Some of you might know that I’ve been lamenting the disappearance of the latte from the McDonald’s menu for a while. Well, what you might not know is that our coffee pot has been giving up the ghost at the same time.
I know. Commence panicking.
The single-cup brew has been kaput for months, and the 12-cup side was succumbing to hard water atrocities despite attempts to clear out the lime scale with vinegar. It’s been brewing so slowly, folks. We knew its days were numbered, and we were grieving.
Well, a friend and generous soul gifted us this beaut and I had my first Ninja single-cup with a splash of sweet cream and vanilla this morning. And holy moly was it ever tasty.
I am whole, and Dan (who will drink an entire pot before 4:00 am) is abso-fucking-lutely delighted too.
Since I have discovered the healing powers of warm caffeine for my IBS-C, my mood has also greatly improved and my depression noticeably abated with my morning cuppa. (There might be more to this whole mind-gut connection than I thought.)
Pairing a McDonald’s latte with McDonald’s oatmeal was such a comfort for my gut. (My new favorite order.) Plus I could DoorDash treats for Dan and my mom and feel good about that while laughing about how they make everything with crack there. Good for the soul.
It’s expensive for a girl on SSDI to order that as frequently as she wants, though. But now! Now I can have the perfect cup of coffee with the perfect bowl of oatmeal. I can even borrow from the McDonald’s playbook and put a splash of sweet cream coffee creamer in my oatmeal.
If I have learned anything from the latest lung biopsy scare after the lymph node surgical biopsy following two lymph node needle biopsies sandwiched between episodes of anxiety, inflammation, and IBS flares, it’s to trust myself when I say it’s time for steroids.
It’s day three of my dose pack, and despite the excessive hanger and steroid insomnia, I feel human again. For the first time in almost two years.
In my adolescence, I used to get a steroid dose pack every year around May when Ohio River Valley pollen and GE Plastics pollution landed me at the doctor’s office with a raging sinus infection. It suppressed the inflammation and made the pain and pressure go away while the antibiotics took the time they needed.
Now doctors look at me like I’m begging for Vicodin and a Shetland pony when I ask for help getting inflammatory shit under control. “We don’t like to prescribe steroids. Only as a last resort.”
I. Have. Brain. Cancer. If I don’t qualify for a little pain relief, who the fuck does?
I’m not mad at my doctors. Just so frustrated that every little thing feels like a fight for me.
I don’t know when this “steroid steward” thing happened, or if it’s a regional phenomenon or what, but I miss palliative care so much. They’d call me once a month, and make my life as tolerable as possible. I need to find this kind of care here.
I understand better than most what risks come with steroid use. When I request it, I’m way beyond needing a little help. I’m desperate. I haven’t taken steroids since Boomer had a surgical liver biopsy in 2022 and I needed an assist walking across the University of Illinois campus while their veterinary building was under construction.
Did I mention I have a brain tumor and sometimes my body needs help?
This post is entirely self-serving. For the next time I need to be more assertive. I can be a bitch with or without ‘roid rage.
Seeing how I ordered myself a grocery care package from Walmart and I was approved this week for Walmart’s affiliate program, I thought I’d share what IBS relief stuff is being delivered today.
Brief disclaimer since this is the internet: I’m disabled, but not so disabled I don’t delete comments from people who try to shame me about accessible delivery services, packaging, and whatnot.
Peppermint tea is soothing for the stomach. I frequently get tired of drinking the same thing, so I like to have a little variety. That leads me to my next purchase.
I’m not a fan of tea, but I always take my medicine. Ginger and I go way back to my first round of chemo. It helps with nausea.
FYI: Ondansetron (generic for Zofran) works well as an anti-emetic, but, girlfriend, it stops all the pipes from chugging. Give me some ginger and I’ll deal, thank you very much.)
I haven’t tried this yet, so I’m not vouching for it. It contains chicory though, so this has to be tried with forethought. It’s not time yet, but it will be waiting when I’m ready.
My taste buds prefer ice cream, but I’m trying to be kind to my intestines right now. The colder, the better even when it’s not the middle of July in the Northern Hemisphere.
Salt is just something I crave when I’m drinking a lot of water. Plus I really like the movie theater butter flavor on these. Popcorn hurts me, so I make do.
Lightly toasted with peanut butter for when I’m hungry, but not adventurously so. Dan and I both like them and just have them around anyway. This brand comes pre-sliced.
Usually I would treat myself with a package of Double Stuf Oreos, but graham crackers have less sugar. (Processed foods are a no-no, but YOLO. Also sugar is delicious but sadly a trigger for me, so I’m opting for less sugar. I’m a work in progress, okay?)
