Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Maybe Ginger and Honey

I am sad to say that my stock did not gel. I don't think I cooked it long enough. So sad. I'm sure there is still good in it.
It will be back to the cooking pot for me!

We did use the chicken last night- made wonderful chicken veggie tortillas. mmm


The beautiful chickens Erin and Ethan had. 

I did a "god thing" on Sunday. I cut up tons of veggies, boiled eggs, opened up some beans and am now using them this week. I store them in mason jars in the fridge so it looks really pretty too. Even Benjamin likes going in the fridge and take out handfuls of fresh green beans and chomp them down.

It's amazing what you can get done when you stay home. Maybe there is a concept for me to catch there .. mm?     Probably not.

Today Don is mucasy and nauseated .. but he is drinking water and maybe his medicine is staying down. This morning I made him the ONLY thing he is willing to eat - and he reminds me of that anytime I try to give him something new - a raw milk, Bryers Natural Vanilla ice cream, and Gold Standard protein smoothie - plus some things I can usually sneak in .. like a couple vitamins or today .. a tablespoon of kefir.

There are pros and cons to what I give him in that shake. One pro is the amazing amount of nutrition and protein. He's getting babies milk fresh from the cow,which is full of so much good nutrition - the protein powder and the small amount of vitamins - with the milk he is getting fats. He seems to digest cows milk well enough so I think it's a good food for him.

Negative is .. very little, if no whole food. Food with any kind of pulp for his body to send through his digestive system. I was thinking about putting in a small slice of apple, I have frozen apple slices with the banana chunks so it's a good add to a smoothie but he was adamant this morning that he just wanted his regular smoothie. I think I might be able to get some blueberries in there next time, he likes those.

And lastly, a big negative is that milk products are mucus producing .. grr .. boy does that ever put me in a bad place. This smoothie is the only thing he wants to eat and he doesn't want to eat cause the mucas in so neasuating. So, round and round we go.


I am just biding my time. Keeping him alive for his throat to heal. Then, I will have a little more chance to try new things.

One thing he is willing to try is fresh ginger in green tea with honey. Today he had a half teaspoon.
Right now he is at the table with me, head down on the table. No energy, not well.
He scoffed at my continual effort to "Let's try this" He said .. "Easy for you to say" Here is a picture of the ginger, tea and honey. After sitting with his head on the table for about 10 min. and with encouragement from me. He drank it. How much was that? A tablespoon? Two tablespoons? I didn't measure. Now we are waiting to see if it stays down or helps relieve his nausea.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The uphill Work of Recuperation

It's funny .. the Lord tells us to do what it He tells us to do.
I am happy to say that the Lord has given me the job of getting Don's body back to health.

No easy task. He is continually nauseated. He can't eat cause his throat is swollen and burned.

OK - that's where we start.

I have been doing a lot of reading, I am a fan of old world food. I like to look and see what has been working for centuries .. and consider that.

My new goal is to perfect a meat stock. I guess I will start with chicken. I have been given recipes. I have been told to put the whole vegetable in .. like with onions to include the peeling . I remember that from my grandmother, Nuna.
She was a hub back in the day - she knew stuff. She came over to the US from England at the turn of the century.

One thing I consider that she did not have to consider is organic or not organic. For Nuna it was all organic. When I put in whole vegetables now I only use organic. I might be over reacting but since I am dealing with Don's compromised immune system I keep it as pure as possible.

The recipe I am trying today is from Nourishing Traditions, it calls for free range chicken - to include the bony parts, gizzards and chicken feet if I can find them.
Put the chicken in 4 qts of water,
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 large onion
2 carrots
3 celery
and one  bunch of parsley.

Let stand for 30 min to 1 hour then bring to boil. Remove scum as it rises to the top.
Reduce heat then simmer for 6 to 24 hours.

The vinegar is in there to pull out the calcium and other minerals from the bones.

Later I can use chicken for chicken salad or things like chimichangas.

Strain the chicken bones, skin and meat, pour the stock into a large bowl then refrigerate until fat rises to the top and the stock congeals.
Skim off the fat and reserve the stock in fridge or freeze it in ice cubes or larger portions. Ice cubes will be good for me cause Don only eats a teaspoon of food at a time - you think I'm being sarcastic, I'm not. It's such a small amount of food that goes into that body. That is why everything he eats has to be huge in benefits.

Benefits of congealed stock .. it's the gelatin. It helps in digestion and enables to body to absorb nutrients.
It is also helpful for joint conditions. Civilizations have been using it for centuries.

http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/515-broth-is-beautiful.html

The recipe I tried from Nourishing Traditions today, turned out pretty well. It had a pleasant, light flavor which is good for Don.

Let's hope tomorrow it will be a good food day for Don. Today he seems better. His attention span is better and he is more alert.  I am hoping I can find food or conditions that help reduce his mucus - it's the stuff that makes him so nauseated. It's the bodies way of healing but there is to much. I am thinking antihistamine and a using the humidifier more often in the house.

Fun thought though .. we are invited to a Super Bowl party, Don should be well enough by then and Benjamin and I will be routing for the Steelers.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

O Precious is the Flow

***

What can wash away my sins?
What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus

What can fill my empty arms?
Now by this I will overcome
Now by this I will reach my home

Nothing but the blood of Jesus

It’s what I have
I look around me and I see pain, broken hearts, and abandonment.
I look to find relief – it’s no where.
The pain just enflames. Cuts, sears brings down
Crying out to heaven searching for relief
Holding onto a thin thread of survival
Heart wrenching – pulling apart
No solution, no comfort

Time, obedience, walking, looking, waiting
Where is my hope?
My relief?
What arms?

Nothing, nothing, nothing but the blood of Jesus
The Love that was spilt
The pain that was endured
The promise shown

Evidence of love

Amidst the pain – nothing but the blood of Jesus
It’s the only thing that can reach that deep.
Everything else comes short

What will reach into my bleeding soul?
Will reach me .. where I live .. in my soul
It reaches past the pain

A gift
A savior comes
He loves me.
Warm, true, real eternal
My hope, my righteousness
My relief, my only true -soul depth- healing balm
The blood of Jesus

Now by this I’ll over come
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Glory .. this I sing .



I see from a human stand point