When Something Good Comes From Something Bad

Last week I didn't much feel like moving a muscle. I couldn't keep anything in my stomach. My bladder was driving me crazy with the spasms. 

But sometimes something good comes from something bad. 

This week I feel much better. 

I had the ultrasound and learned it was a fatty cyst on my ovary. 

But I'm pretty excited about something else.

I haven't had any real pain in my ankle since I stopped putting caffeine in my body! 

Could eliminating caffeine make that much of a difference? 

Or is this a crazy fluke of some kind?

The thing is, if I hadn't been so sick, I wouldn't have gone to the doctor. And he wouldn't have ordered any tests. 

Here's how this unfolded...

I was in bed sick for over a week. Weak as could be. 

I stopped drinking my morning coffee. And later sweet tea. And after that chocolate.

One day I tried a carbonated drink, and my symptoms returned, so that's out the door.

A few days in, I realized that I hadn't put my tight stocking over my ankle in a few days. And out of habit, I reached over to pick it up and put it on. 

I haven't gone one single day since I broke my ankle five and a half years ago without a stocking to make my ankle feel stable.

I've told myself: Okay, I have scarcely done a thing. Lying in bed isn't much of a true indicator for ankle pain. Maybe I'm just rested up. 

And maybe that's partially true.

But this week I've done some pretty difficult things for me. I moved my big cart in the kitchen. I took everything off and cleaned it. 

In so doing, I found a small dead mouse and this prodded me to move it to the other wall just for a change. I hate the idea of a dead mouse being in my home! Ewww!

Then I cleaned out drawers and took probably five pretty heavy kitchen trash bags to the corner dumpster. 

I had back pain from carrying heavy trash bags. I've had discomfort from doing and lifting, but not true pain.

I did ice my ankle at night just to be safe. And I decided to take it easy for a few days because I was feeling it in other areas of my body.

I also noticed that I haven't been snacking like I used to. I don't get these strong urges to eat something, usually sugar.

And I feel pretty darned good!

 
Yes, I'm 60 years old. I'll never feel like I'm 20 or even 30 again. 

But this is a vast change since I broke my ankle on both sides tripping and falling with my camera in July of 2012. I've had two surgeries.

When they called and told me about the cyst, I got online and looked for things that could possibly cause it. 

Lack of exercise, caffeine consumption and obesity. Diet. Red meat or dark poultry.

Well, I sure could stand to lose some weight.

I learned that arthritis and inflammation can be caused by caffeine.

Now you know I love me some sweet tea and coffee. And I've been crazy for chocolate all my life. I used to drink Dr. Pepper too. 

Now I'm drinking water and juice.

I didn't drink that much caffeine to begin with I didn't think. My morning cup of coffee. Then a glass or two of caffeinated tea. And always chocolate. 

I read that decaffeinated is not usually the answer for some reason. So I'm not going down that road either.

I've changed my diet and have not really missed the constant sweets I had sitting around here. I always thought if I didn't have chocolate it might just kill me. It would at least take the fun out of life. 

But no, that hasn't happened.

I met my daughter to take her to lunch on her 39th birthday Tuesday and brought her a big bag of all my chocolate to dispense with as she chose. I also gave her all my coffee.

I didn't tell her about my ankle improvement. Kind of like when it's early in a pregnancy and you're afraid to tell anyone yet. 

I feel better. I sleep better. I'm calmer. 

And not only have I had virtually no pain in my ankle, but I haven't had any stomach pain since Monday.

I thought: Could diet be that important? Could it change my life?

And maybe it has. Whether it lasts is anyone's guess. I'm sure I'll push it too far because, well, I always do. And it will flare up to keep me in check. The pain from the cyst may come back too.

But I'm over the moon right now!

Do you know much about the effects of caffeine?