5th BJP Bracelet + Recipe

Okay, here it is. This bracelet went quickly; I believe because the central focal piece is so much larger than my other ones have been. It is a piece of Kuem Boo, a metal technique using gold leaf, created by my sister, Karen L Cohen. I'm also feeling more energetic, so I guess I'm playing with beads more often.

In addition to the Kuem Boo center, I used pearls, Swarovski crystals, onyx beads, and glass beads. I'm finding that I like just working with the center piece and color, rather than actually journaling this year. This is my fifth year being a part of the BJP and I really love seeing what all the other participants from around the world are creating. I've enjoyed the journaling in the past and was ready for something else to focus on this year.

I'm about to start my sixth bracelet but haven't yet decided what to use for the focal piece. That's my next decision when I'm done with this blog entry, and after I put all my beads away.

One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf

This recipe has been tweaked a bit. It’s from FOOD52 online and the editor said that it’s Deensiebat’s. I didn’t ask permission to reprint it, so I hope it’s not a problem. I am giving credit where it's due. It's really delicious and not difficult to make.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups salted water

1 cup quinoa (I like to mix both the regular and red quinoas)

1 bunch lacinato (dino) kale, washed and chopped into 1 inch lengths

1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced (They are out of season and I couldn’t find any, so I mixed both lemon and lime juices and added a bit of coconut syrup as the sweetner/ I zested the lemon)

2 scallions, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

¼ crumbled goat cheese

salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Put the quinoa in pot and add the water and salt.
2. Bring it to a boil, cover the pot, and lower the heat to a simmer.
3. Simmer for about 10 minutes and then top the quinoa with the cut kale. Recover the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes
4. Turn off the heat, and allow it to steam for 5 more minutes
5. While the quinoa is cooking, in a large serving bowl, combine half the lemon/lime juice, all the zest, scallions, oil, pine nuts, and goat cheese.
6. Check the quinoa and kale when the steaming time is over. The water should have been absorbed and the quinoa will be tender but firm, and the kale tender and bright green. If not, add a bit more water and steam a bit longer.
7. Fluff the quinoa and tip it into the waiting bowl.
8. Toss to combine it all, seasoning with the salt and pepper to taste, and add the remaining juices if needed.

YUM!

My 4th BJP Creation + Recipe

This is only the 4th one I've created this year, so I'm a bit behind but still beading. I love flowers, so at least once a year, my Bead Journal Project is all about flowers, usually the May piece, but not this year.

I used a cabochon of real flowers under acrylic, not home made, as the focal point. Each month, I'm using a different material for the focal point. I also love color, so I'm playing with color combinations as well. Purple and green is one of my favorite combinations, and although I've used the same colors before, they look so different in each piece.

My favorite bead to use is the pearl and I use them on all my pieces. In addition to pearls, I've used Swarovski crystals, glass beads, and a plastic button for the clasp.

I'm really enjoying this challenge, even though it is taking me a long time to finish each, as I don't always feel like beading, nor do I always have the energy to do so. However, since my trip to Germany for hyperthermia and no more chemo, I find my energy is returning. Maybe I'll even catch up to make it one piece a month.

Since I am writing a cookbook for cancer survivors and folks with celiac's disease, so the book will be gluten-free, I always like to add a recipe to my blogs. If you don't cook, go no further.

Tasty Roasted Yams

I love cinnamon. However, making mashed yams is a lot of work. This is much easier and just as delicious. It is a lot of "by taste," so don't use too much nutmeg or cardamon.

Ingredients:

1-2 large yams, diced into inch pieces

2 tablespoons Coconut oil

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Cardamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place yams in a plastic bag.
3. Pour in oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamon.
4. Close the bag and massage the yams until they are covered with all the ingredients.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, and then stir. 
6. Cook for another 10 minutes and check for softness. They are done when they are soft enough for your taste.

Enjoy!

Musings/Germany 9 and final/Photos/recipe

Art said something the other day that really resonated with me. He said that the way we travel is a metaphor for the way we live our lives, as an adventure. We go where the road takes us and often it's the road less traveled. Are those clichés or what? We have had small miracles happen a lot when we live this way, and it's nice not having a firm schedule when traveling, so one can take advantage of the unexpected opportunities that appear.

My thought, before we left home, was of traveling to Munich and the surrounding areas, where they have magnificent castles. Obviously, it never happened this trip. However, today, we are taking a Rhine Cruise from Rudesheim to St Goar and will see several magnificent castles, though from afar. More to do and see the next time we're in Germany in September.

We're in Darmstadt, staying with another friend, Moritz from our Chi Gung group, Energy Arts, and his wife. Art had met Katharina before but I hadn't. Moritz is the one who came to visit us at the Klinik before we left. How did we get so lucky to have so many warm and welcoming friends here in Germany? Moritz also teaches Chi Gung, Bagua, and Tai Chi; Art went with him to class last night when we arrived, and I stayed at their house, entertaining myself, as Katharina was out for the next couple of hours. She's a psycho-therapist and an artist, both performance art and mixed-media; she has created masks for her performances and is now taking old black and white photographs and embroidering on them. (You can see her work at KathrinaSommer.de) The mosaic in the bathroom is her creation as well. Mortiz, in addition to being a teacher is also an artist, who has created structures in China, Korea, and his home town of Darmstadt, where there is a group who sponsors art in the forest. He also paints. We seems to be drawn to artistic people. Their home is filled with artist touches in every room, from stencils on walls and the toilet seat to brightly colored handles on doors. We had a wonderful time together once she got home, talking about her art and my art and lots more, just getting to know each other.

Today, we were talking with them about things to do on Sunday on our way to Dusseldorf, where we need to be Sunday night, as we fly out early on Monday for Miami. They mentioned a special cave with healing waters near Nordenau, which we wouldn't know about if we weren't visiting with them.

