Being Thankful

It's Thanksgiving time! A time to be thankful and a time to eat. :) This year I've realized that I'm thankful for 3 unusual things:

1. I'm thankful to have PKU
2. I'm thankful for pain
3. I'm thankful for troubles in my life

Let me explain.

• I'm thankful for PKU because it's a big part of who I am. Without it I don't know who I'd be. I can't even imagine what I'd be like. Would I still be fit or would I be anorexic or even overweight? Would I take as much care as I do with my food or would I eat whatever? I think that the reason I have PKU is for my own health.
  
• I'm thankful for Pain because it is a necessary thing. Pain tells you when your body is hurting and when you need to stop. There are people who have to be very careful because they can't feel pain. They wear helmets everywhere. Pain warns you and they don't get that warning. So it's dangerous.
• I'm thankful for the troubles I have in my life. They could be worse, I know that. I also know and see that I learn and I grow from my troubles. Once it's over I am a better person. And that experience? Fades away like in nightmare in the morning.
  

I know they are odd things to be thankful for, but I am. What are you thankful for? What are some of your thanksgiving traditions?

With a few changes a lot of Thanksgiving foods can become PKU. (Though I'm still waiting on a PKU turkey) Mashed Potatoes can be made with water instead of milk, green bean casserole can also be made without milk. Then there are lots of PKU rolls you can make. Olives are big at Thanksgiving in my family. Fruit salad, and green salad are good dishes. Then there are the pies. Fruit pies are good. :) (if you want to make them lower in PHE you can use a graham cracker crust)

It's easy to fill up your plate on Thanksgiving. Even with PKU!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

A Time to Eat

You know your life is crazy when you don't have time to eat. You're too busy but you know it's important to eat because if you don't you won't have enough energy to finish all you need to do. But there still isn't time. And when there is time you're too tired to make anything. That's how it is for me right now. It's crazy on it's own. But when you have PKU? That makes it even more important to eat.

It's not just that we have to not eat high in protein foods. We have to eat the right AMOUNT of phenylalanine. Too little is as bad as too much.

When you have PKU you have to make SURE you eat all your PHE (phenylalanine) for the day. At my house that's what saltine crackers are for. One saltine cracker is roughly 1 equivalent. So I figure out how much PHE I've had today and how much I need to be in my goal. Then I have that many crackers.

Let me tell you now, lately those crackers have been a lifesaver. Because I really am busy. Too busy to eat, too tired to cook. I survive on crackers and formula. :)