorie 45 grams of fat Big Mac, it just means I'm consciously doing it! Erm, yay?
Now I need to consciously not eat it but that's next week's post.
I made RB a big batch of peanut butter (noticing a trend here?) sandwhich cookies which I would have posted if they had in fact turned out like the book said they would. Ever have that happen? Cookie recipe yields 6 dozen and you get only 2? And I don't understand! They said place generous tablespoon-fulls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet! I think maybe I'm just a more generous baker than the author. Not a bad thing! And RB actually loved them. Tonight I'm making New York Cheesecake Brownies. Wish me luck. I may come out of here with only half a 9 inch baking dish of brownies. Not a bad thing for the waistline!
I have a doctor's appt tonight to go over a food and nutrition/weight loss plan. Is bringing her a peanut butter cookie in bad taste?
Until next time.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Home Suite Home
Hello lovies!!!
I'm hoping this is a return to blog-land, on a regular basis. We're mostly settled here in beautiful Guelph, Ontario after a 9-day holiday trek from west to east. We're tired, sick of looking at boxes, yet full of hope for the next year to come before we do it all again.
When everything is completely unpacked, boxes broken down and every speck of dirt cleaned I promise I will take photos so you can see our place. It's rather bacheloresque in format---technically it's a 1-bedroom but if you recall from previous posts, the 1 brm is too small to be a bedroom so we've converted it to an office space for ourselves (actually for me to get my thesis written, with a door to close, so I do not get distracted by playoff hockey---or just the regular season in general while RB watches.) We have thusly moved the bed into the livingroom right in front of the television next to the kitchen. I have to say I am very happy at the decision to bring the mattress with us because an air mattress for a year just would not do. We have had wonderful sleeps and we can curl up and cuddle while watching television in the evening. Anyone up for America's Best Dance Crew ?? ANYONE?! And are you sad Vogue Evolution was eliminated? I am.
P.S. Mario Lopez is dreamy. I could just do many many things with those dimples. There. I said it.
Today Rogers came and hooked up our internets and television. Currently RB is in tv-la-la-land, HD heaven and PVR pleasure-mode (Tivo for you 'mericans). Do you call it PVR in America? Anyway--nothing beats an HDPVR and once you've had one it's hard to go back. In particular I love the rewind option whenever you're watching a great show and you missed something because RB is whining that supper isn't ready yet. Argh! Don't you know not to interrupt me during So you think you can dance?! Ahem.
We also love Rogers "On-Demand" function--we can watch the most popular of television shows previous episodes in full that we missed--for free! Like Hell's Kitchen. And can I just say that Tennille makes me made?
Something about her is just like some snooty b&@#!y meets Whoopie Goldberg. And why do all the chefs on Hell's Kitchen smoke? Does that just make you want to not eat their food? Crikey!
Well, I will part with you for now as I gear up for a post on our journey here and the days I spent with my future MOH and her darling children who call me Auntie. I'm making homemade chicken salad in fresh made pita bread and homemade pasta salad because I am a suckkkker for pasta salad. Keep watch here for some wicked recipes I will be whipping up for RB. After 9 days eating out I'm excited to be eating in again. Also, for the rest of this growing season, RB and I will be going to a number of farmer's markets and my intent is to start buying veggies and fruits I do not normally eat and I will learn the ways to cook them. Two nights ago I made a Tuscan Stew--or at least that's what I called it. Grilled red and yellow peppers, yellow and green zuccinni, eggplant and sauteed onion, roma tomatoes and fresh grated garlic. This was all cooked down in a pot and then I made some garlic bread. I'd never eaten eggplant before and never cooked with zuccinni before and it turned out excellent.
Last night I made porkchops with apples and some pan-friend white potatoes. I didn't take photos but essentially I took the 1 inch thick sirloin chops and dredged them in flour mixed with pepper and salt and pan fried them transferring them to a pyrex baking dish. I then took two gala apples, cored and cut them into smaller slices. In a bowl I mixed 1/4 cup of orange juice, 4 tbsp. of brown sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon with a whisk. I poured this mixture over the pork chops and added the apples. In a 425F oven I covered the dish with foil for 35 minutes and then took off the foil for another 10 to brown the apples.
