Hurricane Ike and Vikki's favorite Breakfast

My heart goes out to all those that lost so much this past weekend. While many in Houston, Galveston and other Southern Texas cities struggle to put their homes back together after the devastating winds of Ike ripped through last Saturday, other find themselves homeless, helpless and having to start over. I send up my prayers for them, and wish there was more I could do.

We were very fortunate to have been spared the heavy rains and high winds that had been predicted for this area. We got rain and a little wind, but nothing like had been predicted.

We were able to get through to all our family both here in the Dallas area and those living in East Texas where high winds ripped up trees, downed power lines and damage roofs and out buildings. Thankfully everyone was ok and no one sustained too much damage.

While there is no getting around the devastation done this weekend, it did blow in cooler weather. We have had temps in the 80 most days, a far cry from the near 100 degree temps we were seeing.

Which brings me to one of my all time favorite breakfast, which I was able to enjoy yesterday for the first time since April. It's been much to hot to enjoy this tasty breakfast of toasted Cinnamon Pecan Flax bread, spread with cream cheese and big cup of Chai tea with cream and a tbsp. of coconut oil. Very very filling, just over 5 grams of fiber in a slice of bread. The cream and coconut oil in the tea are very satiating. This breakfast has always kept me going for hours, and I was very happy to get to enjoy it again.

So tell me, what will you be enjoying now that cooler weather is just around the corner?

Sleep Study

My sleep study was last night. I have to say it was one of the most miserable nights of my life. The bed was sooo uncomforable. The poor tech was used to a different set up and couldn't quite get all the electrodes attached to me to work. She started about 9:30 to get me set for bed and it was after 10:30 before the lights were turned off with a good night. I was so sleeping after having taken my Trazadone about at 8: 30, I dozed in and out the whole time she was trying to get me set. Then things were not hooked up right, or not working and they kept coming in to reattach things, turning on lights and awaking me until after 12:30. By 3 my back had had all it could handle and I was awake. She told me I needed to go just 45 minutes more to complete my study. I got up and went to the bathroom(down the hall)just to get out of the bed and walk a few minutes. She told me it wasn't necessary to got to sleep, but I needed to be hooked back up and wear my mask. I knew I had no way home before 6 am so I layed back down and prayed I could go back to sleep at least for a while. Next thing I knew it was a few minutes after 6 mom was calling to see if I was up. Thank you God for such a blessing.
I got up, unhooked myself and went to the bathroom to try and clean some of the goo off me. I went back to my room, got dressed and my tech showed up with my after study paper work. I couldn't wait to get out of there. I was so tired and so sore it was unbelieveable. My first study was a breeze. This one was horrible. But it's over! I have my follow up with Dr. Stevenson on Wednesday, at which time I should get my new bi-pap. That part I'm excited about, but boy am I glad this is over with.
The good news is it looks like my pressure might be lower. Of course from where I started the only place to go was down.

never forget

Tuna patties

Today I made a quick and simple lunch of tuna patties and bacon green beans. It took only about 2o minutes it was tasty, filling and something different.
Tuna Patties

• 3 cans tuna, drained well
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tbsp. Carb Counters Instant Mashers

Just mixed it all up, pattied them out in silver dollar sized patties and fried in coconut oil. They were crispy on the outside, moist and yummy on the inside.

I cooked a couple of cans of green beans cooked in bacon drippings. One of my favorite ways to cook green beans. The left over beans will be ready for another meal when I want them.

Next time I will double my tuna patty recipe and see if they hold up in the fridge. These would be perfect to nosh on when your hungry or to even pack in a lunch.

Update on Mom

We'll we finally got some answers for mom. But they sure we're what we were looking for. As most of you know, she's slowly suffocating because she has a heart valve that's just given out. It needs to be replaced.

When they were running all the tests to find out if she were healthy enough for the surgery, they found she has Pulmonary Hypertension. So the search for the cause began. First of, did she have sleep apnea, one of the major causes of P H. So off she goes to see an specialist in sleep disorders. They found she had a slight case and gave her a cpap. But the PH didn't improve. So then it was blood work, an echo,cat scan, and and a few other things. The only thing they found was that she really needed to get the valve replaced soon.
Next they sent her off for an MRI and more blood work. She got all the tests down except the MRI, they bruised her up pretty good trying to get her in, but it was too small. They finally got it reschedule at a different place last week, and she saw a rheumatologist to see check for lupus.
This week she saw the number one Pulmonary Specialist in Texas. Well all the test were in and after 6 months the answer is.... the weak valve is what is causing the PH and they will not do the surgery because of the PH and her weight.
This latest super specialist ( that's what her Cardiologist and Pulmonologist call him) says he thinks he can get her through it. It will be very risky, but if he can find a doctor that will do the surgery, he thinks he can help her pull through.
He had a meeting with the doctor he has in mind this evening, and mom is suppose to call him back again tomorrow. All prayers, will definitely be welcomed and deeply appreciated.
He told her not to exercise too much, nothing that would exert her to the point of panting or gasping. Of course at this point just going to the bathroom can cause that. But she needs to keep moving as much as she can.
Anyway, that's where we are right now. Thank you for all the prayers up to this point and any your willing to send up on her behalf now.