Thursday, February 5, 2009

Steak and Tampons

What a title, eh?

~ Steak.

I just cooked the beast steak ever. I don't eat much red meat anymore. I used to eat it 4-5 times a week, now I'm down to 1 time a week, which is usually a hamburger or ground beef in a taco or something like that. But a steak? I rarely eat steak anymore, but when I do, I love it. Yum.

I noticed I had two steaks in the freezer that were getting quite old, so I took one out yesterday. It had the look of starting to get freezer burnt, but it was wrapped well and there was no ice on it at all. But I knew it probably wasn't going to taste the best as frozen meats never do.

Side story. I'm ~totally~ into watching cooking shows. Not the type which a cook shows you how to cook, but the challenges - like top chef, ultimate recipe showdown, challenge, chopped, iron chef and that uk show where couples fight for a restaurant. I also have quite a crush on gordon ramsey and I watch 3 of his shows - ramsey's kitchen nightmares, kitchen nightmares and hell's kitchen. (I don't like "the f word" as he's actually nice in the show, which turns me completely off.) I would LOVE to go to culinary school someday and I just might in a few years.

So, I need to cook the steak and I usually just throw it on the grill, but instead, I decide to try to duplicate how I see the chefs cook on tv. I have no recipe of course, so I throw a bunch of butter in a pan and season the meat with salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper. I just want to get a quick brown on the meat and while it's browning, I spoon ladleful after ladleful of butter over the meat. I honestly don't know the real reason behind this - assuming it's keeping for the taste, but it may have to do with keeping the meat moist or not letting the butter burn. Whatever the reason, I always see chefs do this, so I copied them. After a quick brown, I put the entire pan into a preheated 350 degree oven. I tried to cook it using a thermometer, but I just can't get those to work on thin pieces of meat. So I just eyeballed it and felt it and took it out when it still felt rare.

I put the steak on a plate and let it rest for about 7-8 minutes. Then I sat down with it, expecting the worst. Except I got the best. Holy shit - it was perfect. Rare but not too rare. It was actually perfectly rare. Warmed all the way through, a bit red/bloody in the very middle, pink to the edge and a nice cooked outer shell. Oh. My. God. It was freaking perfect. And the juices were ~so~ good to run the cut pieces of meat through, as it was steak juice ~and~ butter. Most of the butter was left in the pan, but it sure did take on enough of it to be super tasty. Damn.

~ Tampons.

What's the deal with not being able to use tampons after delivery? I get that for the first few weeks, there is the chance of infection as things ~just~ happened up in there, but at the 4 week mark? Can I start wearing tampons now?

When I thought I got a period earlier in the week (or was it last week?) I don't think I did. I had one day of heavy flow and it tapered back down to normal. But then yesterday, I had cramps and a heavy flow, which continues today. Just like a period. I'll have to wait and see.

*Before anyone starts giving me advice on postpartum bleeding, remember I have done this before. After my first, I got a period at 5 weeks postpartum and was immediately back to normal, having AF come to visit every 29 days after that. (yeah - "you won't get a period as long as you exclusively breastfeed!" certainly didn't apply to me! My OB called me an over achiever.) With the second, I didn't get AF back for something like 6 months. Now, I was actually surprised that wasn't my period a week ago, as it certainly felt like it for the day. But I guess I'm being thrown for a loop so I'll just have to wait and see.

* Of course, I love to get advice if you got it, but just keep in mind advice such as the basics of postpartum bleeding is something I kindof know. Such a hypocrite I am! I'm such a know-it-all and give everyone else advice they probably already know, yet I'm bothered when I get advice on the basics. I suck!

I totally want to throw these freaking pads away and never ever use another again. Please, someone out there with medical knowledge, tell me I can!? Please???

21 comments:

Jenera said...

I don't know about the tampon thing 'cuz I don't use them.

But I thought I was starting my period just over 4 weeks after delivery but it was light and not too much of a bother. I told the hubby that it was strange and just thought I was having some good luck. Uh, no. Five days later it hit full force. The type of flow that gushes if you even breathe. I felt like I did when I was 11 and had my very first period. We had to run errands that day and I spent most of the time in the car or in the bathroom. The hubby got worried that I was losing too much blood, lol, and that something was wrong. It was like that for two days and then back to normal.

It was definitely not like that after I had Aidan so I was quite shocked. And pissed by the five days of light flow that totally had me fooled.

And the steak thing-butter is the only way to go. And have you heard of Cavenders All Purpose Greek Seasoning? I use it with every meal on everything. It is the best thing you will ever eat on a steak.

Geohde said...

You're four weeks pp?

It's probably fine. I did.

J

nancy said...

Freaking fantabulous. I will go with J's opinion. After all, she went to medical school and all that. If a doc says I can and if that doc did it herself, tampons, here I come.

I never thought I'd be so excited over the aspect of wearing a tampon.

Eden Riley said...

Why not stick with pads? I LOVE pads.

*
*
*
*
*
*


I am joking. Pads repulse me to the core.

Nancy, your recent comment made me laugh, cry, laugh again, and then totally almost wet my pants at you wondering if Townsville was real. (It is ... it's totally flooded at the moment, however, so I hope your friend is ok.)

