The heartbreak of psoriasis.....

“The Heartbreak of Psoriasis”

Remember that old advertising phrase?  Well, it's not really joke. 

I was officially diagnosed with psoriasis a few weeks ago.  And I must say that while it is for me not a heartbreak, it is something that is not fun to put up with.

I must also say that after having researched the matter, I do not have all that terrible a case of the disease.  It is on very few parts of my body which are publicly shown, and compared to many photos I have seen, I have been lucky.

I have always had dry skin, and about two years ago things started going downhill, with terrible dandruff and then many other symptoms.  Being a “non-doctor” sort of person, I decided to use dandruff shampoos and rely on my “if you ignore it, it will go away” philosophy.

Well, that didn't work, as might be supposed.

What brought it all to a head (pun intended) is that a few weeks ago my left ear turned hot and bright red, as did a large portion of my check, with welts also appearing.  Even I figured out that this was not normal, and I finally went to our family doctor who took one look at me and made an immediate appointment with a dermatologist (or skin doctor, in german).

He seemed thrilled to see me and my unusual but not unheard of development, even calling in all his assistants to look at it.  (Hm, guess I always wanted to be a model....)  He said that if I had not come in so promptly, it could have led to serious if not fatal conditions.  But antibiotics and a steroid cream cleared it up promptly.

I will start a light-and-bath therapy in January, three mornings a week, every week through the end of March.  Will this help?  I hope so.  At least the health insurance will cover it so I won't be hit financially.

Actually, right now things are going well and clearing up. But psoriasis is that sort of disease.  It comes and goes, while never entirely going away, So, yes, I will have this the rest of my life.

I am being conscientious about using various lotions on my whole body, to clear up existing problems and hopefully prevening future ones.  Moisture, moisture and more moisture!

Why am I writing about his, after having hidden it for so long?

Because it seems to help.

I told my colleagues about it earlier, as my treatments may (but hopefully won't) affect my woking hours.  And since then, things have gone better.  Talking about it openly and honestly, even with my husband and son now for the first time, seems to relieve a stress I didn't know I had.  Being open about it is an important step in stress reduction for me at least, and stress is supposed to be a factor in outbreaks.

This turned out to be a serious one today, but sometimes life is like that!

Susan

A different kind of Thanksgiving Day

Got the day off to a good start early.  Two loads of laundray and two batches of chocolate chip mufins.

Well sort of.

The first batch turned out great. The second batch:  first of all, four eggs jumped out of the refrigerator and smashed on to the floor.  Yuck.  Then, once I got the muffinsin the oven, I fogot to set the timer and they turned out, shall we say, overdone.  In the trash can with them!

The pink flowered overblouse came in to play today, but this time with a deeper rose coloured top, which went much better with it.

My second box full of fabric scraps arrived today, and I got started on sorting it.  The box was significantly smaller than expected, but it sure was packed full!  Good fabrics, too.

We are not “doing” Thanksgiving this year, time-wise it just didn't work out.  We ended up having a very non-traditional dinner of spring rolls, fish sticks and fries!

Hope you all had lots and lots of good things to eat, and of course great family time!

Gray Day

The sun never came out today.  It never actually rained but everything was wet.  Typical November.....

Today's outfit started out as dark slacks, light pink t-shirt and and pink flower print overblouse. Then I looked in the mirror and saw the overblouse and t-shirt didn't really go (wrong shades of pink).  So I substituted a teal cardigan and it looks quite nice.  Colorful but not loeud.

There hasn't been actually much of anything to write about lately.  Dinner tonight was meatloaf, mixed veg, fried potato cakes and corn muffins.  Not terribly original or exciting, but filling.

What do cycling journalists do on their day off?

What do cycling journalists do on their day off?  Well, this one cooks!

Visited two grocery stores this morning and came home with a trunkful of food, including 5 kilos (10 pounds) of ground meat.  I now have in the freezer or ready to put in there:  one dinner of hamburgers, two of chili, two of Salisbury steaks, a huge pot full of Hamburger goulasch, which will be at least two meals if not three, and two meals of Texas Hash.

There is still one pound of meat left over that will get frozen as is. 

Dinner last night was another great one:  Norbert's homemade pizza.  He made the dough from scratch, and the sauce from fresh tomatoes. Yes, it takes a long tme to prepare!  He had also bought some outstanding shaved ham, which was the main topping.  We all loved out pizzas and Kitty thought the ham was the best.  She skipped the tomato sauce, though.

