Lifestyle Archives - Page 9 of 15

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (P.C.O.S)

September 9, 2020

The gynecologist told me that my ovaries had developed numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) that failed to regularly release eggs

Said if I paid 100 dollars he would give a wonder regimen that would make the endless bloody bouts cease

I would comfortably count my safe days and know when exactly I would see the red moon reappear within 28 – 30 days

Said my head would not fly away in endless worry

The Nutritionist said all I had to do is make a change in my diet

Said if I could switch much of the red meat for green leafy vegetables and fruits, kicked out fats from my plate, this would improve my body’s use of insulin

My hormones would return in check within no time and I would have less wings to stick every month

The psychotherapist told me my heart was heavy

The trauma it carried from failed attempts in this journey was great

Invited me to her couch and we had endless talks about my past and how I felt in time

Promised me that all I needed to do was talk about and all would be okay

The pharmacist said Clomiphene, Letrozole, Glucophage, Gonadotropins

The doctor said fluvoxamine would mute the pain

The pain and shame said do not write this article

Everyone is so busy dealing with bigger issues to deal with your trivial issues

Faith can be seen. Faith is defined as believing in God… | by Christopher Toh | The Alternativists archive | Medium

But the faith in a God bigger than me told me you can write this article

Typing Troubles: How to Avoid Wrist Pain – Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

My hands trembled on the computer as I typed

The chandelier of my insecurities fell and cut deep through my soul

My eyeballs rolled and turned red as the veins in my head bulged to allow more blood flow

The tomorrow that has come and gone

And it has not gotten better

Much has been done but nothing has worked yet

But when I thought I hit bottom, it started hitting back

There is no bruise like the bruise of thinking this will be your story for-ever

But over the years I have learned to live with something many may never understand

Never even know it exists

I have learnt to believe in slimmest of hope

Learnt to be happy even when it does not seem worth it

Learnt to love and put myself aside for another

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a part of my story but NOT my story

Maybe it happens for the lessons I may have never learnt if this was not part of my story.

If you are out there and you see no reason and lesson in what you are going through, put that pain aside and search within you. That pain is NOT your story but it is a part of your story.

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Lifestyle

Career Guidance

September 3, 2020

Many times where I come from, we talk about mentor-ship mostly when we are in the job world but rarely at the time when we are shaping these careers. I am sure you are wondering where I am going with this, but stay with me here.

Here in Uganda our academic curriculum is painted with so many subjects that one as a student has to do whether they will use them in future or not. These subjects become less as one advances in their studies and by the time one is sitting their final examinations at college they have only about 4 subjects. To this day I have not put the knowledge of the 1900 Buganda Agreement I did in History or Pythagoras theorem to use but I had to do them at a point.

As we choose out the course to do at University, more than often does someone find a mentor to guide them on which course to do after all this directly determines the career path one takes on. At the end of the day you find frustrated engineers, doctors, teachers who either chose the profession because of peer pressure, parent’s choice and so many other factors you know that made you choose what you are doing that you do not enjoy. I was lucky to have a mentor at the time I was entering the university but never the less it was not a walk over especially because my choice did not match with that of my sponsor.

This is how I ended up being the nutritionist I am today, a profession I pride in.

Sitting across my mother who was not happy about the fact that I had chosen to do nutrition instead of medicine, I could not help to see the disappointment in her eyes. You see I have always loved science right from primary school and everyone around me knew how much I loved it and also performed at it. Each time we were asked about career choices in our play dates, I always said doctor because that is the only career I knew that was for people who loved and did sciences. While in college, I still did a science combination; Physics, Biology, Chemistry together with Food and Nutrition (PCB/FN). Draining is an understatement when it came to what this course was for me, so when I was done with my A’ level I needed to breathe. My results came back and my best done subjects were Biology as well as Food and Nutrition, followed by Chemistry and Physics. Unfortunately my points could not take me on government sponsorship for medicine although I could get in on private sponsorship.