We just returned from a short tour of couple of places in Darmstadt with Moritz. There is the Belle Epoque area, where there is a Russian Church on Russian soil; apparently this prince's fiance, a Russian princess, would only marry on Russian soil. So, he imported the soil and built the Church. How's that for being in Love? It was incredible to see, and the whole surrounding area is filled with sculptures and another unusual building, which looks like a hand at the top (see below). There were at least 6 weddings going on in various areas of the park while we were there. Then, we walked to a private house with a public garden, called the Vortex Garden. I imagined beautiful flowers. However, what I imagined was not reality. As we walked along paths of stone, grass, or gravel, there were wonderful fountains and sculptures. Most were designed so the water was spiraling, creating a vortex.

Our first view of the Russian Church. This was the entrance way to the Belle Epoque Park.

Another view of the Russian Church.

One fountain from below looking up the stairs.

Same sculptured fountain looking down. It shows the water spiraling.

We enjoyed the Rhine cruise and meeting others on board our boat, one couple from Scotland and a grandmother with twin granddaughters, from Chicago. Below are three of the many castles we passed by. The cruise took almost two hours in one direction and 2 3/4 hours returning, due to the current, which was really fast.

We got back to our friends home in time to take a short rest and then go out for dinner at Frankenstein's Castle. The Castle itself is in ruins but really great to experience, and the view from restaurant was spectacular, especially the sunset. There is so much daylight, from 5:00AM until after 9:30PM every day. It's not like Florida, where  it gets light around 6:30AM and the sunsets have been around 8:00PM. Dinner was delicious but we didn't get to see Igor.

One view of Frankenstein's Castle with Art and our friends from Darmstadt.

The greatest artist is still Ma Nature!

The drive from Darmstadt to Nordenau was about 2 1/3 hours. We had a lovely lunch of the local fish, bought our tickets for the cave, and readied our water bottles to be filled. The fish is really local, as they were swimming in the lake near the cave before we ordered them. With each ticket, they gave you a bottle of their water, which we drank with lunch. The cave itself is lovely. They give you mats to place on chairs, as you sit in the space and quiet of the cave for almost a half hour, absorbing the wonderful energy and listening to the water fill a pool. As you sit in silence, a man fills whatever you brought with you to be filled. At the end of the half hour, he announces that it's time and everyone collected their water to take with them. We packed our bottles, as you know we couldn't take them with us on the plane. Luckily, nothing got wet on the way home.

We stayed in a nicely located small hotel in Dusseldorf, called the Batavaria. We would stay there again, and the shower stall was really small, although, we shouldn't complain, as the shower at our friends home with the mosaic design, was against the outside wall, which sloped. Even I had to bend a bit in order to use it, and I'm only 5'3". We had dinner at a Croatian Restaurant next door to our hotel, a new experience for us, as we've never before had Croatian food; it was really good.

Up at 5:30AM, and our flight home was 9 1/2 hours and uneventful, the best kind of flight! I wouldn't recommend Air Berlin, as the seats are really close and the food was awful. We flew in and out of Dusseldorf, as they were the only non-stop flights we could get using American Airline mileage points. Next time, we may fly into Berlin to sightsee before the Klinik, or go directly to Frankfurt. Believe it or not, it's cheaper to fly to Berlin, as you have to connect with the direct flight from Miami to Frankfurt; so, we would be saving money on the flights and connecting through the city we would prefer to fly to. Very confusing but true.

As it is Asparagus season in Germany, here is an easy recipe for Asparagus.

Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds Asparagus

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Tarragon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Trim the asparagus by snapping of the bottom of the stalks and place in a zip-lock bag.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients
4. Close up the bag and massage the asparagus to spread the oil and seasonings throughout the bag, making sure that all the asparagus get covered by the oil.
5. Roast for 20 minutes and then stir the asparagus, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks, longer for thicker stalks.

Of course, if you don't like tarragon, try another herb. Enjoy! 

Thank you for your time and patience reading this set of blogs. I hope you enjoyed them and found them useful either for health reasons or travel ones or for cooking.

Germany 8/Out and About + recipe

I have to preface this blog and let you know that all the photos are on my phone and I thought I sent them to email, so I could edit them and post them here. I've got some great shots. However, I have no sim card due to the error made by the phone co on our first day here. So, they couldn't be emailed, even though I could snap them. Oh well, such is life.

I wrote that I would tell you about Servas, a wonderful peace organization founded right after WW2, with the idea that it's hard to shoot someone with whom you've broken bread. If you like to travel and you like to meet the people of the country you are visiting, then this is for you. We first joined as Travelers in 1992, when we ventured to Italy. In order to join, you need to fill out a form and have a personal interview. You are allowed to stay with people for two nights; they give you breakfast both days and dinner the first night. The second night, you either cook for them or take them out to dinner. There IS the commitment to spend your evenings together, so you exchange ideas and learn about their culture and vice versa. So, if you must try the most fabulous restaurant in wherever, then you wouldn't commit to spend that night with a Servas host. You don't need to be a Host to be a Traveler. We joined only as Travelers, until we returned home from Italy, when we then joined as Hosts and have been involved ever since in both capacities.

We have had so many great, and some unusual, experiences through Servas. In the US, it is www.usservas.org. I'm not sure of the international organization's URL. 

