Sharing is Caring

One of the most amazing expressions of love for your friend or neighbor is providing them with a meal or a word of encouragement in their time of need.  Since I’ve never been much of a cook and am not creative when it comes to food, it’s always been difficult for me to sign up for providing meal provisions for others (my husband does most of the cooking around our house).  Yet, ever since my neighborhood coordinated a meal provision schedule for Chris and I, my appreciation for this gracious gift has blossomed further.  Not only does it provide more time for us to spend together (along with our one remaining teenage son living at home), it eases meal planning on appointment days, decreases trips to the store and decreases food aversions by avoiding nauseating smells that can occur when cooking. 

Although you might expect that we’d get sick of each other since I typically would be gone from 8 am to 8 pm on most work days, Chris and I have actually worked well together over this past month of our journey.  You see, it’s not just my journey, it’s his journey too.  He has been with me from the beginning—at every appointment, scan, surgery, and even provides for me when I’m fatigued and don’t want to move.  When my energy improves, we give each other space but work on different projects around the house or sometimes together.  In regards to our children, this time together has allowed me to help my high schooler with his physics project, arrange appointments with his career counselor, review assignments with him and listen to his presentations for his FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) competitions.  While we had hoped to play board games together (Pandemic, Catan, etc.), I’m usually spent by evening time and it just hasn’t happened yet.  Hopefully, we’ll find time during his upcoming break. 

As far as shopping goes, I can typically get my son or Chris to pick up bread, milk, creamer and fruit/veggies that they like to eat for lunch.  But, if there is more items needed, I will wait a week after chemo when my blood counts have peaked (still well below normal, but better than infusion day).  Even after using disinfecting wipes on the germ-infested grocery carts, they still require you to pay for your groceries and no matter which line I choose, there always seems to be either a mom with a bazillion kids or an adult coughing up a lung who follow me to the same checkout.   In fact, I’ll bet there are more germs spread at the grocery store than in most doctor’s office lobbies.  That being said, I shop late at night, when hardly a soul can be found or mid-morning on a weekday when there is usually more employees than customers. 

On my appointment days, it is immensely helpful to know that we don’t have to plan or cook a meal once we return home.  Sure we could buy a pressure cooker or use a crockpot to have something ready, but then my whole home will smell and I never know how that will sit upon returning home.  It’s also delightful to know that dinner will be ready by 6:30 or earlier rather than 8 pm or later which allows me to hit the hay by 10 or 11 pm, without heartburn. 

The most incredible discovery is the realization that one is surrounded by so many loving and giving people.  Neighbors that I hardly knew have introduced themselves by bringing a delicious meal with such creativity and compassion that uplifts the soul.  Our exposure to new dishes and flavors is not only refreshing but helps avoid the monotony of our own, typical meals.  It also helps me avoid food aversions to the foods I normally enjoy.  In addition, we learn new recipes such as a homemade granola made with seeds, nuts, oats, coconut among other ingredients (see recipe below).  There are even websites available now to help coordinate meal provisions:   https://www.takethemameal.com/ which allows the coordinator to document allergies, likes and dislikes and is loaded with meal tips and ideas.  One neighbor brings smoothies to help me disguise the chalkiness of the glutamine with tasty fruit and yogurt combinations and provides a snack pack for Chris and I for infusion days.   It is very heartwarming to experience such kindness and I can’t thank you all enough for all the meals, cards, letters, gifts, blog replies, amazon deliveries, Facebook messages, and so on that keep encouraging and providing hope!  When you watch a sad story or see something horrific on the news, I want you to always remember that there are so many more good people in the world and this experience is just one of those reminders to me.

The greatest feeling in life is to make a meal and share it with people.  ~ Rachel Ray

You must not lose faith in humanity.  Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.  ~ Muhatma Ghandi (another one of the great leaders and peace makers of my era, along with Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela)

Mix ingredients and bake on a large cookie sheet in a thin layer at 300 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.