A good nights sleep is a wonderful thing. My first night home I decided to go cold turkey after 18 days of a sleeping aid called Ambien. This pill isn't supposed to be addictive, but my body sure did miss the assist. Needless to say, between not taking the Ambien and a weird (probably medicine induced) tendency for my throat to close off every time I was drifting off to sleep, made for a very sleepless night on the couch. I could tell yesterday afternoon, as I dozed in my chair, that the odd (and scary) throat closing feeling was gone, so looked forward to a good nights sleep. We went to bed around 10:00, and once I got comfortable, I slept like a baby until 5:00. Heavenly. You know, the most recent change I made with meds was not taking the Ambien for a night. Do you suppose I developed a strange reaction to it? Hmmmm......
I get stronger each day and look forward to my Friday appointment with my pulmonologist to see if there has been any improvement in my lung inflammation and the air pocket. I notice I still can't walk and talk without getting short of breath, so obviously I have a way to go, but I keep reminding myself what a weak little kitten I was on Friday - and that makes me realize I have accomplished more than my impatient mind thinks.
Food continues to taste good and I can tell my appetite is slowly returning. Yesterday I put a 'Krista' roast (a cut of meat inspired by a PEO friend whose brother is a grocer in Iowa - so cool to have your own signature product) given to us to try by our friends the O'Connors before all this health silliness started. Diane also gave me Krista's recipe, which was excellent - I will include it below. Now before anyone scolds me, putting this roast on was the ONLY thing I did of any consequence all day. Mark finished the meal off with baked potatoes and asparagus. Delish!Carolyn, Mark's mom, joined us for supper and helped get it on the table and clean up. It feels so odd to go sit down while everyone else is working away in the kitchen - guess I will try to enjoy it while I can.
Here is the recipe:
Krista Roast
In a shallow covered pan:
beef roast (I don't know what the regular name for this cut would be. It is well marbled and flat - not like a rolled rump)
3 cubes beef bouillon dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water
Misty's or Lawry's seasoning salt - both sides (I just did one side)
Onion salt (I used powder) & black pepper
Shake red pepper flakes over the top (Krista likes a lot - I did just a little)
Put in roaster, cover and cook all day with lid on at 225 degrees
Moist, tender and delicious!