Yesterday I went to see my specialist at the hospital. I told her for the first time since I got here I was actually getting some sleep. I am taking a ton of medication and go through three phases of sleep to get maybe 7 hours if I am lucky. That is a huge improvement from zero hours of sleep and losing my shit and seriously considering going to the ER, asking them to stick something in my arm that would help me lose consciousness. I was that bad. No joke.
So what did I do to celebrate? Yes, that is right! I got a Tim Hortons’ Iced Capp. I was so wanting to celebrate that I stopped by the Timmies at the hospital for my favourite treat from them. I even did my first animated gif of it!
MAY 20, 2017
You may think I do this all the time but it is not true. I usually allow one Iced Capp a summer. While in Vancouver I would usually go to their Broadway location after going for a little shop at Michaels, my two favourite things on one day. I have never had problems with it before. I figured it was made with a coffee syrup like a certain competitor…
I WAS WRONG!!!
The last time I accidentally had caffeine I almost ended up in the hospital. I got this serious chest pain and almost passed out on the walk home. I came so close to flagging a taxi but I could not lift my arms. I could not breathe. It was terrifying. I promised myself I would never let that happen again. Oh how soon this foodie forgets…
Oh I was so happy just to be outside!!!
The fact that I did not crash into a sugar coma when I got home should have been the first sign there was something wrong. I had walked all the way to the doctor and back in my mega boot. I have started physio and my ankle is starting to improve! My physiotherapist projects two months for my basic mobility to return. This made me so happy.
But that Iced Capp night I fell into a horrible dizzy spell. Fighting passing out I thought, what the hell? Is my vertigo back? God no!!!
Instead of freaking out I thought to myself, what was different today? The heat? The walk? OMG… the Iced Capp!
I could not find intel on their site about caffeine, just nutritional information. A friend on FB sent me this screen capture from their app: 90 mg of caffeine! Holy crap!
Sure enough, I only got maybe three hours of sleep last night with all those mega meds and feel like I am back to square one. Clearly I am no longer caffeine sensitive, it is more like an allergy. I am just grateful I got home OK and had no chest pains this time.
It is funny, people are so sensitive about things like making sure you do not have too much sugar, fat… Yet caffeine is an actual DRUG and everyone is addicted to it but for some reason that is OK. Hold the gluten but give me an extra large strong coffee!
I spent the last week in a basement hiding from the heat. All I wanted was a treat to celebrate a step forward in my life.
I love you Iced Capp but I am sorry. It is over.
Good thing you found this out! Live and learn, eh?
Yes, it’s true! And I just read an article about how hard caffeine is on the heart and I had heart problems all last year. Thankfully the cardiologist said there was no permanent damage. Still, a big wake up call for me!
No caffeine for me. One, I don’t need the extra energy, I come booted with my own energy-pack and two, it’s crap on my immune system.
Sorry you have to say goodbye to something you love but also, here’s to finding new things that you love.
You are so lucky to have energy Ivy, I have zero and was wondering why I felt so zippy. Damn it!
Yes, I will try and find something decadent without caffeine. Thankfully caffeine in chocolate is still OK.
For me, I have to be careful with chocolate. It will give me the twitches as will teas. There is one chocolate that I make my own stuff from that doesn’t cause my eyelids to twitch. So I have to stick with that. Absolutely, no chocolate out for me.
Back when I was my sickest. I had no energy. It SUCKED BALLS. I was lucky to be awake for eight hours in one day. Oh my gosh, what a horrible mess my immune system was back then.
Twitches? OK, that’s no good Ivy! Wow, you make your own chocolate? I am so glad you are doing so much better now. You are amazing and a powerhouse of awesomeness my friend!