Another week passed since my last post. I've been recovering from exposure to nutmeg, one of my 7 food allergies. Last Thursday evening I attended a neighbor's open house. When she offered me hot cider, I inquired whether that contained cane sugar. So she showed me the ingredients listed on the container, which didn't include cane sugar or any of my other allergies. So I thought the cider was safe. After a few sips of the cider, I told my neighbor that I had to avoid any amount of my food allergies, which I named. Then she told me that she had ADDED NUTMEG to the cider. Of course, I didn't drink any more and hoped for the best.
No such luck ... Within an hour I had right lower abdominal cramps which spread by the next morning to the middle of my abdomen. For the next 4 days I had constant cramping pains, bloating, excessive gas and more irregularity, enough to exacerbate hemorrhoids. I guess I learned the hard way to name ALL of my allergies when I'm inquiring about ingredients in beverages or foods. I wonder why my neighbor didn't mention she added nutmeg when I scanned the ingredient list for allergens?? SIGH Fortunately I seemed to have recovered after 5 days of painful symptoms ... just in time to slip and fall on solid ice during a walk today. Just what I needed ... COUNTERPAIN! LOL
Actually getting up and continuing to walk in the very cold (low 30s) weather kept my knee from getting stiff and swollen. I may need to sit with ice packs (or snow in baggies) while I eat dinner. But I don't think I cracked my kneecap or any other bones. I have very strong bones, despite refusing to consume dairy products (one of my allergies) or take calcium supplements and being thin most of my life. From what I've read, magnesium (which I take in massive doses for regularity) and Vitamin D are more important for bone health. I'm lucky I didn't break bones in previous falls, before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (which impairs calcium absorption in the intestines) and hypochloridia (which impairs calcium absorption in the stomach). Although I don't take calcium or consume dairy I daily eat other good sources of calcium (canned salmon or sardines with bones, sesame seeds and/or tahini, and green vegies like brocolli or kale). So I suspect all that keeps my bones strong. I really was surprised that I could walk after slapping my kneecap on ice. That reminds me of all the times I fell when I ice skated and never broke anything.
Nevertheless I've had enough snow (over a week now) and impassable roads. Neither I nor my husband (who drove on ice and snow in Colorado) have ventured out in the ice and snow this past week. Seattle drivers don't know how to drive on snow. The city has only a few snow plow trucks, because we rarely get snow. So many streets are unplowed, unsanded and hazardous. Many accidents have occurred daily during this snowy period. I don't care whether we have a white Christmas. I'm dreaming of a typical Seattle WET Christmas with no more snow. Maybe we should spend next December in Maui. Where's this global warming? Certainly not during December in Seattle or most of the rest of the country.
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4 comments:
Hi Sue,
I hope you're feeling better, sounds like you had a tough couple of weeks.
I felt angry that your friend didn't tell you that she added an ingredient you're allergic to until after you consumed it. I guess people who have the luxury of being able to eat any foods without experiencing pain don't always understand how caution a person has to be if she needs to abstain from certain foods (or entire food groups).
I'm surprised you're bones are so strong despite you not having much calcium, I suppose the magnesium really does make a difference. I'm glad, you certainly don't need that pain to add on to all the other things you deal with.
My goodness it sounds like you're snowed in, I know how that is. We had a blizzard here a few days ago and I feel like I'm a bear in her hibernation cave. I also was thinking of how I wished it would snow because even though December is almost over I still don't sense the holidays. It seems like a regular cold autumn, but now I surely feel that it is the jolly time of the year and I'm trying to feel more festive.
I can relate to wishing for the rainy whether instead of the snow. The snow on the roads makes me feel confined and I can't go for walks or a run like I normally do, so that's frustrating. At least in the rain I can wear a rain coat, but in the snow I end up dancing on the icy path instead of jogging. It is great amusement for onlookers, but I don't want to repeat that again.
Happy Holidays and New Year!
Olia
PS: I sent you holiday wishes but I'm afraid you won't receive it until after Christmas.
Yeah, I was intially angry at my neighbor for not mentioning the nutmeg. You're right about people who can eat w/o pain not understanding how careful I must be. Nevertheless, it's MY responsibility to ask whether people add anything to what they offer me, as well as tell them ALL my allergies, when I ask about a food or beverage. I only asked her about cane sugar. Needless to say, I feel better when I blame someone else, rather than admit my own carelessness caused the nutmeg reaction.
It sounds like we BOTH 'dance' on ice. I certainly did a fancy dance before I fell on my knee today. LOL I started to slip, caught myself, started to slip again, caught myself and then slipped again and sat hard with my knees pointed inward and feet outward (a position I can hold, because I have turned in or 'knock' knees). So I hit the ice with the inside of my left knee first. OUCH!
I feared I cracked my kneecap, but I could walk on it. I certainly couldn't walk to a doctor's office. So my knee had just better be okay. I'll keep icing it tonight when I read in bed with my leg propped up.
I hope you are on the mend, Sue!
Thanks, Heidi. I'm almost past the nutmeg reaction symptoms. I can walk on that injured knee. I'm still conscious of the injury when I do stairs, but I tend to keep moving, rather than avoid movement, with most injuries. During 1991 I broke 4 bones in my wrist during a roller skating accident. So I know broken bone pain, and don't think I broke anything when I fell on my knee recently.
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