Mick McKellar Update--Day +67
Today reversed yesterday -- golden sun and blue skies softened into silver light and gray skies -- predicted to become thunderstorms tonight. The intrepid walkers walked in silver light for about a mile this afternoon, keeping the faith with my plan to avert muscle loss. Proudly, this walker also climbed the stairs four times today from the first floor to the third -- our floor. It is not the stair master, but I can move as slowly as I need.
Nothing much to report medically today -- some improvement in my remaining rash areas and no indications of any unhappy returns.
To keep the diabetes coordinator (and my blood glucose) happy, I am learning to tolerate sugar free yogurt and peanut butter on celery stalks for lunch. Actually, I love the peanut butter on celery. The day before yesterday, I had tomato bisque soup for lunch and my afternoon glucose was over 300.
Buffalo
Last night, one of the volunteers at Gift of Life made buffalo chili. So, we all brought something and had a chili feed. I think I would have enjoyed the chili more if I could have tasted it. Apparently, buffalo meat and beef have something in common -- my taste buds are still ignoring them. Marian tells me the chili was delicious.
My biggest taste frustration has been with fresh and canned fruit. Canned peaches taste like salty pears. Oranges are frightfully bitter. We keep praying that my taste buds sort themselves out.
Limited palettes
I've been trudging about in my erratic attic, making footprints in the dust and peering into mirrors and shadows on the chance I might find something helpful with the whole limited taste palette problem. I discovered I don't particularly like the taste of dust, but I have become "used to" it over time, and relied on that musty, dusty protection to blunt some of life's more bitter draughts.
I had not previously considered that l rely on self-limited palettes to draw boundaries and create bulwarks to reduce my exposure to unpleasant circumstances, tastes, people, and even ideas. Some of my brightest mirrors are partially covered, some of my deepest shadows are walled up behind layers of dust -- full access denied behind and beyond self-imposed limitations on life's full palette of experiences.
Recent changes have forced me to push past old limitations and explore areas on life's palette previously off-limits, to consider possibilities beyond the covers and layers of dust. As I continue to change, even on a quiet day like today, I find new gifts and new challenges -- sometimes simply in how a previously un-favorite food tastes -- sometimes pushing past fear to consider new options.
Dusk is gathering and the clouds glower down through my window. As always, your communications bring a bright spot in our day. Thank you so much for remembering us in your prayers and thoughts.
God bless and good night.
Mick