Tomato Sandwich

[Charlie B53]

FINALLY, tomatos are starting to ripen in our garden.  I don't know why I call it 'Ours' as 'She' only goes out there on very rare occasion to get a cuke.   It is MY garden.   And right now it's full of weeds, again.   I've been to sore to get out there and get busy.

But last night I did go pick a few tomato's.   Couple of reds.  Nothing to brag about.  But FOUR yellows, as big around as a big softball.    So naturally I just had to toast me a couple slices of that 35 cal wheat bread.  Smear a generous amount of Miracle Whip on them, sprikle liberally with lemon and pepper.  And sliced that big yellow into only three hefty thick slices.  One should have been enough but I forced two on there, ate the other one standing over the sink.   Had to eat the whole sandwich over the sink, it drips.

But it was well worth it.

My Team is always telling me to eat more tomatos and potatoes beside the six potassium pills I take daily.   Now that tomatoes are ripening I expect I will be eating far more tomatoe sandwiches.    They're that good!

Last year was far too wet, could get a tomato one anywhere but the store.    Looking far better this year.

I'm Thankful!

Take Care,

Charlie B53

p.s.   There are 5 cantaloupes I better get picked tonight before the deer discover them! They should be good but we can't eat that many, going to have to pass them out around the neighbors.

[Jean]

Oh wow, Charlie, how fortunate you are to be able to pig out on tomatoes. Being a life long spaghetti and meatballs pro, and eating it twice a week, it was a terrible blow to be told to limit the sauce.~~Enjoy your garden!!!!

[LorinnPKD]

Oh, that sounds wonderful!  Good food (often best eaten dripping over the sink!) is one of life's true pleasures. 

[jmintuck]

OMFG! You get to PIG OUT on Tomatoes? You lucky little $#!T!  My sisters would always say that to me. I just go on and laugh at them. I can't hardly LOOK tomatoes or Potatoes in the EYE! I only allowed myself 3 TEEEEENSY tastes, about a 5th of a teaspoon each of 3 to taste the tomato soup at lunch, as they had dished this out at the table. I was so incredibly careful that I had ZERO Tomatoes are the big offenders who throw a large arrow into the tendon of the Achille's Heel forinterest in challenging my potassium, the all well known Achille's Heel of mine. I felt so bad I couldn't really "afford" pizza unless some other variations to a pizza simulation works out somehow.

Jean, I feel for ya. The tendon of my Achille's Heel is struck with a giant arrow if I attempt tomatoes or potatoes. Who even KNOWS why Potassium is that downfall, and nothing much is brought up about phosphorus, the other potential thrown arrow. I have yet to hear the "killer" behind me mention he will throw the Phosphorus arrow at my Achille's Heel.

I felt slightly bad I can't generally have Pepsi or Coke products, but I said, To heck with it and mostly stuck by the oldie but goodie, soda water. I was drinking that for years and years. Thank goodness it stood through thick and thin.

[Charlie B53]

It never ceases to amaze me how, much less why, I have to have so much potassium.   When most every one else cannot have hardly a bit.    That, and I very rarely take any binders and yet my phosphorus remains very comfortably in the lwer part of mi-range.  I just doesn't make any sense.

I keep telling my Nurse "I am NOT normal"

[jmintuck]

Hey, Charlie. IDK Y OTOH i am SO the opposite that I have to watch out for the killer shouting behind my back that he will drop an arrow into my Achille's Heel so fast I won't know what happened. One time or another "the killer" will call out loudly that he is throwing another arrow. I ALWAYS have to keep an eye AND an ear out for his movements and calls. Sooner or later, an arrow gets here and I hate it. Tomatoes and Potatoes are the biggest arrows of all time. My god, those arrows are terrible, if anything! I look at the ingredients of foods, what they contain and judge if they ARE arrows or safe things. IF I end up with questions, I delay buying it until I can ask the dietitian what she thinks it is, whether hurtful arrow or safe food.

I even avoid cherry tomatoes like mad as I fear that even one can be an arrow at any rate. I used to eat these, just 2-4, but I wondered eventually about it and asked the dietitian whether I could continue eating those, or best I give up on those. After finding out about the arrows to my Achille's Heel, I knew to be further ahead to not even bother. I had a very low salt one lab test at one point, but back then I had quite a bit of fluid on me. Last lab hasn't been too bad. The potassium, if I remember, shrunk from 5 blood level down to 2.5 blood level. I was encouraged by that and pleased with that. I know dialysis was deadly important for that particular round. I needed it to get that potassium down. carrots and dip is another potential downfall for me as I had a real dose of carrots over the last couple days. I felt very faintly questionable, so I just won't touch it. Rather, I would be further ahead with celery and dip next time. Cauliflower is also good too, just not going to go use much broccoli if I can help it.

