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Pain in the Butt

P1: I just started a new course: Psychopathology, so of course I'm totally stressed. At the beginning of each course I am plagued by thoughts like, "This material is too sophisticated for me, I'm going to flunk" or "I am never going to have time to do all the work." The fact that I've done extremely well in all the courses so far doesn't seem to give me any confidence. Yes, I know, I need lots of psychological help myself...

I met with Dr. M at Mount Sinai today and we discussed our research study. Doesn't look like I can get access to patients until it is approved by the ethics board and I am officially a "research assistant", so we have to finalize all the paper work. She is hoping I can get started in July. I am kind of relieved it won't start now as I am kind of feeling overwhelmed. Fortunately, I finish up my first course from the certificate in miscarriage/infertility counselling this week and there is not another one offered again until September.

P2: After several weeks of relatively good behaviour, Big A is back to her old antics again. Adam got home Wednesday from a conference and each night since then she has had a major tantrum. Adam thinks she is adjusting to having him back. I suppose that's possible...lately she is VERY focused on me, which is a big change. As I've mentioned previously, she used to be very much a daddy's girl but that seems to be changing. Not that I mind, I'm thrilled she actually wants to spend time with me. She is a pleasure to be around when she is not acting atrociously.

Little A has given us a rough ride the past few weeks, although I can't blame her - she had a fever for a few days, some teething and then the stomach flu. But my little ray of sunshine has been moody, clingy and grumpy and just really not herself. She also ate almost nothing for almost a week after her tummy got upset. Everyone was commenting how skinny she was looking, which had me really worried. Fortunately, yesterday she snapped back to her old ways and has been happy and cheerful and she finally started eating again. She even ate veal roast tonight at Adam's bubby's house!

F1: Today I got a package I ordered in the mail that I'm very excited about. It's called PB2 http://www.bellplantation.com/ and it's essentially a peanut powder that you mix with a liquid to make a peanut spread or sauce. Sounds weird I know. But the key is that it apparently tastes just like peanut butter but has a fraction of the calories. Now it will never replace real peanut butter for me because I love it and because I eat a really low fat diet anyways so when I eat peanut butter I want the monounsaturated fat it provides. But let's face it, who wouldn't want to eat peanut butter more often? I love it and often cook with nut butters, but I thought it would be fun to find ways to use this product. I was thinking I could make a spicy peanut sauce to go on a chicken sandwich for a yummy lunch or make a tasty frosting for cupcakes or to sandwich between oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip cookies. Or how about a sauce for ice cream?

I didn't think PB2 was available in Canada so I ordered it from the U.S., however, I just discovered it is carried at a store in Markham, Ontario so it looks like I just screwed myself by paying the delivery charges:

Low Carb Grocery
170 Esna Park Drive, Unit #8,
Markham, ON L3R 1E3
(888)484-7479

Oh well, live and learn...

Anyways, after I try it I'll keep you posted on how it tastes.

F2: The "tightness" I've had in my hamstrings has morphed into sciatica. I'm so annoyed. I have had sciatica flare-ups several times before, the last one being the last few months of my pregnancy with Little A which went away as soon as she was born. But it's back. And the Yin Yoga class I've been committed to doing every week seems to only help temporarily. A woman I know at the JCC where I teach spinning suggested I see her friend who is an osteopath...I think I'm gonna try it because it is really bothering me. In case you are unfamiliar with it, sciatica is nerve pain that can affect your lower back, glutes, hip or thigh. For me, it is a dull ache in my butt, which likely means it is due to piriformis syndrome, defined on Wikipedia as:

"In 15% of the population, the sciatic nerve runs through the piriformis muscle rather than beneath it. When the muscle shortens or spasms due to trauma or overuse, it can compress or strangle the sciatic nerve beneath the muscle. Conditions of this type are generally referred to as entrapment neuropathies; in the particular case of sciatica and the piriformis muscle, this condition is known as piriformis syndrome. It has colloquially been referred to as "wallet sciatica" since a wallet carried in a rear hip pocket will compress the muscles of the buttocks and sciatic nerve when the bearer sits down. Piriformis syndrome may be a cause of sciatica when the nerve root is normal."

In honour of the pain in my ass, the exercise of the week is the pigeon yoga pose, which is my absolute favorite yoga pose and is the best hip and glute stretch I know. Here is a link to a video demonstration:



Namaste!

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