As I Am

1:02:47 PM EDT

Orange Chiffon Cheesecake

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
8 tablespoons light margarine, melted
3 packets Equal sweetener
1 cup orange juice
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) unflavored gelatin
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
12 packets Equal sweetener
2 cups light whipped topping
2 medium oranges, peeled, seeded and chopped Oranges (optional)

Spray 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs, margarine and 3 packets Equal sweetener. Pat mixture evenly on bottom and halfway up side of pan. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool.  Pour orange juice into small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice and let soften 1 minute. Heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin dissolves, about 3 minutes. Blend cream cheese and ricotta cheese in large bowl until smooth; stir in 12 packets Equal sweetener. Add gelatin mixture to cheese mixture; blend until smooth.
Fold whipped topping into cheese mixture. Stir in chopped oranges. Spoon into prepared crust and spread evenly.
Chill 6 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan; place cheesecake on serving plate. Garnish with orange sections, if desired.
Makes 16 servings.
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Milk, 1 Bread, 2 Fat

Sugar Free Recipes

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2:00:19 PM EDT

I was going to make a copy of the sugar free recipes in my Down Home journal and update there.

Stupid me realized that copying them to there will still take everyone here.

So occasionally I will add a new recipe here and the link in Down Home will still take them here and you all will still have more recipes.

Got all that? Me either. Just trust me. My head is about to explode so i am going to go play now.

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1:37:08 PM EDT

Hello friends. I know it's been a long time. A lot has happened.

I had my surgery. It went well. The bracket is in the front of my neck. They cut me on the left side of my throat. I have eight screws. I thought four but i was seeing a sideways view of the X-Ray.

My healing time is double that of a normal person. I am on my way. Still sore and stuff but, I am getting better.

I have decided that I am unable to continue with this journal. I have cried about it, prayed about it and I just cannot physically or mentally do it.

 Now, I will not delete it so don't worry. I have spoken to John & Krissy and they want to continue with it. I think they are perfect to carry on. It will take some time. They are going through a lot.

Maybe occasionally I will drop in, but my time online is short and I am just playing around. I have my other two journals which I play with. But they don't deal with health. They are just fun.

I am sadden by this. I feel in a way I am letting you all down. But, I must work on me now and it wouldn't be right for me to try to continue with this the way I am. I wouldn't be able to put my whole heart into it like I did and you all deserve the best I can give. I am just not able anymore.

So, just keep this on alerts and in time, someone will keep this going. But I am still here. You can still email me and if you need help, I will be happy to do all I can.

Friends Helping Friends Is open to everyone. Anyone can write in it. The sugar free recipes will be here but I will also add it to my journal Down Home. There is where I will update it.

I also have my Links Archive where I add all the links I find. There are plenty of games to play and just a site to go to when you are bored.

So, just hang in there. As I Am will continue. Just with new wonderful people and maybe a drop in from me every now and then. I love you all. I do not want to lose contact with any of you. Email me anytime. To just say hello or to ask for help. I will be here for you. As you have been here for me.

God bless you all.

Be well.

 

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6:28:18 AM EDT

Hello friends. Something has happened and I will be out of it for awhile.

My monitor never got sent away. Before my sister could, I had to go to the hospital. I took a turn for the worse and the doc said I needed surgery now. So Last Wednesday, we got a hotel room in Asheville and Thursday morning they fixed me.

The surgery went well, They did a fusion to C-5, C-6, C7 in my neck. The hardware is in the middle of my neck, and they cut me on the left front of my neck.

I can't sit up long without a neck rest and my wheelchair doesn't have one. I am having severe pain in my left shoulder and neck. Hard to sleep because of the soft neck brace and the pain.

On the pain scale, it is about a 7 during the day. At night it is a 12. I have never had pain like this. If it doesn't get better I will call him. I see him next week.

I come on line in the mornings, early, and check email and go back to bed. I sit up in bed. The pain is getting me up around 4:00.

I will let you all know how things go. I am hoping I can start to sit up more soon.

My monitor may be sent back Saturday. Not sure. I have a killer sore throat so I can't talk but, it is getting slowly better.

I will be back as soon as I can. In a way I am glad it happened like this. Now no dreading it. It is done.

See ya soon!

