Good morning!

I've been overindulging in the sweet stuff recently. My husband is adorable and tells me I have three years to make up for. And jahwohl mein Schnitzel, I suppose I could look at it that way, because it's true. Although it's more like two years, really, since I was diagnosed with colitis and went on a walk along the straight and narrow and turned myself into a carrot stick within weeks in an attempt to ward off the issue.

It worked for a few months. And ooh, was I elderly woman catwalk material! But the caved in cheekbones and sad complexion began to make people wonder if I was really ill. Which I was, but not in the way they imagined, thankfully.

Anyway, no sweet yummies for me for a while. No sugar, no dairy, no gluten (and no anything, really. Yes, it was brutal!) Which for someone who has always loved breakfast (toasts, butter, jam, croissants,) made my mornings quite boring. Of course, I did avocado on gluten free crackers with olive oil, and yes I like that too. But I missed the other stuff.

In the past year I gradually almost stopped eating altogether because I was sick all the time. Food became the enemy. I ate tiny amounts, just enough to keep myself going, but I was tired all the time and would sleep for hours most afternoons. My Swiss gastroenterologist had nothing to offer me apart from immuno-supporessants (Enterocort, the cortisone she'd initially prescribed hadn't worked) and I was reticent. Then my husband ran into an old friend of mine at a restaurant close to our house. She asked how I was, and he told her I wasn't well at all. She immediately said I should call a doctor who had helped her youngest son, who had had terrible IBD issues (and more) throughout his childhood and adolescence.

I waited over three months for an appointment, and couldn't even go to it because I was too sick to fly. I'd already sent him my file, so we did it by Skype. We had a long talk, and he was so nice, and explained so much without talking down to me (don't you hate doctors who talk to you like you're a half-wit?), and prescribed a different cortisone for me to try, along with something else (not an opioid!) for my chronic pain. But when I went to pick it up at the pharmacy the next day, they didn't have it in Switzerland. I drove to France, across the border (we live close) but they didn't have it there either. My husband was in Spain with my daughter, her husband and her in-laws, so they went to pick it up for me. I took a lot of anti-D stuff and flew to Barcelona the following day. I took the meds on Thursday morning and I've gradually turned into Tigger! No D. No pain. Nada.

I've seen the doctor again, shortly and he referred me to an immunologist because he suspects other autoimmune issues, and I'm seeing that doctor on December 9th. We shall see.

Meanwhile, although I'm still watching my diet, I've allowed myself more uplifting breakfasts again. I've had sourdough toast, with dairy free butter and jam. And after dinner (and sometimes in the afternoon) I've eaten black, salted chocolate. I love black salted chocolate! And oranges coated in black chocolate! Have you ever had those?! OMG!

I no longer look gaunt (haven't in a while, to be honest. Anti-depressants...). I've even ridden my horse!!! Twice! I hadn't been able to ride in four years. And ouille-ouille-ouille, I'm so unfit, five minutes of rising trot and I was out of breath. And when I came home I slept all afternoon. But it made me so happy to be back with Dominic (that’s my horse). And I need to be gentle on myself because I've not been able to regular exercise for close to five years. In the past few months there were many days when I didn't even dare go for a walk.

So, I'm enjoying it all, now, because nobody knows what can happen. For now the medicine is working super well, so I'll take as much fun as I can because I won’t be able to stay on the drugs long-term. And yes, I know sugar is inflammatory. But not so much as nasty comments!

I wish you all the very best.

Here is a poem about chocolate. I wrote some of it last night and posted it on notes, then added to it this morning. Maybe I should have left the short version (first two stanzas). What do you think?

CHOCOLATE COVERED ME

Don’t guilt-trip the craving

Or skate around the desire.

Give into the melt

Of that yummy quagmire.

If your body says yes,

Tell your mind to get lost.

There’s a stairway to heaven

In chocolaty stuff.

Add a spoonful of sweet stuff

Per page of bleak news,

Though we’ll be shovelling sugar

If things don’t improve.

Take a walk on the sweet side,

Embrace those false teeth,

Celebrities love them

As seen on TV.

Don’t fret about blubber,

It’s all good I hear.

Spray paint yourself orange

And the masses will cheer.

Just kidding, of course.

But there’s something to say

About a nice bit of chocolate

On a miserable day.

CHOCOLATE COVERED ME!

KINDREDS IN KINDNESS

FLOUNCING