Mincemeat Tartlets, Pt. 2

You may remember the previous post and video about mincemeat. It was two weeks ago and a lot has happened since. I sort of went over the most major thing in the very brief post last week. And I know I mention it in the video.

The month of December has not been kind. It started with me in intense intestinal pain of unknown cause (i.e., it was not gas because it was the same spot all the time; gas moves), then progressed to a muscle spasm in my left shoulder that lasted for about 7-10 days–then came back with a vengeance on December 18, which is the day I found out my Dad was in hospital with Covid-related pneumonia and not doing well. Cameraman Ken’s eldest son, youngest son, and youngest son’s girlfriend (responsibly) came to visit us that weekend and I spent most of it drugged and in bed. Monday morning, I noticed my skin was somewhat jaundiced, but my endocrinologist didn’t, so I thought maybe it was just me. By Wednesday, my eyes were definitely showing jaundice and I decided to go to Urgent Care–who then sent me to the ER for a liver work-up.

That’s 9 hours that will not return to me and a firm decision I will not go to an ER unless I am bleeding out, having a heart attack, or have a broken bone. 

Everyone keeps insisting I must have severe liver damage, yet the only thing I presented with was jaundice (obviously, my liver enzymes were high). I had no pain, no chills, no fever, nothing. Just a sickly yellow tinge to my being.

When you have nothing else to do for 9 hours, you start thinking things like, “I can’t be an anomaly, here. This has had to have happened to someone else before…” So, I decided to see what else could be a problem, just in case it was something I thought I should mention to a doctor.

Y’all, when you’re in intense pain that makes you nauseated for 3 weeks straight, you don’t eat food; you don’t drink a lot of anything. Nothing stays down and/or you’re asleep. Do you know what happens when you barely drink 8oz of water a day for 3 weeks?

Your liver goes bonkers because you’re severely dehydrated.

I’m back to a normal shade of pale and feel fantastic. Plus, a friend of mine gifted me a weighted blanket. I have not slept so well in a very long time. I’m still dealing with my normal fatigue, but it is nothing like before. Which means I was able to finish the mincemeat tartlets for you! Hooray!

Obviously, this video isn’t all that long. There’s not much to making the shells. It’s a bit frustrating, but we got it worked out. They are absolutely delicious and worth the effort. I hope you enjoy them!

In new news, I’ve managed to hit my target weight (which is what happens when you don’t eat or drink much for 3 weeks straight) and am beginning to transition from a strict keto diet into a Mediterranean diet lifestyle. There will be more posts and such in the future on this diet, but there’s going to be a lot more veggies, incorporating fresh fruits, and eating things like lentils and fish and chicken a lot more than beef (which, I sort of already do). Stay tuned for more!

As January approaches, we’ll be gearing up for Imbolc, February 1-2. Get ready! The Spring is coming fast!