Friday, January 6, 2012

Contrary to popular belief...

I am still alive and kicking.  Haven't been kicking very forcefully though, because my Christmas gift was .... a cold.  Yup.  That's what I got.  And other than two sort of sniffly days last year the first real honest to goodness cold I've had since 1995.  It was a doozy.  I hope my body has now renewed its vows with some wicked cold antibodies and that together we are good for another wonderful 15 years of cold free bliss...

After a full 13 days of varying stages of feeling crappy....I declare this...the 13th....to be the end of it.... although, I still don't think I sound like me when I speak. Maybe one more day.  The usual 10 to 14 days plus lingering symptoms for 3 weeks is definitely at work here.

Yesterday... when I was still at the giantpuffballforahead stage, I tried to get some appointments organized...ohhhhhh....I wish I had waited one more day.  I had to actually drive to two separate doctor's offices because I couldn't get past hanging on this end of the phone waiting to speak to a real person.  Nobody seemed to be answering phones when I walked in either...hmmmm.... and then the confusion that ensued between me not asking the right questions or the receptionists not getting my drift or them not being very helpful.  I felt totally confused, small and very weary by the time I pulled the van into the driveway.

I do now have an appointment with a specialist for my ongoing elbow problem and am organized with more physio.  I can't believe how quick the doctors are to assume a person just wants more or stronger painkillers.  Without even looking at you really.  Just walk into the room and ask what you are taking and if it is covering the pain.  I don't want painkillers doc....I want this darn arm fixed.  Shocked silence. Not my regular doctor, but still....    I have been suffering ...without pain killers .. just taking an occasional Ibuprofen more for the anti inflammatory part of it... since August ...with October being the very worst and when I could hardly move the arm.....  which I told her.  More silence.  We finally got on the same page, as they say.... and she referred me to a guy I have seen before.. for other injuries, but, he is backed up 4 months... and, I'm definitely not waiting that long as it has already been far too long.  So... his 'second'... and in the same office ... good enough.

Nobody knew where she worked at the onset though,  so it was a confusing thing to take my referral note to the first guy's office only to have the receptionist say she would put it on the desk after saying he couldn't see me for months.  Huh?  Whose desk?...why the second doctor of course.  Oh, silly me...of course...sheeesh.... I had no idea she worked in the same office. ..and nobody actually said... oh, well...loong story shorter...I'm organized.  I wrote it all down.  They can't fool me forever.  But, needless to say I felt like an idiot after the conversation went around in circles long enough for the actual doctor to come out of her office to try to clear up the conversation...only to be sucked into it totally and from there ... it got even worse..hahahhahahha.... oh, brother.

Enough of that.

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I had some cranberries left ...fresh ones.  So, I found some relish/chutney recipes and made some.  I have no idea what the difference is really, although some references point to chutney being more about fruit than vegetables..as is relish.  Jury still out I think.















As usual, it's my own concoction anyway...and does have some onion in it... along with some orange peel and other goodies.  Mmmmm... it is yummy.  And, seeing as the days after Christmas are pretty much a blue blur...I will be using it soon.  Because now I have some energy, and am planning to make Tortiere...which is usually a French Canadian Christmas Eve tradition.  I didn't get around to making one, and now...I want one.  With a big dollop of my new chutney beside it.  Which I managed to do just fine even with my puffball head.  Maybe making it up as I went along was better than trying to actually read directions ..hahha.... but,  honest...I did read some of it.... really I did.  I just improvised a bit...... to make my life easier.  And..it would seem.... pretty tasty at the same time.

13 comments:

Serena Lewis said...

So sorry to hear you were down for the count with a rotten cold. And, goodness me, all that confusion at the doctor's clinic. Yes, some doctors view painkillers as the be all and end all...some like to prescribe antidepressants too rather than actually fixing the problem. They tried that with my Mum once who wasn't in the slightest bit depressed. Crazy!

Maybe chutney and relish are really the same thing but the names originate from different regions? I had to google 'Tortiere'....resembles our Aussie meat pies. I'm sure your chutney would be delicious with it.

I hope you feel 100% better very soon,

Serena xo

Gretel said...

Boo to horrid colds and stupid doctors! My theory about the relish/chutney thing is this - in the UK, we tend to call what Americans call relishes, chutney. Because it was originally an Indian condiment which travelled back over here when we were Empire building in the late 1600's and onwards. Now, from what I know, what with the Commonwealth & the Queen and the links we have, the idea of chutney would have travelled over to Canada with migrators, which it didn't do with America (War of Independence etc) and that's why most of my USA readers have never heard of chutney when I mention it on my blog - though they are of course, familiar with relish. As far as I'm concerned, it isn't chutney unless it has sultanas in it, but I'm old fashioned that way. :)

Draffin Bears said...

Oh dear Vee, so sorry that you have been struck down with the awful cold.
So many people around blog land seem to be like you.
Also how annoying to have the run around with the Doctor.
Like that here too, you try to make an appointment and everybody must be still away on holiday.
Enjoy your chutney with your tortiere, will be good.
Do hope you feel better and can get the elbow sorted very soon.

Hugs
Carolyn

Jennifer Rose said...

always horrible when a person gets sick this time of year :/

sadly, a lot of people just want the stronger pain meds, they don't want to get problem fixed or they are addicted :/

Sue said...

Oh dear, I am so glad that you are starting to feel better! The day after Boxing Day, I came down with what I thought was the flu ...three days of chills, fever, headache, body aches and then I had 3 days of a constantly dripping nose and eyes. It was so weird and I still don't know if it was a cold, flu or combo of both. Yesterday was the first day I started to feel better.

Sorry about the run around you got with the docs! Having to visit the offices to just make appointments is ridiculous!

Your chutney looks yummy! We have tortiere every Christmas Eve that my MIL makes and we serve it with her homemade chutney.....SO Good!

Keep feeling better!

Judi W. said...

i read your post and am now as confused as you were :) the chutney looks good tho .. that part I understood. Happy new year!

Mary Ann Tate said...

Sorry to hear you've been sick:( I have had this stinking cold since Christmas day and I still can't shake it.

Your chutney looks delish...I love a good chutney. I usually put it on cheese but then I'm strange:)

Norma Soulet (AZArtist) said...

Oh Vee, so sorry to hear you have a cold now. What a mess with your doctor's. Hope they can do something soon for your arm. :(
Sending you healing hugs

Anonymous said...

Poor you - I hope you are better now. It really is a pain (!) when you can't get the treatment you need, and just get offered pills.
As for the chutney/relish debate ..... I would have chutney with cheese, and relish in a burger - does that help!!??

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Oh dear Bumblevee, you have certainly been in the wars. I hope 2012 improves things.
I had the rotten cold thing over Christmas too. It lasted about 3 - 4 weeks before I stopped coughing and had some energy back. Felt so weary all the time.
I seem to have lost my quilting/bearmaking/blogging mojo lately. Wish I could get it back.
Take care, Lynda and the bears x

Linda Vincent said...

Hello Vee....hope you're feeling LOTS better by the time you get this.
Now, cranberry and orange chutney would definitely be something I'd relish (ha ha) ....with a nice chunk of Leicester cheese :-)
Take care of yourself my friend...
XX

Louise said...

Your chutney, or is is relish! looks an amazing colour in the pan. I never signed up for this getting old lark, did you! x

Maria said...

You were not alone. Going on a cruise with a cold is not fun .... Didn't get better until I also started taking antibiotics, priscribed by the cruise doc. I hope you are feeling better now, my dear. Have a good year and the elbow heals soon.
Yummy stuff in the pot. Enjoy!
Hugs