Sunday, December 2, 2018

Me

Hi, it's me, yes really. I am still not 100% and not likely to be so for a while. The  hospital don't really know what happened, I had some poisons in my gut but they don't know where they were coming from and I also had a small heart attack apparently. I don't remember any of this except for collapsing in the bathroom which, being small made it difficult for the parameds to get me out. Matt had managed to dial 911. Not a fun 3 weeks, I gather at one point it was touch and go, I know I was sure I was going to die, but I guess I changed my mind 'cos I am still here.

I was delighted with all the good wishes I received from you, my blogging friends. Not sure I will be a regular blogger just yet a while. Probably now and again if anything.

The hospital food was appalling. Omelettes you could pick up by one corner and they stayed straight in your hand!!! Of course some of the time I was on liquids. The broth they send was OK, but the jellos were almost hard, and I was craving milk which they wouldn't give me for the longest while.

The upshot of all this is that I have lost my taste buds. Everything tastes like cardboard except for things like orange juice and milk etc. I made a cauliflower cheese (big effort) and because I used spicy cheese, I could taste that. My biggest disappointment was when I tasted smoked salmon. To me it was just a block of salt. Horrible!! First night I was home, tried a brandy and soda. Lost it in the middle of the night; couple of days ago, tried a sherry, burnt my mouth. Oh well, guess I won't be doing much drinking for a while. Am trying to cook a few things but it is hard work for me. Everything hurts if I stand around for too long.

I now have my own walker, rollator, been using one from a rental company, (government paid the rent). A friend from the bowling alley came over and put it together for me on Saturday. As it turned out it wasn't too difficult and Matt and I might have been able to assemble it ourselves. However, the friend did it much quicker than we would have. I like these rollators, it means I can walk a bit and then rest when necessary. Only trouble is, they are a bit heavy and awkward to put in the trunk of the car.

Ladydog told me she missed a particular recipe whenever I posted it so I thought I would post it again just for her. This recipe was originally a pie filling made by Paul Hollywood of British Bakeshow Fame. However, I am not a big lover of pies or pastry so I make this as a main dish. I added carrots to the original recipe. Often buy a barbecued chicken, eat one meal off it and use the rest for this dish. It's good.

Leftover Chicken and Ham 

1 1/2 ounces butter
1 lge carrot, chopped
2 large leeks, washed and roughly sliced
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
3 tbs medium sherry
3 Tbs plain flour
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 cup left over gravy and 1 cupl stock)
1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard
3/4 cup single cream
1 1/2 lbs left over turkey meat, cut into bite size pieces or chicken
1/2 lb left over ham, cut into bite size pieces (optional)
2 Tbs tarragon, roughly chopped
salt and white pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the leeks and carrots to the pan with the orange juice, zest and sherry. Cover and cook gently for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the leeks are just tender. Remove the lid and increase the heat, reduce the liquid until you are left with a few spoons of the buttery liquid. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir to mix evenly. Gradually add the stock, simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the mustard, turkey and ham and stir. Finally add the tarragon and cream. Season to taste with a little white pepper and salt.

Source: Adapted from Paul Hollywood's Pie

Have a great day

26 comments:

  1. Well, Jo, at least you have enough energy to update all of us. The sickest I have ever been was with a bout of food poisoning. The docs said they didn't care what I was infected with, just that they wanted to get me better.(they did determine the cause eventually). I'll keep my eyes open for more posts, but rest and get back to full-steam.

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    1. Yes, it is getting better Denise but I won't be bowling for quite a while I think. I guess they had that attitude at the hospital but it would be nice to know in order to possibly prevent again.

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  2. Hello Jo, It's great to see you back again. So sorry you've been really through the mill but hopefully you'll be back in your stride again soon. Try some raw veg to see how they taste ...a winter coleslaw maybe ... my taste buds have been in a bad way and sometimes the freshness of veg tastes brilliant and then I can taste the sauces again.
    Take care
    Fil

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    1. Yes, never had this happen in my 80 years. Never thought of cole slaw although last night I made my favourite sauteed cabbage and it didn't really taste of anything except the Cayenne. The Tenderloin Pork Diablo tasted like sawdust except for the Diablo sauce. Spicy/hot I seem to be able to react to.

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  3. How scary! I'm glad you decided to stick with us. I'm sorry about your taste buds. I hope they eventually come back.

