Staying Warm
At the time of writing this update, Chicago (and much of the Midwest) is experiencing a record polar vortex. The forecasts were actually pretty accurate, as it reached -24F (-31C) air temperature and -50F (-46C) wind chill this week. While we had planned to stay in, we did make it out for a few excursions, so I got bundled up to go to my guitar class and a birthday party. Fortunately, I wasn’t outside for very long. Plus, my extra layers and heavy coat kept me well protected from the elements. Inside, it’s been a good opportunity to use the gas fireplace, which really warms up the place nicely.
In terms of my health, the recovery continues - a steady upward progression but no dramatic improvements or declines. The longer-term issues are getting better and are not causing any functional issues. For my hearing, my left ear still gets plugged every once in a while (most noticeable in yoga, when my head is in different positions). The ringing hasn’t gone away completely, but it’s only noticeable during quiet periods. For my jaw flexibility and swallowing muscles, I went in to see my speech language pathologist last week. While I wasn’t quite as diligent in doing my exercises in the past few weeks, the video swallow study (drinking barium in lots of viscosities) were similar to previous ones. I’ll just continue to do the exercises to maintain close to full function. I’m glad my SLP is on top of the post-radiation side effects, as I believe I’m able to pro-actively address these in the early stages before it becomes an issue.
The lymphedema generally seems to be getting better. However, this morning I did feel a little lump underneath the left side of my jaw, which I believe is hardening of the lymphatic tissue. As with the jaw exercises, I wasn’t doing the drainage self-massage as frequently at home. That may change, as a sales rep from Tactile Medical came over to demonstrate their Flexitouch product. This is a vest and head system that variably pumps air into different chambers in the garments to stimulate the drainage. The rep said insurance generally covers this, so I may be adding this to my set self care devices. The massage program takes 32-44 minutes, so I’ll be wearing this while reading or watching TV.
Hopefully this Flexitouch system will be part of my home self care program soon
Eating and drinking are still getting better. Of course, I’d like for it to improve even faster so that I can get back to eating all the spicy foods I like, especially Asian foods and wings. That being said, I can now add some levels of cayenne and chili flakes when we cook at home, though I tend to avoid the super spicy items when ordering off a menu. The only other key restriction in my diet remains the breads and dense foods, as my saliva hasn’t come back enough yet. Rich cakes, cookies, and pastries still require a liquid assist, as well as a rinse after (so that I’m not talking to people with chocolate cake stuck on my teeth).
I’ve been able to explore a few new places eating out in Chicago, including a lot of places starting with the letter “B” - Band of Bohemia, Bellemore, and BiXi Beer, as well as returning to favorites like Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, Pizzeria Bebu, and Chengdu Impression. Despite my best efforts, szechuan foods are still too spicy for me to eat, so I wasn’t able to enjoy much at Chengdu Impression.
Our visit to Bellemore was with my friend Edwin, who was in town from London. We met over 14 years ago playing in an ex-pat softball game (HYPISCO) and see each other when we are in the same city. He also enjoys food quite a bit, and it seems like there is a story when we dine together. A few years ago, when we were at Charlie Trotter’s, the chef himself was eating in the dining room, hosting Thomas Keller. This time, our dinner at Bellemore did not feature any celebrity chefs, but had a bit more drama. Seated behind Edwin was a couple who were fighting nearly the entire time. It seemed like they were already agitated when they came in, and it went downhill from the moment they sat down. There was some passive-aggressive behavior, the man putting cash on the table (presumably so that the woman can take a cab home) and then the woman throwing it back in his face, and more arguing. The managers had to ask them to leave, and they left separately! Edwin was oblivious to most of this and was just quietly enjoying the food and our company. The food itself was pretty good, though we enjoy other Boka Group restaurants a bit more. The sweet potato tots and the icelandic cod were the favorites. They also sent out, as a “gift from the kitchen,” a very nice Hawaiian roll with compound butter. As always, the service at these restaurants in top notch. I got a call from the manager a few days later to talk about the arguing couple and to send us a gift card for our next visit. We’ll be back.
My nephews from Ann Arbor came back to Chicago for a return visit. As they had a long weekend, they made the drive for another weekend of eating. The highlight was a visit to Band of Bohemia, a “culinary brewhouse” that has earned a Michelin star. This is a place founded by former Alinea opening team vets. BoB is a playful and interactive experience, as the focus is on the pairing with food and their own brewed beers. So of course, we ordered the flight of beers (5 on the menu and an additional two off-menu) and most of the items off their focused menu. In particular, the starters and their pairings were great together. Some of the beers seem to come alive when there are food flavors to pair, as on their own, I can’t say that they were especially memorable. The portion sizes were nice and substantial, so it was easy to get a good taste of all the foods.
As far as home cooking, it’s been mainly cooking recipes that we know and like. This includes Rasika’s chicken tikka masala, Shaya’s Moroccan carrot salad, and NYT’s Vietnamese Caramel Salmon. Other favorites include butternut squash soup and the NYT’s Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma. Alexander (one of my nephews) actually made this one for us. He liked it so much that I made him a few spice mixes so that he can make this when he’s back at college. The other new item I tried to make at home was beef hor fun, for which I get occasional cravings. Oddly, regular bacon is still hard for me to eat. However, I tried out some thinly sliced beef bacon from my local butcher, and it was fantastic. I think I’ll get that next time.
Last but not least, I was inspired by a former co-worker. Jason and I worked together for a few years at Silverpath Capital Management. We were the two senior analysts there, with the firm being 7 people in total. At around the same time I got diagnosed, he also started having serious medical issues. He is a true survivor and endured a much more harrowing and painful journey than what I went through. We are both on recovery paths, so it was nice to get together. We had a second dinner, adding both of our girlfriends, who are much more than incredible caretakers. Without their support, Jason and I would have had much more challenging times.
Jason told me that he is taking advantage of his lease on life, with a few trips already booked for the year. After that first dinner with him, I figured it’s time to start using all my accumulated loyalty and reward miles and points to book a trip. Thus, Aiday and I will be heading to Paris and London in a few weeks time. She has not been to either city yet, so it’ll be fun to revisit some favorites and explore some new places with her. I’m in the research and planning phase, so if you have any favorites to recommend, feel free to send them my way.
The next few posts will include some travel photos and food pics. I’m glad I’m at a point where my energy is good and my taste is good enough to explore and enjoy these foods. Hopefully by later this year, this will apply to Singaporean and other Asian foods. Hope you are all well and staying safe and warm.