Cantaloupe, Fig & Olive Salad

As I was making this salad, a thought occurred to me.

It cost $6.99 for the figs you see in this picture. There's no way the old me would have have dropped that for some figs.

The old me, however, wouldn't have balked at dropping that same amount on a Whopper with cheese, fries, and a Diet Coke. As a matter of fact, I might dine at Burger King one day and Wendy's later in the week. And then I would have dinner out with family or friends.

I wouldn't have spent $6.99 for some fresh, organic Brown Turkey figs because they were too expensive, but I would have easily dropped nearly $30 on fast food meals.

Crazy logic, huh?

After eating the fast food - and I enjoyed the taste of every bite - my stomach would feel heavy and full, yet I'd crave something else...something sweet. How could I possibly fit anything else in? But I could. Then I'd get upset with myself for hiding in a parking lot to eat my meal because I didn't want anyone to see me or say anything to me. Physically and mentally I was doing myself zero favors.

This lunch is a stark difference. After eating this salad, I felt good. No guilt for eating it. No need to eat anything else. No mid-afternoon slump. No need to hide what I was eating. I loved the colors; I loved the way it looked; and it made me feel happy. I also loved the added benefit that had for my body.

• Cantaloupe has one of the highest sources of Vitamin A of any fruit. It's also rich with beta-carotene, potassium, Viatmin C, and B vitamins.
  
• Figs have the highest level of calcium of any fruit, plus they are rich with fiber, potassium, iron, B vitamins, and magnesium.

I like to imagine the nutrients working as band-aids to help heal my body. I'm letting the Lupron do its thing, but I'd like to give it as much support as possible. And it feels good to do something positive for myself.

This salad is very free form. If the idea of olives with fruit scares you, feel free to leave them out. I used Black Beldi Olives - a brine cured olive - that is quite salty. I love the burst of salt with the juicy sweetness of the cantaloupe and fig. The basil adds a bit of bright licorice flavor. If you're not a fan of basil, try rosemary or mint. If you want to be extra decadent, drizzle the slightest bit of honey over the fruit. Delicious!

Local to the Baltimore area? I picked the organic cantaloupe, organic figs, and olives up at MOM's Organic Market in Jessup.

Cantaloupe, Fig & Olive Salad 

1/4 cantaloupe, sliced thinly
3 figs, quartered
4 olives, quartered
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds
2 fresh basil leaves, torn
pinch of black pepper 

On a plate or to go container (like me), lay the thinly sliced cantaloupe down first. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste. Arrange the fig quarters next. Sprinkle the olives, almond slices, and basil leaves on top. 

Eat in freedom and enjoy!

Focusing On The Positives

Nope - not PEACE! Lupron Shot #2

I could feel it starting in my chest and arms. It was like a warm, pulsing wave slowly working its way up to my head. The walls in the studio began to close in on me. I took a couple of deep breaths and told myself to hang tight - the feeling would pass.

But it didn't. The warm wave had turned into the feeling of hot lava flowing upwards into my face.

"Jack, I'm having a hot flash."

He looked at me unsure of what to do with me.

I knew what I needed to do. I needed to find some air, fast. I stood up and peeled my short-sleeve sweater off, leaving it in a heap on my chair. I walked over to both doors on my side of the studio and opened them. It was so much cooler out in the hallway. I checked the temperature in the studio - 75 degrees.

"Jack, I'm dying. I need some air. It's too hot in here. Can we please lower the temp in the studio? Seriously, make it 60 degrees or something. I'm dying here."

He was more than excited to lower the temp in the studio - the colder the better. Every day we argue over the temp and generally settle on 73 degrees. A few degrees to warm for him; a few degrees too chilly for me. I have a feeling we'll be agreeing on the temperature for awhile now.

I flopped into my chair. Jack grabbed a folder and waved it furiously in front of me. The cool air felt wonderful. The fire in my face was finally starting to subside.

"Oh, Jack," I said with dread. "I've become one of those women. I've become a crazy menopausal woman. Oh my gosh. Look at me. I'm turning lights off, slamming doors. I'm one step away from putting my head in the freezer. It's happening to me. It's really happening."

"I just want to stare at you. I mean, I feel kind of rude, but this is really interesting," Jack said with his eyes wide open.

"Keep staring. It's going to get better. I think I'm going to have a crying jag in about 30 minutes. I guarantee it. Just you wait."

Sure enough, about twenty minutes later, I started crying for no reason at all. Literally. Crying. Without a reason. It was pure ridiculousness. A hormonal squall had been unleashed in my body. Good gracious.

For the record, Jack deserves a medal today. If today is an indication of what's ahead of me, it's going to be a long five months as I go through this treatment*. And since Jack is stuck with me for four hours a day, it will be a long five months for him too. Jack was a real trooper and handled my crazed state of being very well.

I'd just like to say that I'm sorry for every time I made fun of a woman in menopause. I don't remember making fun of any women in menopause, because I always knew I'd be there someday, but if I did I'm truly sorry. This is awful. Ridiculous. Yesterday, I received Lupron Shot #2, so I have a feeling that my body is accepting and reacting to the shot. In the mean time, I'm going to try to focus on the positives:

1) I know there is a deadline - in five more months I should be cured of endometriosis (although I recognize there is no "cure" per se, at least this will kill it for the time being), so I just need to hang tight.

2) I have understanding family and friends who will let me have my freak outs and understand that this is temporary.

3) I have a co-worker who knows how to turn a folder into an instant fan. That's a bonus.

4) There's a full fridge/freezer only a few steps from the studio, so if I need to stick my head in there, it's available.

5) ???

What other positives am I missing? Care to add to the list?


--Erin


*I'm currently receiving Lupron shots to treat severe endometriosis. Lupron is a chemotherapy drug used to treat prostate, cervical, and breast cancers and endometriosis. The drug works by removing estrogen that feeds the cancer or endometriosis. Complete estrogen removal is also known as menopause. JOY!