I used to buy whole cakes for myself, then enjoyed the privilege of being an adult—I could buy and eat whatever the fcuk I wanted—as well as the ensuing glucose spikes. Yesterday, I thought about doing it again but didn’t feel up to it; my period pain must be really bad, I’m in fear. I used to consume tons of sugar in various forms such as cakes, pastries, lollies, milk tea, and other junk, never believing it affected my body because if everyone else lining up at new bakery cafes and milk tea venues is fine, shouldn’t I be too?
Have you ever ordered so much food that when the server asks if you’re ready for dessert, you just can’t fit any more into your stomach? It happens every time we go out, and I suspect it’s L’s strategy to prevent me from having any more sugar. Last time, we were at Apollo in Potts Point and as he ordered what seemed like 69,000 dishes, I realized there would be no room for loukoumades. I asked the server to bring the starters, mains, and loukoumades all at once. She looked at L, who shook his head. At the end of the meal, I had them anyway, with the button on my trousers undone, while L shook his head, unable to believe it.
Desserts are the highlight of a meal, often bringing a sweet finish that complements the flavours experienced earlier. They’re a great way to indulge, celebrate special occasions, or simply treat oneself. Whether it’s a rich chocolate mousse, a refreshing pistachio cream, or a traditional pumpkin pie, there’s something deeply satisfying about ending a meal on a sweet note.
So, I’ve adopted this strategy for my sugar and carb-cutting project. I eat protein and fiber until I feel like throwing up, so there’s no room to even think about dessert, rice, bread, or noodles. Sometimes it’s beef, other times chicken; today, I tried prawns, and it somehow worked wonders! I used to eat prawns for cocktail sauce, tangy and creamy: irresistible! However, look at my weak chimichurri—no chili 😭. I used to make my version with a chili:garlic:parsley ratio of 1:1:1, but now I do it without chili because it might cause inflammation, like dairy. Look, I’m Korean; how can I be so intolerant, it’s embarrassing.
I didn’t even eat fruit to calm my cravings, like many people would. Oh wait, I had butternut squash and sweet potatoes—those are carbs, right? Who knew butter squashes and prawns can be this sweet, they are delishiii
Visited GP, it’s undeniable: endometriosis. She also surprised about me having ‘not a big deal’ attitude with my gigantic, humongous bloated lower belly. Trust me I thought it’s just a stale poop 😭 She wrote two referrals: one for a normal ultrasound and another for a detailed Endometriosis Scan™️ (which costs $700), in case my “endo babies” are tiny and elusive. When she mentioned it, I briefly considered getting a LeTao™️ (dairy and sugar, such a perfect combo) to provoke and enlarge my endo babies or whatever it is, but funny enough, I wasn’t craving it like before. Today, I had to drink a liter of water within 30 minutes for the ultrasound. The sonographer didn’t give much detail, only telling me to see the GP two days later, but I knew something was not right when she took 1,999 screenshots with a transducer on my left ovary, compared to just one or two for the right ovary. Kek.
Whenever I’m in situations filled only with hardship and suffering, I’m kind of grateful because it feels like living an artist’s or a main character’s life. How boring would life be without endometriosis, or a broken ankle, or back surgery, or even an involuntary psych ward admission (which I have to finish sooner or later)?
