Migraines Past and Present

Last week I wrote about the events around my Moya Moya diagnosis and everything that happened during and afterwards.  Actually I started to write the Chapters in my Moya Moya book. I am planning on writing other books, but right now I am focusing on Moya Moya.  I believe I have a niche because I don't see any books written in regards of adults who have it.  I know that within this chapter will be a explanation what are migraines are in the medical field, but not today.  By the way my other books are going to talk about teaching in South Central, overseas, Palm Springs and our mishaps and blessings here and there.  My husband I will write them together. You are thinking have they started?  Hell no.  I need to get him motivated. Right now he is trying to survive teaching summer school. One thing at a time. 

First of all, migraines suck the big one. They truly do!  I can remember having horrible headaches starting at the age 12.  I thought everyone did.  I was wrong!  I know for me that stress and lack of sleep brings them on, plus much more. I was hoping after the brain surgeries they would be gone.  But no!  Maybe I should have told that to Dr. Martin. At that time I playing for surviving and not stroking out.  After the first brain surgery I did have a stroke, but I am here alive. What more can I ask for?  I will say that I would think with all of the hours of work in and on my brain it would have stopped my migraines, but alas no. I am not the poster child for the Moya Moya surgeries due to the stroke, but I am here!

Migraines are weekly occurrences.  When it starts with a bad headache with the nausea, I drink some more water and eat a little bit of protein, and see if that works.  If not I just take a half of  pill and lay down.   If the pain and nausea continue, I take the other half of the pill plus my evening medicines and sleep it off.  Usually sleep helps a lot.  I also need my bedroom to be very cold and dark.  I am out for the count on these days.  My husband Patrick has to take over.  Thank God he is a great guy and father.  I am very blessed to have him. This is one of the reasons I have my menu for the month planned and posted with everything bought for the week.  

For my own sanity I have to make jokes about them, as in the above.  I need to make fun of Moya Moya and my strokes in general.  If I didn't I would become them, but I am not them.  I have to live a happy life and be thankful because I am alive and able to take care of my family.

I have good and bad days and weeks.  I never know what the day will bring, and I have to be aware to not over do it.  That is my main problem -  I want to ignore the pain and do what I had planned.  But I can't.  If I try to do what I want, my brain says, "No way b*tch you are getting a bad one!!! Ha ha on you!"  I am down for the count a couple of days.  My neurologist Mr. Seymour Young I need to kill it the first day.  When they last for many days, I didn't murder it the first day.  I usually have a foggy day the next day so I don't do much. I feel so lazy on those days. I don't like feeling lazy but I am taking care of myself, plus I hate housework, dishes and laundry. I need a maid!  Ha ha!  Yeah right!

I am thankful for them being weekly. When I was teaching Kindergarten after the brain surgeries it was a daily event plus I had insomnia.  These two together made my life miserable, especially when I need to sleep off the migraine. I would go to bed at 8 and wake up at 3 unable to go back to sleep.  In mid-September 2006 I had my crash and burn. That will another chapter.  Medicine and laughter are the the best!  

This is a little longer than usual.  I could go on and on about the migraines, but I have dinner to plan.  

I Hate Making Lunch

I have a confession to make I hate making lunch, especially being on this low carb diet.  I am allowed 20 carbs a day max. I miss having my sandwiches, fresh bagels and good bread. Ohhh the bread! When the kids were little they didn't eat much, so we always had leftovers.  Patrick would take some for lunch and I would eat the rest.  Not any more!  Teenagers eat a lot!  Rarely we have leftovers for both my husband and myself. Today I was looking through my Low Carb cookbooks and it suggested "Deviled Eggs" for a meal.  Man I make the best Deviled Eggs in my opinion, because I add curry. In my house Curry makes every thing taste better.  The best thing is there will be leftovers because my kids hate them!  Yeah Me!

Deviled Eggs

·         Peeled, Hard Boiled Eggs

·         Mayonnaise to taste

·         Dijon Mustard to taste

·         1 teaspoon Curry Powder

·         Salt & Pepper

·         2 teaspoons Paprika

Cut the eggs in half. 

Put the yolk in a bowl and the two halves on a plate.

When finished halving them, start mashing the yolks.

Add the mayo and mustard with the spices except the paprika.

Taste it, and add more ingredients as needed.

Using a small spoon, fill the eggs with the mixture.

Sprinkle paprika over them.

Serve and Enjoy!

Italian Marinade

Hi!  We have been grilling a lot lately. First of all it is hot outside, and I don't want to heat the house.  We also have a lot of chicken thighs and they so yummy grilled. Here is the recipe I used last night. So yummy!

Italian Marinade

·        2 Tablespoons Mustard (I like Dijon)

·        3 Garlic cloves minced

·        1 teaspoon of dried herbs, oregano, or basil (I used dried herbs called Cantanzaro Herbs from The Savory Spice Shop)

·        1 Tablespoon sugar

·        1/3 cup white wine vinegar

·        1 cup olive oil

·        Salt and Pepper

Mix in a Ziploc bag and add the chicken and marinade it for more than two hours.  Occasionally turn the bag.  The longer it is marinated the better it tastes.

I used about 2 pounds of chicken thighs. You can use breasts too.

I Make Stuff

Hi!  This week I have been crafty as in I made Birthday cards.  I love sending and receiving Snail Mail.  I know it brings a smile on whoever face.  I now I even have a Pen Pal from Australia. Remember Pen Pals? They are back! Yes I do love snail mail.  In the past I have made many cards, calendars, wreaths, banners and more. For five years I was a Close To My Heart consultant, but I stopped two years ago. I got tired of selling stuff. I am not the best direct sales person around.

