IBS
One Step at a Time
Dear readers, how lovely it is to come over and have a little “natter” with you! I hope that whoever reads this post finds themselves healthy and strong. Hopefully, you have your feet up and a cuppa tea at hand, coffee, or whatever you like drinking on a Saturday afternoon.
As always, I give it a think before I blog. Things happened. Where to begin? I don’t want it to be a boring post, of yet again “another person with a new malady *sigh!” but yeah… it sort of it is. Although it is not a “new” per se malady, and if you have read my posts before, you know it will have humor in it. Without further ado and like my grandma used to say, “Let me start at the beginning.”
It was a lovely day for November, as the weather had changed (suddenly as usual). My son and I went over to one of my favorite stores. That day was a bit weird. I had woken up feeling a bit woozy-headed. I put it down to lack of sleep. Although I had slept about 8 solid hours. “Odd,” I thought. When we returned, I got the worst cramps in my gastrointestinal region; I panicked horribly as I had no idea what was happening. I got dizzy, my blood pressure went down, and I passed out a bit. All of these symptoms were new to me. My youngest panicked, my oldest was not here, and bless him, he missed the drama! My middle son goes into silent mode when nervous. Hell broke loose at home. The next thing I know, my youngest is shaking me, saying “mom” repeatedly, I realized I had fainted. For a bit. First time in my life. This was the weekend before Thanksgiving. Oh no!
But me, being in the dark and while I waited to see my doctor, I ate as was my want a bit of everything I cooked on that day. And then, on the weekend following Thanksgiving, I ate leftover pumpkin pie and even pizza. Oof! And then! my intestines went haywire. I kept trying to see the doctor before the appt. given to me. But to no avail. I only received 2 doctor’s calls. What good did they do? Zero! My next alternative was to go to the emergency room. What for? And why? It was not an emergency. So I did one of the things I am good at, I researched the heck out of my symptoms. So much contradictory information! I was in a sea of confusion, trying to ascertain, was it Diverticulitis I had or IBS? Or even worst (whatever the worst region encompasses, it does not bear to think about).
One of my boys advised me to just look for medical journal blogs. I did as he suggested. I got more worried. And so, my journey into uncharted territory began.
It’s been 5 months, 2 weeks, and a minute. But who’s counting. Well, me. At the onset of that discovery, I learned that some foods are off-limits (which is most of what I like), and some others are ok, but in moderation. So I stopped eating gluten-rich foods (like the glorious glutenous pizza:( ) and have to be content with gluten-free versions. Because really, who chooses to just one day be gluten-free just for the heck of it? I tell you who…no one!
Needless to say, it is an extraordinarily lonely experience. Those of you who read this, if you have IBS, you know how lonely it is. Not being able to go to restaurants, because what will you eat in the name of all that is holy? Everything out “there” is “bad” because everything has onion and garlic! I got furious at the very beginning. At what, I don’t know. Life, I guess. I am not particularly religious. Then I got sad, really, really sad. I would cry on my own, in my room. Not wanting to worry my boys even more. I was finally! able to see a doctor at the very beginning of this year (yeah, that long I waited). And guess what? The first thing without asking me, the doctor requested a colonoscopy, a word that was foreign to me. I asked her, and she explained. And I said, hmm…Let me get back to you.
Doctors hate that we humble patients go and do our own research on medical terms or illnesses. So what! I did look it up more. Then I called cousins and aunts. Asking if anybody had problems with colon cancer in the family? “nope,” they said. Called the doctor and said. Thank you, but no, thank you! I found out there are other methods. Gentler methods.
And then I had an epiphany. That I could take control of whatever was ailing me. I had done most of the “legwork” sort of speak as the doctor did not help. Truth. I finally became disciplined with what I eat, creating a journal. I would write down everything I was eating. From the biggest to the smallest. That way, I could pinpoint what gave me what I came to call “episodes” (sounds like the victorian times, does it not? “Oh don’t bother m’lady! -in low tones- she is having one of her episodes”…:)) I said as much to my boys to make them laugh. They looked all done from worry, and the last thing I want is for them to be worried. So I did the best thing I could. I used humor. Because laughter is excellent medicine.
I kept exercising. Drinking water. Reading as much as I could about IBS. I learned (through personal experience) that some things are ok to eat one day, but the next time it might send you to the “powder” room in an instant. So I read some more about why that is the case. Finally, in one of my blood tests results (yes, there were more), my doctor turned to me and said ( with a look of someone very wise), “I think what you have is IBS; the test results show me enough that I can see is nothing else.” In my head, I was like, “Wow!! Really!!! blood results told you something I knew already and kept hammering to you each time I came over for more blood tests?!” Ugh!
I also got gluten-free savvy (heh..) and bought several grain flours. I love baking, and that is one thing that I was not ready to give up. In the beginning, I would measure each time I baked something. Being a newbie in gluten-free baking, I did not know I could make up big batches and just place them in containers like my regular gluten flour (which I still use once in a while). So now I do. I bought books about Gluten-Free baking and recipes. I subscribed to three excellent blogs about gluten-free baking and eating.
Presently I am still learning to navigate this uncharted territory, and I learn something new each day. Little by little I am making headway. What is most important in all of this is that I learned acceptance. Accept that, it is what I live with now. IBS is a silent condition; many people think it is not a “serious” condition. Or that it is all in your head. Will it ever go away? I don’t know, but I live in hope. As long as I am smart about how I eat. I have stopped writing a day-to-day account of what I eat by now. I don’t have much of a variety at the moment. I avoid the trigger foods and eat what has become a staple diet. My next step is going through the low FODMAP elimination diet (under the supervision of a registered dietitian) to find out what exactly is a trigger and what I can keep eating (keep your fingers crossed, I want to eat choccie biscuits again!).
What is important to understand about IBS is that it is a unique experience for each person that lives with it. What works for some, might not work for me and vice-versa. I do feel that it is a matter of healing the gut through a healthy diet, and exercising. I found out that for me Yoga works wonders. But I still do my regular exercise routine and walk. I also meditate. It helps me tremendously. I want to add that this post is not to give medical advice as I am not a doctor. Rather is a way of maybe helping someone have their own epiphany, shedding light into the dark tunnel one feels at the onset, and letting people know, who might suffer from IBS that you are not alone.
As to my own journey, I had even stopped paying attention to my lovely balcony garden. I had stopped enjoying my tea time! What? Unheard of! So now, I make a point (darn it, but I do) or being in the moment. Of enjoying the little moments in which I drink my tea while sitting facing my balcony. I feel grateful and blessed and aware that life is precious. Ok, so maybe now I am being melodramatic, lol! sorry. (I have the gravest suspicion that in another life I was a drama stage actress or a seamstress for a famous stage actress (I am handy with my sewing machine) or the lady in waiting of a famous victorian actress…) But I digress. I do want to close this post with this thought; the trick is in how we raise to the occasion of new challenges. We must keep forging ahead. ♥
Until I write again,
*M*
I want to share this yummy recipe I was lucky to find in the blog of a lovely lady. I am enclosing the link to her blog. https://funwithoutgluten.com/gluten-free-british-scones/
These are lovely scones. Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Pure heaven! Especially since I thought I would never have tea with scones ever again! 🙂
cozyteacup 