…Donuts Helped
I’m back! I took a few days off of blogging because I do this for fun, but I’d felt a bit overwhelmed this past week. I was stressed and feeling anxiety about my LEEP procedure on Friday, but turns out, it was a piece of cake (followed by real post-surgery sugaryness).
Here are my thoughts on the experience and a photo recap of the weekend.
I had some great food this past week, which shouldn’t surprise you. Nick and I (mostly Nick) made these broccoli fritters with that yogurt/garlic/lemon sauce that I love. They were so yummy and great leftover in lunches.
We got our assortment of Joy Wine & Spirits‘ wine club picks! Perfect for post-work(out) de-stressing (not distressing!).
Nick and I both took Friday off from work because my surgery was scheduled for noon. Thursday night, he had a work function and I went to dinner with my editor and her husband at Annette in the Stanley Marketplace. It was delicious and such a great way to unwind and get my mind off of the next day’s “festivities.” I might write a whole post on that restaurant experience! But for now you get to see these “peas and carrots” above.
Friday morning, the man concocted this lovely breakfast for me! Thankfully I didn’t have to fast. A spinach and mushroom scramble topped with tomatoes and avocados? Yes, please. Also: toast with butter, of course. (Has anyone tried Whole Foods’ Seeduction loaf? That stuff is outstanding.)
Here we are awaiting the dreaded “We’re ready for you!” call. Nick is such a nurturer. Have I mentioned that I love this man? No? Yeah, well I do.
Here he’s stifling laughter as I got to experience anxiety meds and serious painkillers for the first time. Enter, the high eyes:
It’s important to have freshly painted toes before a procedure of such personal proportions.
Okay so my actual thoughts on the LEEP process: LEEP is basically having pre-cancerous cells cut off of your cervix, an incredibly sensitive area—and subject, since it’s usually caused by HPV—and there is no way to make any of that sound pleasant. But I will tell you this: it was a tiny, itty-bitty fraction of what I’d prepared myself for.
I am the most squeamish and medically anxious person I know, so the anticipation was the worst torture of all. During the weeks leading up to the procedure, I wanted to talk to as many people as possible who’d endured it before. One mentioned that her doctor prescribed her an anxiety pill for the morning of, and that it really helped. I’m so glad I brought this up to my doctor, who also prescribed me a pill that I took about 30 minutes prior to the surgery. (DO THIS.)
I was so at ease that, when they asked me if a med student could observe the procedure, I literally said, “F&*$ it, why not.” Mild embarrassment aside, I’m quite proud of myself (seeing as the last two exams they asked the same question and I vetoed it within seconds). The nurse just chuckled at me.
The procedure itself took 10 minutes, and afterward, I was free to go with Nick to the land of sugary surgery rewards: Voodoo Donuts. I’d never been there before, but ’twas the time to try them in large quantities.
We got donuts covered in Oreos, and donuts filled with Bavarian cream, and old-fashioned glazed donuts. No holds barred.
Hello, beautiful!
Nick had been coming down with a small cold at this same time, so lying in bed eating donuts while watching Netflix was what the doctor ordered, two-fold. I think we fell asleep in a sugar coma shortly after. I don’t even remember. I also barely remember the Cosmo’s pizza we inhaled later that night. Such is life.
Saturday the man went for a 20-mile trail run (which didn’t necessarily help his sickness) while I got a weird burst of energy and cleaned the whole house.
Sunday we were feeling some cabin fever, so we went for a 3.5-mile walk around the neighborhood, admiring loads of gorgeous flowers and a ton of interesting birds about.
Nick did groceries while I napped, and then he rested on the couch while I cooked us some cowboy breakfast. Give and take. 🙂
(That cowboy breakfast was EXTRA good with some adobo chile sauce.)
That evening we went to one of his coworker’s potluck-style parties for a bit, before deciding we needed to come back home and rest in bed. We’re into Hinterland on Netflix and it is amazing… a new replacement for Wallander. Check it out!
I can’t run for a week or two, so I’m just going to take it easy and enjoy some of the extra rest. Unfortunately I don’t think I can do the donuts-and-Cosmo’s thing every day!
How do you reward yourself after a stressful visit to the doctor?
The Real Life 
Lots of well wishes!! Comfort food is healing food after a long day like that!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It really is! The question is: how long can you away with it?? 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope that you get well quicker than soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Already feeling well 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very graciously welcome. Glad that you are already feeling well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sound like you are doing well now, I hope that is true! I am having a colonoscopy on Wednesday, which is really messing with my workout schedule! I have to fast all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Not my first time but always worry about what they might find! Hang in there and feel better soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ugh, fasting is just the worst! I hope there are donuts on your agenda soon after ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad youʻre okay. Donuts should be part of the wellness and healing process, especially Voodoo donuts. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
They definitely help!
LikeLike
Glad you’re okay😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
Gah, I went through a scare like this in college. I never progressed to having the LEEP procedure, but I had 2 colposcopies and LEEP was on the table if I had another irregular Pap. It’s been like 8 years now but I still get nervous every time I go in for a wellness exam. I’m sorry you had to go through this, but glad that it sounds like things went ok. Comfort food is definitely my way of dealing with stress–my favorite is a big old bowl of pasta with butter, salt, and garlic. Yummmm.
LikeLiked by 1 person
All of it is scary and stressful. Glad you haven’t had a scare in 8 years! That gives me some hope I might get a break from the poking and prodding for a while… 🙂
LikeLike
I had my wisdom teeth removed a couple years back and I was sooooooooo stressed out about it. It wasn’t until I was there the next morning, being lead back to my torture chamber, that a nurse(?) who noticed how nervous I was told me they could have prescribed me some anxiety meds.
They should seriously mention that as an option to EVERYONE prior to a procedure. I had no idea it was something I could have asked for.
Unfortunately I couldn’t treat myself with comfort foods after that surgery, but if I could have, it would have been mac and cheese and macaroons!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh you poor thing! I had a wisdom teeth nightmare surgery where I had to come back and have ANOTHER oral surgery to remove a tooth that broke from the pressure against it! Just… the worst. Instead of anxiety meds, I just didn’t eat out of anxiety and then couldn’t eat solid foods for weeks. NOT my ideal situation! Anxiety meds + donuts really made this procedure a lot more bearable. If you ever have something like it, mention meds first thing! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Definitely. Thanks for sharing your experience!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful post, wishing you lots of well wishes. Those fritters look delicious x
LikeLiked by 1 person