Life, Gluten Free

Let's talk about pain

I have missed blogging. Unfortunately, I have been in pain for the past year and a half. That's right, a year and a half. Hard to believe? It sure is.

And still, we don't really know what's going on or how to fix it. I've just now stumbled upon a dentist that seems competent and knows what he is talking about. He won't be available for another 6 weeks though, because he is switching offices and is in transition.

Great.

Sure, I'll wait. No problem. It's not like I want to be out of pain anytime soon. In fact, I'd prefer if I were out of pain.. say..  a year and a half ago?!

Only recently, thanks to the "new dentist" (that's what we'll call him, for now), we found out that the disc in the right side of my jaw is gone (pushed out of the socket, so to speak).

So, I went to a dentist......... a year and a half ago....... for a very small filling. I ended up having three root canals (durnig the course of this past year and a half) that I've been told, by the new dentist, probably were not needed at all.

Instead, the pain in those teeth simply transferred to other teeth.

This is because I have a bite issue, which should have been diagnosed "before any invansive measures were taken, such as root canals" (this out of the mouth of the new dentist, an occlusion specialist).

I am tired of the pain. I am tired of the fatigue that comes from the ongoing chronic pain.

Hence lack of blog posts and lack of much of anything else. I feel like a turtle who has been hiding in her shell way, way, too much.

I want to pop out again and do more with my blog but I can't until a solution is found to this ongoing pain.

I can't chew because basically ALL of my bottom teeth hurt and I can't put pressure on them.

So, what do I eat?

Blended foods... lots and lots of soups. We've mastered the art of soupery.

I just want to get better and to know, really, what the problem is. Yes, I know a "bite issue" and so my jaw is not balanced and my teeth don't fit together properly. Instead, I hit on my back teeth first and basically none of my front teeth are able to come in to contact. This creates a lot of problems. But, how many dentists are out there in the world? A whole kaboodle, so surely at least ONE of them can help me.

I go from hopeful to hopeless. I am trying to be more positive so that I can push through the feelings of anger, fear, etc.

Also, I'd really like to have a permanent fix so that I can stop wearing this upper mouth splint. Or, actually... better yet... I'd like the upper mouth splint to actually *work* and relieve the pain until permanent measures can be taken. That'd be great, thanks. Put that on my tab.

I missing writing!

I miss having energy... I miss spontaniety!

I miss freelance writing work I had to stop doing because of the pain.

Blast. I miss how it feels not to be in pain.

Have you dealt with chronic pain? If so, I feel for you! 

(below: a picture of a card my husband got me when I was feeling particularly down.. I photographed it paired with some carrots that a friend gave us from her garden. I love the people in my life. They give me strength).

I got second place in the 2010 Top Allergy Blogs Award

Thanks again for the nomination and for everyone that voted!

Medical Coding Certification

Vote for my blog! 2010 Top Allergy Blog Award

Vote for my blog! 2010 Top Allergy Blog Award

I know I haven't posted in a while (more about that later) but I just received an email stating that I was nominated for the 2010 Top Allergy Blog Award.

That is so wonderful since allergies is the heart of my blog. My 3 year old daughter has life-threatening allergies to tree-nuts and seeds so it is a great honor to blog about recipes that help other families who are also dealing with allergies and Celiac Disease.

Thanks so much for the nomination!

Brought to you by: Medical Billing and Coding Certification

Voting ends Monday June 21st, 2010.

I was adopted! (adopt a gluten free blogger)

Maggie from She Let Them Eat Cake adopted me and made my recipe for Chocolate Fudge with Sunbutter Swirls.

Since then, we found out that my daughter is allergic to sunflower seeds so we do not keep them in the house anymore. But, I have kept this recipe on my blog to benefit others who can eat sunflower seeds. I used to love to eat them! They are nutritious as well.

I encourage you to check out Maggie's blog. She's a sweet person and I love the name of her blog! She Let Them Eat Cake. Great name. Her husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 7 years ago and she's been cooking gluten-free ever since. Her blog is well worth checking out, a great addition to the gluten-free blogging community.

