It’s Spring Break around here this week. Minus the spring, I guess. Temps of mid to upper 40s and really windy. At least no rain, though. I decided to do a walk/run today for the first time in about 6 weeks. Had breakfast and worked first, though. I did the 1-minute muffin as a waffle (muffle) topped with peanut flour.
I decided to sprinkle a touch of coconut on there for that extra special Thursday something.
Work somewhat busy in the morning, but then it slowed down. As an aside here, sometimes I am just amazed at people. Two people recently have had lung cancer and recovered by having lobes of their lungs removed. And they are still smoking! Still! I know nicotine is addicting, but what does it really take to make you stop? The doctors urged cessation, but both patients declined any of the prescription products stating they were not interested in quitting. I don’t know about you, but lung cancer would scare the bejeezus out of me. Okay, sorry about that.
I went out for what was just going to be a 3-mile walk with a bit of running. Super windy out and about 43 degrees. So I wore the technical turtleneck.
Yep – I’m stylin’!
After half mile, I started to jog. Felt fine with the legs and I did probably 1/2 mile of running and I started walking for a little. Then picked up jogging again. I am not a person who likes to stop once I start running because it seems harder to get going again. I would never stop at the drink stations in races for that reason. Just grab and go. Which meant I wore a lot of the water, but I digress.
I jogged most of the way home. I don’t know my speed as I didn’t note the time when I left, but probably my average of 11-12 minute miles? I did 1 mile of walking and 2 miles of jogging total. Everything feels pretty okay today, but tomorrow is when the true story will be told.
Lunch break: I heated up some tomato sauce with a little cream in there and added chopped chicken. Dang I like that cream/tomato sauce combo!
A little too much sauce, so I had to put it in a bowl so the sauce wouldn’t touch my pear… No food touching allowed!
John and I had appointments to donate blood today, so we made sure to stock up on liquids:
Then it was time to leave a pint behind!
You know I have been having the supervisor do the needle sticks for me lately because of rolling vein problems. When I got to my cot, I told the tech there I wanted a supervisor to do it because of rolling and scarred veins (sound like a drug addict, don’t I?). She said “Can I at least just look at it?” Well, of course she can look at it, but she isn’t touching it.
Me: Sure.
Tech: I can do this.
Me: Yes, they all say that. Then it rolls and a supervisor has to come fiddle with it. So I just go to them. No offense, I just have to feel comfortable.
She was kind of crabby and yelled for a supervisor to come over. Jerk. Really – my arm is not a challenge for someone to try to do. It’s not a game. The only reason I donate with the rolly vein is because a supervisor will do it for me. Too many times have I gotten the experienced techs totally positive they can do it and then mess it up. Ever have someone fiddle with a needle once it is in the vein? Trust me – you just don’t want to go there.
Anyhoo – the supervisor said my vein was a ‘heartbreaker’. It looks good, but very sneaky.
The stick then was fine and I finished donating with no problem. Filled up on raisins!
My iron was 13.1 – woohoo! Oddly, my temperature was elevated at 99. That was weird and I almost asked to have it retaken. I know eating coconut oil might raise your metabolism, but really? Self immolation anyone?
John took forever to get finished. There were all kinds of delays with him. That troublemaker…
Needless to say when we finished up, I was really hungry. It was dinner time, so I offered to buy dinner. John suggested pizza, but I wanted a wheat-free option. Still trying! So we went to O’Tooles:
It’s kind of a sports bar with all kinds of stuff on the walls and TVs everywhere.
There were plenty of wheat-free options on the menu. The soup of the day was broccoli cheese (!!!!) and I almost got that, but then thought it might be thickened with a flour roux, so I nixed that idea. Normally, I don’t eat a lot of meat out in restaurants, but I will at a local restaurant. Lesser of the corporate evils I guess. So my choice was the teriyaki chicken with veggies and a tater:
How good does that look? There were 2 chicken breasts, so I set one aside to take home. You just might be seeing that tomorrow! Very tasty. I was so hungry that I almost thought about eating the other chicken breast, but they were at least 4 ounces each and I knew I just did not need to eat that much. My ‘full’ sensation does not kick in for quite a while (like an hour). Sure enough, I sit here now with a pleasantly satisfied tummy and no desire to eat any more chicken. Mindful eating.
