A more even keel

Life has been on a more even keel these last few days.  After writing my last blog, I had to admit to being a bit over-optimistic as I reached out for the codeine. However, the latter was sufficient to ease the problem which is more than it did before my hospital trips. I even began to feel that things were settling down sufficient to get back to more normal life. 

The doctor let me have something for my knees so I feel I can once more do some of more normal activities, such as cooking, bed changing etc without too dire a consequence. I even began to think maybe I could hazard some wine with a meal, just a glass, or even go away for a day or two for a bit of pampering. 

Then last night, out of the blue, the pain returned to my abdomen. However, yet again the codeine, topped up with some paracetamol, eased the problem. I couldn't help looking at the alarm clock & noticing it was, you've got it, just after 2am. Some things don't change. I wish I could work out the significance of that hour. My only conclusion is that we always eat our main meal of the day in the evening at about the same time & that maybe the pain gets started when the food reaches a certain part of my digestive system. Since we eat at a similar time, the pain begins at a similar time.

Not having the alcohol does seem to  be keeping the pain at a tolerable level, controllable with medication short of morphine. But I have to admit I do miss the wine with the meal. I can happily chunter on fruit juice in an evening. But the wine with the meal makes the meal seem that bit more special, more of an occasion. Still it will be worth going without for a spell if it means the pain is less.

Meanwhile I'm turning my attention to dinner today. We're having chicken for a change. We don't seem to have had any for a while. Mind you anything pre-A&E & hospital seems a long time away. I harvested the last of the Fox's potatoes & par-boiled them ready to saute this evening. The chicken breasts have been battered down into thin pieces ready to be flavoured & quickly fried up. I'm really quite looking forward to it. I'll also use up some rather blackened carrots that have been around too long. They should be still edible once they've been peeled to reveal their bright orange insides, a nice contrast of colour against the green of some courgettes, the paleness except for some parsley of the chicken & the golden brown of the potatoes. It should be good.