Journal

2024 - Week 21 Cooking Results

Sausage

While I was able to get my Crooked Gap brats this week, not in time for this dinner. Still skinless, which is what my wife prefers, me too, and should be easier to digest, in general. So they were ok.

Beef Burgers

Bit of Momofuku salt, crooked gap beef. Good things.

Taco Salad

So this was a mixed experience. I made things more simple, because of recent events. But even so with the beans and the chips they ended up being…unpleasant later on. Spice as well. So I’m gong to claim I’ve learned my lesson, but somehow I doubt it.

Pizza (sourdough crust, for real this time)

I left the pizza dough out a bit of the down to allow it to grow a bit. and it did, to some extent, but not to the same extent that my yeasted version would go. It made it ok to work with, but I wasn’t as much as I expected. So it was a bit smaller than I would make. To make a concession I used tomato sauce instead of pureeing whole canned tomatoes, to avoid the seeds. And this mostly worked out. However, I added to much sauce and to much cheese, which overloaded everything. Even so it was a good attempt.

Thai Style Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

Delayed a bit.

Spicy Chili Coconut Shrimp Noodles

Less spicy, but easy to eat and digest, not a bad dinner.

I mowed the front and side yards on Friday, and then the backyard on Saturday. Friday I was fine, but tired, Saturday, with a Costco run, I was just exhausted by the end of the day. I fell asleep during the new South Park feature and after “making” dinner (purchased egg salad, where I effectively sliced cheese and setup plates for dinner). After we watched the Bob Marley movie, I just went to bed. I feel a lot better this morning, since sleeping from 9:30p to around 7a. So here we are, knowing I have limitations again, of not only food but the amount of effort I can put into a day.

2024 - Week 20 Cooking Results

Sausage (case free brats)

They were fine. Because I wasn’t able to make the cheese shop, I wasn’t able to get my normal Crooked Gap brats. Thus these.

Egg, Sausage (case free), English muffins

Another simple meal, done.

Ramen, Veggies and Eggs

Half an onion, a red bell pepper the sauce from the packets. Combined with the ramen noodles and topped with an egg. It was ok. I had thought about adding toasted sesame oil and forgot. I pondered chili crunch, but seeds and fresh off on infection this seemed like a terrible idea. I ended up topping mine with the fermented sriracha that I use.

Bison Burgers (saw these in the freezer looking for something else)

I couldn’t them again after looking so, Pork!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Melt, maybe just toasted, since butter will probably be better, but, avoiding.

I did end up frying them in oil and it was good.

This is where I noticed that my jam selection had become all based on one note. I have several rhubarb only jams, then rhubarb and one other thing (usually strawberry), with this, I have made an effort to restock with things that Shannon prefers. So I got some from the Cheese Shop, some from Iowa Food coop and one from Blue Gate. I’m making progress, and I also need to eat more of the rhubarb based jam.

2024 - Week 20 Cooking

Per the pharmacist, I should not consume dairy products while on one of the two antibiotics. And in reading the drug summary paper, both on what I got from my discharge papers and what I got from the pharmacy, there was no mention. And reading online I get disparate response from, “it’s fine” to “not for 2 hours before or 3 hours after” to “absolutely not”. In reading about the method of action, it appears it attacks the cell walls of the bacterium (neat), but will also do the same for dairy products decreasing the overall effectiveness.

Due to other warnings, I’ve stopped all vitamin intake (one multi, one for my eyes). The other one, has the strict warning of no, absolutely no alcohol consumption. This is also fine, as I stopped drinking when I broke my arm, since my body still needs to heal from all that.

The dairy though. Generally breakfast is Yogurt from Radiance Dairy, very low sugar granola and a mix of formerly frozen strawberries and blueberries. I will often have dinners that include or are based on cheese. Coffee, usually includes milk from Radiance Dairy, or another one, since I don’t want to aggravate my stomach to much. So we’ll see how I do. Shannon has swapped to oat milk, already so I’ll be able to free ride off of that previous change in her diet.

I’m supposed to be on a soft food diet, whatever that means, so I’ll do my best to consider how things should break down. So no meat pieces, but ground should be OK. I’ll avoid spicy items

We have some credits donated by my wonderful co-workers (Thanks all!), so I’ll plan to make it easier to figure out how I am. I’ll attempt to go back to work tomorrow. I’ll make some accommodations for Shannon, cause just cause I’m in a less then desirable food place doesn’t mean she has to be.

  • Sausage (case free brats)

  • Egg, Sausage (case free), English muffins

  • Ramen, Veggies and Eggs

  • Bison Burgers (saw these in the freezer looking for something else)

  • Peanut Butter and Jelly Melt, maybe just toasted, since butter will probably be better, but, avoiding.

