So, I have stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) What does that mean? Basically, it’s a game of waith and see for now.
A routine blood test revealed this latest health charm. I have no choice but to add it to my auto-immune charm bracelet! With me, CKD developed as a result of inflammation common in lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It seems like every few months I discover, adapt, change course, rinse, and repeat!
I have to admit, what with Texas’ drought and extra high temps, a new diagnosis, and fatigue, my spirits have been low. Hence, I haven’t written any new blogs since July for you, my readers. I just had no umph!
My new treatment protocol is daily shots for osteoarthritis (OA), sunday night yucky meds for lupus which cancel out productive mondays, and twice-a-month infusions for RA. These infusions take 2 hours, so if you have any good-read suggestions, let me know! My health charm bracelet is jingling a bit more these days!
I’m grateful for our garden which continues to feed us, my body which continues to absorb hard knocks, and my husband who continues to graciously listen to my temporary bouts of grief and hugs me with encouraging words like, “we’re in this together, I love you, and let me carry some of your burdens.”
Even my rheumatologist lifts my spirits when he often says, “you’re the healthiest sick person I know!”
One action plan we’re implementing to support this “health” mantra is to grow as much of our food as possible on our meager 1/2 acre city lot. Tim has been busy adding drip irrigation to our existing three raised beds and we’ve added four more garden beds. In Texas, in order to have a thriving winter garden, vegetable seeds have to be planted by late September through October. Howeever, tiny seedlings need to be protected from the still-blazing afternoon sun, so we use shade cloth until tempereatures calm down.
The more we can grow ourselves, the less we depend on contaminated grocery store produce. Plus, we love gardening together!
The late summer crops we’re currently enjoying are peppers, okra, and plentiful fresh herbs. I’ve cooked okra every-which-way and Tim has gotten into food preservation in a big way. So, he’s even made several jars of pickled okra, a favorite Southern treat. This week, we planted lettuce, spinach, chard, bokchoy, beets, carrots, turnips, bush beans, peas, and a few tomato plants. I look forward to sharing from our garden! Come by and visit!
What are some of your solutions to life’s challenges?
Grow, Harvest Share
Simple processes around here
Saving and sowing seeds
Love, Time, and Attention is all we need
Some Water and Sun, easily done,
but it’s here that we come
To Grow, Harvest, Share