Self Diagnosis

Something hit me around Noon on Saturday.  To skip the dramatics and a little too much information, it felt like an alien baby was in my stomach punching my insides.

It was not the flu.  It was not anything having to do with a “monthly visitor.”  It was not regular cramping.  It was the strangest and most painful feeling I have experienced in a long time.

I know what the majority of you are thinking.  Sorry to disappoint you, but I am not pregnant… so let’s go ahead and throw that thought out the window.

For the rest of the day this alien baby traveled with me to the arena, then back home a few hours later when I decided that dancing on an NBA court was not in the cards that night.

Getting Some Rest

I absolutely hate missing work or scheduled events due to sickness.  I feel like in some way I have let people down and it bothers me until no end.  Well, stuff happens, and it is in these cases where I actually allow myself to get some rest and give my body and mind a break from doing anything at all.

Whenever there is something going on in my belly, eating becomes an inner struggle between taking in calories to keep my energy up, then keeping them down.  That is all I am going to say.

I got home around 5:45 p.m. and was passed out in bed shortly after.  After a two hour nap, I went downstairs and grabbed a Gatorade and a plateful of Triscuits.  My stomach did not really feel any better, but I knew I needed something in there to keep me awake and moving.

I entertained myself for a few hours with a series of Friends episodes.  That show will never get old to me! I probably watch at least five episodes a week… still.  Regardless, I was glad those Friends made me laugh and these furry friends were there to show me how to relax.

(P.S. You probably can’t tell, but that would be the scene where Ross sticks a fork into his shirt and swirls it around while trying get approval from Rachel’s dad over dinner.  I appreciated the “kick to the gut” visual!)

I have to admit that having an excuse to lie down and do nothing seems pretty amazing at times.  This time, however, all I could do was think about everything else I needed to be doing.  My mind kept racing with ideas, projects and choreography I need to keep up with.

When I left one job, I promised myself that I would not go home and work on the computer when I got bored.  I stuck to my guns and spent the remainder of the night switching from couch to bed, looking for anything on the television to entertain me.  Somehow, news that the 2013 Miss America Pageant was happening completely missed me! #fail

Eventually, I worked up the courage to try something else to eat.  Do not ask why, but for some reason my body was telling me “sweet potato fries,” so I went into the freezer and made a serving of Ore Ida Sweet Potato Steak Fries.

I washed them down with hot herbal tea and called it a night at about 11 p.m.  Considering the fries came from the freezer, they were quite tasty!

Looking back, the side of (very acidic) ketchup was probably not the best idea… but I did it anyways.

I was not even tired, but I forced myself back to bed in hopes of waking up the next morning with a better feeling stomach.

I awoke at 4:30 a.m. with a what felt like a full night’s rest and a large appetite.  Trying not to move too fast, I settled on a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats cereal (I figured the rest of my fiber packed selection might not be the best choice!) topped with sliced strawberries and went back to bed.

The Day After

(I promise this post has a point other than me sharing my night with you!)

The next morning, I woke up feeling over-tired.  It is a feeling I have only had a handful of times when I let myself sleep past my alarm for more than eight hours.

I am all about resting my body, but hate when when I overdo it and feel a reverse effect.  While working on the computer yesterday, I had trouble focusing on one project at a time and still feel like my mind is all over the place.

Around Noon, I figured it would be a good time to try lunch, or in this case breakfast for lunch.  Listening to my body, I kept it simple by scrambling a few egg whites, cooking a few slices of Jennie-O turkey bacon, and toasting a Thomas’ Blueberry Bagel Thin.

As always, breakfast was enjoyed with an extremely large cup of coffee.

Perhaps that is the problem?

Self Diagnosis

I am thinking that my stomach pain might be related to my diet.  After two days of feeling better and worse, I am feeling pretty crampy.  As you know, I try to keep my every day food choices on the healthy side, but I do not really pay attention to much else.

While growing up, I used to experience stomach spasms and took prescribed medication on days where it became painful, similar to what I experienced this weekend.  Back then, my doctor recommended cutting back on dairy products, thinking that I might have a form of intolerance.

If the pain continues, I am going to try and give up as much dairy as I can for now.  I will switch to from skim to soy milk and limit my need for cheese, yogurt and creamers in my coffee.  Ugh.  Do you know how much this kills me?  Anyone who has lived with me knows I have a little bit of a love affair with all of those things.

If it still continues, I will be going to see a doctor and will be sure to keep you updated on the progress!

Questions of the Day

• Have you ever experienced this type of stomach pain?  Was it diet related?

• To the vegans out there: any suggestions on substitutions for the dairy products I eat every single day? (milk, yogurt, cheese)