Picking kale out of my teeth

Last night I had some stomach cramps.  I wasn't sick, but I went from a diet of primarily processed carbohydrate, to a fiber and fat rich paleolithic diet.  It's going to be a bit of an adjustment. 

I didn't do a transition, just all of a sudden started eating better (because I was tired of HURTING!), maybe not the best idea in retrospect.  One of my Facebook friends added 5 grams of fiber a week, to her diet, that's probably what I should have done. 

The heating pad did a good job but I just didn't sleep very well.  I got up, did my morning routine, and got ready to go. 

Ron didn't want to take a bath, instead he used his bath wipes.  Doc didn't seem to mind.  He smelled OK (Ron, not Doc). 

Our ride was only a little late.  We had a young lady with really bad lymphedema in a wheelchair, and her caregiver, who was dressed in angry gang colors.  We were all pretty much going to the same place. 

We had a pretty good ride, and went to Starbucks.  Now, dairy is not paleo, but it is ketogenic, which is also another diet I have done and very similar to paleo.  Long story short, I had a heavy whipping cream steamer.  I think it has like 800 calories and a million fat grams but it was good, filled me up, and didn't wreck my eating plan. 

I am trying to be cautiously flexible. 

We went to the doctor.  It was the first time I have used my insurance.  They took a while verifying it.  Well, the insurance company did.  They don't want to pay up!  They want my $400 every month but no payouts! 

I had to fill out some paperwork, which I did.  Family history of heart disease, both parents.  High blood pressure, mother.  Arthritis, mother.  Dad is fine as far as I know, re: arthritis.  I filled all that out. 

I didn't need to do anything on Ron because they just saw him last month. 

They came and took Ron's vitals first.  They were great.  They took my vitals.  What I saw (blood pressure) was great.  And I had a headache, I forgot to mention that.  Nasty little headache, very pervasive.  My weight was about the same. 

They put us in the same exam room when we said that was OK.  Doc got stuck in traffic and was half an hour late.  That was OK.  I don't mind waiting on a good doctor. 

He came in and examined me.  He bent my arm all over the place.  Nothing.  Not a speck of pain.  I told him it hurt when I picked things up.  He thinks it might be arthritis. 

Arthritis is very well managed by a paleo diet.   I already knew that. 

He wrote orders for an X-ray.  He also wrote a nice (big!) prescription for Naproxen, which I asked for by name.  It is an NSAID, a little stronger than the OTC stuff, basically the same stuff as Aleve but stronger.  It has worked VERY well for me in the past and does not interact with any of my medication.  For headaches, it does not have heart attack risks like the tripitans.  I do my homework. 

I also asked for some Phenergan because I am down to, like, 5 tablets.  He was happy to do it. 

Then it was Ron's turn.  "I need some Neurontin.  It helps with my Neuropathy". 

"OK". 

That was it.  I went and got my X-ray.  One of the poses, a "fashion model" type pose with my hand on my hip, with my wrist turned out, did hurt.  So hopefully they got an image of whatever is wrong. 

Time to pay.  I normally pay $95 "self pay" cash-as-you-go payment.  It was $77.  So, instead of paying $100, and having $300 left; I had to pay $477 this month. 

Not such a bargain.  But we keep it for the severe things, because you never know when the asteroid will hit. 

We went to Walmart.  It took them a little while to do up the pills.  We did some shopping.  Ron wanted more onion dip and carrots; I wanted some fruit and plastic wrap. 

We paid and went back to the pharmacy, stared at the condom display for a while, and then they called us.  My prescriptions only cost $13.  I got a 60 count bottle of Naproxen (2 a day, with a refill), for $4.  The Phenergan was $9 something, a lot better than the $25 I paid the last time I got Phenergan (it's been a few years).   Ron's was not cheap, and wiped him out financially, but it is 90 days. 

We went to McDonald's.  Ron got a Happy Meal with apples and soda (diet), and I got a couple of plain McDoubles.  Ron ate, I didn't.  I was still full. 

We left and Ron called a cab.  We are pretty broke (after the cab fare home).  We went home, I put my fruit away after I snuck a few organic blackberries.  Yum. 

Then I took a nap.  I didn't sleep as well as I would have liked but I hadn't taken any pain medicine either.  When I got up, I heated up the hamburgers, threw away the buns, and ate them.  I fixed a big bowl of kale (about 2 cups cooked) in olive oil, had a few walnuts, and made myself a fruit salad (grapes from Sam's club, blackberries, and blueberries).  My headache was still gnawing at me.  I took one of my Naproxen and felt relief within about 10 minutes.  Good stuff. 

I ate everything and took my crazy pills.  The fruit salad made a nice dessert.  I like to think I can do this, long term.  I keep picking kale out of my teeth, though. 

I think, once I eat my way through this giant bag of kale, I will get some Chinese greens at the Asian market nearby. 

[gurgle]  My poor system is still adjusting.