Hi Everyone,
Lol @CJ_Here somehow I can see you with your spoon playing out like a scene from a sitcom - so real and so classic! Whenever I don't measure in the kitchen, I pretty much don't measure!
So our big snowstorm turned into a bit of a bust the past 2 days which was okay with me. I was safe at home with nowhere to go but we got only a dusting of snow topped by an inch or so of ice. Treacherous and not very pretty, sadly, either. It is horrifying to see what's going on in Texas and I feel sorry for the people but I also really feel sorry for the animals and the citrus farmers are also going to be in big financial trouble too! What was more exciting in my neighborhood is that because the cloud cover was so low and the ground was so cold, we could feel the artillery practice at Quantico all around the region. We feel/hear it now (I'm about 20 miles away) and then but it was so rumbly and disconcerting that I actually wondered if they were blasting down the street or we were having some kind of earthquake. It's never been that severe that I recall before - where you could actually hear stuff rattling in the house.
What I did get was a kind of bombshell, however. You may recall my saga from about 2 years ago when I had a bunch of tests and finally saw a specialist to resolve my severe period challenges, ultimately opting for a Kyleena which I have loved and been so grateful for. Well, at my last well woman exam, they couldn't find the strings so they sent me for an ultrasound to make sure it's still where it belongs. I wasn't all that worried because I felt like it was working - my periods were much lighter and farther apart - each month was getting better with less pain, dizziness, etc. I really thought the ultrasound was just a formality.
Well . . . they discovered that I have a condition called adenomyosis. The doctor explained it to me when we spoke on Tuesday but of course I also consulted with Dr. Google. My uterus is enlarged and the walls are kind of lumpy. The lining and the walls are so thick that they can't quite tell where the walls end and the lining begins and because of that thickness, they also can't tell if Kyleena is in the right place or not and now they really need to know in case there's even more issues at hand. So, the next step is I get an MRI - this is when they put me in the big tube with an iv full of chemicals and for pelvic scans, it's longer than normal - an hour and half!
So, this means 2 things - 1. I may also have some other conditions like endometriosis or even cancer that they want to look for or rule out but if I do, Kyleena for sure comes out and possibly my uterus. 2. I have an actual diagnosis and explanation for why exactly my periods have been so debilitating for so long. I've joined 2 forums on facebook dedicated to this condition and some of the other members are as young as their early 20s. Meanwhile, there's a handful of us all at my age - 48 - who are wondering if we take action or just ride it out through menopause. Seems like removing the uterus is fairly common for them and everyone whose had it done, even at a late age like me, has been really happy with their decision. Note, I don't have to do this IF Kyleena is okay and there's no other condition they discover which is what I'm hoping for. At the same time, I'm resigned to the fact that I may be facing surgery this summer and if that means I never have to go through what I've dealt with for so many years and also lessen the burden of menopause and associated risks from that, then I'm okay with that too.
Anyway, having had a skin condition go improperly diagnosed for a few years previously and now this after maybe 2 decades of complaints, I can really vouch for the fact that having a name for what you feel is so empowering vs. the dreaded unnamed or worse, it might be all in your head.
MMMM, home made bread! I can't bake to save my life - somehow the chemistry of it all never works in my kitchen. My mom used to bake now and then and after a number of years, did buy a breadmaker but we only used it a few times. However, I do have a sourdough starter that I've been keeping alive for a number of years (pre-covid) which I actually only use maybe 2-3 times a year. I finally decided with the terrible storm to make something with it again. I haven't tackled actual bread yet and don't have that planned now either but I did get the stuff for a coffee cake, chocolate chip cookies and brownies. I haven't actually made any of those yet either and when I do, will only do 1 at a time because I don't need all that stuff in the house at once! Previously, I've made a cherry crumble type thing and especially, many times, pancakes and they are really good! I also tried crackers one time but decided they were so much work for so few pieces that I'd rather just buy them.