On our last trip to Italy a couple of years ago, we stayed with one couple with whom we had stayed back in 92. How we had all changed! It was due to them that we had one of our most memorable experiences. We were staying with them in Spinea, outside of Venice; he worked in Padua. We had planned to spend the morning in Venice and then catch the train to Genoa. Instead, he offered to drive us to Padua for the morning and we could catch the same train to Genoa, only a bit later. While wandering around, and not too far from the train station where we were able to put our bags in a locker, we found a small capella, or chapel; inside were works of Giotto, the Seven Heavenly Virtues on one wall and the Seven Deadly Sins on the other. They were incredible! It was the only tourist book we bought during the trip.

We find that staying with locals adds a depth to our travel experience. We also discover the best things to see and restaurants only the locals know. Also, although there is a charge to join, and a deposit to be paid for the listings in country you will be going to, there is no cost for the stay (other than buying or making dinner for the 2nd night. So, that's Servas in a nutshell. If you have any questions, you know what to do, me or the internet.

June 8

We had a good night’s sleep in Strasbourg and decided to have breakfast/brunch down by the boat tour.  The boat trip was worth going back for; unfortunately, my photos show the reflection of passenger in front of me.

PHOTOS

After the boat tour, we head for Colmar with a stop at Mt Ste.-Odile for a look/see. Both places had been recommended by friends. Mt. Ste.-Odile was where our friend had given workshops. It was originally a monastery or convent and is high on a mountain. We arrive late afternoon and found it peaceful and beautiful. There is a church and two capels. Each has fabulous mosaics, with the smallest capel being my favorite. The space couldn’t be more than 20’ x 20’. The mosaics are rich in color and design. On one wall is St. George with the dragon. Naturally, the shots are all in Art’s camera, which we still haven’t downloaded. We wanted to really look around and were feeling tired; we decided to stay if they had a room available and they did. It was the best night’s sleep we had had and we loved the bathroom so much I wanted to transport it home with us. It wasn’t large, but the design of it was so efficient and the shower was the best we’ve used.

June 9

So, we didn’t reach Colmar until the next day. Our friend had said that Colmar was beautiful; it is the home city of Bartholdi, the creator of the Statue of Liberty, and as you enter the outskirts of Colmar, there is a copy of ours in one of the round-abouts.

We love taking the back roads when we travel, rather than the autobahns, unless we’re really in a rush. As we pass all the small towns and villages (I’m not sure what the difference is, each has it’s own steeple, and each is more beautiful than the last, at least they are all unique. Because we wanted to have a closer look at one steeple, we drove through Barr, a beautiful town. Here are a couple of photos showing buildings near where we parked to walk to the church.

PHOTOS

Here’s another photo whowing what else we got to see because of how we travel. We love eye candy!

PHOTO after Barr

We finally made it to Colmar and it IS beautiful. We both really love looking a architecture. Here’s a photo of the cathedral there.

PHOTO

We walked around a bit and found a train/tram which drove around the city. Felt that would be a good way to see quite a bit, so we went. I’m so glad we did, as while we were having lunch, I realized that I had left my wedding band and a pair of earrings in our room in Mt Ste.-Odile. We called and the jewelry was waiting for us. So, after finishing lunch, back we went. I guess their famous Unter Linden Museum is for our next trip. Best laid plans and all that!

Rather than head South again to Colmar, we were due in Tupingen, Germany, the next day, so we headed East. Luckily, we hadn’t made reservations for the night, so we were flexible. It was starting to get late to find a place, so we looked at the map and Bad Peterstal caught Art’s eye. He figured that a Bad (spa) would have accommodations. We found the Hotel Hirsch which was a real find. The beds were wonderful and dinner and breakfast there were delicious. I was disappointed that they didn’t have any roll/pretzels left as we got to breakfast a bit late; I had seen some at another table. I know I’m gluten-free but love gluten, and since it’s a choice, I sometimes make the choice to have a roll, or…..? Anyway, I mentioned to our hostess about my disappointment and said that I’d have to get to breakfast earlier next time. She told I didn’t have to be early, as they would save one for me if requested the night before. I thought that was a really clever response and the hotel got even more brownie points than it had had. BTW, their specialty is catering to animals who are traveling with their owners. So, if you don’t like dogs (didn’t see any cats), don’t go there. The hotel is situated over a beautiful stream with large rocks, so the running water made music, which we listen to in our dreams.

June 10

We arrived in Tupingen safely and were welcomed warmly by Anja and Michael. She is our friend from our Chi Gung workshops (Energyarts.com) and is an accomplished artist. He has written a number of books on crystals and healing, Michael Gienger if you want to google him.

June 11

Today has been a more or less lazy day. We did walk to the bio market, and I did prepare lunch, my smothered onion pasta; it is our big meal of today, as Anja is giving classes this evening and Michael is leaving tomorrow to give a workshop at Mt Ste.-Odile, so he has a lot to finish up.

Art gave me my first shot, since the Klinik, of mistletoe. He did a great job of it! I’m working on my beaded bracelet tonight. I can’t wait to share it with you all when it’s completed.

Here’s a simple recipe:

Salsa Cruda

This is one of my sister’s, Karen L. Cohen’s, recipes. It’s so easy and so delicious. It’s always a winner at a party. It easily doubles.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded, and minced (use less if you don’t want it

                  too hot, or add some seeds if you like it hotter. I may use

                  a dash of cayenne instead of the fresh pepper.)

1 small-medium onion, diced

a hand full of chopped cilantro, to taste

¾ teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoons ground pepper

1 7 ounce can organic corn nibs, drained

Instructions:

1.   Mix all together.

2.   Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with organic corn chips.

Germany Part 7 / Really Great News + Recipe

June 7
Today is discharge day. I had my vitals taken and an ultrasound early this morning, around 7:45-8AM. I truly can't wait to sleep a bit later than 6-6:15AM. I had my mistletoe shot before lunch. We met with Dr. Migeod after lunch.