Now remember me craving for a ‘breather’?, I was not mentally prepared for 5 years in medical school. This led me to seek out for a mentor to make the right university course as I applied. Mr Rwapwani Apuuli, a very educated man working in Environmental sciences in Mulago at that time is where I found myself. In company of a friend, I explained to him my love for science and health but also the fact that I was not mentally ready for 5 years in medical school. (I am yet to think critically whether it was the years or the course in itself).

He understood me and I remember him looking at me and saying, you do not have to only do medicine to be the health sector. At the end of the day we ended up choosing a Bachelors’ degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics that I applied for and was given in both Makerere University and Kyambogo University. (The reason I (we) chose Kyambogo over Makerere University will be a story for another day)

The only problem with the course I finally settled for in as much I appreciated and understood it is that my mother could not understand why anyone would choose not to do the most acclaimed career in the world. She saw ‘Dr Lutgard’ slip through her hands for a course that would only land her in kitchen (so at least she thought). Despite her constant persuade for me to change my mind, I did not barge and had made up my mind although she still had an upper hand since she would be the one sponsoring the course.

This ‘fight’ led us to a clan meeting for them to decide whether I would go through with the course or not. Tears were shed, tempers hit the roof but at the end of the day, it took a professor in Nutrition who was sitting at the UNICEF headquarters here in Kampala, George street to convince my mother that the career path I was taking was right. Having understood, she gladly funded my course and I did a course that I loved and appreciated and at the end of the day was able to graduate with a class honors degree.

Hadn’t it been for the career guidance I received, I would not be the nutritionist I am today. How many young people are out there doing something just for public acceptance or because it is the family career and you cannot be the one going the opposite direction. At the end of the day the recipients of the service are the ones to suffer.

Let us normalise mentorship right from when our children begin school. If only we could identify their strength and interests and bring them in spaces that will enhance this, we shall have better career choices made and a better world to live in at the end of the day.

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Lifestyle

You are dearly missed

May 25, 2020

Dear Henry

Today marks the 365th since you changed residence. You went to that other world rather faster than we ever anticipated; And the way you went was rather one that was undesired, but I will not dwell so much on that. You see, you left at a time when we thought (of course according to our human understanding) was too early or should I call it premature. You were at the peak of your career with humongous dreams and plans. Your daughter was barely understanding what was going on, basically we were taken by surprise. And given the fact that you went to a place where no one goes and comes back or gives account of what it is like, you will forgive the pain we all endured when you left. We love to call it a loss.

Since I will not get a report from you, me I will tell what is happening lately because I believe you will read it somehow from your world. You will not believe it if I told that the whole world is under siege. No, not physical war but something close to that. Some flu like aliment came from no where, okay we are told it came from China and in less that 3 months, spread to the whole world. I kid you not! It spread like a wild fire and every government asked it’s people to hide in houses, although we had the hard core ones like Tanzania and Burundi that refused and life went on as usual. Planes were not allowed to fly anymore, cars were parked and people were told to stay indoors. They gave it a fancy name though; LOCK DOWN. We were told to wash hands like crazy as a preventative measure and to keep away from people. Trust me, funny as it may sound, people died and are still dieing in hundreds as this so called virus, Corona Virus as it was named, takes ones’ respiratory system hostage and if one is not strong enough it claims their lives. Well this is the biggest happening lately and now wearing face masks is our new normal. Churches, bars, schools are still closed and only God knows when they will open. Or maybe you have a clue since you are in his front yard.

Apart from that the usual is happening, we are growing up like crazy, people giving birth left right and center as well as getting married. Yes! ‘Mada’ got married recently shortly after ‘ka-Liz’. ‘Baby Gloria’ too is in the pipeline and for Phillip…….well, that is a story for another day. Life keeps pouncing on me in varied ways. Some days are really good, others are normal and others are terrible. There things that happen and I just want to call you ‘onvume ebinyo‘ but then I remember that in your new world there are no phone towers and I settle. It has been a long while since I saw Abigail but I know she is in safe hands with the best care and certainly all grown up. Life without you will never be the same but we have adopted because I know that is what you would have wanted.

