Well, that didn't go how we thought it might. My plan to have an uneventful Christmas, that is. You remember Christmas, don't you? That blur of over-indulgence, crap television and forced bonhomie. Trying not to lose it with the Other Half or the kids. Yes, it's all coming back to you, isn't it? Seems like ages ago.
We got through Christmas. We didn't over-eat, over-spend or over-indulge generally. The fact the pulling of the Christmas crackers was the most exciting part of the festivities puts things into perspective, doesn't it? Yes, we got through Christmas. But not through Boxing Day.
Not caring that much for the Festive Season (it was fun when the P&J was small, but now it's just an opportunity to get some work done), I decided to strip the wallpaper in my son's old room. Nothing strenuous, you understand.
The stuff was coming off easily, and except for going up and down the stairs a few times to fetch tools, it was hardly energetic. And then- well I don't know what triggered it. A tightening in the chest, a burning in the throat, pain in the jaw and cheek bones. Yes, I did, for just a few seconds, think
This is extreme heartburn, but then it began to radiate outwards, and I knew what it was. Fortunately, I'd updated my First Aid skills last year, and knew what to do.
So my husband and I spent the rest of the day in A&E, and the next day at the cardiac unit in the same hospital. We got home on the Wednesday with a pile of pills and the promise of further tests in the near future ringing in our ears.
I have since been seen by Lipids (fats, if you're at a loss), who weighed and measured me, took more blood samples and then told me I was already doing everything I'm supposed to do re my diet. I was asked about family history, and I think the doctor had a genuine expectation I would be able to tell her what all my grandparents and great grandparents AND their siblings had died of.
The following Friday I had a heart scan. That was weird in a very disconcerting way. The staff were lovely, and explained every step of the procedure. And now we await my fate.
The two worse case scenarios in my view are- A) We can't find anything, we haven't got a clue why this happened. B) very much like every builder we've ever had coming to do a job for us- We've never seen one like that before (preceded by a sharp in-drawn breath through the teeth and a perplexed shake of the head).
Anyway, whatever the outcome, all I can do at the moment is up my game- more fresh fruit and vegetables and less shop-bought ready-made stuff. More fresh fruit and vegetables and less picking when I'm hungry. More fresh fruit and vegetables and less oil recklessly slung into the wok.
To make up for this broadside to my culinary adventures, I have bought myself a
new wok. The vegetables look lovely in it- all those peppers, the garlic, onions. And they don't stick too much to the pan with only a little bit of oil to cook them in.
I'm getting quite a taste for dates and raw carrot, garnished with a handful of nuts. I'd like to tell you I'm not missing chocolate, but I'd be lying. I cook biscuits for the P&J using recipes that require egg, so I'm not tempted by them (I'm vegan). And I'm trying to reach for the bananas and apples when the munchies strike, not bread and the peanut butter. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how I get on.
P.S. Don't worry about the camel. No, really, stop worrying about it. There is no reference to it in the text. It was that or a picture of an ambulance.
A few weeks later, a message landed on my Facebook page, asking someone to give a currently fostered dog a home, and as a result... we have Mia, a lovely German Shepherd/ Collie cross. She's as mad as a box of ferrets and is worried about my son (aren't we all?)- we think it's his dress sense that disturbs her, but it's early days yet. Lycra, after all, isn't for everyone, and on my 19 year-old, it is a bit scary.