I was in the hospital years ago and almost died…so I have no veins. Being on really harsh antibiotics and drugs for a week, and almost dying, has made it nearly impossible for anyone to draw blood. It sucks. So whenever I do get my blood drawn they have to try like 10 times. I bruise really badly. And I look like a junkie. 😉
Don’t you love having arms with scar holes on them?
You should ask them to try your forearm or hand.
I have such a hard time giving blood too. My veins collapse and the flow stops. The last few times I tried I drank tons and tons of water for 48 hours prior to going. It still happened so I have given up trying. I have had them poke and prod my veins with the needle so I know feeling – not fun! Way to go for persevering.
That’s a serious serving of sour cream with the potato! Generous portions, fo sho.
Yes, I’ve had a needle messed with once it was in the vein. I about passed out. They couldn’t get it right (labor with Charlie) and had to give me an anesthetic so they could finally get it in there. Labor. Needle pain. I truly hate needles. I know they’re necessary but ouch. Good for you giving blood!
Like your thread and those killer sunglasses. Hope your body is still happy with your run tomorrow. That does seem to be the true test, doesn’t it? As soon as your feet hit the floor you’ll know. 🙂
Yes – it was a nice portion of sour cream! Love the fat 😀
I actually donate to get over my fear of needles. Not sure it has really worked, though.
I have no veins that are pokeworthy…sometimes the lab staff think they can do it and will try…I usually end up with two or three techs and they usually end up using between my pinkie and ring finger knuckles or the inside of my wrist.
Now that I am having sugar issues I have had to go more frequently. They have a pic of me in the lab with a big red line through my face…just kidding!
Great job on the jogging and I hope your body feels good tomorrow.
Ugh I hate giving blood. I always seem to get someone that screws it up and has to poke me several times.
I tell you, some patients are so stubborn! I’ve seen patients with tracheostomys who smoke.. yeah, they put their cigarette in their trach. I’ve never been able to wrap my head around that..
To me the weird thing is that doctors will do MAJOR surgery on a patient who is willingly damaging themselves.
And the vein thing. Not for donating blood, but for drawing labs and for infusing medications–there is no need for them to use an 18 gauge needle, even for a blood transfusion. Ask for a 23 gauge. We always use 24 gauge needles in the babies, and they get blood transfusions and anything else you can think of through that needle. We use 23 gauge to draw blood.
YUMM YUMM YUMM!!!! That dinner looks so good I can hardly stand it. I didn’t really eat very well today.
I admire you and John for donating blood. I have never done that but mostly because I’m afraid of needles.
The dinner looks very delicious.
I agree that it’s bad not to stop smoking when you have cancer but I can understand it a bit too. When my Dad was diagnosed with throat cancer he had to stop smoking too. And believe me he tried. But hearing you have cancer, all the treatments you have to go through it puts a lot of stress on a person. The stress was too much for my Dad and he couldn’t quit smoking either. He tried and that counts. I think another reason he couldn’t / want to quit was that he himself thought he wouldn’t live much longer after the diagnose. He had 3 weeks to 3 months when they diagnosed it and at first he didn’t want the treatments. For us he did and he lived 5 more years but looking back I often wonder myself: at what cost because he has had a lot of pain in those 5 years.
Smoking is really hard to quit. My dad has been smoking for probably 50 years. He quit once and started again. I worry.
wow.
I never knew I should be grateful for my veins!!
Today I focus on that 🙂 and on the fact you two make the time and huge effort to donate blood.
It is so important.
Muffle. I love it!
Wow. I guess some people think they are invincible; lung cancer and all. I don’t get it.
No one can ever find my veins, hurts like hell! Let me tell you how fun it was being in labor with 3 nurses trying to find a good vein. Pretty sure I called one an evil bitch and to get the F out of my face. Ooops.
