Skip to main content

My big sister and the egg sandwich that might cure her cancer

I usually like to keep things light hearted here At Home With Ann.  Simple recipes, awkward jokes, toddler antics and kitchen fiascos.  But we all experience times in life when we are thrown for a loop and face something that stops us in our tracks.  I, like a classic control freak, tend to keep things to myself.  Everything is under control, see? My house is clean, dinner is cooked, the dishes are done, I'm on schedule, I blow dried my hair, I don't need help.  See?  See?  But this time it's not about me, it's not something I can control, and wishing it away won't actually make it go away.

Me, my Mom and Sarah last Summer

Three years ago my sister, Sarah, was diagnosed with a form of leukemia called AML (acute myeloid leukemia).  My reaction was typical.  This happens to other people.  Not my 33 year old sister who lives by the ocean, gets tons of fresh air and exercise, and eats healthier than anyone who has ever entered Whole Foods.  She can't be sick.  She has a four year old and a 9 month old who need her.  She can't be sick.

But she was sick, and that fall instead of visiting her at home where her house is always some level of chaos caused by activities, kids, friends and cooking, I visited her a hospital room where I wore a gown and a mask and helped her cut off her shedding hair.  I spent time taking care of my nephews while her husband tried to juggle working, nighttime parenting a baby, and visiting his wife in the hospital.  I was in such shock and crises mode than I never considered what might happen in the future, we were just trying to get through the next day.  I saw her friends, family and acquaintances send more love, support and prayers than I could ever imagine.  And it worked.  By the time 2011 rolled around she was healthy, the cancer was gone, and we could all go back to our normal lives.  My life that year was filled with the happy excitement and anticipation of our baby.  He was born and immediately filled our hearts and all our time.  As his second birthday rolled around, Sarah told me she was getting another bone marrow scan, because her blood work was concerning and she wasn't feeling well.  OK, I thought, well it won't be cancer again.  She has worked for the past three years to ensure she is as healthy as she can be.  It won't be cancer again.  But it is cancer, and she is looking down the barrel of chemo and a bone marrow transplant.

So I am here at home, with my life rolling on, taking care of my family and playing with Colin.  She sits in a hospital room hooked up to various tubes and needles, doing her very best to be patient and cure her disease.  She'll be fine, I say.  She's done this before.  She has an amazing attitude.  She has all the support and medical technology on her side.  She still has little kids who need her.  And most of the time that works, but there are times it all hits me.  This is scary.  This is unknown.  I can't control or fix or clean this.  I just want my sister to be well.

Some days when we talk I can tell how hard it is, but other days it's just like normal.  One such day last week she told me that one of her friends has been bringing her the most amazing egg sandwich every day.  Egg, goat cheese and pesto.  I'm not making any scientific statements here, but she's eaten quite a few of these, and when she gets well, it might just be in part to this egg sandwich.  Just in case, here's my version.

The Egg Sandwich That Might Cure Cancer
1 slice toasted sourdough bread
1 egg, fried or scrambled
Goat Cheese
Pesto

Layer it all together and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Be well.



Comments

  1. Ann, I'm so sorry for what you guys are going through. Your sister is so lucky to have such a strong family behind her. Please know you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jen, we'll take all the thoughts and prayers we can get!

      Delete
  2. Ann,
    While we may not have ever met, I have enjoyed reading your recipes, family anecdotes, and daily observations with a smile. As a sister and a mother of toddler myself I can't imagine what you and your family are going through. I send my thoughts and prayers for strength for you all and a successful recovery for your sister.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you, Marian. I think thanks to Jackie we feel like we know we each other well!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm so sorry Ann. My heart aches for you and your family. Sarah has always been such a bold, bright, and strong woman...surely she'll beat this. In the meantime your entire family will be in my prayers. As an ode to Sarah I'll be enjoying her egg sandwich soon. Goat cheese and pesto are a bad a$$ combination- I have no doubt it will help to cure her :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Maree. And absolutely give the egg sandwich a try, I've been eating it daily :)

      Delete
  5. Ann. Thank you for sharing. This is devastating. You have lots of extended family love to draw strength from.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sending love your way. I am here to help in any way that you need. I think it's so brave that you shared your sister's story with us--thank you. Xo times infinity!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Ann - We just know each other through our common connection to Megan - I have really enjoyed reading your adventures in the kitchen and with Colin. I am so sorry to hear that Sarah's battle with cancer continues. How scary and frustrating and hard. We are all rooting for her and your family!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ann I'm so sorry to hear about your sister. I can't imagine what it's been like for her and for your family but my thoughts are with you all.

    M

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

A few weeks ago we went into Boston for the day. After chasing little people up, down, and around the Children's Museum, watching Colin climb up three stories on a jungle gym and James' excitement at a room filled with golf balls, we went to Flour Bakery for lunch.  I had the Roasted Sweet Potato sandwich, and it was amazing. I just checked the menu , and it looks like they don't offer it right now, but lucky for you I made a salad that's just as good.  The original sandwich was roasted sweet potato, apple, walnut pesto, blue cheese and kale on wheat bread.  I took some liberties, changed up some ingredients, and made it into a salad. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Romaine and Kale, shredded Olive oil Sweet potato rounds, roasted Apple, sliced Avocado Roasted tomatoes Goat cheese Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle kale and romaine with olive oil Sweet potatoes - coat slices or cubes with olive oil and roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Tomatoes - toss with olive o

Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season, and ate all the cookies.  I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, but all the treats I've been eating for the past month have been making me feel a little sluggish.  When I saw a one day "cleanse" I thought I'd give it a try.  Loosely, it called for drinking hot lemon water first thing in the morning, a Glowing Green Smoothie for breakfast, Ginger Lemon Cayenne Detox tea and vegetables for lunch and dinner. My day went like this: First thing after my run: Hot Lemon water - This is a nice way to warm up.  I do this all the time. Breakfast: Glowing Green Smoothie - I liked it a lot.  Very refreshing and hydrating.  Wished I hadn't baked donuts the night before as they were staring me down on the kitchen counter. Lunch: Spicy Mulligatawny Soup - I'm pretty sure that's not what they meant by "salad," but I went with it. Snack: Ginger Lemon Cayenne Detox tea - Zingy and invigorat

Baby Breakfast Cookies and Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes

I make these recipes for Colin, but grown up people might like them too! Colin was never big into baby food purees.  I fed him one jar of food back when he first started eating solids, mostly so that I could have the cute mini jar to use for lotion.  I think those "complete meals in a jar" are kind of creepy.  Chicken dinner puree?  No, thanks.  For the most part he has eaten fruits and vegetables, either raw, steamed, roasted or sauteed.  A few things have been big hits and I use them as staples: broccoli and roasted sweet potatoes.  He's big in picking things up himself.  We can get into ruts, however, one of which resulted in his eating an entire roasted butternut squash over a two week period. He likes to help in the kitchen, which means he wants to see everything that's going on and touch it.  Cooking with one hand while holding him with the other can be a bit of a challenge.  Sometimes I can convince him that the view from his chair is pretty good, and he tak