I steamed the white potatoes and when done I put them on a cutting board and smashed them down with the heal of my hand with just enough force to break them slightly. I then added some EVOO to a heated pan and pan fried the potatoes just to make them golden brown--sprinkled them with some fresh ground pepper and salt.
Great meal and pretty easy!
Talk soon!
Love,
Dawn
I'm hoping this is a return to blog-land, on a regular basis. We're mostly settled here in beautiful Guelph, Ontario after a 9-day holiday trek from west to east. We're tired, sick of looking at boxes, yet full of hope for the next year to come before we do it all again.
When everything is completely unpacked, boxes broken down and every speck of dirt cleaned I promise I will take photos so you can see our place. It's rather bacheloresque in format---technically it's a 1-bedroom but if you recall from previous posts, the 1 brm is too small to be a bedroom so we've converted it to an office space for ourselves (actually for me to get my thesis written, with a door to close, so I do not get distracted by playoff hockey---or just the regular season in general while RB watches.) We have thusly moved the bed into the livingroom right in front of the television next to the kitchen. I have to say I am very happy at the decision to bring the mattress with us because an air mattress for a year just would not do. We have had wonderful sleeps and we can curl up and cuddle while watching television in the evening. Anyone up for America's Best Dance Crew ?? ANYONE?! And are you sad Vogue Evolution was eliminated? I am.
P.S. Mario Lopez is dreamy. I could just do many many things with those dimples. There. I said it.
Today Rogers came and hooked up our internets and television. Currently RB is in tv-la-la-land, HD heaven and PVR pleasure-mode (Tivo for you 'mericans). Do you call it PVR in America? Anyway--nothing beats an HDPVR and once you've had one it's hard to go back. In particular I love the rewind option whenever you're watching a great show and you missed something because RB is whining that supper isn't ready yet. Argh! Don't you know not to interrupt me during So you think you can dance?! Ahem.
We also love Rogers "On-Demand" function--we can watch the most popular of television shows previous episodes in full that we missed--for free! Like Hell's Kitchen. And can I just say that Tennille makes me made?
Something about her is just like some snooty b&@#!y meets Whoopie Goldberg. And why do all the chefs on Hell's Kitchen smoke? Does that just make you want to not eat their food? Crikey!Well, I will part with you for now as I gear up for a post on our journey here and the days I spent with my future MOH and her darling children who call me Auntie. I'm making homemade chicken salad in fresh made pita bread and homemade pasta salad because I am a suckkkker for pasta salad. Keep watch here for some wicked recipes I will be whipping up for RB. After 9 days eating out I'm excited to be eating in again. Also, for the rest of this growing season, RB and I will be going to a number of farmer's markets and my intent is to start buying veggies and fruits I do not normally eat and I will learn the ways to cook them. Two nights ago I made a Tuscan Stew--or at least that's what I called it. Grilled red and yellow peppers, yellow and green zuccinni, eggplant and sauteed onion, roma tomatoes and fresh grated garlic. This was all cooked down in a pot and then I made some garlic bread. I'd never eaten eggplant before and never cooked with zuccinni before and it turned out excellent.
Last night I made porkchops with apples and some pan-friend white potatoes. I didn't take photos but essentially I took the 1 inch thick sirloin chops and dredged them in flour mixed with pepper and salt and pan fried them transferring them to a pyrex baking dish. I then took two gala apples, cored and cut them into smaller slices. In a bowl I mixed 1/4 cup of orange juice, 4 tbsp. of brown sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon with a whisk. I poured this mixture over the pork chops and added the apples. In a 425F oven I covered the dish with foil for 35 minutes and then took off the foil for another 10 to brown the apples.
I steamed the white potatoes and when done I put them on a cutting board and smashed them down with the heal of my hand with just enough force to break them slightly. I then added some EVOO to a heated pan and pan fried the potatoes just to make them golden brown--sprinkled them with some fresh ground pepper and salt.
Great meal and pretty easy!
Talk soon!
Love,
Dawn
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