We managed to make the pitas today and in honor of them, Chris made gyros.
This is how I felt after such a huge meal:
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
I awoke sometime before dawn to the sound of the neighbor's great danes barking and whining across the street. I listened to them for a few minutes before I realized that they weren't the reason for my wakefulness. There was something rattling around in my head trying to work its way up from the crevices of my memory and until it did, I knew there would be no more sleep. By the time the sun started to come up I realized it was January 9. It's the two year anniversary of my diagnosis.
I must have made the unconscious decision not to attach any significance to the thought, because I promptly fell asleep and slept until 8. The rest of the day was spent knitting and puttering around the kitchen. Chris and I had a date to make pita, but it somehow never happened. It will keep until tomorrow.
Maybe being able to say something like that is the most important thing that I will take from today.
I must have made the unconscious decision not to attach any significance to the thought, because I promptly fell asleep and slept until 8. The rest of the day was spent knitting and puttering around the kitchen. Chris and I had a date to make pita, but it somehow never happened. It will keep until tomorrow.
Maybe being able to say something like that is the most important thing that I will take from today.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Steamed Dumplings
Here is a picture of the steamed dumplings we made this weekend. I wish I had a clever story or pretend that they are some sort of thematic device, but in truth they're just dumplings. Enjoy.
For Lea
Corn and Black Bean Salad
Ingredients:
1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
6 green onions chopped
1 ripe avocado roughly diced
1 bag frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBS olive oil
juice of 2 limes
1 diced, seeded tomato--optional
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well to incorporate. Chill for at least an hour before serving. The corn will become sweeter the more it marinates in the lime/olive oil dressing. Sometimes I use half a red onion instead of the green onions for a slightly different taste. Chris doesn't like raw tomatoes, so depending on how generously I'm feeling towards him, I usually leave it out. When the stray tomato makes it into his grocery cart, I'll gleefully toss it in to the salad. If you like a little heat, add a finely diced jalapeno, minus the seeds.
Cheater's Cheesecake
This is a recipe that I've adapted and modified over time.
Ingredients:
3 pkgs cream cheese (24oz total) at room temperature
2/3 cup Splenda or sugar
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2 TBS water
2 TBS vanilla
2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 packet unflavored gelatin
Cream splenda or sugar with cream cheese in mixer at medium speed until fluffy. With mixer on low, slowly incorporate cream. Once cream is fully mixed in, adjust speed to medium and mix for at least a minute. In a small bowl, mix water and vanilla. Microwave on high for a minute. Sprinkle gelatin over top and allow to bloom. After about 3 minutes, mix gelatin into liquid with fork. Be sure that it dissolves completely, or you'll have gummy strings in your cheesecake. Melt chocolate. I do it in a microwave set at 80% power. Just do it in 30 second intervals, being sure to stir each time. Don't over do it, or you're chocolate will scorch and be ruined. If this makes you nervous, just do it the traditional way with a double boiler. With the mixer on low, slowly incorporate the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Once this is thoroughly mixed in, add the melted chocolate and mix until completely blended. Smooth mixture into an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Run a knife around the edges when you're ready to release it from the pan. Enjoy!
I don't make a crust because I'm under the impression that I'm "saving" calories by skipping it. You could do a graham cracker or chocolate cookie crust if you feel that you need it. You could also omit the chocolate and vanilla and substitute 2 TBS of lemon juice, amaretto, rum, or your cordial of choice for a different flavor. It's a very forgiving recipe. You could also probably use white chocolate instead of milk or semi-sweet.
As for breads and things, this is my favorite site: http://www.cookingbread.com/index.html
For Lisa: Thankfully, I'm off the neutropenic diet, but I still have restrictions like no sushi, oysters, alcohol, medium-rare meats.
Ingredients:
1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
6 green onions chopped
1 ripe avocado roughly diced
1 bag frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBS olive oil
juice of 2 limes
1 diced, seeded tomato--optional
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well to incorporate. Chill for at least an hour before serving. The corn will become sweeter the more it marinates in the lime/olive oil dressing. Sometimes I use half a red onion instead of the green onions for a slightly different taste. Chris doesn't like raw tomatoes, so depending on how generously I'm feeling towards him, I usually leave it out. When the stray tomato makes it into his grocery cart, I'll gleefully toss it in to the salad. If you like a little heat, add a finely diced jalapeno, minus the seeds.
