What to eat

Kelly: I've been having GI issues (we'll leave it at that just in case anyone is eating while reading this blog) on and off for a while now and other seemingly random nagging health issues. I found a doctor who had treated random symptoms and visited him while I was home. He confirmed that as I had thought but had been dismissed by conventional medicine that my thyroid wasn't functioning up to speed. But because the one test that conventional docs run didn't showed up just within the "normal" range, I was fine. Nevermind, that my symptoms were a mirror image of the textbook definition of hypothroidism. Okay, done with the mini-rant. In addition, the proactive doc mentioned that I might be allergic to foods and that the food allergy was driving the thyroid issue. So, I had more blood drawn and received the results of the tests Monday night. He told me, in no uncertain terms, that the tests indicated I was allergic to almonds, dairy, milk, eggs, and beef. WHAT??? What will I eat. Hmmm. I had just swallowed my dessert of organic raw cheese and almonds. Not good. "What about gluten?" I had asked. Gluten didn't show up on the test. To mourn my loss of ice cream (thank God I got my fill of gelato in Italy!), I tested my gluten allergy by eating a couple of handfulls of Matt's organic granola. Within 30 minutes and three trips to the bathroom, I had my answer. Yep, still allergic to gluten. So, with tears rolling down my rashy face, I called my mom to tell her that I couldn't eat anything. She went in to mom fix-it mode and started brainstorming how I could survive. After we hung up and I started researching a little more (shocker, I know...me, reasearch), I pulled myself together and looked at this newfound knowledge as an opportunity to be healthier. I have repeated that little mantra several times this week and it will likely become etched in my neurons as I navigte through our processed food world. With that, I'm off to the farmers' market and then yoga. To health!

Lazy Sunday

Kelly: When the weekend rolls around, if I'm not on call which forces me to stay at home, and Matt isn't leaving to return to the states, and the weather has not unpredictably dropped autobahn-closing levels of ice and/or snow, then we are TRAVELING. This weekend was an exception to that. I went to the Farmers' market with a good friend yesterday, did lots of chores around the house (Yes, I truly appreciate all that Matthew does when he is here) and cooked. Today, after a nice long walk and the dreaded Sunday morning Commissary trip, I have really done...nothing. I made a delightful breakfast, drank tea, gardened a bit outside, planned for our London trip, cooked the kale from the farmers' market, read nutrition research online, and chatted on the phone. A delightfully relaxing day. I feel rested. The sad part is that that rested feeling doesn't usually last longer than 45 minutes once Monday morning rolls around. This week, I'm going to try not to let the usual chaos of work and last minute "emergencies" flip me into stress mode. That will be a challenge, given that the first three days of the week are going to be a whirlwind of meetings, patients, and after-work commitments.

Matt is doing well in the States. He's a social butterfly when I'm not there. I guess we both rely/enjoy one another as our primary social outlet when we are together. Healthy, yes, but it would probably benefit us to also spread our butterfly wings while in one another's company. Life lessons. Keep learning.

The Emerald Isle

Kelly: I'm not a big fan of emeralds. I, however, have become a fan of Ireland. We spent last weekend traversing the country of Ireland from the Dublin airport to foggy, misty Dingle to sophisticated Kinsale and the amazing B&B in Killbrittain and back to explore the approachable city of Dublin. It was a whirlwind of a trip. I tasted amazing Sea Bass, drank great wine, spent time with a good friend (in addition to my hubby), had long breakfasts of strong coffee, free range eggs, fresh fruit, and delightful grilled tomatoes. The people were welcoming but not intrusive. Overall, a great trip. I am continually amazed by the education I receive while traveling!

The Waiting Game

Kelly: So, Matt and I had a fabulous weekend in Maryland. It was jam packed with have-to-dos (doctor's appointments, meetings, etc.) and want-to-dos (house hunting, good food, long walks). Now, I'm back in Germany, and reality has slapped me in the face pushing aside the light-hearted, creative spirit that embodied me. Reality came in the form of negative co-workers, long workdays, a cat-hair laden house (good thing she's ridiculously cute), and being on-call this weekend. There has to be a way to hold on to that feeling. If anyone out there has suggestions, please let me know. I had started yoga again, but I haven't had the time or energy for that since returning, even though I found Tara Stiles and her anytime, anywhere, anybody approach to yoga really resonantes with me. Goals...I'll keep moving toward them.

We're waiting. Waiting for the contractor to tell us what it will cost to turn the studs, plywood floors, and exposed brick walls of an early 1900s rowhome into a simple, modern oasis. If the number is right, we move forward. If the number is too high, it is back to the drawing board. I've been trying not to get too excited, but I haven't been able to help myself from stealing peeks at modern design online. In the process, I stumbled upon a mid-century, Charles Goodman-designed neighborhood in Silver Spring...who knew???? The contractor is supposed to have an estimate for us tomorrow.