The outtfit today is an old standby:  dark gray slacks, yellow t-shirt, and a green linen overblouse.

Craftwise, my big excitement came on Friday with an Ebay delivery – a huge box of fabric scraps.  Heaven!  Although I have to admit, that what I enjoy most may well be sorting (and playing with) the fabric......

I am expecting another big box :-), so right now things are only roughly sorted. I have no idea when I will find time to do all that and then actually do some sewing, but hope springs eternal!

Speaking of Kitty, over the weekend she brought us Mouse nr. 3 of the fall hunting season, making 13 for the year.  She was snoozing on my lap as I wrote the above, until her empty tummy woke her.....

Oh, and dinner tonight will be the Hamburger Goulasch (it is a new recipe, so one never knows) and probably corn muffins, maybe some canned peaches, too.

Wishing you all good eating,

Susan

Welcome to the Untucked Shirt Brigade

When did it happen?  When did I lose my waistline?  I used to have one, a lovely little one, along with flat tummy.  Ha! Those days are long gone now.

And that means that somehow I have joined the Sisterhood of the Untucked Shirts.  Which can only mean -- and I hate to say it -- that I am getting old.  Because we all know that only old ladies wear their shirts out all the time.

Let's not mention that it is more comfortable and looks a lot better, when you haven't got that trim waist and flat stomach anymore.

I guess it is just one of those transitional things.  The end of middle age is approaching -- slowly, thank you -- but still, approaching. 

Just remember there are lots of things worse than getting older -- like not living long enough to have the chance to get older!

***

Other than that, real life (and work) got in the way of things today.  Dinner was catfish with Cajun seasoning sauteed in a little olive oil, broccoli and potato wedges. 

Norbert is on for dinner tomorrow, he bought a nice looking piece of beef.  We don't eat a lot of beef by the way, because it is fairly expensive here.  If you can afford it, you probably can't chew it...... 

Susan

Mixed Success

The chicken was from the crockpot:  one chopped onion, three chicken breasts and a cup of chicken broth.  Good, but dry.  Will try it with enough broth to cover the chicken next time.

The rice is good, but was just enough for four (one of Lucas' friends joined us).  Saute an onion, sitr in a cup of rice.  Add two cups chicken broth, and simmer for five minutes.  Put in a greased  casserole, cover and back at 350°/175° for 30 minutes.  Also excellent with 2 cups water mixed with a package dry onion soup mis.

I did dash into the work room this afternoon.  After many year's absence, I have decided to get back to doing patchwork (quilting).  I have gathered some material and had some left over from my earlier forays.

The first project was potholders.  Well, I made every single mistake possible!  One of them I even had to throw away, it could not be saved.  Had to laugh at myself for some of the silly things I did.  Live and learn, right?  I made another one today, or at least about half done by the time Norbert got home.  They will be useable, and at least every time I will look at them I will be reminded that I can't rush into things like that!

Hopefully I will figure out tomorrow how to do photos.......

'till then!

Susan

Where did the sun go?

More gray than not today, ugh.

Today's outfit is black tweed slacks, a dark rose cabled v-neck sweater, and a light pink scarf tied up near the neck (helps hide the v-neck, which I'm not supposed to wear).  Pearl and silver earrings.

Have been re-reading "What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life", an interesting book for those of us over 50.

Tonight's dinner will be chicken, chicken-flavoured baked rice, and a veg out of the freezer.  PLus a little green salad, which I try to have every night. 

Today's lunch was a fresh Brötchen (roll), with a layer of mixed leaf lettuce, a piece of cheese (Butterkäse, don't know the translation) and then a sliced hard-boiled egg.  With a side of chopped canteloupe.  Yummy........

Haven't had the chance to do any more than think about doing any handwork.  Work has been pretty time-consuming.  Norbert will be home late today, so maybe I can still squeeze some patchwork in.

Welcome to my blog!

I have decided to do something a bit more creative.  This blog will be used to discuss fun things like cooking, baking, clothes, patchwork, and so on.

The sun is shining today and it is nippy, only up to 10° C.  I am wearing dark gray knit slacks, a teal long-sleeved t-shirt, purple jacket, and a scarf that ties the purple and teal together.  Put a little gel in my hair to pouf it up, and slapped on some eye shadow and lipstick.  Feel quite put together!

For dinner tonight I decided on Kasseler (ham slices), mac and cheese and whatever vegetable I run across first in the freezer.