As a consummate lover of delicious food, I often find myself using meals as goal-poasts. Taking a bike ride that is 10 miles to the cheese factory, another 11 to the oyster company, with a last 12 miles to a great glass of post-ride beer. A drive across the country mapped out as high-altitude Colorado whiskey, New Mexico green chile burritos, Memphis dry rub ribs, Asheville beers, and Durham barbecue. Today's food-yardstick, however, was so much more incredible:
KELLY'S FIRST (Post-accident) CHOCOLATE CROISSANT!!!!!!!!!!!
Kelly has been able to eat solid foods for a few days, but between the fact that she can't eat before surgery, and is left too exhausted and dehydrated after surgeries to get excited about the taste of food, it has been nearly a week since she has enjoyed what she's eating. So you can imagine how incredibly excited we were when she started inquiring about food.
Which April and myself only one choice: Stopping by Le Caprice on our bike ride over to the hospital this morning. Kelly introduced me to Le Caprice's chocolate croissant on my second morning living in DC. Kelly's passion for this sweet French bakery in Columbia Heights is pretty serious. Their chocolate croissants are truly excellent, and Kelly will tell anyone (and that includes her day nurse and the fourth year med student assigned to tie her up in traction this morning) how they put all others to shame.
You can imagine our delight when we got to the hospital and Kelly was feeling well enough to eat almost the whole thing! These last couple of days (and let's be real: the last whole week) have been a bit of a roller-coaster. The doctors have been working hard on her pain management, and we are all delighted to see the baby steps on this front. While Kelly is still in a lot of pain (and the situation is constantly evolving) the small scaling back they have done on the narcotics have given her a clearer head, and given us a lot more of the Kelly we know and love. Namely, the razor-sharp wit, and the ability to wax poetic about a beautiful meal.
After our early-morning Gallic success, Kelly got another delicious meal surprise. Maggie's fabulous friend Peter Gatrell, who has never met Kelly, was so moved (we can only assume) by this poetic blog, that he had to come by with some lunch. Listening to Kelly describe the farmer's market tomatoes and seeded bred, with fresh smoked turkey was nearly as good as eating it. I don't know what made me happier: hearing Kelly rave about a good bite, or hearing how many strangers have reached out to our extended DC family to offer support. It's pretty incredible to see so many good-hearted people coming together to help this wildly fierce lady heal herself.
We're hoping all of these delicious treats and teeny baby steps in pain management help Kelly rest up this weekend: surgery number five is on Monday, and we're all crossing our fingers that they will get some of the big work done. Things change here minute by minute, but please do keep Kelly in your thoughts and prayers.
And if you have more time to spare, sign up to bring Kelly, Debbie, Todd, and Jordan a meal! They are being such troopers in the hospital, we would love to spare them from too much cafeteria food! Follow the link here, and join the crew working to feed the Dillons!
http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=EIEB0849&v=36218c9373
Much love,
Erica & the Arkansas Ave Bunch
KELLY'S FIRST (Post-accident) CHOCOLATE CROISSANT!!!!!!!!!!!
Kelly has been able to eat solid foods for a few days, but between the fact that she can't eat before surgery, and is left too exhausted and dehydrated after surgeries to get excited about the taste of food, it has been nearly a week since she has enjoyed what she's eating. So you can imagine how incredibly excited we were when she started inquiring about food.
Which April and myself only one choice: Stopping by Le Caprice on our bike ride over to the hospital this morning. Kelly introduced me to Le Caprice's chocolate croissant on my second morning living in DC. Kelly's passion for this sweet French bakery in Columbia Heights is pretty serious. Their chocolate croissants are truly excellent, and Kelly will tell anyone (and that includes her day nurse and the fourth year med student assigned to tie her up in traction this morning) how they put all others to shame.
You can imagine our delight when we got to the hospital and Kelly was feeling well enough to eat almost the whole thing! These last couple of days (and let's be real: the last whole week) have been a bit of a roller-coaster. The doctors have been working hard on her pain management, and we are all delighted to see the baby steps on this front. While Kelly is still in a lot of pain (and the situation is constantly evolving) the small scaling back they have done on the narcotics have given her a clearer head, and given us a lot more of the Kelly we know and love. Namely, the razor-sharp wit, and the ability to wax poetic about a beautiful meal.
After our early-morning Gallic success, Kelly got another delicious meal surprise. Maggie's fabulous friend Peter Gatrell, who has never met Kelly, was so moved (we can only assume) by this poetic blog, that he had to come by with some lunch. Listening to Kelly describe the farmer's market tomatoes and seeded bred, with fresh smoked turkey was nearly as good as eating it. I don't know what made me happier: hearing Kelly rave about a good bite, or hearing how many strangers have reached out to our extended DC family to offer support. It's pretty incredible to see so many good-hearted people coming together to help this wildly fierce lady heal herself.
We're hoping all of these delicious treats and teeny baby steps in pain management help Kelly rest up this weekend: surgery number five is on Monday, and we're all crossing our fingers that they will get some of the big work done. Things change here minute by minute, but please do keep Kelly in your thoughts and prayers.
And if you have more time to spare, sign up to bring Kelly, Debbie, Todd, and Jordan a meal! They are being such troopers in the hospital, we would love to spare them from too much cafeteria food! Follow the link here, and join the crew working to feed the Dillons!
http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=EIEB0849&v=36218c9373
Much love,
Erica & the Arkansas Ave Bunch
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