I love that pic of you telling Karl how to change his settings. Why, just the other day I walked in on Rocco commenting on a pic Karl posted on his blog ... (it was of his crib) :)

Thank you, for just being YOU. I LOVE how we are both a bit wild and freaky, so when we get together we cancel each other out. I NEVER feel like a freak when I'm "with" you.

Oh - and Karl? Yeah. Totally want to kidnap him. HE. IS. SO.
BEAUTIFUL. I'm so not gushing for the sake of it. I really want to steal your baby.

XOXOXOXOOXX

Artblog said...

Just dont do what I did and forget its up there! Yup, long story and something about an inflamed cervix so said the gyn after a pap!

Anyways, don't leave it up there overnight or anything... ahem!

Sara said...

Gee Nancy - don't you like feeling like you are wearing a diaper?! Ha :)

Steak sounds good - except I can't do rare. I do like a little pink, but I need mine to be more than warm!! You would love when my uncle cooks out - it is always rare!

jenn said...

I ~love~ all those shows! We really are doppelgangers with so many things! (You are totally right about the f-word- can't watch it at all!)

I have no advice at all- obviously, but I hope it levels out so you can tell what's going on!

Anonymous said...

Nancy, I had erratic bleeding..well..after all 4 kids, really. I'd SWEAR I was getting my period but it stopped as soon as it started. I hated it.

I didn't use tampons, though, until 6 weeks PP just bc they told me not to. However, I'd guess your cervix is completely closed by now, so it'd probably be safe since there are no tears or anything.

I hate pads, too. Can't use tampons now so I'm stuck with darn pads. Hate 'em.

Steph

Erin said...

Uhg I dread using pads after delivery. I haven't used them since maybe high school? I guess I had best go to that aisle in the store and pick some up so I am not stuck with the hospital ones.

Hope you can switch back soon.

Amanda said...

I honestly know nothing of postpartum bleeding, i do, however share your love of Gordon Ramsay. Im addicted to his shows! :)

Jen said...

Loved the title you had. It gave me a little chuckle.

Steak~ That sounds so yummy. I could really care less about much meat, but I do love Steak. I think I may have to give this a try some time.

Tampons~
All I will say is that I HATE pads. After my D&C I had to use them and it was the worst thing ever! YUCKY!!! I hated every minute of it. My Dr. said I couldn't use a tampon again until my third period. I'm the type of person that listens to my Dr. but I couldn't do it. I used pads right after and that was it. Gross!!

I love Karl!!! He is so darn cute and loveable looking

Christie said...

my doc actually said that i could use tampons as i was leaving the hospital. he said that in all his years of practice, no one got an infection from them immediately after delivery. prob just another thing that varies doc to doc.

KatieM said...

Oh, I had a steak craving the other day....yours sounds super yummy!

Elana Kahn said...

A hysterectomy will get rid of the pads for good. ;-) I know, I'm bad, but I just couldn't help myself.

Wordgirl said...

Oh great.

It's 10:15 and now I want a steak -- thanks A LOT
:)


There's a great steakhouse here and if you visit - - we're there!

And I know nada about pp anything :)

XO

chicklet said...

I know nothing other than being on prometrium has reminded me how much I heart tampons. Yes, I said it, I heart them. Cuz I'm not allowed to use them with prometrium and good god there is nothing worse than sitting in your own mess. I HATE PADS. So I feel for ya.

Maybe we could invent something and Home Depot could sell it for us? It'd be less scary for men to buy for their wives, cuz it'd be at Home Depot instead of in the feminine hygiene aisle at the drugstore.

Sarah said...

UGH, I hate pads too! I had to buy a ginormous pack of super pads while in Florida because I knew I was giong to start my miscarriage that day (cramping all day--I just knew it was coming). I'm now on day 17, technically--although the past 12 days or so have all been spotting. I've been using pantiliners--a little too close to pads, but not as terrible.

I HATE PADS!!!!

What kind of tampons do you prefer, Nancy? Myself--I'm a fan of Kotex. Maybe it's just the perty, shiny, purple applicator. I don't know. I can't use cardboard applicators because half the time it gets stuck going in. I have to angle in to the right for some reason. I guess my vag is crooked. :)

CanadianMama said...

No advice but I hear ya on the pads. I was SO done with them that I threw them out too. I just hate them so much! Plus, with pads you have to wear big panties and I'm a thong girl so that was really hard!!

Kelly said...

I'm 6 weeks postpartum and was supposed to have my doctor's appointment yesterday but she had to reschedule for 2/17 - booooo. I started my period this week too and also breastfeed. I was hoping for at least 6 months if not longer before having to worry about this.

I agree with everyone else it's revolting to sit in a pool of your own blood. I tried calling my doctor's office but they closed early today. Just my luck. My mom is an RN that's worked in L&D for 30 years and I just got her blessing to use tampons. Oh how I've missed them.

Morgan Owens said...

I feel ya, I hate pads! I feel like I'm wearing a fucking diaper or something.

Erin said...

Not sure about the tampons but I had on and off bleeding for 8 weeks and I freaked out thinking it was my period but now we are weaned a year later and still no period! Woot!