Last fall my brothers and I had to make a terrible decision. Our father had a massive stroke and was put on life support, essentially so we could be with him before he died. When told he was brain dead the question was if and when to disconnect the life support.
Personally, I did not like the two options. When I raised the question “What about organ donation?” there became a third option. As the doctors reviewed my father’s medical history, the donation process became a viable alternative. We were confident that this was what Dad would have wanted because our mother had been an organ donor. Once the decision was made, the emphasis shifted to keeping the organs healthy and functioning until the transplant team could arrive.
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This waiting time was emotional but also healing. Our family had time at Dad’s bedside to remember, laugh, cry, pray and celebrate his life. As we left the hospital we knew Dad had given all of us the greatest gift possible, of helping someone else live.
April 21-26 is National Organ Donor Awareness Week.
I encourage you to think about organ donation. Talk to your loved ones so they know your intentions. When we read Dad’s will a few days later it confirmed his wish to donate organs.
But putting this information in a will is too late. All provinces have stickers that can be placed on your health services card that will alert medical personnel that you want to be an organ donor. Also talk to your doctor and your next of kin. For the donation process to begin, the next of kin must sign a release form. Our Dad, at 86 years, was at the time Saskatchewan’s oldest organ donor. His liver and both kidneys were successfully transplanted and three individuals were given a second chance.
Fruit recipes wanted
Dear TEAM: I would appreciate the following recipes: a fruit juice combo similar to Orange Julius and information on how to make candied or crystallized ginger from fresh or frozen roots. – E.R., North Battleford, Sask.
Dear E.R.: This recipe uses frozen orange juice concentrate but you could use any frozen juice concentrate. If you choose to add raw egg, be sure the egg shell is clean and crack free as there is a concern of salmonella from raw eggs. It is always good practice to break an egg into a dish before adding to prevent shell pieces from getting into the food.
Orange Julius
1/2 a 355 mL can of frozen
orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk 250 mL
1 cup water 250 mL
2 tablespoons 30 mL
granulated sugar or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
1 egg, optional
10-12 ice cubes
Place the frozen concentrate, milk, water, sugar or honey and vanilla in a blender. Blend until well mixed. Add ice cubes two or three at a time and blend to crush.
Serve immediately.
Source: Alcohol-free Beverage Book #2, West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre Inc., Kindersley, Sask.
Candied root or peel
This recipe is from Margo Oliver’s Weekend Magazine Cookbook, published by Totem Books. It was originally for candied orange peel. Substituting ginger root for orange peel produced a product much like store-bought crystallized ginger.
Ginger: Peel ginger root and slice into approximately 1/3 inch (one centimetre) slices. Put in a small saucepan and cover with water. Simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving one cup (250 mL) of liquid.
Orange peel: Remove peel from oranges in quarters. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain, reserving one cup (250 mL) liquid. Remove the inner white portion of the peel and discard. Cut the peel into 1/4 inch (2/3 cm) strips.
Method: Combine reserved liquid with two cups (500 mL) sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then cook without stirring to 238 F (114 C) or until the syrup forms a soft ball in water. Add ginger or orange and simmer 10 minutes. Set on a cake rack to drain well. Place about 1/2 cup (125 mL) of sugar in a small paper bag. Add the ginger or orange. Shake well to coat. Cool.
Egg decorating option
Easy batik eggs – Batik is an Indonesian method of hand-printing cloth by brushing melted wax onto the parts that are not to be dyed. This egg decoration method uses masking tape to produce interesting results.
Cut out designs from masking tape and stick them onto your egg. Dip the eggs into dye. When they are dry, remove the masking tape. You can repeat the process by sticking on new cutouts and redipping the egg. You can overlap some of the colours for variety. Start with the lightest dye and work to the darker ones. If you want to keep an area a particular colour, cover it with masking tape.
You can use a crayon or hard paraffin wax to draw on designs that will resist the dye.
Pass it on
This is a great activity for a group of friends and family. You will need a hard-boiled egg for each person and a collection of coloured markers. The smaller tip permanent markers work best.
Everyone gathers around the table. Each person takes an egg and draws a hairstyle on it. Then each one passes their egg to the person next to them. That person draws the eyebrows. Pass the eggs again and draw the eyes. Keep passing and drawing until all the parts of the face are done. Then everyone can admire the results. Source: www.night.net/easter/decorate.html-ssi.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
