Advocates and Asparagus

Thirteen years ago, Brian Monaghan was given a death sentence-his doctor had found two brain tumors and he was given 3-6 months to live. While he was battling cancer, his wife Gerri was fighting on his behalf; acting as his advocate and ensuring that he received the best possible care. Together they beat the odds. Brian and Gerri share their experience and offer a road map for navigating the medical system in "WHEN A LOVED ONE FALLS ILL: HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE PATIENT ADVOCATE" and I talked with them on Tuesday.


Their story is an incredible and powerful one and took me back twenty-five years ago when my daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. She was not quite three years old and I became her advocate and ally. Many of the "50 Tips" that Brian and Gerri share were things that I did as well.

• Trusting your own intuition. (I knew something wasn't right when I saw all the bruising on her legs)


• Carrying a notebook, asking questions and writing things down. (There were many different chemos, plus I had to learn to draw blood from her catheter for testing at our local path lab so I needed to know what the results meant).


• Make memories and share stories (We took a trip to Disney World during the middle of her treatment. Grandpa, Grandma, aunts, uncles and siblings and had a once in a lifetime experience!)


• Always think in terms of "we". (I didn't receive the chomo, the "pokes", the radiation-but I felt that we were fighting this battle together!).


• Celebrate the milestones. (We did that this past January when my daughter hosted a twenty-five anniversary celebration for doctors, nurses, friends and family who supported during the tumultuous time.

This book is an incredible tale of survival, love and committment and is a "must read" for everyone facing tough medical challenges.

It seems like spring as been a long time coming. One of the best "flavors" of spring is fresh asparagus. We've been sharing recipes for asparagus soup, quiche and more... When freezing asparagus remember these tips:

• Select young tender spears with tightly closed tips


• Wash thoroughly and sort by size


• Trim stalks be removing the scales with a sharp knife


• Cut into even lenghts to fit into freezer containers.


• Blanch small spears for 1 1/2 minutes; medium spears for 2 minutes; and large spears for 3 minutes. Cool and drain well.


• Pack spears into freezer containers and freeze. Or for smaller amounts, freeze on cookie sheets prior to placing in containers
  
  

Attitude and Asparagus

One of my favorite quotes is :

"The way choose to see the world, creates the world we see"


It's all about attitude. If I surround myself with negative thinking and negative energy, that's how I will view everything. It's easy to get down, depressed and feeling sorry for myself. If I choose to be optimistic, look on the bright side and decide to make lemons from lemonade-my day will go much better, my outlook will improve and everything will run more smoothly. I'll be able to adjust to the bumps in the road.

I have not been keeping up with my blog, of late. I plan to change my attitude and to make time to share my thoughts and the interesting things I learn and share with my listeners.



Fresh fruits and vegetables! There's nothing better (well, maybe chocolate, but that's another story!) This is the time of year for sugar snap peas, spinach, mushrooms and asparagus...

My Dad, who is a very "particular" food connoisseur-loves asparagus. I served it at Easter dinner and was suprised that he would even try it. He shared the story of how as a young boy, he and his father would pick the vegetable as it grew along the side of the road. Food can be very powerful in invoking memories and emotions. I'm sure my Dad remembers those great times with his father whenever he tastes the great flavor of this wonderful spring vegetable.



If you haven't tried it lately here are a few tips:
Wash well to remove sand and grit. Trim by snapping the bottoms. Take several spears at a time and bend them an inch or so from the bottom until the woody, dry sections naturally break off.

Choose your cooking method:
Steamed: Pour 1" water into a 12" skillet with a tight fitting lid. Insert a collapsible steamer basket. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Add the trimmed asparagus, cover and steam until fork tender (about 4-6 minutes, depending on thickness).

Roasted: Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss trimmed asparagus with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. of both salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 8-10 minutes-depending on thickness.

Grilled: Heat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. IN large bowl, toss trimmed asparagus with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. each salt & pepper. Place spears flat across grill top in opposite direction of grill grate. Grill 3 minutes. Using tongs, rotate spears and cook until tender, about
2-3 minutes longer.