This blog is about two things: my journey back to health after a rough patch and subsequent diagnosis with MS, and food. Mostly food.
Food has been an important force in my life, beyond the obvious bit about needing to eat to survive. In my family, cooking together and eating together are very important. Recipes and their accompanying anecdotes are passed down to each new generation. A family get-together means large quantities of laughter, love, and incredibly good food.
Food brings people together. Gathering around a table for a meal bonds a family together and creates community. Sharing food with others tells them that you wish to spend time with them, that you care about their health, you wish for them to survive, and that you want them to have a good time. I like to tell people all of these things by handing them something really good to eat; and I mean it, too.
In his song, “Tables and Chairs”, Andrew Bird tells the story of a post-apocalyptic world where everything has fallen apart, but it’s okay, because of the presence of friends and food:
I know we're gonna meet someday in the crumbled financial institutions of this land
there will be tables and chairs
pony rides and dancing bears
there'll even be a band
'cause listen after the fall there'll be no more countries
no currencies at all
we're gonna live on our wits
throw away survival kits
trade butterfly knives for adderal
and that's not all
woah!
there will be snacks, there will
there will be snacks, there will be
there will be snacks!
This song has been a recurring theme of the last several years of my life, reminding me that, no matter how much it seems the world has fallen apart, things are vastly improved by getting together for food with good friends.
In 2013, things changed a lot concerning my health. In May, I felt a little tightness in my lower back, and found a need to hold onto the railing when going up and down stairs. In July, by the end of a day at a theme park, my left foot felt very tired in a strange way and wanted to drag behind a bit. Over the month of September I lost my ability to do many things on my own like stand up, lie down, and get dressed. In October, in a wheelchair, my team of health care professionals finally convinced me to go to the emergency room. Two MRIs later, they declared it to be multiple sclerosis. After a week in the hospital, several grams of steroids and months of physical and occupational therapy, along with the endless support of one amazing husband, family and a veritable army of wonderful friends, I am now able to walk with a footed cane, write (nearly) legibly, and chop a halfway decent mirepoix, albeit sitting down.
I have received several wonderful emails and messages from friends telling me that their Aunt So-and-so has MS, and they’d love to be in touch with me and offer their support. Right after my diagnosis, I was not ready for these new friendships. My whole world had suddenly changed, leaving me questioning even the color of the sky so how was I to trust anything else new? After taking a few months to simmer down, I’m now beginning to feel like a human being again, and that means I’m beginning to cook.
My massage therapist told me a while back that she’d seen a TED talk where a doctor with MS drastically lowered her symptoms by changing her diet. In nearly every one of these messages inviting me to contact Aunt So-and-so, there’s a story of changing diet to combat MS. Now that I’m ready, I’m about to contact all these new friends, and I hope they’ll share with me their stories, their advice, and hopefully, their recipes!
From the flurry of initial information I’ve gathered that there are several schools of thought concerning MS diet needs. Not knowing yet what’s best but really wanting some muffins, I made a batch today that are gluten-free, low(er) fat and halfway paleo, and darned tasty.
woah!
there will be snacks, there will
there will be snacks, there will be
there will be snacks!