Good report from the ultrasound. All the tumors recduced in size, again some more than others, but everything is moving in the right direction. He told us that the two largest tumors also have some necrosis, meaning they are breaking apart/dying from the inside out. Definitely GOOD NEWS!!! He gave me a list of what I needed to do until I return, about 3 months from now. In about a month, Dr. Migeod wants me to have a PET/CT scan so it can be compared to my last one in April. Very exciting! Can't wait to tell all my doctors about this treatment, although some of them already know.

For lunch, we had a friend join us. Moritz is a student of our Chi Gung teacher and we have known him for many years. He wanted to come visit and today was the day; he came for a few hours. He had to return to Darmstadt, as he has a Chi Gung/Tai Chi school and he needed to teach tonight. We're actually going to be staying with him and his wife later next week; it is wonderful, and so special, that he took the time to come see us!

It's bitter-sweet saying goodbye to all the staff here, who have been so wonderful and helpful to us. Of course, I'll get over the bitter-sweet part and really enjoy the touring about. We're off to Strasbourg again, but first a stop in Wissembourg at Art's favorite chocolatier and then to pick up some prescriptions that I'll need until we get home, where I can find them as well. Why does chocolate have to have sugar in it? Actually, I order from http://www.UliMana.com some raw organic truffles made with coconut syrup; they have two types with coconut syrup and the rest are made with agave. They are really nice when you're not eating any chocolate; they use raw cacao. They are really nice even if you are eating chocolate!

Our trip into Wissembourg to get the prescriptions filled was an odyssey. They had only one of the three meds and would have had to order one of the other ones, with the third not available in France. They told me that it's an English medication and isn't sold anywhere in France. Everything takes longer than it takes, and nothing is ever easy. In spite of all that, I am fixed with my meds until Tuesday; we'll get back to Germany on Monday, and I hope to be able to order the two I don't have many of.

We booked a small hotel. It's pretty and the rooms are small but comfortable, and it's only for one night. However, I didn't check if they had an elevator, and they don't. Art was not pleased. I am quite tired tonight, and not having an elevator doesn't help with energy management. There is a restaurant only a few blocks away, so we had dinner there, and it was very good. Again, 5th in a row, we had a beautiful day, so we ate outside on their patio. We were among the first to arrive close to 7:00PM, but it quickly filled up. Wouldn't mind having one of those in our neighborhood!

I mention SERVAS below in the notes right after the title of the recipe. I'll write about USServas.org in my next Blog.

Creamy Apple Treat

We were in Berne, Switzerland, with a Servas host, Beat Edelmann, having a wonderful time. I was cooking dinner that night and wanted a light easy dessert, and I had to use what I had with me or what Beat had in his kitchen. This was the result and we all enjoyed it.

Serves 4 (We were only 3 and we finished it.)

Ingredients:

8 ounces plain Goat’s milk yogurt (It is very thick and creamy here in Switzerland)

To taste (what I used/ you can play around with flavors):

Cinnamon (1 tablespoon)

Nutmeg (a couple of dashes)

stevia (less than one packet)

agave (1 tablespoon) or 1 tablespoon coconut syrup

1 apple, cored and diced (I left the skin on but you could skin it)

10 almonds, chopped

Directions:

1.  Put the yogurt into a medium bowl and stir until smooth

2.  Added the spices and sweeteners and mix well. Taste and adjust.

3.  Add the apple and almonds. Stir well.

4.  Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top for decoration.

5.   Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Germany Part 6 + recipe

June 4 - Today was another beautiful day; that makes two in a row. We're on a roll! We're not in the area of Germany that is flooding, although I can understand the flooding with all the rain we've had.

I had a light schedule today, which allowed us to explore this morning. After breakfast, we drove for about 15 minutes in a direction we hadn't tried before to end up in Klingenmunster, to visit Landeck, an old castle. There's a restaurant there which we're told is quite good. However, we were there around 9:30AM and had no desire to eat. They have both seating inside and outside.

         

This is a small part of the inside restaurant.

The circular item is a target for arrows. There are lots of holes and the large indentation just above where the center is obviously where the better archers hit their target.

This a taken from a flat higher terrace. The views of the town and the countryside are wonderful, but I like old buildings.

We had to be back by 11:30, as we had an appointment with Dr. Migeod. Actually, we have a meeting with him daily, which is very helpful and reassuring. His English is very good and he explains things clearly. However, since he is so busy, he is rarely on time, although I feel we have to be there regardless. He didn't show until close to 1PM. As we hadn't had lunch yet and I had my hyperthermia at 1:30PM, he made arrangements to return between 5 - 6PM; he meets with us in our room. Off to Hyperthermia, back to our room for a rest, as it makes me a bit tired. I frequently doze while having it. I had my mistletoe shot around 4:30 and we waited for the good doctor to return. One of the nurses said something about it being boring being here as a patient. It's not!!! I read, have the internet, my knitting, and email, plus the beads I brought with me, so I am working on my BJP bracelet; it's coming along nicely.

Dr. Migeod came around 5:45PM. He had the results of my second urine test for PH. My PH has gotten higher, a 6, which is still a bit acidic but definitely better than the previous results of a 5; it should be higher but not higher than a 7. So, I will have two more sodium bicarbonate infusions this week, Wed and Fri, which will be my last day of treatments. We will leave on Saturday and then tour for about a week until our flight home on the 17th.

It's not just the hyperthermia which helps, it's also all the supplemental things, like the Vit C infusions, echinacea liquid, shots for the immunity system, the low dose chemo, sodium Bicarbonate infusions, Vit B shots (I've only had one as they last quite a while), and more, that makes the difference in the treatments here.

We finally made it to Le Cygne, in Wissembourg, for dinner. This is the third time we've tried to go there. I guess the old saying that the third time is the charm is correct. Dinner was delicious. We both had quail; the presentation was lovely and it was really delicious.