Thanks again, Maggie, for adopting my recipe and trying it out! I am glad you liked it!

-heather

Call Me and Ask Questions!

My husband helped me set up Google Voice. That means my readers can call in and ask a question or just leave me a message. I'll answer your questions on my blog with a new post dedicated to each question. And yes, this is free! No cost.

If you don't want your question answered publicly, just leave me a contact (email) and I'll be sure to answer your question.

Your questions can include anything that is gluten-free or allergy-free related. You can also ask what our favorite products are or ask a question about a recipe. But please note that I am not a doctor. My answers will be suggestions only and are not to be used in replacement of a medical doctor. 

For easy access, a button will be placed on my sidebar soon for anyone who wants to contact me in that way. 

Here's an explanation of the few easy steps to make a call.

Step 1: Click the widget above.

Step 2: Enter name and phone number. You can click keep number private.

Step 3: Click "Connect"

Step 4: Google voice will call your phone, answer and it will connect the call.

Step 5: Leave a message and end the call. That's all!

Hope to hear from you soon!

-heather

Love yourself!

Do you know what the most popular New Years resolution is? You probably do.

To lose weight.

Most people want to change something about themselves, but it's not always for the right reason.

You may have see someone in the past that you thought was more attractive, confident, smarter - etc - than you are and you may have even caught yourself wishing that you could be like that person. Would you really want that? Why envy someone else? You have no idea how that person feels on the inside or what thoughts go through their head. Or even what their life is really like.

So I encourage everyone to spend some time loving yourselves this year and perhaps form a habit of loving yourself that you continue into the next year.

Here's a bit of my story.

I am thin and I've always been so, except for when I was pregnant. That's the most I've ever weighed. It's just who I am. I don't do anything to try to be thin.

I've had people say how nice it must be. Really? Is it? Unfortunately, I've had negative remarks and have had people make untrue accusations about why I'm thin. "You're too thin." By who's guidelines exactly? And who says someone is "too fat" or "not smart enough." These are all relatively really.

I'm sharing this to make a point that it's best not to spend time thinking about how good someone else must have it. Because you really have no idea. You're not them. Instead, spend time appreciating the wonderful qualities that make up who you are.

Skinny, overweight, average, too short, too tall... etc. No matter what, it seems, we may have endured some negativity from others in our life. Some of us may still be experiencing it.

Do you love yourself?

Because that is what matters and it is perfectly acceptable for us to love ourselves.

In a way, we've been somewhat conditioned not to. Society, as a whole, has somewhat shunned it. For example, a person may be considered "full of themselves" by acknowledging their beauty or good qualities.

But in reality, it's just accepting and appreciating yourself. Those who notice beauty in themselves but not in others are "full of themselves." Those who notice beauty in themselves and also notice beauty in others are just practicing infinite love for themselves and others.

And if you do want to lose weight, then try to do so by loving yourself. When you do love yourself, you want to choose healthy foods to nourish your body and a healthy lifestyle to promote well-being and energy in your body.

I'm on my own journey to learn how to love myself.

I am sure that we all need to spend more time loving ourselves and acknowledging what makes us who we are. You may have different desires, ambitions and qualities than others. That's something to be thankful for. We're all different.

And we're all beautiful!

I'll be back with more recipes. We're in a bit of a transition right now, computer wise and other wise. Keep an eye out for a new gluten-free cake recipe that we munched on for New Years.

Oh yes, and love yourself!

-heather

What to do when you aren't sure what to do?

Have you ever had times when you weren't sure what to do, which path to take, or how to make a decision? Sometimes it can be hard, frustrating or even completely overwhelming. I think most of us, at one point if not another, have been in that same boat.

When times are like that, I try to slow down and release any tension that may be in my body. Some people have certain points that they hold their tension, like shoulders or neck. For me, it's in my jaw which only makes my TMJ flare up.