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4:48:51 PM EST

Orange Cream Cheese Glaze

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 to 1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon Equal® Measure™ or 3 packets Equal® sweetener or 2 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful™
Skim milk

Mix cream cheese, orange extract, Equal® and enough milk to make medium glaze consistency.
Makes about 1/2 cup

Sugar Free Recipes

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11:58:01 AM EST

Pears With Creamy Chocolate Sauce

Delectable on pears, this creamy sauce is wonderful on cakes and frozen desserts.

1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 can (28 oz) no sugar added pear halves in fruit juice
2 tbsp cocoa
1 can 2% evaporated milk
3 tbsp Equal Spoonful

In small saucepan, melt butter; whisk in flour; cool 1 minute. Drain pears reserving 1/3 cup liquid; set pear halves aside. Whisk cocoa into reserved liquid; add to flour mixture in saucepan. Stir in evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in Equal. Divide pear halves on serving plates; drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.
Makes 8 servings.

Sugar Free Recipes

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10:18:20 AM EST

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

1 1/2 cups apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup Prune Puree (recipe follows)
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cornmeal
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
2 cups frozen blueberries, unthawed (divided)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat 18, 2 3/4-inch muffin tin cups with vegetable cooking spray. In mixer bowl, combine concentrate, puree, buttermilk and eggs, beat thoroughly.

Sift together flour, soda and salt; add to wet ingredients with cornmeal and lemon peel; mix just until blended. Gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin cups, dividing equally. Top each muffin with a few of the remaining blueberries. Bake about 20 minutes or until pick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool on rack.

Makes 18 muffins.

*Nutritional Information Per Serving: 150 calories, 4g protein, 1.5g fat, 2g fiber, 30g carbohydrate, 40mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium.

Prune Puree
2 2/3 cups (1 pound) pitted prunes
3/4 cup hot water

Combine prunes and water in container of food processor. Process about 1 minute until pureed. Puree may be covered and refrigerated up to 2 months.

Sugar Free Recipes

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12:02:02 PM EST Almond Granola Bars

Yield: 16 Servings

1 1/2 c Rolled oats
1/4 c Oat bran
1/4 c Finely chopped almonds
1/2 ts Ground cinnamon
2 tb Vegetable oil plus
1 ts Vegetable oil
1/3 c Honey or Fruitjuice Concentrate
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1/4 ts Almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and add to dry mixture. Mix until all ingredients are moistened.
Press mixture into a rectangular shape 7 inches wide and nine inches long. (Wet hands or use one hand and a damp spoon.)
Bake about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into 16 bars using a sharp knife. Separate bars slightly and return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes more. The browner the bottom of the bars, the crisper they will be when cool.
The edges will crumble slightly when cut - set aside for a snack. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Sugar Free Recipes

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2:07:37 PM EST This is a wonderful new journal. It is a place you can go if you know someone who needs support or kind words. You can write in it yourself! Go and check it out. Call For Support will make a wonderful addition to J-Land. I have put the link in the About me section.

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4:22:53 PM EST

Well, my surgery is May 14. We decided that I would do better if the weather is warmer and my mom has some appointments in between so we want to get those out of the way.

It is going to be a family affair, LOL. Two aunts are going as well. Partly to help me and help mom and part to have a good time!

I have family who are coming to take care of my cats for me every day so I am happy about that.

So, I will let you know more when I do. I have to see him and my GP several times so I will update as I know.

I hope that after this I can get back to my normal routine here. I will be back here before May, I promise. I am sorry I stopped writing here. He and my GP wants me to relax and try to stay away from anything that causes tension. No, you guys don't cause me tension! You are great! But writing about the illness and stuff can be stressful. Especially when I know people that are suffering from them. I research so I learn more than I really want to know about them. No one should have to know about them.

My doc knows about this journal and she said to lay it aside for awhile until after the surgery. Tension causes pain where the bulging disks and bone spurs are. That causes the compressed nerve to become more compressed and my arm goes numb and pain goes through the roof.

So, I am playing and doing nothing stressful! Do you know how hard it is to not be stressful? Life is filled with it! But I do try. So, y'all have fun too and remember, I am still here. If you need help, I will help. It won't hurt me I promise. If you are new, email me and I will hook you up with someone to talk to or will help with information on any illness you have. I have people helping me so don't be afraid to email me! I mean it! I am always here for you, just like you are always here for me.

God bless.

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