I have a full day tomorrow, the 5th, and it's also our older son's, Brian's, birthday. Love you muchly, Bri! He lives in CA, so with a nine hour time difference, we can't SKYPE him until like 5PM at the earliest. Oh well. I know it will all work out.

June 5
Another sunny day. We're definitely on a roll. It was a busy day with my vitals first thing, including an injection. Breakfast, then hyperthermia at 10:00AM. Meeting with Dr. Migeod, lunch, then the sodium bicabonate infusion around 1:30PM. Earlier in the week, we had gone to a Chi Gung class and enjoyed it; we both teach Chi Gung but not on a regular basis. The teacher asked the class how it was for us, did we feel anything different. Art mentioned that he taught and she asked if he would be willing to give a class. Today, around 4:00PM he did. There were about 8 people in the class and he was suppose to have 45 mins. Art started with some basic principles about Chi Gung and energy movement. He taught something called the Commencement, which is the beginning of the Tai Chi form he does. It is a short Chi Gung on its own. He ended up taking almost 1 1/2 hours of time, but everyone stayed and was interested. I feel he really made a difference in their well-being. Remember that all the folks are dealing with one form of cancer or another and the hyperthermia does leave one a bit tired.

We were able to connect with Brian after we had dinner, which is quite early, to wish him a happy birthday. I always love getting calls on my birthday! I started to sing HB to him and then stopped; our family's singing group is officially known as The Croaking Frogs. I felt it was a small present not to assail his ears with my singing.

We've met a nice French couple who are here for the 16th time. Serg has brain cancer and these treatments are helping a lot, but he has a ways to go. They are fortunate, as their French health care handles the cost of these treatments, since it isn't given in France.

June 6
Would you believe, another sunny day. Yes. Actually, it gets really hot in our room in the afternoons, due to our western exposure. Much better than the rain and rawness of last week, though.

Another busy day. Had my vitals, last blood test, and the immunity injection first thing. I had hyperthermia at 9:30AM but didn't get my Vit C infusion with it. During our meeting with Dr. Migeod, I mentioned that. He wanted me to have it, so I spent practically the whole afternoon on my bed. First I had the sodium bicarbonate infusion for 2 hours and then the Vit C for another 45-50 mins. There went the afternoon, as it wasn't all started until about 2:30PM. I read and worked on my iPad with mail and searching the internet. It really passed quickly. My hyperthermia today was my 10th and last treatment. Turns out we leave tomorrow, after my ultrasound, final mistletoe shot, and discharge consultation. Then, we're off for sightseeing, starting with Strasbourg and the boat tour we had to miss. Dr. Migeod doesn't usually give more than 10 treatments at a time, as he feels the body needs time to absorb all that energy.

Spicy Cuke Salad

This quick, simple salad from VN columnist Jesse Miner is the perfect addition to any summer meal. The bright flavors of lime, mint, and fresh jalapeños pop against the cooling cucumber base. Delicious, simple, and not your usual side salad—what's not to love? Enjoy alongside veggie burgers or crisp lettuce wraps. Actually, with anything.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids or tamari

2 1/2 teaspoons Stevia or 1 tablespoon any sweetner you like

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons mint, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon jalapeño, seeded and minced or a few flakes of dehydrated jalapeno

2 large cucumbers, peeled, sliced lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced

1/4 cup almonds or Brazil nuts, chopped

Directions:

1. In small bowl, mix lime juice, tamari, agave, garlic, mint, and jalapeño.
2. Add cucumber slices and nuts, toss gently, and serve.

YUM!

Germany Part 5 / Great News/Recipe

It's June 3rd, and I had my interim ultrasound and blood work this morning. The Ultrasound showed that all the tumors have gotten smaller, some more so than others. And part of the blood work was a marker which shows how the tumors are growing; it showed a decrease in growth! I'm on a natural high at the moment. Now - back June 1st.

I didn't write at all on June 1st. Short recap - vitals taken around 8:00AM, then my hyperthermia with Vit C (every day with Vit C, so I won't write that again) at 11:00AM. My sodium bicarbonate infusion was at 1:30PM, for two hours, and then I was finished for the day until my 7:30PM injection. It rained very hard for most of the morning, and was still overcast and cool during the afternoon.

After my infusion, we went into Bad Bergzabern to walk around a bit, exploring streets we had passed which had looked interesting (they were, but everything was already closed as they close early on Sat; lucky Art), and then to have dinner. The town is really beautiful. Art and I are into architecture, so it was a great experience. I have photos in Art's camera. I'm waiting for my phone, which needed to be repaired, to be returned, and then I'll have my own camera. Hope to download them before I send this. (Didn't get to this time.)We had dinner at a lovely restaurant, Culinarium. The atmosphere was very cosmopolitan and the service was excellent. While we waited for the meal, we were each given a demi-tasse cup filled with a curried carrot soup which had been whipped, light and tasty. I had grilled shrimp and Art had Veal Cordon Blue, which he hasn't had in a lot of years. I cook chicken and fish, plus, of course, lots of veggies but no red meats; so he gets his red meat fixes while out to dinner.

We woke up on June 2 to sunshine, and that's how it stayed all day, reaching the mid to high 60s. I had only my vitals taken and night injection, no other treatments. What a glorious day to be outside walking around, which is what we did in Strasbourg, France, only an hour to an hour and a half away, depending on your route. Maude, our GPS, took us the fastest way going there, which wasn't the prettiest way, as it included a long time on the Autobann. Our ride home was through Wissenbourg, a much more beautiful set of roads to travel. We had a major disappointment while in Strasbourg; I had so wanted to take the boat tour, but due to all the rain we've been having, the tours were cancelled as the water was too high. In some cases, it was over the sidewalks; there was no way the boats could fit under the bridges. Maybe it wasn't such a major thing, but we were really disappointed. Actually, it should be the worst disappointment I ever have!

