Meemaw is recovering

Because my wife's mother, AKA Meemaw, is in the hospital recovering from a heart attack, I felt the need to remind people that the signs of a heart attack in women is different from that in men.  Thankfully she is doing well and has (reluctantly) agreed to take her meds.  Hopefully if and when she decides to discontinue their use, she will remember her grandchildren and rethink her decision.  (Yes this is a guilt trip if she happens upon this site :P )  Anyway, the following was copied from the American Heart Association:


Heart Attack Signs in Women

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
• As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
• If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help. Call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away. 

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Heart-Attack-Symptoms-in-Women_UCM_436448_Article.jsp

A Taste of the High Life

I was lucky enough to have my brother watch my team of kids this weekend so I could take my wife out to dinner and a movie. The movie never materialized however. We decided to go to Craft in Dallas because she got a discount there due to her current place of employment, and because one of the pastry chefs there is a friend of hers. After perusing the menu, we couldn't decide on what to order, so we asked the waiter what he recommended. With his help, we decided to allow the chef to decide. So everything was a complete surprise. The dinner went as follows:

Starter: Fresh bread and butter

Amuse bouche: Onion soup with balsamic vinegar

Course 1: Kusshi Oysters with lemons, Tabasco, and/or a vinegar sauce.

Course 2: Dish 1: Escargot & Duck Egg; Dish 2: Heritage Pork Belly & Huckleberry

Course 3: Dish 1: Rabbit Strozzapreti & Lingurian Olive; Dish 2: Poulet Rouge Gallantine & Celery Root

Course 4: Dish 1: Skate Wing & Gribiche; Dish 2: Heritage Pork Shank & Mustard Seed; Side 1: Asparagus; Side 2: Sugar Snap Peas; Side 3: Gratin; Side 4: Gnocchi; Side 5: Hen of the Woods

Palate cleanser: Iced apple pear cider wine

Dessert 1: A tasting of 8 ice-creams and sorbets; Dessert 2: Beignets; Dessert 3: Sticky Toffee Pudding; Dessert 4: Hummingbird cake; Dessert 5: Chocolate mousse with orange curd

Mignardise: Peanut butter cookies, pecan cookies, chocolate espresso fudge

To go (because we obviously didn't get enough food): Chocolate chip cookies, and muffins for breakfast the next morning.


Needless to say, this end of the world type feast took over two and a half hours to complete. We had 3 bags of food to take home. We also missed the movie I had planned on going to, but that was ok. What an amazing assortment of flavors. The entire dinner was sublime. Thank you Craft. Thank you Julie. Amazing dinner!

No Turning Back Now

All of a sudden I couldn't control my shaking. My face flushed and my stomach churned like an unbalanced washing machine. Little beads of sweat appeared on my forehead. No I did not have the flu, nor did I have a food allergy. I just registered for the MCAT. I have known for months what day I wanted/needed to the test. I have been planning on taking it right before I go to my family reunion in July. I guess I've been putting off actually signing up for it because that would make it real. Once that money is plunked down there's no turning back.

Apparently it scares me more than I thought. I had thought I was cool as a cucumber about the whole thing. I mean, I've taken all my prerequisites within the last year. Everything is very fresh, and I've done well in all of the required classes. I understand them. I can see how they all are interrelated. But still the fear is there. This one test will determine whether a medical school will deem me fit to allow entrance into their school. No pressure... Yeah right. Well I can't really do much about it now. I just need to keep plugging away at my classes right now and need to worry about the MCAT later... when classes are over in May. The thing is, if I'm that nervous just to sign up for the exam, how nervous will I be to actually sit for it?

Rest in Peace Granny

Last week I went to Saint Louis to give pay final respects to my grandmother. Although I did not know her well, I learned a lot about her from the stories of others. It was also good to see how her life was celebrated more than mourned. It also may seem selfish, but it was great to visit with all my cousins, uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews. Since I didn't grow up knowing the people on my father's side of the family, I am still learning who everyone is. They have made my and my immediate family's integration into the larger family a smooth one, and I thank them for that. By listening to their stories of granny, I am amazed at how one person could touch so many lives in such a positive way. I will make sure that I do not waste my time; I will make sure I get to know my family better and appreciate having them in my life.