Here are the cards I made this week.  They are a Close To My Heart kit from two (?) years.

Enjoy!  That is it for today.  Stay cool!  It is only 109 F today. It is way better than 123 F on Monday. The weather in the desert sucks in the summer. Oh why am I here?  Why?

My Moya Moya Events

I have writer's block today.  Don't know why I just do.  I decided the write of the events preceding Moya Moya diagnosis and afterwards, aftermath as I call it.  These events will be blurbs not paragraphs. This shouldn't be that long - I promise.  These events mostly likely become the chapters of my book so bear with me.

1. 1976 Migraines start and continue even now
2. Patrick and I teaching here and overseas
3. 2000 - Coming home
4. 2000-2001 Jenan's pregnancy and birth
5. 2003 Shane's pregnancy with a ton of problems and migraine city!
6. Shane birth - December 5, 2003
7. One hospital visit because of TIA's after his birth and before the stroke
8. First Stroke on December 18, 2003
9. A History of strokes in my family - my father's side
10. January 17th to 19th - Hospital Stay
11. Rehabilitation - Second Time
12. February  - Released from Rehab and ready to go back to teaching
13. March - Cerebral Angiogram and Moya Moya diagnosis
14. Mid March - first visit with Dr. Neil Martin, my surgeon. Connecting with other patients who are waiting - truly amazing stories
15. April 29th - bypass performed on the left side
16. April 30th - second stroke - some time between midnight and 5 am
17. Rehabilitation - First Time
18. January 17, 2004 Grand Mal Seizure in the bathroom
19. April 30 to May 9th - ICU for 10 days - serious speech issues 
20. May 9th - Mother's Day out of ICU and a small TIA (my last one) affected my right hand
21. May 11th - released from UCLA
22. May 24th until July 29th - Rehab for the Third Time - so angry
23. Early August - went on vacation to Oregon
24. Late August - return to teaching Kindergarten
25. September - Second surgery of the right side. Out of hospital in 5 days
26. October to December 2004 - rested at home 
27. January 2005 - return to work part time
28. February, 2005 to June, 2006 - teaching Kindergarten with daily headaches and/or migraines and missing a lot of work
29. June through August 2006 - trip to New Zealand and Australia with serious problems sleeping
30. September 2006 - started my Master's in Education and dropped out quickly.
31. Mid-September - my mental crash and burn. No more teaching for me.
32. October to January - trying to find the right medicines for my brain and body
33. December 2006 - Dad has Alzheimer's and moved him to Palm Springs
34. January 2007 to now - Acceptance of being disabled and now retired per CalSTRS
35. March 2015 - Bell's Palsy scare
36. January 2016 to now - Working as a Substitute teacher for Palm Springs Unified 

I think I have a book.  An adult survivor and what happens after.  Now I need to start writing it!

Chicken Carnitas Recipe

Hi!  Quick post today. I crafted most of the day yesterday, and I want to finish it.  I would like to share on Thursday.  I am looking at Blogging Planners and get a rhythm on writing and posting.  Tomorrow's subject is Moya Moya and every Wednesday in the future.

On Saturday we went to a friend's party and the theme was tacos.  We were in charge of beans, rice and guacamole.  Well we made way too much, so I had to find a recipe for the meat filling.  Here is my new recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Carnitas that we tried yesterday. It is a keeper - another one for my binder.

www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/2015/03/crock-pot-chicken-carnitas.hmtl

It has beer in it and I used Corona. Patrick says, "How can you go wrong with beer as an ingredient."  Got to love that man!

See you tomorrow.

Cajun Pecans and The Savory Spice Shop

Cajun Pecans

From The Low-Carb Diabetes Solution Cookbook

8 servings of 1/4 cup serving size

2 Tablespoons of coconut oil 
1 Cups of halved pecans
1 Tablespoon of Creole seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While it is heating, put the coconut oil in a roasting pan, and stick it in the oven for a few minutes to melt.

When the oil is melted, dump your pecans into the pan, and stir until they're all coated. Now spread evenly, and put them back in the oven. Give them 10 minutes.

Pull them out of the oven, stir the Creole seasoning, and let them cool. Store in an airtight container.

I made these pecans on Father's Day, and they are so good.  I didn't use the Creole seasoning. I used a different spice blend that I got from my friend Gene Ware.  He is works at my favorite spice shop called The Savory Spice Shop in Palm Desert. It is the only shop on El Paseo that I frequent. For you who don't know about El Paseo, it is on par with Rodeo Drive in Hollywood. Too rich for me!

I love their spices. First all you get the taste every one. You find one that interests you, and take the tester and put a little of it on your palm.  Using your clean finger you taste the spice from your hand, and you push it off on the floor when finished. How cool is that?  They are many varieties, and the staff is very knowledgeable. Jenan and I were tasting all of the varieties of cinnamon, and we  found one that we loved and others that tasted not the best.  What I love most is that I can choose how much of the spice I need from 1 ounce to pounds of a spice or blends. At Christmas time I bake my dad's Christmas Tree bread and it calls for cardamon. I don't use it during the year, just at Christmas time. I buy an ounce and I am good.  I am slowly switching all of my spices to The Savory Spice Shop's brand.  No more store brands for me!  Store brands taste very bland and Savory Spice is far from bland! Such an intense flavor. There is no going back!

The Savory Spice shops are in many states. Here is their website http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/. I highly recommend visiting them.