Bone Marrow Soup & Ginseng: Al Sorts of Good Things

I stayed up last night. I pulled an all-nighter, my first one in years.
I wasn't being forced to read a ridiculously long book. I didn't have to write a paper due the next day. I wasn't partying into the wee hours of the morning (but I was celebrating with fireworks even).
It was so much better than that.
I FELT GOOD! I felt motivated and capable and I was way too excited to waste that feeling sleeping.
Where'd the change come from?
Maybe it's the chemo holiday helped by my slight increase in prednisone, but I've done those things before.
Maybe it's the remission, but that's happened in the past too.
I've been taking Dr. Wong's chinese tea which now contains ginseng to give me a little extra zing.
I also made my first bone marrow soup, which does, absolutely, increase my energy, using this recipe:

Ingredients:

2 or 3 lbs marrow bones- Cut to see the hallows within the bone containing the marrow, you can have the butcher saw them or do it yourself

 medium red pepper

1 medium onion

3 celery stalks

1 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried thyme

6-10 black pepper corns

2 bay leaves

Garlic, lots

(I used fresh herbs. It's that thyme of year) 

Directions:

Cover bones in water

Crack the bones and then throw everything into a crockpot and slow cook overnight.

 (or low for 8 hours)

Cool the soup for a while. Then, strain the soup through a cheesecloth or strainer (you should only be left with the broth) and let it cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator.  After it’s cooled, there will be some fat that is congealed on the top.  Skim this off and throw it away and then fill ice-cube trays with the soup until frozen.  You can store the cubes, two each, in zip lock bags.

This recipe still came out a little watery. IT needs more flavor to stomach it, maybe bouillon, but overall, tastes like chicken soup.
I used the broth for ramen noodles and threw the flavor packet in with the noodles, which made it taste fine, exactly like ramen.


Wish I could tell you more, but I'm off and running again. I'm still busy, but finally with lots of good things!