Cheater's Cheesecake
This is a recipe that I've adapted and modified over time.
Ingredients:
3 pkgs cream cheese (24oz total) at room temperature
2/3 cup Splenda or sugar
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2 TBS water
2 TBS vanilla
2 cups milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 packet unflavored gelatin
Cream splenda or sugar with cream cheese in mixer at medium speed until fluffy. With mixer on low, slowly incorporate cream. Once cream is fully mixed in, adjust speed to medium and mix for at least a minute. In a small bowl, mix water and vanilla. Microwave on high for a minute. Sprinkle gelatin over top and allow to bloom. After about 3 minutes, mix gelatin into liquid with fork. Be sure that it dissolves completely, or you'll have gummy strings in your cheesecake. Melt chocolate. I do it in a microwave set at 80% power. Just do it in 30 second intervals, being sure to stir each time. Don't over do it, or you're chocolate will scorch and be ruined. If this makes you nervous, just do it the traditional way with a double boiler. With the mixer on low, slowly incorporate the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Once this is thoroughly mixed in, add the melted chocolate and mix until completely blended. Smooth mixture into an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Run a knife around the edges when you're ready to release it from the pan. Enjoy!
I don't make a crust because I'm under the impression that I'm "saving" calories by skipping it. You could do a graham cracker or chocolate cookie crust if you feel that you need it. You could also omit the chocolate and vanilla and substitute 2 TBS of lemon juice, amaretto, rum, or your cordial of choice for a different flavor. It's a very forgiving recipe. You could also probably use white chocolate instead of milk or semi-sweet.
As for breads and things, this is my favorite site: http://www.cookingbread.com/index.html
For Lisa: Thankfully, I'm off the neutropenic diet, but I still have restrictions like no sushi, oysters, alcohol, medium-rare meats.
I had hoped to post last night when we got back, but there were several traffic delays, so we didn't get back in until after midnight.
My bloodwork came back clean. My phosphorous, potassium, and LDH were all high, but my doctor thinks that the sample was hemolyzed, so she wants more blood work in two weeks. I have orders written so that I can go to my local doctor to have it done, instead of traveling to Houston.
I have to confess that since that one suspect CBC on which a blast appeared, I've been on tenterhooks. Every little muscle twinge or knee ache was suspect. My mind kept stuttering over the fact that a single technician saw what they thought was cancer those few weeks ago. I kept having those conversations with myself about going to extremes and worrying about nothing. It's just that with blood cancer, your relapse symptoms could be anything. I had a persistent cough and low grade fever. My local doctor didn't think much of it. Surprise.
Over the last two weeks I did my best not to dwell on the chances of relapse. I didn't rush to the internet to research options or study published papers. I occupied myself with mundane things to the point of the ridiculous. I baked huge loaves of bread and would plan an entire day around making dinner. I found the prep work of washing and chopping vegetables soothing. It was something that I hadn't been able to comfortably do while in our apartment in Houston. Being able to feed other people gave me a focus. I made cheesecakes and pitas. I've bookmarked several recipes and created menus. It became something of a small mania.
When Cathy handed me a copy of my bloodwork, I found that I couldn't really focus on it. I skimmed it a few times without really reading it. I finally noticed that my ANC was high, so I made myself look for that dreaded word. It wasn't there. I should have been relieved, but I think that I've been holding myself in so tightly for the last two weeks that I forgot how to handle things.
I kept thinking of Ronni Gordon. She's had multiple transplants as well and recently relapsed. I check on her blog daily anxiously awaiting news of the next step in treatment or how she's feeling or what she's up to. I get angry that she continues to have to deal with this.
