April 11th, 2018
My last post was on April 3rd and I had just finished my second round of consolidation chemo. It is now 8 days later and the chemo has done its job. My immune system (white blood cells) are at zero and my red blood cells and platelets have dropped as well. When they drop too low I have to go in and get an infusion of red blood cells and platelets which is exactly where I am at this moment.
This is the week that I hide from people so I don't get their cold and and get infusions if something gets too low. Most of you probably know that platelets clot your blood when you get a cut. Each time my platelets get too low I get a call from the nurse telling me to stay off ladders and don't run with scissors. Most of the time I comply. Next week is when my system kicks back in a my numbers start coming up on their own.
This whole cancer thing has Karen and I taking a hard look at our diet. Not that we ate unhealthy before, but now we are really looking at all the chemicals we are exposed to thru our food and everywhere else. I grew up red meat and potatoes was what consists a proper meal, so I have no intention of going off the deep end and become a vegan. However, we bought a vegetarian cook book and a Mediterranean cook book and have made several meals that where not meat / potatoes, they where damn good. I think it is not going to be so bad eating more plants and fish than meat and starch. If you have a good recipe please let me know.
This is all I have to report today, nothing exciting happens when you are laying low, but I guess that is the point. Boring is good right now. I hope you are all doing well.
Comments (8)
Hi Kevin!! I keep up with all your posts. Glad you are doing good and staying boring! I love to cook so I will check on what I have. I'm with you.... still like meat and potatoes, but there are some really good vegetarian recipes out there! Can't wait to see you one of these days soon! Hang in there! I'll be ready to celebrate with a gin and tonic with you soon! Kari
Hey Kevin! Sounds like good prognosis & it's great to see your posts:) Here is a recipe that my trainer shared. I have yet to try since I am not a cook. It at least sounds yummy. Keep up the good fight and cheers to eating healthy! Quinoa Salad with Spinach ● 1 cup of quinoa ● 1 1/2 cups of water or 1/2 vegetable stock 1/2 Water ● 1 bunch of spinach washed, stemmed and chopped ● 1/2 red onion chopped ● 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts chopped ● 1/3 cup walnuts chopped ● 1/4 cup raisins ● 6-8 marinated sun-dried tomatoes chopped ● 6 leaves basil chopped ● salt & pepper to taste ● 1/3 tsp red pepper flakes ● 1/3 cup lemon ● 1 Tbl white wine vinegar Quinoa Salad with Spinach INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat water and/or stock in a pan along with the quinoa to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. 2. Add cooked quinoa to a large bowl and let cool for a few minutes. 3. While the quinoa cools, saute the spinach with the water that clings to it when washed. Cook until wilted and tender. 4. Add the chopped onion, artichoke hearts, walnuts, raisins, sun-dried tomatoes, basil to the quinoa and the spinach. Combine well. 5. Dress with the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes
Hey Kevin, Steve and I have been playing around with vegetarianism. We can manage a couple veg. meals a week. We figured we had to start somewhere. No GMO and as little prepared foods as possible. Of course organic. We eat salads mostly on veg night. If I come across a recipe I will send it along. If you have a recipe you could post it here. What cookbook did you get? About the fish. One word, Fukashima. Our oceans are polluted.
Kevin and Karen, Ted Rhodes' mom here. I love following your story and progress. We have also been dedicated to increasing our Mediterranean diet selections. One of our recent favorites is: Mediterranean Salmon from Health.com. Easy an delicious. Keep your spirits high and your transfats low. And here's to the almighty olive oil. Love.
So glad to see an update from you. It feels like it’s been longer than a week ago. I’ve been thinking of you and Karen. Make quinoa and put it in the fridge and toss on salads. Also use it instead of rice with stir fry.
Hang in there Kevin with the lows this week and I've got a great Mediterranean cookbook to share with you!
Dude, what a journey you are on. Hard to imagine the ups, downs and stir-craziness you have been going through. When you are shopping for stuff you don't need, try Bed, Bath & Beyond. They have avocado scoopers and avocado keepers and avocado peelers and ... Are you checking your work email at all? I don't see any way to upload a scan of a recipe, so I'll send it to your work email. The official recipe title is Kale Skillet Spanakopita, but it is more like a frittata. Kale, fennel, eggs and feta cheese rather than pastry, spinach and ricotta. Pretty darn tasty.
Kevin, we mostly eat vegetarian at our house and have some great recipes. Lots of indian spices and its hard to go wrong. Curried carrot soup, channa masala, cabbage masala. I will email some recipes. Hope all is going well. Keith and Dawn.