Friday, June 3, 2016

Canadian in Distress

I am so Canadian.

So I had a bit of a long mornski, starting with waiting outside in the cold wind for quite a spell--for a cab that never came.

For a while that is.

Today was my bi-annual rheumy app for the MPA and while that itself is usually quite agreeable, the cabs to and fro were delayed considerably, due to not only strikes again in Paris, but the Seinne's belly about to burst.

I should have of course, ordered the cab ridiculously early but living and learning.  It's not every day there are biblical floods across France and whoa.

So yeah, the day was long, but the app was damned inspiring:

The good prof showed me some of his research from the first MAINRITSAN trial, (and a-b armed trial of Rituximab vs Azathioprine for maintenance therapy, post-remission).

Rituximab came out the winner and yay for me to have had that very therapy--still effective over a year post last infusion.

An even bigger yay was seeing on an actual research chart, how the type of ANCA Vasculitis I have, (MPO+ for those in the know), is the type that relapses LEAST.

In fact, my numbers are EXACTLY what they were while in treatment.

Tres TRES. TRES. COULE.

EDIT: It must be well-noted that while my numbers are all lovely, there are some Vasci-docs who basically disregard them.  The reason?  Well, I'll just share a slice of my Q&A time with the Prof to illustrate:

ME: Do you see patients who flare even while in medical remission?

PROF:  Yes.

Why I'm still in a world of daily pain is still a mystery, and I'm about to get on board with another specialist, a bone-rheumy whom the professor himself recommended and looking FORWARD.

Sidebar: Re: switching BP meds to Losartan would be a waste, as the Prof said the improvement in uric acid levels would likely only be incremental.  And I'm not keen to rock the stable-boat.

He also said my uric acid levels were not alarming enough to medicate yet.

K.

So yeah, these here golden-delicious-berry and oat flour darlings--panned up using REAL butter for once, dammit, (cut with EVOO); they  were required today, as I was pretty ragged by the time I got home----------this afternoon-------------from the early morning appointment.

Then I pushed it post-painkiller on a low-chi walk with Mr. Pully Pants here to the river, as I really wanted to get a gander at the bulging banks and------whoa, painkiller well spent, sadly.

May the sun come to La France SOON.

Feeling fairly fatigued and as said, distressed even--no doubt in relation to all the cold rain and grey for so long now, coupled with today's activities, it's easy to see how WELL those mofo'n
pancakes went down.

The French like to laugh about Canadians and pancakes but to that I say:

Crispy, crumbly, buttery edges, so moist and densely cakey inside-- a big cherry with each bite exploding sweet, sassy tartness into the maple syrupy 'n honeyed-up heaven.

*mmgulllllllp*

I won't be hungry 'til tomorrow for SURE.

I didn't measure anything but for those who also eyeball, here's the recipe:

~1& 1/3 cup organic oat flour, (I haven't used wheat flour since trying it.  It simply ROCKS.)
Maybe 10 grains of fleur du sel, (sea salt), mortor'd.  (I usually skip the salt but wth, the 'lytes were good last testing.)
Small pinch of backing soda.
Couple tablespoons of ground flax seeds.

~1/2 cup milk (I used real for the first time ever, organic, (I usually use oat milk etc.)
1 egg

^^Shaken to a froth together and then whisked into the dry ingredients.

Berries, cherries.   (Walnuts?  Chocolate chips?)

Makes two biggn's.

Now, it's time for me to get horizontal for a good while/rest of the day.

Bon ap and weekend, All,

A Canadian, far from distress,

; J


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

What's the Meming of This?

Allo again, All,

Been at the drawing/graphic board again, this time, for a cause.  One that needs to be addressed the world over--SOME countries more than others, eyeball roll.

Here they are, enjoy...