What a precious gift is the human body. And how we take it for granted. I just had a health scare that is common for many women – breast cancer.
Almost two months ago, the breast cancer van was in town for the regular mammogram screening. Not expecting anything out of the normal, it was just a routine procedure for me. Two weeks later, when I received a letter, I was only a little concerned.
But after meeting with the surgeon, who explained potential options (including a 50 percent chance of having to get a mastectomy) after the biopsy, I was more anxious. I awaited the phone call for the appointment for my biopsy.
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Although I would have said that fearful thoughts occupied less than one percent of my mind, looking back, they were right under the surface every waking moment, whether at home, visiting our granddaughter in Calgary or spending time with friends at the lake.
Going to City Hospital in Saskatoon was an amazing experience that I want to share with others. I had previously had two mammograms and an ultrasound, but the first thing they did was give me another ultrasound with a machine of higher technical magnitude.
The radiologist looked at the ultrasound and to my amazement, came back with three alternatives. She asked my permission to explore these alternatives, explaining her
“first, do no harm” rationale by starting with the least invasive procedure.
I was temporarily elated and apprehensive. The third and last alternative was the biopsy, the most invasive procedure.
The doctor acted on her hunch that the cyst and much larger mass had a similar shape, so she did an ultrasound and mammogram, drained the cyst, then did another ultrasound and mammogram. Sure enough, the mass had also disappeared.
It was almost too good to be true. I was elated and felt like laughing, crying and hugging the doctor. It felt surreal. All those seconds, minutes and hours where your future is temporarily on hold or in question. How many women go through this experience every day? Never before did I truly understand what goes through a person’s mind when she is in this situation. How humbling this experience is, and how much compassion I feel for individuals, families and friends of those with this and other diseases.
Our health is everything. Now more than ever, I am determined to eat a nutritious well-balanced diet, to plan for balance in every area in my life and to appreciate all that is part of our life here on earth.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, early detection and screening for breast cancer are crucial. Breast self-examination, mammography and clinical breast examinations are the most reliable methods of finding breast cancer.
The first thing that I did as I left the hospital was go to the gift shop and buy the breast cancer cookbook I had spotted as I entered the hospital. We also bought a lottery ticket. Although Don and I never buy lottery tickets, this surely felt like a lucky day.
The women who wrote the cookbook describe themselves as 10 small-town menopausal women who have been affected by breast cancer and are raising money for cancer research. Many people do not like to talk about cancer, but it is real life, and we each experience it either in our own life or in that of a friend, relative or co-worker.
What I appreciated most was the loving support from the people closest to me. I think talking about this opens the door for conversations we need to have. Sometimes we try to protect our loved ones from sadness and hurt, yet perhaps the kindest thing is to be in relationships where truth and openness prevail.
When I arrived at Ben and Marla’s on a recent afternoon it was like I had gone into a time machine and arrived in another world. Here I was, being mother and mother-in-law, and digging through their fridge in Vancouver to find ingredients for this broccoli soup that we had for supper.
Broccoli soup
2 cups broccoli, cut up 500 mL
2 cups hot water 500 mL
1/4 bay leaf
2 tablespoons onion, chopped 30 mL
2 cubes of chicken bouillon
4 tablespoons margarine 60 mL
5 tablespoons flour 75 mL
1 cup milk 250 mL
Simmer broccoli, water, bay leaf, onion and bouillon cubes for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Mix melted margarine and flour in a large pot. Slowly add milk and simmer to make a white sauce. Add the first liquid to the white sauce as well. Blend the broccoli mixture in blender to make a puree. Add the puree to sauce in the stockpot and mix. Stir constantly while reheating to prevent burning.
Source: For the Breasts and the Rest of Friends, written and published by Breast Friends Cookbooks Inc., Box 436, Foam Lake, Sask. S0A 1A0, 306-272-4547, printed by Gateway Publishing Co. Ltd., 385 DeBaets St., Winnipeg, R2J 4J8.
We served the soup with the following biscuits. Our daughter, Marla, makes these to have on hand for a quick and easy breakfast.
Cheddar cheese biscuits
1 cup flour 250 mL
2 teaspoons baking powder 10 mL
1 teaspoon sugar 5 mL
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 mL
1/4 cup butter, cut up 60 mL
1 cup cheddar cheese, 250 mL
shredded
1/3 cup milk 75 mL
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheddar cheese. Add milk; stir until mixture forms soft dough.
Place on lightly floured surface; knead eight to 10 times or until smooth. Pat out dough into six-inch (15 cm) square. Cut into nine squares. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Here is an interesting recipe that our friends recently adapted from last month’s Chatelaine magazine and served at a Sunday afternoon deck party.
Smoky brie with berry sauce
1 untreated cedar plank
1 round brie or camembert cheese
Sauce:
1/3 cup orange juice 75 mL
1 tablespoon cornstarch 15 mL
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter, 15 mL
cut into cubes
1 cup blueberries or saskatoon 250 mL
berries
1/4 cup shredded basil or mint 60 mL
(optional)
Place cedar plank in kitchen sink, large basket or pan. Cover with water. Weigh plank down with a couple of heavy cans so it stays submerged. Soak at least one hour, preferably overnight.
In a bowl, stir orange juice with cornstarch until dissolved. Place shallot, butter and blueberries in a foil pie plate. Sprinkle with salt. Stir in juice mixture.
Tightly cover plate with foil. When ready to grill, heat barbecue to high. Then reduce heat on one side of barbecue to medium. Place plank on medium side and pie plate with blueberries on the high side with the barbecue lid closed so plank starts to smoke, approximately five minutes. Place cheese on plank.
Continue grilling, with lid closed, until cheese starts to soften and berries turn saucy, about 10 minutes. You don’t have to stir berries.
Check plank often in case it catches fire. If this happens, immediately spray with water, then reduce heat under plank.
Turn off grill and carefully remove pan with berry sauce. Stir in basil, then pour sauce into a pretty serving bowl. Using a spatula, place cheese on a cutting board or plank. Serve with berry sauce on the side and a mix of crackers, flatbread or slices of baguette.
Serves: four to six with 2/3 cup (150 mL) sauce.
Jean Pare has another cookbook with a variety of recipes to make simple suppers. Try this variation of healthy vegetable recipes.
Sweet sugar peas
2 tablespoons frozen 30 mL
concentrated orange juice, thawed
1 tablespoon water 15 mL
2 teaspoons soy sauce 10 mL
1 teaspoon cornstarch 5 mL
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 mL
2 teaspoons cooking oil 10 mL
5 cups sugar snap peas, 1.25 L
trimmed
Combine first five ingredients in small cup. Heat cooking oil in large frying pan on medium. Add peas. Heat and stir for about five minutes until tender-crisp. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the peas. Heat and stir for about one minute until sauce is thickened. Makes about four cups (one litre). Serves six.
Source: Jean Pare’s Company’s Coming Simple Suppers at www.companyscoming.com. To order, call 780-450-6223 or fax 780-450-1857.
Barbara Sanderson 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.
