Reversal of Roles

My mother was opening cabinets in the kitchen.  It was still early in the morning and she was looking forward to her morning cup of coffee. But she needed to find the kettle to boil water in. There is a microwave oven that could easily heat up some water but my mother was afraid she might set my sister’s house on fire. Lately, it takes so little to make her anxious. And being in a kitchen that is not hers made her uneasy.

If not for the need to seek a second medical opinion in the States, my mother would be puttering around her kitchen in Cebu. She would have easily prepared her coffee by then.

For the duration of the visit, I was her companion. While my sister, M, and her husband, J, went off to work each day, having someone to spend the days with in a house not her own made the visit bearable for my mother.

Luckily, another sister, V, was available to drive for my mother during the days of her medical appointments.

Going to the Doctor

It also was a relief for her that she had someone to fill out the forms required before a medical examination can be conducted to validate results on tests she had done in Cebu. Lately, questionnaires, forms, and interviews intimidate my mother.

As we sat at the waiting room of the laboratory and at the doctor’s office, I could not help remembering the many times my mother accompanied me to the doctor’s office. I was and still am such a scaredy cat. There were countless times she held my hand when I had to be given a vaccine shot. There was also the time she flew in from Cebu to arrive at my bedside a few minutes before they wheeled me into the operating room. And how could I ever forget the scandalous time I screamed for her as I was in labor with my first child. Demanding “I want my mommy”.

Calmly my mother waited and when her name was called, she confidently walked into the doctor’s office knowing that she had two daughters who would be with her when the doctor explained her condition to her.

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The visit to the doctor happened almost a month ago. The doctor is optimistic that all will be well but there is need to monitor my mother’s health. Meanwhile, my mother is happily back in Cebu in familiar surroundings doing the things she loves.

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My mother may be getting more forgetful as the years go by. But there are some things she will never forget: the names of the people who owe her money; and, her skill at whipping up delicious dishes with the simplest of ingredients.

While in the States, I was her kitchen assistant. My task was to put out the chopping board, the knife, the ingredients and the pans. Once these were ready, she would begin and would rather I stayed a short distance away so as not to crowd her. I would only be called in when she needed for me to increase or decrease the heat of my sister’s range.

My mother allowing a sister to help her

Of the many dishes she prepared while we visited, the following soup is one that my siblings and I enjoy for the comfort and satisfaction it brought us --- not to mention the large amount of rice we end up consuming. Best paired with crispy fried budburon (Visayan) or galonggong (Tagalog) or scad (English).

Mother’s Pork Sinigang

1 kilo pork (preferably with bone—ribs would do fine) or 1 kilo chicken ( i prefer drumsticks and thighs)
1 lemon grass bulb
2 thumb-size ginger, sliced
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 jalapeno or sili pahaba or espada
2 bunches of spinach, washed
1-2 t Knorr sinigang mix (amount will depend on how sour you want your soup to be)
Salt and pepper

Place the meat, the lemon grass and ginger in a pot and add water to cover. After bringing to a quick boil, lower the fire to allow the water to simmer. Continue to cook until meat is tender. Remove and place in a bowl.

In the same pot, add a tablespoon of cooking oil and sauté the onion and garlic. Once done, return back the meat and the resulting broth. Add the jalapeno, some knorr sinigang mix and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the spinach and cover the pot to allow the steam to wilt the spinach for another 5-10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and once to your liking, transfer to a soup bowl.

Serve piping hot.

Pork Sinigang

Chicken Sinigang

Health is Wealth

When I was a teenager, I felt invincible and had no thoughts of doctors (except in a romantic sense, I guess). Laboratory tests, let alone pricking needles, were not my idea of fun. Besides, my parents had to pin me down before any vaccination could be administered. I was a regular scare-di-cat!

I was 21 years old when I had my first taste of the horror/relief/joy of a medical examination. I had just been hired. Horrors because an elderly male doctor did my very first breast examination while his nurse/receptionist stood as "sponsor". Relief, because in those golden days, a Pap smear was not part of the package. Joy, as the remark "fit for employment" signaled my entry into the working class.

I did not have to face the same mix of emotions until I transferred to another job. But as the doctor was a lady, the examination was not traumatic. There was no need for doctor visitations until I got married and got pregnant. By then, I could consider myself a veteran of the touch and feel and poke and prick -- marriage opens you up for all kinds of examination (so to speak).

The years went by and as God willed it, I stayed relatively healthy. Frequent visits to doctors were mainly for my growing kids. When I visited my doctor, this was not top in my to-do list, and I went only when I thought it was convenient.

In my blooming 30's, I got my taste of what an executive check-up was all about. At the prodding of a friend, both of us took advantage of the company's benefit. Besides, being a first timer, I looked at it as an adventure as well as a cheap chance to have a legitimate reason to be away from work for 2 whole days. After a whirlwind of examination and poking in "new places where the sun don't shine", I was declared healthy beyond reasonable doubt!!!

Regular check-ups every two years became a habit with me. Being and staying healthy moved up in my to-do priority list. I guess when you hit that certain age, you start to feel subtle changes in your appearance-- a more toothy smile brought about by receding gum lines, a fuller hip, strained eyes after a long day's work. Getting a passing mark after a medical exam became the goal.

Thankfully, 50 is the new 30— and I merrily deny the inevitable and still think of myself as sparkling wine! For did not someone say that aging is all in the mind. But there is no denying what I see piling up on my hips, sprouting in my hair, blurring my eyes and causing the aches in my joints. Yes, all these have made me realize even more the importance of good health. For in order to stay a spring chicken (at least in my mind) and continue to enjoy what life has to offer, I have to toe the health line-- diet, exercise, positive attitude and regular check-ups.

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In my recent visit to my doctor, she exclaimed that my cholesterol level was quite impressive. I explained that it must be the oatmeal I have everyday for breakfast. She remarked in return, “I should go back to eating oatmeal again.”

With so many oatmeal preparations in the supermarket these days, it should be easy to find one that suits ones taste. There's traditional rolled oats, said to be even more healthier but needs some time to cook, or the just-add-water variety. I prefer the middle-of-the-road oatmeal variety: Quick Cooking. To make breakfast interesting, I add powdered milk, a sliced banana and a tablespoon of chopped walnuts. And like the life we choose to live, oatmeal options can be limitless.