Our first stop in Strasbourg was at the Cathedral. What a magnificent edifice!

This is the front of the Cathedral, seen while walking down the street.

This is the left side of the Cathedral. The details are spectacular. Wish I were a photographer!

This building is to the left of the Cathedral.

Part of the Plaza in front of the Cathedral.

Again, hope to have the photos available to sprinkle amidst this text. (These four were in Art's phone, so I had no trouble downloading them. Next to tackle his camera.) It was worth the trip just to see it. They were having services, so we really didn't get to explore the inside of Cathedral as we would have. Then, we took our own walking tour to Le Petit France, or the old section; it's a World Heritage Site. On the way, we stopped at St-Thomas Church, another wonderful building; it has a major baroque sculpture and a very famous Silbermann organ. We had a lovely lunch at L'eveil Des Sens, sitting outside (this info is for anyone planning a trip to France and Strasbourg). Today, all the shops were closed, as it's a Sunday. Can you imagine any store in the US being closed on a Sunday, such a big shopping day? I guess they do have lives to live here; something we in the States oft times forget. (While in New Zealand, we found time and again people choosing lifestyle rather than money.) Again, Art was very lucky. I'm not a big shopper but I really like to look, and I usually find something. Oh well, another time. On our route home, we passed an Art Festival. It was small and I'm glad we did stop, but it was mainly paintings. I love all the rest of the things usually found at a festival, such as pottery, baskets, hand-made clothing, etc. I DID find ceramic buttons I'm going to use on this month's BJP bracelet.

We returned to the Klinik around 5:15PM and took a nap. I had my night injection at 6:30PM and then we went to a wine tasting, the chef at the Klinik had told us about. After that, we had our second disappointment of the day when we went to The Cygne for dinner, in Wissenbourg, and they were closed - again. Apparently, they were opened for lunch but not for dinner tonight. Now we know when they will be opened and hope to make it there, as they were highly recommended. We ended up back in Bad Bergzabern at Zum Hass Restaurant, which turned out to be very good. I had a big salad with grilled chicken and Art had a wonderful fish dish.

I've gotten my schedule for tomorrow, and I have a very busy morning but an open afternoon. Hmmm, where to go tomorrow?

Turned out we just rested. After my busy morning, I was feeling really tired, so I napped and read away the afternoon. In addition to the good news written about at the beginning of this blog, there were a few things still needing help. My protein indicator showed it went down, so now I need to have two protein shakes a day; my hemoglobin is still low, so I will be getting a shot of B vitamins. This is in addition to the Mistletoe shots twice a weeks for the immune system, the low dose chemo twice daily, the Vit C infusions, and the sodium bicarbonate infusions twice a week. A lot going on, and well worth it all for the direction the tumors are headed!!!

Have a wonderful day! Enjoy every minute!

Red Bell Pepper Burritos

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup red peppers, chopped

1 1/2 cups kidney beans, canned, drained, rinsed, mashed (1 can)

1 tablespooon mild chili peppers, chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano, dried

8 organic corn tortillas or other gluten-free tortillas

1/2 cup raw goat cheese, shredded, or your choice of cheese

Salsa

Hot pepper sauce

Goat’s milk yogurt

Chopped tomatoes

Sliced avocados

Shredded romaine Lettuce

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes
3. Add the peppers and cook until almost tender, 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the beans, chilies, cumin, and oregano and heat through.
5. Place a tortilla in a heavy 10” skillet over moderate heat, and turning frequently until pliable.
6. Spread about 4 tablespoons of filling down the center of the tortilla and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cheese.
7. Roll up the tortilla and place in a casserole with the seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
8. Heat burritos in a 325 degree oven for 15 minutes.
9. Serve with salsa, hot-pepper sauce, yogurt, tomatoes, avocados, and lettuce.

My favorite way is with the salsa, yogurt, and avocados. Yummy!!!

Germany Part 4 + recipe

I've meant to describe our room. It is simplistic, yet comfortable. It has soft yellow walls and the beds are hospital type beds, where you can adjust the angle of the head area or the height. We have a couple of chairs with a small table between them in one corner. There is also an eating area which extends to a desk (narrower than the eating space). Lots of electrical outlets both near the eating/desk area and the bed area. This makes it easy to plug in a computer, iPad, and/or phone. We have a balcony, with two chairs and a table, and face the park area outside, so it's beautiful and peaceful; they have a lawn chess set and benches under some trees. In the far background on the left, you can see vineyards, which dot the countryside. Actually, with the camera in my phone, I think it's impossible to see the vineyards, so just imagine that they are there. There are two buildings and you're looking at the other one.

If any of you have a question, please don't hesitate to ask.

It's the 30th. I am having a needle put into my port today. Up til now, I've been having my arm stuck for the infusions ( they use a butterfly, so it's small), but since I am having two infusions today, it will be easier this way. We plan on just relaxing and not exploring today, as it's a holiday here. Also, as I have a treatment with an infusion this morning and an infusion this afternoon, relaxing seems to be a good idea. The sun was out mostly all morning, then it started to pour. Now, 2:00PM, the sun is out again. This sounds a lot like FL but for the temperature, in the 50s and 60s.

I finished the book I had started when we left. I'm NOT into zombies, but the book World War Z, was not really about zombies per se, but it was more about how the world handled this infection, which changed the world as we know it. It was well written, an editing of interviews of people from all over the globe, and a really good read, much to my surprise. I'm encouraging Art to read at least the first several pages to see if it catches his interest. It did mine. Maybe it will yours!

