4/17/10 Katie's Healthy Eating Journal: Saturday

As I was writing yesterday, Dad did a 360 by Thursday night. I knew something was fishy because I had texted my Dad at lunch to see how he was doing. If he was feeling semi-ok he would've texted me back. I made the drastic mistake of calling my parents at the end of my school day (my planning period) to check up on things. Of course, my Mom had tried to avoid telling my while working, but now there was no way she couldn't; apparently he'd had a horrific night. His stomach was so distended it looked like a bowling ball, it felt like fire had ignited in his intestines, he hadn't eaten in two days, the pain in his legs had come back with abundance and to top it off, the surgeon thought the pain in his stomach was because he was allergic to this pain med as well. Wow, my heart broke in half when I had heard the news. When a parent has been going through such agonizing pain for 10 years it is hard to fight back the rush of emotions and tears that were coursing through me. I don't think anyone would blame my Mom and me for having such high hopes. To know my Dad is to love him. Other than my husband he is one of the most incredible human beings I have had the pleasure of knowing. I certainly was lucky to have been raised by such a giving, kind, and generous father. My Dad has a high threshold of pain so over the past 10 years you sometimes wouldn't even know he was in pain except for the look in his eyes and the shuffle to his step as if he were an old man, not 57 years old. This is probably why I'm so fearful now - his response to the pain has been crying, shouting, moaning, saying he's sorry (breaks my heart to even think about. sorry for what? being in so much pain?), and him asking rhetorically, "Why did I ever think I could do this?" Things have not improved today; if not they've gotten worse because he is off the pain meds. His back was sliced by a knife and his vertebrae and neck were carved, shaped, and redesigned and you're telling me all we can do is give the poor man Tylenol?!!! All I want is for this to work and my Dad to be able to go back to some of the things he loved, walking, bide riding, and gardening. I don't think that's too much to ask for...

SATURDAY Breakfast -

1 serving Fiber One pancakes Banana

1 cup fat-free organic milk

Lunch -

Egg White Omelet with tomatoes and mushrooms

100 calorie English Muffin

Fat-free yogurt

Snack -

1 cup strawberries

Dinner -

2 oz. grilled chicken, salsa, 1/4 cup fat-free cheese, tomato, lettuce, whole wheat wrap, 1 tsp. fajita seasoning

Broccoli with 1 tsp margarine

Snack -

100 calorie pack