two steps forward, one giant leap back

I was doing so well, I thought. Refried beans seemed to be fine in small amounts. The poached egg I tried two days ago had no negative ramifications. Even the small sampling of dry catfish I indulged in yesterday seemed to go smoothly enough; it did not stay in me for long. Last night I took it a step further and tried some chicken broth. Real chicken broth. From a carcass. Why did I think this was a good idea? Because after straining out what I considered to be all but the most benign coagulation of fats, broth seemed quite safe.

To my chagrin, a single cup of soup took less than 45 minutes to assault me with the most violent nausea I've had since beginning prednisone (3 weeks ago). Of course, we had guests over for dinner, so I was given the opportunity to demonstrate just how good of an actress I am. Apparently, I pulled it off.

This was not the usual nausea that began in May and for which I have been taking promethazine since. I think I'm recognizing a culprit, now. What happened last night was a very prominent type of heartburn. The type that sits too lightly in the stomach and wafts upward to petrify the esophagus. The kind that means hours of bile and dry heaving.

My suspicion is that the fats in the chicken broth were the final straw; my body had put up with beans, an egg and a bit of fish this week, and this was my portent.

I held out for three hours chatting and playing board games, trying to calm the frozen fire in my throat and bubbling bile in my stomach with hot tea. Not more than four seconds after people dispersed for the evening, I retreated to the bed to attempt to calm the swell with breathing, dark and quiet. I have never needed to take more than one dose of promethazine per episode, but last night begged it. This is one drug, however, that you do not fuss with; there is a reason the dose is rationed to one every 3-4 hours, and for fear of further upsetting my insides I settled with one pill... but god, how I wanted something to knock me out cold.

Today, it's back to rice noodles.

This is the longest that prednisone has ever taken to work its magic. I'm tired, I'm moon-faced and I have three important interviews next week.