I'm "home"

I actually got back to my mom's house yesterday. It was good to be back here and to see my mom. Pete and Uli (brother and GF) picked me up at the concentration camp. It was good to see them and get to chat with them on the way home.

I meant to break the fast today but I was so hungry, tired, very cold, and worn out yesterday I decided not to wait any longer. I did have broth for lunch but had a little bit of coconut oil with it. Later I had more coconut oil, butter, and some smoked salmon. Everything tasted SO GOOD.

After the food I had a tiny bit of bloating but nothing even close to what I had before. There was no die off from the coconut oil the next morning either and there were no insane cravings after eating butter. At first I was a little disappointed that there still was some bloating but then I decided to look at the improvements.

Today was tough. I was still tired, worn out and cold. I had some more fish and coconut oil for lunch. Mom was making beef stew and it smelled incredible. Not only does food taste better after a fast, but it all smells better. I had two little pieces of beef with my "lunch". Before the fast that would have been enough to give me the big pregnant belly and a lot of discomfort. But again, I had only the slightest bloating and no discomfort at all.

I spent some time at Pete and Uli's house and when I came home had more beef. Unfortunately I ate way too much along with more butter, and a little liverwurst. A little later mom made "pancakes" from ground almonds and eggs and I had one of them. Then I tried some turkey cold cuts and a piece of chicken. The good news is, I am not very bloated at all. This means that I most likely really did not have food intolerances, but it was all due to the problem with my colon. The bad part is I ate too much too fast and now I am starting to have a gallbladder attack. But I am so excited about being able to eat all those foods without huge bloating that I don't even care. I expect that things will continue to get better and better now.

I also thought of some more post-fast goals in addition to the other ones I posted:

* Spend time with God first thing in the morning – before anything else. At home I used to check emails first and more often than not my time with God was cut short. At the clinic I didn't have internet access in my room so I spent time with God first.
* Study Spanish at least 4 days a week – ideally more.
* Sit down to eat my meals and ideally, eat without watching TV or reading. My initial goal is NOT to stand in the kitchen wolfing down my food. I want to sit down and take my time. If I watch TV while I do so at first that’s ok, but eventually I want to stop that as well.
* Pray and thank God for my food before each meal. Bob and I do this together, but unfortunately I usually don’t when I eat on my own.
* Chew each bite of food 30 to 60 times, depending on what I am eating. Basically follow the concept of “chew your liquids and drink your food”.

I did chew my food properly so far and I did sit down at first, but later in the day I was standing in the kitchen eating. After 21 days of fasting I just sort of went crazy. Tomorrow I hope to go back to sitting down and not eating so much. I don't think my poor tummy, or my gallbladder, can handle this much food yet.

Now I am very tired although it is only 8:30 PM. I have not been sleeping well the last three nights, and waking up around 4 AM. Then I toss and turn until about 5:30 PM.

Tomorrow mom and I are going to the mall in the afternoon after she gets home from work. Around 7 PM I am having a girls' night out. Actually, I am just going next door to my SIL's house but my friends Jutta, Sandy, and Simone will be there. I am looking forward to seeing all of them. Tuesday mom and I are going to the base in Wiesbaden to go shopping at the PX and the commissary. Wednesday I am getting a pedicure from mom's friend Brigitte plus Pete and Uli are coming by in the evening. And I want to go see my mom's friend Ulla, too. This week is going to go buy really fast!