Evolution

I visited Randy at Zale Lipshy in Dallas tonight, and took him Chipotle, against my better judgment.  After a double lung transplant, one is supposed to be very cautious about what one eats.  I discovered the other day that Randy has contracted e coli…in the lung.  He is on antibiotics, but it worries me that he has contracted an infection like this so soon.  I had no idea one could get it in the lung, but apparently one can breathe it in, in several ways.  Of course, I know that Ran will be immuno-suppressed for the rest of his life because of the medications, but that an infection happened so quickly has given me pause.  He’s been asking people to bring him food…mostly junk food, really.  Arby’s, Bar b Q, Chinese food, all things he should not be eating.  Since he is on strong antibiotics I went ahead and took him Chipotle.  I’m not saying that Chipotle is bad, but the foods do stay out, without covers on them.  The meats, the toppings, all are exposed to the air, and to whatever bacteria is floating around.  We had a talk about it tonight, and he promised he would stop asking for it, and I told him I would not bring him anything more unless it met certain standards.  What are those standards?  They include refrigeration, being under a case, and meals sealed in plastic.  Whole Foods, Central Market, perhaps Eatzis, Start Restaurant, Dream Cafe, Company Cafe, Rise, and some others.  No junk food, no Chinese restaurant take out, and bar b que.

Randy is also on a large dose of prednisone, a steroid, which makes blood sugar rise.  So, although he never had any issues before with diabetes, he is now on insulin. Sugary drinks aren’t on the menu for Randy, either.  Once Randy is home it will be easier as far as food goes, he won’t be able to drive, and he will have to eat what I give him.  Not that I am a great cook, I am nervous as hell about it.  But at least I will use separate cutting boards and knives for produce versus meat; and I know every food item will be soaked and cleaned after it is bought.  Everything organic, cage free, no steroids, no antibiotics in the food.  I will even have to cook meat, which is not much fun for me since I do not eat it anymore.  Randy has to eat all meat well done, and to a certain temperature, which I cannot recall right now, but it is in my Lung Transplant Care Manual.  So I am reading and studying and becoming more aware of nutrition, and how food should be prepared.

Oh, and no alcohol.  Maybe a couple of times a year he can have a glass of wine, but that is it.  Alcohol is an inflammatory item, and inflammation is to be avoided, since that sets off scarring. Oy.  A lot to learn. And does anyone know when True Food Kitchen is supposed to open at Preston Center????

Travels with Tam started out as a travel blog, and has evolved into travels and journeys not only out in the world, but journeys of life, midlife, and the empty nest.  I would love to hear feed back from my readers on the type of posts you prefer.  The next year may involve some trips, I am hoping to get in a few dive trips, and hoping that Randy can travel to Lake Tahoe, or perhaps northern California/Pacific Northwest, but I think it is going to be a year of journeying through life, and change.  I plan to start posting the trip Randy and I took last December to Socorro, on the Solmar V, soon.

I started back to my walking and to yoga…but it has been an uphill climb.  The vigils at the hospital and the events of the last months have contributed to a bigger bottom line for me, ha ha. It seems easy to get out of the work-out/eat right mode since these activities can be very painful (I’ve had two back surgeries, sigh).  It’s not an “age thing”, I’ve gone my entire life with back pain.  My best activity is always in the water, snorkeling, diving, swimming…it supports my spine and hips…movement without pain, freedom of movement, and a true sense of euphoria in the underwater realm.  Walking, lifting, and even yoga, which has so many wonderful benefits for me, can be a physical challenge, and man, it is a big challenge right now.  I walked 10 minutes on the treadmill…then off to stretch my hips and legs, then another 10 minutes on.  I did 45 minutes yesterday.  Then I did a little weight lifting.  So, since Randy can only have healthy fresh food, and will have 3 physical therapy sessions a week after he gets home, the time is now for me to get my workouts moving.  I just wish I had a nice, clear ocean to dive in, to help me physically and for my peace of mind.  Dallas for now though, will have to do.