Today we shall be plucking flower petals in form of prayers and through the intercession of our dear Mother Mary, we shall be praying for you and thanking God for the life that you lived and shared with us. You are greatly missed and forever loved my dear Muyo……….Until that day when we meet and teeth again, we will be praying for you.

Enjoy your new citizenship my dear friend.

https://lutgardmusiime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PhotoGrid_Video_1590434332764.mp4

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Lifestyle

This makes me really happy

May 9, 2020

For the first time I will open up about a time that was really dark in my life, a few years ago. It was about the time I was beginning to taste the waters of work life. Given that I had become independent in my year two at university, I had bills to pay so work for me was not for trying out but it was needed. The person I was working for (God bless him) was not the best of payers. We struggled to be paid and it was very frustrating and before we knew it he was temporarily put out of business which meant that I was out of work for an indefinite period. During this time, my mother was really sick adding to the frustration I already had. I would barely get what to eat and I did not mind as long as I got money to pay my landlord. I would cry myself to sleep not knowing how tomorrow would be. Neither my family nor friends knew and somehow I managed not to isolate myself. So the time I would walk out of my house, I would lock my sorrow in there, wear a big smile only to pick it up on my return. Did I mention I had been brutally betrayed by this time so basically I was moving in a dark allay. I prayed or thought I was praying but complained a lot. One day as I drenched my pillow with tears, I felt something say to me, for how long are you going to keep like this? (I believe it was God speaking to me). If you cry and lay here what is going to change? The voice continued. And as if scales were falling from my eyes, I saw how ‘foolish’ I was. From that moment I decided to be intentionally happy despite what is going in my life at that moment and find a solution instead on burying my head in the sand. Not pretend to be happy but to be genuine to myself. So rarely will you find me not happy. That being said, here are the things that make me genuinely happy.

Serving

I serve in ministry at church and as a leader in different groups I am a part of. I sing with the Blessed Women of Faith and Christ the King worship team. This fulfills me in ways I cannot exhaust or put in words. The praise and worship ministry in all churches I believe is one of the most demanding ministries. One has to put off time to continuously rehearse the songs to be sung as well as minister time and again. not only that but your personal life is put in a spot where you get to be judged very easily. I love everything that comes with it regardless.

When it comes to leadership, I love to organise things all the time and this comes with the role. Many times it is thorny but very rewarding. When an event is pulled off or a particular assignment under my leadership, nothing makes me happier. I love to serve as a leader.

Food

I bet you did not think that I would forget this one. It is very funny that my food choices are very limited yet still food will make me happy. First and foremost, I don’t like most of the common food options we have including, wheat based products, pastas, posho, maize, cassava to mention but a few. This leaves just a few choices for me to eat, porridge being a constant. But the few ones left bring me a lot of joy and I am one the people who gets really excited while I cook a particular food that I am going to eat. Food really makes me happy.

Taking pictures

I probably tell myself how good I look more than anyone will ever do. I love to take pictures of myself, make funny faces as I laugh at my madness and then scroll through the pictures. A camera makes me happy. I am not very confident to keep asking people to take pictures of me but I have mastered how to make use of my Samsung self timers and one will think I have a personal photographer on the go.

Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do

Children

From the time I was little I have been attracted to young children especially those who are 3 years and below. I love to be with children, feed them, play and dance with them and thankfully my career deals a lot with children. I do not know why I have ‘sleeping’ hands though but for children who are little, once I hold them, for some reason they fall asleep. But anyhow, I love children. They make me so happy.

Travelling

The thing I love the most about travelling is most probably the packing process and the voyage in itself. I love to see different places as we drive. It is always fun when the music blares in the car as different bites and conversations brewing laughter keep making rounds. Seeing people slide off their seats as they dose also makes the journeys a lot more fun and finally the pictures taken in the middle of the roads. I love to travel

Family and friends

Finally nothing beats it for me like being in the company of family and very good true friends. Whatever it is that is being done, even just laying on a mat makes my heart glow. It is so heart warming to know that you have people in your corner. These people will make me happy any day any time.