We ended up just resting as I thought we might. There was a minor snafu with my infusion of sodium bicarbonate. The nurse set me up and left. An hour or so later, I got up to use the bathroom and noticed that the drip wasn't dripping very much. We called the nurse and she fixed the drip. It was suppose to take about 2 hours and actually did take about 2 hours, so the drip must have been faster than usual. I don't believe that makes a difference.

This evening I started on my 4th BJP bracelet for the year, and the focal point of this one is an oval with real flowers under acrylic. Maybe I can finish this one before we return and then start on my 5th one when we get back. Remember, I'm suppose to be creating one a month for the year. Moving at my own pace.

That's it for today. More tomorrow.

May 31st
Very rainy and cool most of the day

7:35AM  vitals taken
10:00AM hyperthermia with Vit C Infusion
4:30PM Mistletoe shot
7:00PM Heparin shot

This is the Italian machine, and the next photo is with me during treatment; this was yesterday.

Today I was in the other room and used the German machine. 

I wanted you to see the difference in appearance. The do the same thing using a different method, as both use radio frequencies to heat.

The Klinik is in Bad Bergzabern, and we went there for dinner tonight at the Rossel Restaurant, Greek food. It was wonderful. The grilled octopus in a garlic sauce was so tender; it's been such a long time since I've had good octopus. Then, they served a tasty Greek salad, cheese on the side. Our main courses were, for Art, a liver with onions and mushrooms done to perfection (according to him, not my cup of tea), and for me a delicious lamb steak with eggplant in a tomato sauce. Really good. No recipe for either of those. However, the Lemon Chicken recipe below rivals either of the above for good taste.

Lemon Chicken

This another of my family's favorites. So easy! It's the moistest chicken I've ever had, as it's self-basting.

Ingredients:

1 chicken, 3 1/2-4 lbs

2 lemons

Salt

Pepper

2 toothpicks and 1 piece of string

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Clean the chicken well both inside and out. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
3. Puncture both lemons with a fork in several places and place them inside the chicken.
4. Close the cavity with the two toothpicks and tie the legs together to help keep the cavity closed.
5. Salt and pepper the whole outside of the chicken, ending up with the chicken on its breast.
6. Cook for about 20 minutes and then turn over the chicken.
7. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, a total of about 20 minutes per pound, including while the chicken was on its breast.
8. Let it rest for 15 minutes and then cut it up. Discard the lemons.

YUM!!!

Germany Part 3 + recipe

Today's Wed, the 29th. They checked my vitals again this morning - weight, blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen level, plus they measured my girth. I'm sure I'll find out why soon. A bit, later, still before breakfast, Dr. Migeod did another ultrasound; apparently, I didn't have a full bladder for yesterday's and he wanted to check out the area more thoroughly. I am very impressed with the attention to detail.

At 10:00am, I went for my next hyperthermia treatment with Vit C infusion. I was back on the first machine. I forgot to mention yesterday that the Italian one is very different than the German one. Maybe, I'll take pictures tomorrow so you can see the differences. The treatment of hyperthermia lasts about 50-55 minutes, while the Vit C is only for 45 minutes. After Hyperthermia, I was scheduled to see Dr. Migeod around 11:00. He has been late the last couple of days but was here about 10:50am today. He had the rest of the blood work results, which dealt with my immune system, and the results from my urine test, which showed what my PH level was - I'm very acidic. My blood was okay for the T-cells, my killer cells and the eater cells, but am very low on the other two indicators. Can't remember the names, but one has to do with the Thymus. So, he wants to stimulate them more and is upping my dose of mistletoe, as I tolerated the first shot well. I think I'll be getting thoses twice a week. So far, all the shots have been given in the abdomen; I'm looking very polka-dotted. He increased my Vit D intake as well; I brought my own drops from home and he has increased them from 4 to 8 a day. He is starting me on echinacea also, for the immune system, as well as something more for my spleen. I'm going to have a sodium bicarbonate infusion too, tomorrow, for the acidity/alkalinity. It's amazing how much he covers with all his tests. Why don't they do this in the USA? How's that for a rhetorical question? Boy, there's a lot going on!

It looks like I've developed a bit of lymphadema in my right leg due to the large tumor in my groin. Luckily, I have enough compression stockings so I can wear them on both legs. Not fun, but it is what it is. I had had some swelling in my right ankle for a couple of weeks before we flew, and after the flight, my right leg swelled more, at least up to the knee. Since I knew that the stockings help with the movement of lymph, due to my lymphadema in my left leg, it's an easy follow up. I'll have to see if there is more I have to do once I get home, or maybe I'll see a lymphadema therapist here.

I continue to be impressed with the flexibility of the kitchen. Art had a noodle dish, with some kind of large dumpling with a meatball in the center, and sauce, and I had gluten-free noodles, with some veggies, and turkey meatballs, they made themselves, with a very light sauce. Very tasty. The large meal is at lunchtime with a smaller lighter meal at dinner time. It's almost 2:30 and I don't have any treatments scheduled for this afternoon. It's cooler today and very overcast, having rained this morning. We may take a drive or just relax, as yet, we haven't decided what to do.

More later.

It's almost 5:00pm and we just returned from France. We went to a small village, Wissembourg, only 15 minutes away. Very quaint with lots of restaurants and pastry/chocolate shops. It was raining, so we walked around for less than an hour and came back. However, it was a good stop, as we passed an orthopedic pharmacy, where they sold compression stockings and I was able to buy a couple more. There WAS a reason for going. It never occurred to me to buy more and they were less expensive than the ones I buy in the US. We want to return there when we have more time, as there are several things to see and do in and around Wissembourg.