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    1. Not really Diane, but not pleasant. I hope my tastebuds come back too. Fil, above, suggested raw vegetables so I thought I would go for a salad with my own vinaigrette. Won't be til after my shopping day on Tuesday though.

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  4. I was quite worried but your one friend emailed me to let me know how you were doing. If I had your address I would have sent a card. You didn’t have any hole in your intestine or stomach??? I’m assuming they did all the tests, ultrasounds, mri’s. I am so glad you are ack home and can get better food. Hospital food sucks. I am certain you were very concerned about your husband and glad people were looking in on him. I also hope you are getting the help now. You take care

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    1. Thanks Birgit, glad you were told what was happening. It was all a bit of a worry apart from my own condition. However, ladydog and another friend were keeping an eye on him.

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    1. Yer welcum ladydog and thank you for all you did whilst I was in hospital.

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  6. I'm so glad you are on the mend. It sounds like things were very critical. Wow. You must be so happy to be at home. Just take it slow.

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    1. Thanks JoJo. They were for a while. You, of all, know how that is. Slow is the operative word at the moment. Will be a while before I am back to normal. And who knows how long before I can enjoy my food.

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  7. Glad to read that you changed your mind and are with us, today. Understandable that you’re not ready to do regular posts just yet.

    Food from hospitals. It always blows my mind how bad and unheathly they make food in some hospitals. How come they wouldn’t give you cow milk?

    You made cauliflower cheese. I make that too but I’m not sure if it’s the same way. Mine is plant-based. What was in yours?

    Here’s to feeling all the way better, soon. BIG HUGS!

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    1. Thanks Ivy. Took some pix but can't take them off my phone!! I was supposed to be on clear liquids, hence no milk.

      Well obviously my cheese is from cows. I make a white sauce to start off with then add the cheese. I am very fussy about the white sauce part.

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  8. I was concerned about not seeing a post from you for such a long time then checked your blog and saw the updates in the comments. Wow what an ordeal for you. I hope you get your taste buds back, that would not be "fun" to not enjoy food, especially since you do enjoy cooking, trying recipes, sharing them, etc. Hubby has worked his whole career in hospitals. He can attest to how bad the food can be and his latest one he worked in actually made him gain weight eating there until he started taking his own lunch.

    betty

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    1. No taste buds yet Betty and I read, yesterday, that it could take months. What a pleasant thought. One thing I am finding everything spicy seems twice as spicy to me and I can't eat it.

      Your hubby is right about the food of course, I'm surprised he gained weight. I lost 22 lbs altogether.

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  9. Good to see you here .. I'll be back once I'm around again having returned to the uk - not for a while. Glad you're at home and just taking care of yourself .. no need to visit my blog, and I'm sure others will feel the same ...more important you get yourself better - cheers Hilary

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    1. Thanks Hilary. Will look forward to seeing you back. Hope you settle back in the UK OK. I am getting better. Now I have got rid of my cold, I am heaps better really. So long as I have my walker of course.

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  10. I've been worried about you. I hope you get your taste buds back soon. Those rolling walkers are a great invention. Rest and recover. The blog world will be here when you're ready.

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  11. I hope so too Susan. I am managing to eat some surprising things but anything the tiniest bit spicy appears to burn my mouth off. I like spicy, but not at the moment I guess. Oh well.

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  12. Oh, my! I'm glad you didn't die. Grandma Dragon is too tough for that, thankfully.

    I'm glad you're back. Hope food starts tasting better. That's no fun.

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    1. Not so sure about that Melissa. But, yes, I am glad I am still here.

      Oh so do I, it's pretty miserable trying to eat foods you know you love.

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  13. I had a nagging feeling that I should see how you were doing. I'm glad I did. I'm sorry to hear about these scary health issues, but I hope you've faced the worst of it, I hope you feel better soon, and I also hope that those taste buds come back in time for the holiday goodies. No one wants to eat Christmas cardboard.

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    1. Yes, it was a tad scary all in all. I am somewhat concerned about the Christmas cardboard. Not going to attempt a whole turkey or anything mind you. Just a small cardboard breast rolled and stuffed. Tried it at Thanksgiving and it wasn't bad for just the two of us.

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  14. Nice to see you're back, Jo. I hope you're feeling much better soon.

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