Saturday, March 14, 2015

I Never Knew I Was a Picky Eater!

The girls came over for Happy Hour last night. They were quite entertained by how things were going around here. Butch confessed that he's not a good caregiver. Technically, that's not true. He's doing a fine job. But, I can tell he's getting aggravated with me. I just should have spent a little time training him for the role. Instead I was busy trying to figure out how I could remain independent, when really I can't be.

I've never considered myself a picky person when it comes to food. But, apparently I am! No, not about the actual food itself, but how it's served to me. Butch will give me a huge fork to eat my breakfast on a little dessert plate. That size plate calls for a small fork (salad fork). Same with dessert---large fork. For cereal, he gives me a big soup spoon. He surprised me with strawberries and cream, but then gave me a big soup spoon to eat them with. I know this might seem ridiculous, but it seems "off" to me and a bit disconcerting---the big utensils do not balance nicely on the plate. You're probably thinking---"as little as Butch cares about food---I should be thankful he's serving me at all!" And, I am. He's being very patient and I'm not saying a single word in complaint---to him!

Getting down to the food itself---I never realized how set in my ways I am. I do not want pepper in my scrambled eggs, but yet, do want pepper in my soft boiled eggs. I didn't specifically say how I wanted my eggs seasoned, so how was he to know?

He bought me a loaf of the sunflower bread that he knows I love. I asked for 2 slices of peanut butter toast for lunch with a big glass of milk. He brought the toast, but failed to put jelly on it. I said, "oh." He said, "what?" I said, "you forgot the jelly." He said, "you didn't say you wanted jelly." He's right, I didn't specifically mention it, but when I'm having peanut butter toast for a meal at lunch or dinner, I want jelly. If I have it for breakfast, I take it just plain. Make sense? No, the girls didn't think so either! Oh, and he forgot the milk!

Again, I'm not complaining. I hate that I have to be so helpless right now. I'm able to hobble around a little, but this cast is so heavy! Being like this has made me realize how ridiculous I am about the littlest of things. I always knew that I had some OCD issues, but never realized that they extend to all areas of my life! The size of forks or spoons? Come on!

Butch has been a great care-giver. He asks me constantly if I need anything. I try to save everything up so as not to have him running all the time. I think, when I have the next toe done, I'll prepare some little written tests for him so he knows just how I like things. On second thought, I better not. He might not take kindly to that. How old do you have to be before it's considered "elder abuse!"


7 comments:

  1. Hoping that you are getting better day by day, Barbara - and I guess new situations in life hold up a mirror to us which we might not otherwise see :). A little little of the essentials might be really helpful next time indeed.

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  2. Hopefully you'll be up and about soon and can fix your own! In the meantime, I'd suggest being very specific about what you want. As in "I'd like two slices of white bread, toasted lightly, with peanut butter and jelly." or "I'd like two scrambled eggs, with salt only, on a salad plate, with a dessert fork." My DH tells me all the time that he can't read my mind. You'd think after 30 years he should be able to... I can read his... but since he confesses to this shortcoming in an essential marital skill, I know the only way to resolve it is to change how I deal with it. Which means asking for EXACTLY what I want!

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  3. oh bless Barbara....I feel for you...and Butch!! It can't be easy for either of you. I remember watching my DH iron when i was laid up. Well.....that was the most painful experience ever. It took him hours to do what was essentially a 20 minute pile!! I hope you are feeling much better x x

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  4. Had exactly the same thing today with Mr M. I wrote cream on the shopping list. We only ever buy one kind of cream so we can make a little dessert icecream so he knows that right? wrong. "What sort of cream?" he asked, "We only ever buy one sort" I replied. "Yes, but you might have changed your mind" he replied leaving me speechless. I agree with previous comments you have to be specific for the duration of your debility

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  5. Such a FUN post Barbara! I'm picky in some ways, too, but Robbie cooks often here & has learned my quirks. LOL

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  6. It's not easy, is it? But it's certainly an interesting way to see the world...until I was stuck in one place last summer I don't think I had any real understanding of how frustrating it was for my Mum to be constantly having to explain to new carers how she needed things done. Now I'm more patient when she calls to tell me about all the staff moving round!

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  7. Oh I hope things have improved as you are able to move around. But I understand completely about size of cutlery and crockery!

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