NO I don't even bother with starfruit and thankfully I found out right at get-go. I praise RQHR, the health region for having this on their papers. I heard something about raisins, so no, I even stay away from that, except the odd ONE or Two just to get a tiny taste, but NO more than that. The OTHER dried berry I can have is Cranberries. I haven't had many problems with sodium, except pretty much that once that I know of.

And yes, I keep a watch on my labs, and ask for labs a couple times or so a month if possible. I keep a crazy birds eye view on this. I found myself to be "crazy in a way" about labs as I want to keep a huge eye out on my potassium, The megaKryptonite. Nothing like vomiting from a bit much Kryptonite. Even the wonderful Marmite could be plenty of Kryptonite, so I will have to handle that with the utmost care. Labs are my biggest defense about fighting Kryptonite successfully. I consider the needles for my labs to be the biggest gun against the enemies getting Kryptonite onto me. Else, the Achille's Heel killer behind me, one mirror watching in behind me to spot him before he makes a movement to try to strike my Achille's Heel.

Starting a foods diary with amounts consumed and any sauces, seasonings and condiments used as well would be a big help in controlling the killer behind me throwing arrows into my Achilles Heel and knowing what to do to avoid an arrow if one gets thrown. I am SO afraid of him throwing an arrow. If there is a potassium or phosphate event happen, I would then be able to trace back to what it could have been and deal with said suspect however it can be dealt with. If this was done, I could time the cheat events with distances to dialysis rounds and do this accordingly. I would then have a better view on what foods to absolutely avoid and would be ok with if the diary included events of the food consumed, time eaten, and how much and what all used with it. As well, any symptoms, if it happens to apply at any given time. This seems to be a decent model of events thought out by me to get a better handle on what I eat and get to now what to avoid and what else I can eat instead. I find I like celery a bit more than carrots, thankfully as carrots can leave enough room for the killer behind me to throw arrow into Achille's Heel. Not too likely to buy another bag of baby carrots. Rather, I will be getting celery instead, now I have done my research and the killer with the arrows muttered so far.

[Charlie B53]

The dietary restrictions placed on Hemo patients are far far greater than those of us on PD.  At least for me.  Phosphorus I am very fortunate, but I do or am supposed to take my Binders with every meal.  But my system is graced with far more tolerance and I do not need to take the Binders unless I am eating meals with a much greater phos load.

Just a huge difference in the two treatment modalities.   I am thinking that  PD somehow is much better at clearing out some of the toxins.  It wouldn't surprise me if some of those doing Hemo at home getting far more treatment are able to indulge in eating somewhat differently than those doing Hemo In-Clinic.

Hopefully they will reply and let us both know for sure.

[kickingandscreaming]

PD does an excellent job of clearing potassium, so if you're paranoid about potassium, maybe PD would be a better route than HD.

[jmintuck]

I am VERY slowly beginning to entertain the thought of PD> Just very slowly, though. So much more research than meets the eye. I will have to do days of prayerful research and meditating to see what I can come up with. It is a possible option for me.

[Charlie B53]

If you are very self-conscious about clean technique as you are about easily sticking to your strict diet, you won't have any problem.

One major reward is it reduces most of those limitations on your diet.  And for me that is a great benefit as I love to eat most everything.  I do have to take my binders with high phosphorus meals, but that's about it.

Well, that and my needle phobia.   That was my biggest fear, still is.  I can do the little one no problem.  Since I've become Diabetic six months after starting PD I have learned that I CAN stick myself to test, AND the little bitty needles for my insulin are so bad.  I sure wouldn't use them if I didn't have to.  And minding my diet I don't have to stick near as often when my sugar stays within tight limits.  So I do O.K.

The thought of going on Hemo scares the hell out of me.

I hae been asking my Nurse and everyone at the Hospital for two of those 15 gauge needles.  I want to pour a small block of clear resin around them, drill and put a ring in it so I can add it to my dog tags.  Not just as a constant reminder to me to stay careful, but I think they would make on hell of a conversation starter!   I don't doubt we could have a market for them as I'm sure a number of people would wear them.    I just need to find a source for those huge scary needles.

[jmintuck]

I read several things about the diet being more lax with this PD and I still OCCASIONALLY entertain that much thought. I still am very "little" age-wise to the idea, haven't reached a more grown up decision on what to do yet. I may try it one day to see if it does work any better for me. I will just tough it out at the center for a little while until I can get a lot of answers and know the pros and cons.

[Charlie B53]

Nothing good comes easy.  And good things take time.  Fortunate for us Dialysis gives us more time to study and learn.   Don't rush, you're doing fine right now.  You got the time.