Please, let this week be better than last

Ever had one of those weeks you wish would just end.  Now!  My week was actually about 10 days long.  It started when my medication was a little too successful and made me feel like a train wreck.  It caused upset stomach, massive leg cramps (including my inner thighs!), and other symptons I won't go into. Finally Thursday night I went to the ER.  Although I drink about 3 litres of water a day, plus some Gatorade I'd been chugging, I was still dehydrated.  Insert IV to rehydrate.  Take these two pills to stop the stomach issues.  When you get home, take this to sleep.  Test again for C-Diff (third time since August).  Have a prescription for some sleeping pills.  Friday night I took one and turned off the ringer on my phone. I woke up at 8 AM and called mom.  While I was talking to her, my friend and co-worker Tina beeped in.  Since the ringer on my phone was off, if I hadn't been on the phone, I wouldn't have known she was calling.

Tina would never call me that early on a weekend unless something was wrong.  I thought maybe she was sick and wouln't be at work.  No.  She had just gotten a call that her best friend Heather had been killed early Saturday morning by a drunk driver (Walt Taton).  She had no time to accept that when she received a call that one of her co-workers at the state had passed away from cancer during the night.  While you can prepare yourself mentally for the passing of someone from cancer, since it has been months, you cannot prepare for the death of a 28 year old friend with three small children. The news reports keep stating that the driver and Heather were not wearing seatbelts.  Yes, you should always wear your seatbelt, but apparently a seatbelt would not have helped Heather.  Her side of the car was hit full speed by a drunk driving a Ford F350 pickup.  "Apparently" alcohol was involved.  Really?  He was driving in the wrong lane and killed a woman--a mother, wife, and friend.  And he seriously injured a woman who was planning her wedding.  The two women were on their way back from making wedding plans in Rapid City.  Heather chose to stay home to raise her children.  I haven't met her daughters, but her son Alex is the cutest, sweetest little guy around. He's not 2 yet, and will not grow up with his mommy.  She won't be there to teach her daughters to make cookies or paint their fingernails.  If the man who hit them does not spend the rest of his life in prison, then that is a true crime.  I hope he has a good insurance policy, because they are going to get that and everything else he has.

All of this did not put me in a good mood, so when a stupid former employee called to find out why her paycheck wasn't deposited on Friday, I had no tact.  We get paid on the 1st and the 15th.  Anyone want to venture a guess why she did't get paid Friday? Right--she is an idiot.  I didn't say that of course, just explained the she would be paid Tuesday with the rest of us.  She tried to argue.  I said "Tuesday" and hung up.  Why does God let idiots live, and takes good people?

Middle aged? (a/k/a "How to make your social worker sweat")

This evening was supposed to be the regular monthly meeting of the Avera McKennan liver support group.  I forgot until about 3:30 when I called the social worker to make sure it was tonight, and to remind her to call me if people did come to hold the group.  Unfortunately, no one made it to the meeting, so B called to let me know there was no meeting.  She did have an idea that she would like to run past her manager, though, about possibly getting a post-transplant patient and I together so we could talk (since I'm a pre-me).  B explained that the gal was "middle aged, the same as you."  Sharply inhaled breath.  Middle aged, I asked?  I think I could actually see the sweat pouring down B's forehead just then.  She started apoligizing and back-peddling, and then I laughed.  It was pretty funny.  I am 46, but I do not consider myself to be, or even near, middle aged.  My staff can ask me about a song they heard and what is it.  I can tell them it's by Gotye (that's goat-ee-ay, not got-yee).  I can sing along with 'Rolling in the Deep' although they prefer that I don't sing at work.  After all, they say I know every song ever written, and I can sing it -- badly! 

So middle aged was kind of a shock.  Well, B, I'm going to drag that gem out every time I need to make a point or just to bust your chops a bit.  I'm still laughing.  After all, it is the best medicine!

The best dip, however, goes to the dip I made for work yesterday.  Not so much as a scraping of the bowl left!  So, here it is:

Garlic Dill Ranch Dip
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch buttermilk ranch dressing mix
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Mix all together until smooth.  Refrigerate at least overnight before serving with crackers or herb rusks.  If you want to make it lighter, just use the reduced fat versions of the cream cheese and sour cream.  I'm trying to come up with a salt-free version of ranch dressing mix, but so far no success.

Hey, Hey, Hey, It's a Beautiful Day

What a beautiful day!  Sunny, warm, a light breeze, and birds singing in the trees.  I went out for a bit this morning just to get out, and was completely bummed again that the local Super Waldo’s did not have any of the sugar-free black cherry Winky Gel Bites.  Yes, I buy finger jello in a bag, but in my defense, you can’t find sugar-free black cherry to make at home.  I love that flavor.

Then I came home and made some kitchen sink pasta salad for my lunches this week.  It got pasta, protein, and lots of crunchy veggies and even some fruit.  Toss it in a little Dorothy Lynch dressing, and you’ve got loads of yummy.  I’m feeling really great now that I’m over my ear/sinus infection.  I’ve even managed to get a couple of nights of decent sleep in during the last week or so.  I do plan to call Dr. E’s office tomorrow.  I know he’s said I’m good skipping my Lactulose for a day if everything is going well, but I’ve been off it for three days now because everything was still going the way it should without the help.  Just want to make sure there won’t be any other issues.

Another of my favorite foods is meatloaf. So I made some last week, and decided to share the recipe with you. This recipe is totally legal with my diet—NO salt at all.   

Best-Ever Meatloaf

2 pounds ground turkey

 2 eggs

1/2 cup white rice                                                   

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (no-salt)

1 Tablespoon Marshall Creek Spices no-salt Sausage Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper                     

1/4 cup meatloaf sauce (below)

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and shape into a loaf in a pan.  Baste with 1/2 cup of the meatloaf sauce.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Baste with remaining meatloaf sauce; cook for an additional 15 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Let cool for 5 minutes then slice.  Excellent with roasted potatoes, carrots, leeks, onions, celery, and sweet potatoes tossed with a bit of olive oil and cracked black pepper.  Lots of flavor in this!

Meatloaf Sauce:

1 cup Heinz no-salt added ketchup                    

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar                                   

1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic

Enjoy!