Food

June 6, 2013

When I grew up, one of the things that I enjoyed but did not get the opportunity to do that often was to go to a restaurant....especially one that made good milkshakes.  I recall the dairy company down on Greenwood.  I remember well them bringing out the metal shake tin along with the glass.  The taste of the thick shake that can only be done right by using hard ice cream and whole milk.  That is the reason that we do our milkshakes that way at Jake's.  Way back, when I first started managing, Jake had a soft ice milk machine.  The shake was much easier to make but the flavor just wasn't there.  The machine was a pain to maintain and I talked Jake into allowing us to just get a freezer, put the ice cream in it and scoop.  Because of the high maintenance of the ice milk machine, he agreed.  I still have that same freezer that we purchased so long ago.
The only problem with that now is that I have sugar problems.  I love pies, cinnamon rolls, milkshakes, and all of the sweet stuff but....it does not like me.  I have come to sort of get used to it.
So...now I have another problem.  It is not so bad that I have all of these sweet things around me that I cannot eat, I now have a food allergy.  It all came to my attention earlier this year when I struggled swallowing a few times.  It was back in January right around the time that I got the flu.  I actually thought it a part of that until I talked to my doctor at Physical time.  She sent me to have an upper GI and it was discovered that my esophagus  was inflamed.  I went further to have a upper endoscopy.  Upon a biopsy, it was determined that I had a food allergy.   Now, I had many thoughts that swam through my head.  I had changed my eating a few years ago when I battled cancer.  My first thought came to two items avocado and aloe vera.  I have given them both some credit in that battle.
So, I was sent to an allergist.   That was yesterday.  The nurse and I joked a bit when she first checked me in.  "You own a restaurant and have a food allergy?", she quipped.  "If that is not bad enough.", I returned, "I also am diabetic.".  I laughed with her....I am now not really laughing.
We picked out around 20 or so foods that I eat and set up the test.  The nurse came in and did the test on my back.  She called out each food as she scratched it into my back.  A few minutes later, the nurse came in and peeked. She went out and got the doc.  "Holy cow!", he stated, "I have never seen one that big before.".  I asked which one and he said "Rice".  I asked about the peanut one as I knew that I had that problem once.  He said it was kind of bad also.  "I don't know if you are going to be happy with these results.", he stated.
The bell rang and the nurse began her measurements. I saw her writing down numbers but did not understand them.
The doctor then came back in and made an initial statement of how these tests were just to determine if there are antibodies in me which can be the sign of a food allergy.  "There are many chances of false negatives.", he stated.  "Is there anything that we know for sure?", I asked.  "Yes", he said, "You are not allergic to avocado, egg, and banana.".   Any of these other numbers can result in a food allergy. So, we decided to take on the worst first. The rice is off of the chart and the peanut is rather large so I am eliminating those immediately.  But behind them not far is wheat....then corn, pork, whole wheat....then tomatoes,beef, chicken, potatoes, soy....and all the rest.  We did not check for fish as I only eat that once a week.
I know that I will laugh at this and I already am attempting to but this morning..early...in the middle of the night...it just seems to be....a bit cruel.
You need a blend of food to stay healthy.  I have access to all parts of the blend at just about any time.  But the cure may also be the cause of other problems.
And as with all of the other health issues that I seem to have to deal with, I need to put this book up on the shelf of my life and deal with it but ponder on the good things.  I have a good life....with good friends.....a beautiful wife.....a comfortable home....a good business with a good crew....and a relationship with the Creator of it all.  I am blessed.