11-19-10 Latest Bloodwork and Eggnog Caramel Recipe

The white blood count is holding steady at a normal number, but red count is dropping, leading to more fatigue.  Dr. O expects it to drop a little bit more before getting better.  I am now on a water pill to get rid of extra fluid, and that means I also have to take a potassium pill (they are hu-normous!).  I have some puffiness around my eyes and my vision is a little blurry.

Next I have a consult being set up with an oral doctor to take a look at the lesions on my tongue.

And if I don't perk up soon, Dr. O is considering putting me on Ritalin to give me a jump start.

Yikes.

I was reviewing emails looking for a date, and had the odd realization that I only found out about the leukemia on September 29.  That is less than 2 months ago, and it feels like my life has just been completely taken over!

Oh well.

Not the perkiest of blogs...........

So the good news:  We are headed to Vegas for a lovely jaunt on November 30-December 3.  Yay!  I love Vegas.  We don't gamble, just enjoy the fabulous rooms and shows.  JR is going to play a bunch of golf (i don't have the energy for that yet), we are going to see 2 Cirque de Soliel shows, count em----TWO!!!

JR signed up to join the Cirque club and they sent along a special package offer, not only do we get to see the shows, we also get swag bags and have meet and greets with the performers and back stage passes!  Yipee!

This coincides with the Wynn offering us a huge discount, and upgrading us to the Encore!!!!  One really can't pass things like this up. Even if it means flying again.

We need to pick out a fabulous restaurant to try the famous chef food.  Vegas just gets better and better every year.  I don't think it hurts that that is where we got married.......

I am really looking forward to the trip.  Not much spending money in my pocket (probably about $25), but a lot can be done for very little.  I am planning a trip to the Bellagio to see the museum and take pictures of their flower display and the butterfly garden, and a trip to see the new City Centre and Aria, they must have cool stuff to look at, right?

Last time we were there, the casinos were so bare, you could actually hear the music playing on the casino floors!  There is no one gambling lately.  I just hope enough other gamblers show up to keep the lovely properties open, so I can come and visit and NOT gamble!  Tee Hee.

I made up a batch of my eggnog caramels and this time put this nifty smoked salt on top.  YUMMMMM.  Got such great responses, I thought I would post the recipe here:

Caramel:
2C Sugar
1C Brown Sugar
1 C Butter
2C Eggnog (You must use the real thing--not light)
1C Corn Syrup
1 t vanilla
1 t ground nutmeg

Put the Sugars, Butter, Eggnog and Corn Syrup in a large heavy stock pot.  Bring to a boil and up to 244 degrees, do not go any higher or the consistency will be off.  Take off the heat and stir in the vanilla and the nutmeg.  Pour quickly into a heavily buttered 13 x 9 pan and let cool 8 hours.  Turn out and cut into bitesized pieces.

I then put the smoked salt on each piece and wrap in waxed paper.  I have also dipped the pieces in chocolate and then put the salt on top of that.

Smoked Sweet Salt:
2 T Kosher Salt
2 T Raw Sugar (demerara sugar) 
1 t Liquid Smoke


Place all in a baggie and combine.  Lasts indefinitely.  




Ooops, almost forgot: today's get well card addressed to "Mrs. C. Rachel Maiden-Married, JD, Esq."


Priceless--