I need to make a correction from Germany Part 2 - it's NOT the Palatine, it IS the Palatinate that is the wine country, which goes throughout Germany. Hope we get to explore some of that area too.

We ended up going out for dinner in Wissembourg with our new friends Nancy and Patrick. They leave tomorrow - boo hoo. We plan on keeping in touch.

Good Night until the next blog.

Green Bean Pate

This is a wonderful imitation chopped liver, so much more healthy. Everyone loves it when it’s served on the Holidays. I use Sami’s Bakery crackers, made of millet, brown rice and flax seed. They're on the internet samisbakery.com

Ingredients: 

½ pound Fresh green beans, ends trimmed

3 large Onions, peeled & sliced

¼ cup Vegetable broth

3  Eggs, hardcooked, using only the whites (save yellows for something else)

1 cup Walnut, almond, or brazil nut pieces

½ teaspoon Salt or to taste

½ teaspoon Pepper, coarsely ground

Assorted crackers

Cucumber slices (a delicious option)

Directions: 

1.         In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook green beans in water for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. In a medium frying pan over medium hear, sauté onions in vegetable broth for 30 minutes or until onions are well done, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

2.         In a food processor, place beans, onions, egg whites, nuts, Salt and pepper. Whirl until a pate-like consistency is reached. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with assorted crackers or cucumber slices.

Yields 2 cups.

Recipe from Patsy Rasmussen, a really good friend who lived in Santa Fe, Panama, and now is back in the States.

Germany/Part 2 + recipe

We arrived at the Klinik by 11:00am, Monday. I had some paper work to fill out, and then we saw a doctor who went over my history. Lunch was next and pretty good. We unpack and relaxed until I had my first treatment at 5:00PM.

Meal times are early:
Breakfast 7:30-9:00 (not really bad)
Lunch Noon-1:00 ( a bit early)
Dinner 5:00-6:00 (really early)
As I had my treatment at 5:00, lasting until close to 6:00, they delivered our dinner to our room, as we had missed dinner in the dining room. They are very flexible food-wise, and I'll be able to stay on my diet: no sugar, no gluten, no dairy, plus some other "no's."

The Hyperthermia treatment was pretty easy to take. They only took it up to 100 watts (whatever that means) and next I think it goes to 120 or 125 watts. They use radio frequencies to generate the heat. I laid down on a water bed and the nurse placed a pouch of water on my abdomen. The machine went on top of that; this was a German model. She took it to 80 watts for about 10 minutes and then up to 100 watts for the rest of the time. I felt a warmth, almost like the heat lamp Frank, my acupuncturist, uses when I have acupuncture. I dozed a bit and was quite relaxed. Art sat with me during the treatment. No pain or discomfort at all. Here's hoping that 120 or 125 watts works the same.

Tuesday, the 28th, they took blood at 7:45AM and then I had a sonogram, around 8:15AM; Dr. Migeod wanted to check to make sure no there wasn't any thrombosis and to see what the tumors looked like. Luckily, no thrombosis but there is a bit of a blockage of a vein due to the large tumor in my right groin. That's why we're here!!!! Shrink those suckers!!!!!

I know this is detailed info and if you're not interested, just skip over it. There are some who're interested and are contemplating using this type of treatment as well. This is for them.

I'm due to have another consult with Dr. Migeod, who runs the Klinik, in a little bit. He is the one who is creating my treatment schedule.

(Back to write more later)

It's later, after dinner. Before the consult with Dr. Migeod late this morning, we had about an hour.  We went into Bad Bergzabern to look around. It's a pretty town. We found a health food store (here organic items are called Bio) and found some interesting things. When we had visited Switzerland a couple of years ago, I found a chestnut flour cracker that I really liked a lot. Here, I found a brown rice and chestnut flour one, also good. Then, we went to the Information Center and got some brochures on the Palatine, which is what their wine country in this area is called. Art can have a good time wine tasting, and maybe I'll take a taste now and again; of course, this means we will have time to explore. I know that there aren't any treatments on Sunday, so............ Actually, I'm hoping we can go the Strasberg, France, over the weekend, as I believe it's less than an hour away.

When we met with Dr. Migeod, he had most of the results from my blood tests - they took a lot of blood! Mostly everything was fine, but I'm a bit anemic (due to the chemo) and I need more Vitamin D, so not too bad. He wanted me to have another hyperthermia treatment today with a Vitamin C infusion and to start low-dose chemo, given in pill form. This time, I was on another machine, and this one was Italian, very international here. I also had a Mistletoe shot to boost my immune system. There are a couple of more results from the blood tests that I will get tomorrow when we meet in the morning. I will be seeing him every day. The staff here is very nice, although not all the nurses speak good English, which makes it a bit difficult, but nothing that can't be worked with.

We've met a lovely young couple, in their 40s, who unfortunately are leaving on Thursday. We have a lot of similar ideas about food and other health related topics, so there's lots to talk about. Nancy's husband, Patrick, works with software, so he can work anywhere, and he is - working each day here. We plan on keeping in touch and I'll be adding some of her recipes to my cookbook. Wish I had one now to give to you.

Here's another recipe I believe I have written before. It is easy and delicious -

BABAGANOUSH

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1/4 C tahini
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
2-3 cloves garlic, cut up
Salt
Cumin
Cilantro or parsley

Directions:

1. Put the oven on broil. Place the eggplant on a tray, after puncturing it several times with a fork.
2. Broil it for 6-7 minutes on a side, turning it three times.
3. Let it cool and then skin it. Either put the pulp in a container and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it, or put it into a food processor.
4. Add the rest of ingredients and blend it well.
5. Refrigerate it until ready to serve. Can be prepared at least a couple of days in advance. Lasts well.

I serve this with both cut up vegetables and crackers. I really like that dash or two of cumin.