But even when things are in a funk, so to speak, I try to focus on the things that are good in my life. When you focus on positive things, you are more likely to attract even more positive things in your life. So here's a few pictures and musings from some recent things that have been fun in my life. May they uplift you and also serve as a reminder to me that I have a whole lot to be thankful for.

Satin (our one-eyed kitty that recently celebrated a birthday, we love you Satin!):

Our recent snow (now the weather is sunny and nice again):

I hope everyone is having a good November so far. I'll have some more tasty gluten-free recipes up soon, especially in light of Thanksgiving.

-heather

What a Celiac Dreams About

What does a celiac dream about while they are sleeping?

Well I can't tell you in general, but I can tell you what this celiac dreams about.

These dreams have happened on several occasions, leaving me distraught and feeling just a little bit silly.

I've had a dream that I was eating a piece a cake or a muffin and then while chewing, I would somehow realize or be told that it was wheat! I would spit it out and then worry about what reaction I might have. Then I would wake up and think "well that was weird......"

So, that's never actually happened to me - ever - nor do I see how it would since we only eat things at home (we don't eat out or eat packaged prepared foods).

Am I the only one who dreams about this? Probably.

But, at least I have a husband who appreciates my kookyness and a daughter that only sometimes rolls her eyes when I break out into opera singing.

Yeah, I'm a lucky gal... tormented by dreams of gluten.

The upside is that I've seemed to have stopped having dreams about forgetting an exam and not showing up or somehow forgetting that I registered for a class and then finding out at the end of the semester. Again, none of those things ever happened.. but that's just a piece of my crazy subconsciousness! 

I started having those dreams long after I graduated from college too. What does that mean?

Probably that I have an obsessive compulsive disorder about worrying.

Okay, I actually do... but I'm working on it.

Am I really the only one who has dreamed about accidentally eating something that I'm not supposed to? Share!

-heather

Seven Things I Love

Naomi of Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried tagged me with a meme and the Kreativ Blogger award.

For the meme, list seven things you love, in no particular order and then tag seven others to do the same. Below is my list of my seven favorite things and then the seven bloggers that I have tagged to do the same.

1. having the windows open to enjoy a light spring breeze.

2. listening to Sophie's deep, exuberant laugh.

3. admiring my husband's gentle and honest smile, remembering all the reasons why he's mine and why I am the lucky one.

4. watching Sophie grow and change, but noticing the moment's where she's still in need of my love and protection, and realizing that in some ways, she always will need me.

5. going to the Farmer's Market and feasting my eyes on all the fresh, local and organic produce.

6. being a family, caring, loving, appreciating.

7. cooking and creating for the simple joy of it!

For my dear seven, you are now tagged with this meme and given the Kreativ Blogger Award. The internet world would be a little less creative and a lot less captivating without you.

Cathy at The Life and Adventures of Catepoo

Ali at Whole Life Nutrition

Rachel at The Crispy Cook

CoconutGal at Coco.nut Your Average Girl

Vittoria at Deliciously Gluten Free

Maureen at Hold the Gluten

Trish at Gluten Free in SLC

And I would tag my good friend Kelly at The Spunky Coconut, but she was already tagged by Naomi. Good choice :)

Go have fun!

-heather

An Indoor Snowman

What do you do with a toddler when it is snowing madly outside? Bring in a bowl of snow!

Sophie enjoyed tossing the snow around (we have wood floors) and then mopping it up. Bonus: our floor was sparkling!

And then, of course, we built an indoor snowman.

And the next day, when the snow stopped, we tried to ignore that our cats were sleeping in a warm bed why we were outside shoveling snow.
 

We thanked our neighbor for not only shoveling part of our sidewalk but also our driveway leading up to our front door. 

Monitor little fingers if they play with the snow without gloves. I am still looking for a pair of waterproof toddler gloves that have fingers instead of the "mitten" style with the thumb. Those are sub-par. Sophie can't even move her fingers around in them enough to play with the snow properly.

And one more thing, remember that while it IS fun to throw snowballs at your husband, he is (more than likely) bigger than you and..... will throw one back at you! :(

-heather