As we complete this challenge I cannot believe they have been 21 days already. I did not add that writing makes me happy because it should be very evident by now. For everyone who has been glued to my website with some personally reaching me when I delay to put out a piece, I am indented to you. To my friend Ms. Murriel Atai Aloka who pushed me to join this challenge, there is no way I cannot thank you. These are the people who keep cheering us on day in and day out. Finally to everyone out there blessed with a writing muscle thank you for exercising it, not forgetting the Uganda Blogging Community that gave us this opportunity.

Please do not stop supporting young talent and I for one, I welcome all kinds of constructive criticism and be tuned on here for more amazing pieces of information especially for nutrition. After this we are doing a food cultural tour and we are going to see the different foods we have in our cultures and the interesting stories that surround their preparation and significance.

Again, thank you so much.

3

Lifestyle

Childhood memories

May 7, 2020

In my language we have a saying that reads; “etansiima ebura agiha” which loosely translates as a non grateful person will not be shown gratitude also. I cannot believe that I have managed to write every single day for the last 20 days. Call it being stretched beyond, thanks to the Uganda Blogging Community. This experience has tossed me into merry waters and muddy ones too. I have had to uncomfortably strip myself sometimes and open up to the world through the varied topics that were carefully chosen I suppose. This has indeed put an indelible mark on my skill and growing passion and I will always look back to this experience. I have met amazing talent and joined a community that under normal circumstances would never have happened. Away from that let us go into today’s challenge.

Matthew 18: 1-4; At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ²And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

I have chosen to begin with this verse because of the way Jesus talks to his disciples about entering heaven in relation to a child. Being a child is very interesting and I believe it is the purest any human can and will ever be. They will not hold a grudge, will love and trust recklessly and truly, will do everything they are told (in most cases) therefore I can try to see and understand why God chose to use a child when He was asked about who is the greatest. Throughout this #UgBlogMonth challenge I have given away my childhood self a lot here and there but it seems my childhood story bank is bottomless and the stories keep coming. Today the story I give is one that I laugh at too, like it were not me who featured.

There is a particular old lady, a friend to my mother whose name I have no clue but we have forever called her ‘mukyara Poster master’ (she was the wife to the mail man and that is what she was referred to in my language). Each time she came home or to our shop, she would scream these words as she looked at me and laughed; Yowe tinyija kugyayo” In a language you all understand it will read, ‘Me I will not go there’. Apparently, when I was started going to school, it is not an idea that I really welcomed. I guess because it involved me waking up early from my sweet sleep. (Oh! How I love my sleep.) So every morning, I cried from the time I was taken out of bed, to eating my breakfast and all the way to school, which was not far off, chanting those words that the lady still screams to this day when she sees me. Mum tells me that our neighbourhood knew there was a child called Lut (that is what I am called at home) who was a cry baby but many could not put a face to the name.

Now the first week of school was spent in the headmaster’s office who happened to be a family friend because I did not like the idea of being in the classroom. With my thumb in my mouth I would head straight to the headmaster’s office who would give me a seat and a sweet to entertain me. Then at 1pm, I would be picked and taken back home. How ridiculous can we be!!!! This went on and I guess I must have felt like royalty until one of my teachers, Ms. Namuwonge got to know about this outrageous habit. I am told she bust into the headmaster’s office and asked to understand what business I had in the headmaster’s office when other children were in class. As I threw a tantrum in protest, she pulled me by my belly muscle back into class. That way she saved my sorry a** from being a school dropout at the age of 4 years.

Having settled in class, my naughty self did not completely go to rest. By that time we had a non teaching staff member who happened to share a name with my elder brother. Someday as we were about our business, playing most likely, I had someone call for Edward. In my head, there was only one Edward in this world who happened to be my brother. I run to him to meet him only to find an unfamiliar figure. I cried my eyes out until I was taken home. That day, my classes were cut short because of mistaken identity.

My childhood memories will not end but maybe next time I will tell how I sucked my thumb and it shrinked to the size of my pinky finger. This was a habit that was done while caressing my protruding belly button. Now imagine what would happen when I was wearing a dress. Story for another day.

Thank you for reading.

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