Thursday, April 30, 2009

"Meat Me In Another Lifetime"

As much as I hate to admit this, I love cooking! I say this because there will be a few "In Dew" readers who will see this as an opportunity for me to cook a good meal. But please don't get confused, I'm not talking about cooking that "mean ole pot of spaghetti" that folks are always bragging about. Or, that hearty breakfast with 2 eggs, toast, a slab of bacon and pancakes. Nope, I'm talking about that down home, give your mom a hand smack, finger licking type of food. The smothered pork chops, mac and cheese, rice and gravy, yams, and fried apples with biscuits sha-bang thing. The only problem is, as much as I like preparing it, I can't eat it! At all! Not one bite! A few years back I was diagnosed with "endometriosis", a very painful female related condition that causes severe pelvic pain and cramping. There's also other symptoms associated with it but for many women it's either misdiagnosed or goes undetected for years. It's the type of condition that will cause you to stay in bed for days laying in a fetal position, feel nauseous or have you thinking you just got hit by a truck. It's painful folks. And for years I complained to friends and family about not feeling good or cancelled activities because I didn't want to be labeled as the "party pooper." Yet, all the while I was suffering from an unexplainable, nagging sickness that I couldn't do anything about. Fortunately, alot of that's changed. And while I haven't undergone any sort of surgery for it I have changed my way of life. Thankfully, the pain I've grown accustomed to is no where near the level that it once was, all because I made a conscience decision to change the way I ate. I had to give up most,if not all of the foods I enjoyed. Hence, the beefs, the porks(no swine flu for me), the chicken (unless hormone and antibiotic free), the dairy (evil ice cream, didn't like chocolate anyway), and turkey. That meant no more lasagna( darn holidays) fried chicken (I miss you bad), scrambled eggs with cheese, short ribs...and so on and so on......Was it easy? Absolutely not! But given the choice of feeling better over feeling sick, the winner is.......And while I miss the taste of traditional cuisine and hate the fact that I can't just "eat any body's food", I know that I made the right choice. Besides, in dew season, I'll be able to eat anything I want and that includes asking God to "meat me in another lifetime."

For more information on endometriosis visit: www.Endofound.org an organization co founded by "Top Chef" co host Padma Lakshmi.

4 comments:

Barbara said...

Glad you were able to find a way to remedy your condition so that it doesn't control your life. Our bodies are so complex and powerful... I do have to say though, you got me wanting to come over your house for dinner, lol.

Hillary said...

oh, u r too funny, a sister does like to cook:) lol just gotta stay away from the poison...u can stop by my hose for dinner anytime..i'm sure you'll be pleased:)

MBB Founder and Editor Denene Millner said...

Hold up: You can't eat mac n cheese? Smothered pork chops? GRAVY?!

Man.

I'm glad you're feeling better--we could all stand to eat a little healthier, I admit that. But Lord--give up the pork chops?!!

So what CAN you eat? Have you found a way to throw down with food that's not typically what we eat?

Hillary said...

D, it don't make no sense..lol. I may get a spoon full and then let it go...I miss my chops and gravy, excuse me I feel a tear coming on right now..lol..but believe it or not you manage to adapt w/ less..hard but true:)