Sunday, January 30, 2011

I'm so lucky

I'm very grateful for the support comments I got yesterday. It's nice to know that someone out there is reading my story and sending me get well vibes.

I am in pain, but nothing like last Friday. Plus, I have vicodin. Knowing the source of the problem is actually a relief: I can do something about it. According to my googlings, cranberries supposedly help with UTIs, because they prevent bacteria from adhering to the bladder and kidney linings.

Yet your regular supermarket cranberry juice contains loads of sugar. I normally control my carbs intake, but right now I have to be even more careful.  Because my kidneys are constantly filtering my blood, my blood sugar will be available to the bacteria currently residing in them. Glucose is every bacteria's favorite carbon source, at least for most infection causing bacteria. And so, high blood sugar will make them fat and happy.

I sent the spouse yesterday to Whole Foods to get me some unsweetened cranberry juice. Which he accomplished, but he apologized for bringing back the stuff that was not organic and that came from concentrate. I, of course, did not care.

The spouse has been through a lot. I was going to drive myself to urgent care but he offered to take me, even though he had a minor crisis at work. Halfway there he saw my pain and brought me to the ER instead, where he was by my side during the worst of the pain, offering me comfort. He would have skipped dinner if I had not insisted on him taking off after the CAT scan, knowing the results were not going to come soon. He was away for only twenty minutes. He was my advocate, trying to get me fed and medicated. I got to sleep in a fancy hospital bed while he slept on the narrowest and stiffest pull out bed with his coat on because the blanket they gave him was too thin. When we finally got home, he was as exhausted as I was, but crept away while I was sleeping to bring back some lunch. And after that, he went to Whole Foods to get me my cranberry juice.

He's making breakfast as I write this.

I am sick. I am in pain. But I know I am a very lucky woman.

2 comments:

  1. I hope the pain subsides...UTI's are miserable!! You can also take cranberry pills...maybe they will have less carbs?

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  2. I have heard of cranberry pills if you can find those they might work too. I hope you feel better soon!!

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