When I was a kid, one of the "funny" jokes we told was, "What's worse than biting into an apple and finding a worm?" "I don't know, what?" "Finding half a worm!" Yuck, yuck yuck.
As I write this I am looking at a half a bag of pistachios that is supposed to be "held" as part of a voluntary recall. Apparently, before anyone was known to be hurt, a company that processes and roasts pistachios was concerned that salmonella may have contaminated pistachios. The FDA has alerted people to the recall at http://www.fda.gov/pistachios/. As it has been a week since eating the pistachios in the bag, I am assuming we are OK. And Sue is no longer being bothered by or testing positive for C Diff.
But as Sue has had a slightly bumpy health issues that do not seem to be related to the leukemia or to the effects of the treatment, it is mostly the memory and worry that are carried on. To be sure there are still the problems that still actually plague Sue, like the hip damage that still causes pain, the peripheral neuropathy in the toes, and other aspects of being on high dose chemotherapy and steroids.
But the pistachios and the realization that there is risk for everyone. Sue got another cold, and we realized we had slacked off in using Purell at every moment. Hygiene is of major importance to immune suppressed people, which Sue is no longer considered (although she is still missing her last round of immunizations to be given in six months). But we still need to be a little careful to wash before eating or coming into contact with people (please wash your hands). And we hope that we do not have to stare at our food and just hope that it was produced in a sanitary method.
(I will try to post more often realizing I almost missed posting in March altogether. Must admit been posting to my own blogs recently.)
Also, to recap a missed oddity. Sue missed having enough blood to give last time by the narrowest of margins. This Friday we go back for the the next try. Wish her good luck.
First the concrete jungle and now this! Keeping all our food safe will never be perfect, but I hope that Sue does have enough blood next time.
-Tenbroeck
PS. Do either of you have a facebook page?
Posted by: Tenbroeck | May 02, 2009 at 06:23 PM