Progress?

Just wanted to post some updates!

The truth is we are having a really rough week. We're not sure what's to blame - the sudden change of diet, detoxing from all of our old favorite foods, the aftermath of being in the hospital and the stress that comes with it, or just a random yucky week. Who knows. Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason!

We've been following the diet religiously all week. I could not be more proud of Dustin. Seriously... I don't know how he's doing it. Just weeks ago he was buying Moon Pies nonstop and eating lots of white bread! He amazes me. Love him.


(As I type this, he's sitting next to me eating some ground turkey... even though he was craving milk!)


Okay, so let me update you on both of us: 




Dustin's Updates

A lot of fatigue, weakness, dizziness, achiness


Continuing stomach issues


Lost a few pounds (that he did not need to lose!)




We're trying to stay on top of the weight loss (his, not mine.. I'm not minding mine so much!) by making sure he eats avocados, coconut oil, and bigger servings of everything.


Kyli's Updates

A lot of fatigue, weakness, dizziness, achiness


Lost 10 pounds
(It's weird, I had been wanting to lose it, but certainly not this way!)


... today we were both too weak to go grocery shopping, but we lucked out and found a store here delivers so we had them bring it to us! Sadly enough, just the trip down the street to the ATM exhausted me and I didn't even get out of the car! Driving was difficult, because I feel like I have the flu from hell.


My stomach issues are slowly improving! (I think!) After days of not being able to go to the bathroom whatsoever (omg, am I really blogging about pooping? Had you told me I'd be doing this back in high school, I would have laughed and called you a liar... god, life is strange!) - but yes, 


I'm finally going normally, as of today! This is a break-through considering that when I was admitted to the hospital, I wasn't able to go at all. Just blood. 


It was horrifying and life changing and I admit, I've been a bit neurotic this week about the diet, trying to research everything and do every step perfectly, because the last thing I want is to land back in the hospital with anemia. 


Don't hospitals make it impossible to heal? The torturous bright lights, the blank-faced doctors, the gross, nutritionless food, the sleepless, IV-beeping-all-night-long nights, the bed...


Dustin and I always insist on sleeping together in the tiny, cramped bed.


(I can't sleep without him.)




OK, here are some pictures I snapped today, so we can look back on this time and forever remember the beginning of our crazy, difficult SCD journey.

We said goodbye today to our ice creams (also Dustin's white bread, but who cares.. it's the ice cream that matters).

I always felt like if I had to forever abandon chocolate, I'd lose part of my soul and become a miserable brat, but I'm proud to say I have survived! 

Really... if it means being healthy, there's not a food out there I wouldn't eliminate. 

Look at what we had delivered from the grocery store!

We never expected them to bring such giant butternut squashes... we will definitely not run out! 

The only two things we drink (besides water) - watered down grape juice and apple cider!

We made SCD yogurt tonight! So exciting. This time we're going to take it easy though, because I think we ate too much too soon and the GOOD bacteria in the yogurt can kill off the bad bacteria in your gut too quickly which means your body gets flooded with toxins leaving you feeling... pretty much the way we're feeling now. Awful! 

Here's a link to the recipe:

SCD Yogurt

Here's what we ate today:

Dustin:

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs and a banana

Snack: Pureed pears

Lunch: Sirloin steak, pureed carrots, and an avocado 

Dinner: Sirloin steak 

(again... he was hungry! Good to see his appetite coming back!)

Snack: Ground Turkey (Lean)

Grape gelatin

Kyli:

Breakfast: 1 fried egg and a banana

Snack: Pureed Pears

Lunch: Ground turkey patty (nothing in it, just turkey)

Pureed carrots

Dinner: Ground turkey

Snack: Grape gelatin 

As you can see, our diet today was a little bit all over the place and redundant, but we were not feeling very creative. 

Here's what we ate yesterday:

Dustin:

Breakfast: Homemade chicken soup

Lunch: Chicken breast (with turmeric, and a little bit of honey, plus salt)

Snack: Avocado

Dinner: Tuna steak, zucchini & squash, spinach & scrambled eggs

Snack: Baked apples with cinnamon

Kyli:

Breakfast: 1 banana 

(I was nauseous.)

Lunch: Chicken breast (with turmeric) 

Dinner: Tuna steak, zucchini & squash

I'm proud of us! And it really hasn't been as difficult as I imagined. We're adjusting fairly well and we don't feel deprived... 

It'll just be nice when we start feeling better and can get out of this darn house! My untrustworthy stomach has me not wanting to be too far away for too long and I'm getting cabin fever.

It's hard being so far away from family sometimes, and we're also coming to terms with the depressing realization that we may not be healthy enough to go home to New Jersey for Christmas. All of the travel we've done this year, all of the moving, the stress - it's definitely taken a toll on our health and we know we need to be careful with our fragile bodies and allow ourselves time to heal... but it sure isn't easy at times.

But we know there's a brighter future ahead for us and we couldn't be more excited. 

One day at a time! 

Soon I'll write another blog about other steps we're taking to better health, aside from diet.

Hope everyone is well!