While waiting for our stemcell appointment, we met a couple that we'd been following since I was first diagnosed. Chris and I kept hoping to run in to them since we knew that Betsy and Dean were often in Houston on the same days that we were. We'd make a game of trying to spot them in the waiting rooms. Dean is two years out from transplant and dealing with GvHD. He's such a positive person and was such a pleasure to meet. His wife Betsy is an absolute pillar. She's got such a radiance and strength that you can't help but remark on it. We got to compare notes and trade war stories. Most importantly, we got to make new friends.
I know this post has been a bit scattershot, but I felt like I had a few things to own up to. After a solid night's sleep, I feel like myself again. The stutter is gone. I don't feel compelled to rush into the kitchen to put together some elaborate creation, although I've promised myself that I will stick to the menu that I've created for the next week.
In case you're wondering, it's chicken quesadillas with corn and black bean salad night.
My bloodwork came back clean. My phosphorous, potassium, and LDH were all high, but my doctor thinks that the sample was hemolyzed, so she wants more blood work in two weeks. I have orders written so that I can go to my local doctor to have it done, instead of traveling to Houston.
I have to confess that since that one suspect CBC on which a blast appeared, I've been on tenterhooks. Every little muscle twinge or knee ache was suspect. My mind kept stuttering over the fact that a single technician saw what they thought was cancer those few weeks ago. I kept having those conversations with myself about going to extremes and worrying about nothing. It's just that with blood cancer, your relapse symptoms could be anything. I had a persistent cough and low grade fever. My local doctor didn't think much of it. Surprise.
Over the last two weeks I did my best not to dwell on the chances of relapse. I didn't rush to the internet to research options or study published papers. I occupied myself with mundane things to the point of the ridiculous. I baked huge loaves of bread and would plan an entire day around making dinner. I found the prep work of washing and chopping vegetables soothing. It was something that I hadn't been able to comfortably do while in our apartment in Houston. Being able to feed other people gave me a focus. I made cheesecakes and pitas. I've bookmarked several recipes and created menus. It became something of a small mania.
When Cathy handed me a copy of my bloodwork, I found that I couldn't really focus on it. I skimmed it a few times without really reading it. I finally noticed that my ANC was high, so I made myself look for that dreaded word. It wasn't there. I should have been relieved, but I think that I've been holding myself in so tightly for the last two weeks that I forgot how to handle things.
I kept thinking of Ronni Gordon. She's had multiple transplants as well and recently relapsed. I check on her blog daily anxiously awaiting news of the next step in treatment or how she's feeling or what she's up to. I get angry that she continues to have to deal with this.
While waiting for our stemcell appointment, we met a couple that we'd been following since I was first diagnosed. Chris and I kept hoping to run in to them since we knew that Betsy and Dean were often in Houston on the same days that we were. We'd make a game of trying to spot them in the waiting rooms. Dean is two years out from transplant and dealing with GvHD. He's such a positive person and was such a pleasure to meet. His wife Betsy is an absolute pillar. She's got such a radiance and strength that you can't help but remark on it. We got to compare notes and trade war stories. Most importantly, we got to make new friends.
I know this post has been a bit scattershot, but I felt like I had a few things to own up to. After a solid night's sleep, I feel like myself again. The stutter is gone. I don't feel compelled to rush into the kitchen to put together some elaborate creation, although I've promised myself that I will stick to the menu that I've created for the next week.
In case you're wondering, it's chicken quesadillas with corn and black bean salad night.
Friday, January 2, 2009
My First Apple Pie
I made my first apple pie the other day for New Years dinner. All credit for the recipe has to go to Alton Brown of Good Eats, but I was still surprised at how easy it was to pull off and especially with the final results. I didn’t think it was possible for a novice to make something as impressive and frankly delicious as this was. If you want the recipe check it out here (part 1) and here (part 2).
Sorry if it seems out of place to talk about "apple pie" on a medical blog, but there hasn’t been much interesting going on. No temperature spikes, no infections...no nothing. Ann has the occasional bout of knee pain in the middle of the night, but those episodes are infrequent and easily controlled with an ice pack. Apart from a slight increase in the size of the gvhd spot on her leg there is nothing else of note to report, and that could be due to her tapering her steroids recently.
Next Monday we are back at MDA for our first check up after being released, and hopefully there wont be anything interesting to talk about then either.
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