2024 - Week 19 Cooking Results

Sausage

Skipped

Ramp and Sausage Risotto

This is a familiar recipe that I have made yearly, at least, since I first found it. Quite good, and wonderful, though I didn’t get to eat much in the way of leftovers, as I double the recipe, as the next day I didn’t each lunch, or dinner…

Pizza (using a sourdough dough)

Skipped. By the time I got home the dough had over-proofed, so I didn’t want to deal and adjust and etc, also really tired.

Mortadella and grilled cheese

I made these, and they were good. I really like the combination.

Glazed Salmon

Skipped.

2024 - Week 18 Cooking Results

Fish sticks

Easy meal as I start to recover. Did not have the same sort of joy that I remember from childhood, but what does?

Sloppy Sammys

Able to make, able to eat with out to much spilling. Good Things.

Pasta

So this started as hey, when it comes down to I can used jarred sauce if I’m tired. Then, ooh Chelsa’s Focaccia, I can make bread sticks out of that. Then ooh Blue Gate has baby bronze fennel fronds, I can add that to a my pasta sauce. Then I saw some quark (Milton Creamery) and baguette (3 bean) at the Iowa Food Coop, I can make a creamy garlic bread (bread, garlic powder, quark, garlic powder, shredded parm).

Shannon loaded up the pasta pot with water and placed it on the stove for me. I was able to make a good sauce with a yellow onion, two red peppers, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and some Italian sausage. Seasoned with herbs, then right near the end, the baby bronze fennel fronds.

Creamy Sesame Noodles

I made this a bit earlier in the week, and when it comes down to it, I almost didn’t make it to carry my 10” saute pan and 3 packs of ramen with water to the sink (galley kitchen, it’s like turning and two steps). My left hand was not able to do its part, but I was able to drain the noodles and get things put together. I imagine this is entirely customizable, as I didn’t really measure anything, but used most of the suggested item.

I have time marked on my calendar 4 times a day to do my stretches and exercises, here I call it “Desk OT”. Other then missing one, when I was at in person occupational therapy, I have been able to keep up. Though Yesterday I slept a bit late and had things to do so some were with in an hour of each other. There is a lot of getting things back to as normal as possible. Things are becoming easier but there are other things where it has been frustrating (unable to press a thing with my left fingers). But for the most part things are going well. Shannon has been a huge help and benefit by changing my bandages, and helping me get ready. Over the course of this I have taken 5 days off. I have an upcoming doctor appointment, and 3 scheduled OT appointments.

I am a bit disappointed in my own management of bandages and wraps and things. As we went to pick up a few things after 9:PM. But we should be in pretty good place after Tuesday.

2024 - Week 17 Cooking Results

Sausage

As always, good things.

Mac & cheese

Once again with the Beecher’s, good things.

scrambled eggs and hash browns (direct repeat, but what are you gonna do?)

I was able to pull this together, with some bacon that was from something skipped last week. I did get a bit of bacon splatter to the face. Good dinner.

Creamy Sesame Noodles

Delayed!

I was quite out of it for the time where Steve Vai and Joe Satriani would have been performing. I suspect I wouldn’t have remembered much. Oh well.

By all metrics surgery went well, at least according to the discharge instructions and what Shannon said. I think it took a bit longer than expected (estimated 2-2.5 hours, probably closer to 3-3.5). The good doctor was able to put my well broken radius back together and connect the ulna in the one break. I meet with the doctor on Monday.

We got home, I made my self comfortable on the a chair, and we discussed dinner. At the time, I couldn’t think about eating, but by the time she got home, I was thinking about eating. So I had her pull together a cheese and meat tray with pretzel crisps. Which really hit the spot.

My left arm was effectively dead to me, with the nerve block in place. As Shannon was tucking me in, we both watched my arm slide off my belly and fall to my side and just laughed at it. After getting another pillow to brace my elbow to hold my arm up, I was able to sleep with my arm elevated as it should be. Around 3:AM, I got up to relieve myself and didn’t initially notice that my arm was holding itself up. I woke again around 5 and was finally able to move my fingers. Around 6:30 when I started to get motivated to get up, I was able to wiggle my fingers hi to Shannon as she got up.

Because opiates scare me so much, I’ve already started to ramp down. Late Friday I swapped to dual action pills (combo of ibuprofen and acetaminophen) and am watching the dosages.

While it was uncomfortable and my right hand got tired, I was able to drive us to Cedar Rapids to celebrate my fathers 75th birthday. I was able to see an uncle and aunt, and catch up with a couple of my brothers, and spend time with them. I enjoyed my meal quite a bit. On the way home, we ran into a storm close to Iowa City and driving west from Iowa City, we had to slow down, put the hazards on and we followed a semi for 20 or so miles, before we got to a lower level of rain, where the fastest setting could keep up at a higher speed. Eventually, we got to the point where the weather was no longer a concern. Then back to my right hand getting tired. I guess one doesn’t realize how often they switch hands, when driving.