03 Jan A Touch of Comfort
Well, the New Year did not quite start out as I had anticipated. There were plans for a party, some live music, and perhaps a little dancing. Unfortunately, life throws us a curve ball once in a while, and it is in those moments we find what we’re made of.
New Year’s Eve found me, my siblings and their families in the waiting room of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, holding our breath to see if our mother would survive the night. She had experienced two heart attacks in a matter of days, and though she’s a tough cookie, we didn’t know if her tiny body could withstand that much trauma in so short a time.
It is always a mistake to underestimate my mother. True to character, she not only pulled through, but was cracking jokes within moments of having her ventilator removed. Less than a week later I arrived to find her packed and ready to go home, with the doctor’s blessing; she had done so many laps around the CCU, they saw no point in keeping her there any longer. Besides, she hated the food.
Now I find myself in the unusual role of caretaker for my mother, which is a reversal to say the least. True to anal-retentive form, I have crafted charts of her medications, as well as descriptions of each pill and what it’s for, and twice-daily recordings of her blood pressure. I know it is difficult for her to be tended to, as she is fiercely independent (apple, tree, etc.), but she is enjoying being spoiled (she’s not too happy that I hid the Milky Ways, but somebody has to be the bad guy).
Each member of my family has taken a role in her care, so naturally I gravitated toward the meal planning. This is a new challenge for me, as I’m accustomed to spoiling my mother with buttery treats and sweets (her favorites). Now I’m on a mission to satiate her palate in ways that are healthier yet still indulgent, so it’s time for some experimentation.
To date, we have focused on indulgence at the Gilded Fork, but never with a stated goal of “healthy,” though many of our recipes are indeed very good for you. In fact, I have often cringed at the thought of putting the word on any of these pages. Now, however, I see that many of us are looking for healthy ways to eat well, and though that is a philosophy I espouse in daily life, I’ve never said it out loud — to you. Consider it stated.
In the coming months you will see on these pages, as well as on my Food Philosophy show, some of our efforts at experimentation, and more of a conversation about healthy eating. We invite you to share your questions, thoughts and ideas on our blogs so we can all partake in the experience of eating well.
I wish you and your family a wonderful 2008, a year that will undoubtedly bring big changes for many of us. In my case, the year kicked off in a shocking way, but was followed by the joy of seeing my mother smile and laugh again, handling her own situation with that infallible Scottish sense of humor. May we all keep that in mind as life throws us a curve ball or two.