But first, the good stuff, some warm & fuzzy pics:
The other day, 17nov11, a buck & some does appeared on the neighbour's lawn, the buck, his head lowered, kept approaching a doe. The doe would skitter off & continue eating grass. None of the does wanted the poor fella. This is rutting season (& hunting season - the rut of the hu-males - using bows & arrows & guns for penetration - causing death instead of creating life). I have never seen bucks trying to mate on front lawns before. Someone said it was because they are trying to get away from the hunters (although three deer have appeared dead from arrows on lawns around here). Anyway, here is a quiet moment I caught - before another buck showed up & chased this fella away - this guy obviously not a dominant buck.
Next, a picture of my sweet little Jack Russell, Maggi-May asleep very close to Misty, the pussy-cat:
Then, a picture of my friend Metta (mentioned frequently in other posts - Metta, my Mentor), taken in our local raw & vegan oasis, ZenZero, downtown Courtenay. This taken 7nov11.
Lastly, my friend Marina & me, again at ZZ, 24nov11, celebrating her 50th birthday a couple of days early:
Marina & I were both at Victoria Boutenko's smoothie retreat this past 1-7 August 2011, held at Ocean Resort on Vancouver Island (a half hour drive from Courtenay). This was a life-changing week for the both of us. Marina has gone on (& is still going on) her own path to renewed health & sense of herself - she has lost somewhere over 30 pounds & has an obvious charisma of vitality about her - only the least of which is from her weight loss - she emphasizes her health & new-found power to make life-affirming choices over weight loss.
Before I tell you about our lunch at ZenZero, I should tell you the day was absolutely SKUZZY! Pouring, pouring rain & winds that bent everyone at a 90 degree angle. Dreadful! Marina ate all raw. I was going to stick to my usual - a very large orange juice with a double shot of wheatgrass juice (I try to make sure that any time I am in 'town' (Courtenay) that I have at least one shot of wheatgrass - & that usually in OJ because otherwise I hate the taste of the stuff). I ordered that - but all the while, there was this (overpowering, obviously) fragrance of their cooked (vegan) chilli soup. I ordered a bowl. Oh it was so good - chock full of big hunks of veggies & potatoes. It was so perfect for the day.
Marina & I had a wonderful get-together. I brought her a wee bottle of a homemade sauerkraut I had made last week (white cabbage, beets, carrots - not too 'krauty' yet - I like to jar & refrigerate it before it gets to 'sauer').
I had brought Maggi-May in the car because - well, she wants to go EVERYWHERE with me, no matter the weather or whatever. I had not taken her for a walk - the weather too awful. I had piled quilts all over the back seat so she could burrow in. After lunch I took her home - all the way back to Comox - & left her at home with my husband because I was going to be gone for ages & it did not look as if the weather was going to let up enough to walk her.
Then I drove back downtown to go for a doctor's appointment. This is huge for me - the first time I've been to a doctor for about 15 years or so.
For any of you following me, you know I have a hernia. I have been taking the time of this 92 day juice & smoothie feasting to figure out what to do about it - whether to let it heal on its own or whether to get it surgically corrected. I have fluctuated about my decision. Something that had spurred me onto choosing surgery is that someone asked me to cater a (combo raw & cooked vegan) food venue for an upcoming event:
"Hi Pat – Hello from the Fanny Bay!
I was wondering if you would be interested in selling your wonderful food at our Boutique and Bling sale, April 21, 2012. It will run from 10 to 2. It’s basically where anyone can rent a table to sell their clothes/shoes/jewelry, etc. It would be great to have coffee, tea and goodies. Not thinking that there has to be lunch stuff – but that would be up to you."
This is the poster:
I have said yes to this event, but if my hernia is the same or worse, I would not be able to put in the time on my feet that would be necessary. So, I am going to try for surgery - hoping I can have it done in time to heal for the end of April (I have no experience with wait lists - we will see).
I sent out an email to my rawfooders' list asking if anyone knew of a 'veg-friendly' doctor, one who would be amenable, at least, to alternatives. Got lots of response back - one about a doctor who is apparently 80% raw!!!!!! Wow! I got on the phone right quick. The receptionist, however, told me, "Dr. So-&-So has not taken on new patients since he started in this clinic over 23 years ago." I pleaded with her, told her to tell him I was a rawfooder (who is very healthy, rarely gets sick) & I had heard he was 80% raw - please, please would he consider taking me on. It was news to the receptionist that this doctor was - what? "What do you mean - you eat only raw food? raw meat?" No, I told her, raw vegan, all plant-based, no meat. "No meat? That sounds pretty boring."
She was going to pass on the message, but was positive he would say no. She recognized my name (on my goodness, someone who had been there for ages & remembered everything!). I asked, where is this clinic? It turned out it was where I used to come to see my doctor, who had retired quite some years ago. She told me that the doctor who replaced my old one is my doctor now. I have a doctor!! I was inordinately pleased about this.
And, it turned out, I could briefly come & see him the next day (!!!!) because of my hernia.
My (grandfathered-in) doctor looks to be about 22 years old. A very nice guy. He affirmed that I do indeed have a hernia. He is referring me to a specialist. Now it is a matter of waiting for a date for surgery. Hoo! I have heard so much about this waiting business! It takes so ridiculously long. It may not be in time for me to heal for this catering gig. Who knows, perhaps it will be healed all on its only by that time.
I was warned that if this hernia should extend & not recede (which mine does whenever I sit or lie down) & or if it seems plugged, or is painful in my gut, that I should immediately get to a hospital - that it might be ruptured, which could be a lethal event, like a ruptured appendix. This is not common, but one needs to be prepared.
This made me realize - again - that the colon needs to be as clean as possible, not plugged up with crap food that cannot get out. Being on a cleanse (ideally) or clean diet will keep the hernia under some kind of control.
So, when I wake each morning I realize I must keep as clean as possible. If I should come out of this juice & smoothie business & fall into my old ways, it will make things worse & painful.
HELP!! I'm trapped in a juice & smoothie feast!
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