I am sure nurses are pretty used to that LOL! They don’t get paid enough.
I’ve never been able to donate blood – usually due to anemia. But Little Helen is a blood donating champ so I feel like she made up for me! I do have to go to the lab 3-4 times a year due to the thyroid business and my standard request is “use the baby butterfly, please.” Sometimes they refuse and I end up with a hemotoma. My veins don’t roll but they go down in my arm at a weird angle. Some techs can grab it fine and others well… see hemotoma above.
That restaurant meal looks delicious! And a great value too since you got two meals out of it.
Have a great weekend Lori.
I would like to congratulate you for giving blood, it is really nice that you are putting so much effort…also, in my opinion, it’s outrageous for ppl who had lung cancer to smoke after getting cured.it’s like testing the doctors over and over again or i don’t know, testing your limits (smth like”Let’s see if I die this time”)
I envy your iron count! Mine is better than it was, but it’s still not where I’d like it to be. At least I don’t get turned down for donations anymore. 🙂
I would have taken issue with that tech’s attitude – hello, you are GIVING your blood for free – the least she can do is be nice.
I don’t donate – fear of needles from a long time ago, and then when I got better about that, my iron was never quite high enough, so I quit wasting everyone’s time. I take a multi-vitemin now – it might be better (the iron) – hmmm. Maybe I will try again someday.
How do you feel today after getting your run on? I was surprised to see you run – thought you had decided it really wasn’t your cup of tea – er, coffee. 😉
Well, the run was maybe not successful. My knee is fine, but my thigh feels horrible. Very sore. Kind of like a heavy duty squatting workout DOMS, but only the the top quad and only on the left. Kind of discouraging.
Having trouble leaving running (and leaving well enough alone, I guess).
I know what you mean – I just do not want to NOT be able to do something, now that I can. Don’t want my body telling me otherwise!
love your walk/run combo! you do look stylin 😉 geez about the smokers and cancer and still smoking. are you serious? ugh….anyway hope your weather gets more spring like lori! enjoy the day 🙂
When will it ever be nice out Lori??!! Glad you got outside – I think its 40 degrees and rainy here today – I need sun!
Hope you guys have a great weekend – your dinner looks delicious! 😀
I’ve never given blood. Everytime I’ve been about to there is some reason I can’t. The first few times I was anemic. Then for many years I had tattoos that were too recent so after I quit getting new tats I was going to try but the doctor said I was B12 deficient and that it was a bad idea.
I totally don’t even want to say this…but teriyaki sauce usually has wheat in it. It’s made from soy sauce and almost all brands of soy sauce have wheat. 🙁 It’s my #1 obstacle to dining out, lots of restaurants marinate in soy, not just the Asian style dishes even.
Lori, I will never forget when a relative was in the hospital & the bed next to her, a lady dieing of lung cancer from smoking. Her daughter would visit & while watching her mom die, she was still smoking….. very sad!
As for you styling – yes you are!!!
Blood giving – I fill up the bag so quick that once the nurse told me that if I am ever in an accident where I am bleeding crazy & nobody can get to me fast – well, you get the end of that story.. YIKES!
Thanks for checking in my blog – appreciate the hugs and kind words! I never had vein problems ’til I was in the hospital, and boy…do I now sympathize with your rolly veins! After two weeks of being stuck daily, I ran out of good spots and it’s a real horror to have someone jabbing at you to try and get a vein. I say good for you for sticking to your guns and getting a supervisor. You are nobody’s guinea pig! The smoking thing is so sad — what a terrible thing addiction is. I made M quit smoking 5 years ago, and he has never looked back. I’m very sorry for those people who can’t let nicotine go. Smoking is a filthy, deadly habit.
Hats off to you and John for rolling up your sleeves and donating blood!! Dennis and I are due to go again too. I should make the appointment. Have a great Friday!!
I donated Thursday afternoon with no problem. I am aiming for 100 donations; Thursday was my 91st. My iron was good too.