this poached chicken breast is.…


poached chicken breast, originally uploaded by shaunaforce.

the only food I ate all of yesterday.

The Chef made me an emergency quart of stock in the morning, before going off to work. He also brought me ginger ale and lemons and oranges and fresh juice. Sweetly, he brought all of them to me with tender concern in his eyes. That made me feel a little better, for a few moments.

You see, at the worst time imaginable, I have grown sick, very sick. During the fall, I flirted with having a cold, and skirted the edges of flu for a few days last week. Each time, my healthful eating and adoring honey brought me back from the brink. This time, however, there was no going back.

This is the first time I have been truly sick since I stopped eating gluten. Damn, I guess gluten-free does not mean germ-free!

The doctor said, yesterday morning, that my raw sore throat, ear ache, swollen glands, and fevers are probably just a viral infection. When I told him all that is going on, and especially that I have a manuscript due to the publishers in three and a half weeks, he smiled and said, “Well, that might have something to do with it, don’t you think?”

Yes. I’m sure he’s right.

This past week, I have been terribly, terribly sad about this story, which makes my flu feel superfluous. My vivid imagination spiraled into their story, and I could not shake the feeling of grief. I know that many of us felt the same. The only gleam in all that darkness was watching the way people came together through the internet, this quixotic, beautiful community.

I’m so grateful to have a body that can feel malaise and pain. Still, I think the sadness weighed me down, along with the deadline.

And so, I’m taking a break for a few days. Doctor’s orders. I’ll be back when I’m better, when my throat doesn’t ache with a slaking rage. I’m hoping that today I will feel well enough to prop the laptop on my knees and work on the book. If not, it’s more sleep for me.

Until I’m back, talk amongst yourselves. Here’s a topic: best gluten-free methods for fighting the flu.

I could use some.

26 comments on “this poached chicken breast is.…”

  1. jes

    Shauna,
    i hope you feel better soon. in the meantime consume plenty of garlic, ginger, and vitamin c (2,000–3,000 mg a day). also, plenty of love and attention– which i know you get. :)

  2. Anonymous

    –Hot water with lemon (you can add honey if it’s too sour but I like the way the lemon cleans). Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, homemade limeade, and chamomile tea are also good.

    –Emergen-C: Vitamin C packets that you add to water (I like the cranberry flavor). This may be similar to Airborne.

    –Oregano pills help boost your immune system. So do probiotics — if your gut is clean, it can clean out the bacteria more effectively.

    –Plenty of sleep

    –Quinoa made in chicken stock is a good snack that puts nutritious food in your stomach. Chicken soup with chicken and vegetables is also good.

    –Pedialyte freezer pops soothe sore throats/glands and restore electrolytes without adding calories.

    –Hot baths, maybe incorporate lavender for relaxation. Using a humidifier or hot water bottle might make you feel better.

    –For me, I have found that I need to avoid soy, corn, peanuts, and dairy when I get the flu instead of just being plain gluten-free.

    Feel better, Shauna!

  3. Anonymous

    This is interesting. I made a comment to hubby about how I never get a cold or fever or sniffles or any of that since I eliminated gluten (and in my case casein, corn, soy, eggs). I used to get bronchitis several times a year. It is heaven for me…Maybe someone slipped you some gluten when you were starstruck over your sweetie. I hope not.
    Rest, lay low…and then get that #@$#!$ manuscript done. All my best. You are a dear to so many on blogspot.

  4. laura

    I hope you get to feeling better soon. I am always a big fan of tomato soup (not from a can) or hot & Sour soup (not from a packet). The suggestion of a lavender scented bath is a good one too. Lavender just feels clean, soothing and gives a good boost to the senses that have been overwhelmed with the viral ick.

  5. a.

    chew on a raw garlic clove. That should kill any infection you have. you can also make garlic oil, for ear drops, granted you will be stinky, but I have done this for ear aches, and general well being and it works! otherwise ginger steeped in hot water. equal parts lime juice and honey taken as shots, superstrong, sweet and bitter, should coat your throat nicely. chciken broth with more garlic, ginger and chilis.… lemon ginger echinacea juice. lots and lots of water to flush the system. Stretch and do some yoga at home, to help muscle tension and move the energy out. Soak in hot bath with salt, eucalyptus, lavender, and or a sea salt srub in the shower.
    Hope you feel better, the stress has alot to do with it, just breathe, and relax!

  6. Elle

    Sorry you have the flu. This won’t cure you, but it helps with the congestion and sore throat:

    Take a tea pot, boiling water, zest from one orange, six or seven WHOLE cloves and your favorite tea. I usually used something like Earl Gray or English Breakfast, but I’ll bet herbals would work well, too.
    Put the tea, zest and cloves in the tea pot. Pour in the boiling water. Cover and let steep for at least 3 minutes. Strain into a mug and, if you like, add honey.
    The essential oils in the orange zest help to break up the congestion and the cloves release clove oil, which helps sooth the sore throat. It also smells very nice, so breath in the steam, too.
    My mother swears by this concotion and I’ve brewed it for sick friends for over a decade.
    Hope this helps and that you feel better soon.

  7. kitchenmage

    Shauna, babe, alcohol. There is a reason writers drink. Two in fact: editors and deadlines.

    I’ve got two more chapters to review and then I am DONE. DONE! DONE!!!

    Until then, I drink.

    Might help your cold too.

  8. Anonymous

    The Best way to soothe the sore throat is to gargle with Malox. Don’t swallow, just gargle. I’m a strep-throat girl myself, get it at least twice a year, calms the shards of glass feeling. Mega doses of Vit. C, Tylonal, and plenty of rest used to be my cold and flu remedy, now it is a hot toddy made with lemon juice-honey-alcohol of some kind,brandy,scotch, and plenty of SLEEP.

  9. Cape Cod Kitty

    Feel better soon, dear GFG, and may this down-time bring you clarity to expedite your manuscript.
    Your writing is so beautiful, honest and inspiring. Thank you!
    Cape Cod Kitty

  10. Anonymous

    Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
    Some of these cold-remedies others have posted sound as good as any. Rest, vitamins, fluids, herbs… all should do the trick.

  11. Monica

    I hope you feel better soon.
    I have been feeling sick over the Kim family story as well, just heartbroken…I feel sick, but I would rather have a cold, then to feel this heartache for the family.
    hugging my family everyday.

    monica

  13. Anonymous

    It’s all about the ginger. And the hot baths. Make sure the Chef feeds you well, although I don’t think you have to ask him. Feel better soon, Shauna.

  14. Sarah

    Shauna, I have also been very, very sad about the James Kim story this week. It’s amazing how affected you can be by something that happens to someone you don’t know. We are so lucky to only have problems like pesky flus and deadlines.

    I do hope you feel better soon! It’s all about the raw garlic. And a “tea” made with ginger, cayenne and honey. And rest.

  15. Tea

    Feel better, my dear!

    Also, persimmons (if you like them) are good for vitamin c and, when ripe, slip softly down a scratchy throat. I prefer the fuyu variety.

  16. Paulinka

    Shauna, dear: the best way to cure a flu (and completely gf!) is to watch all six episodes of the bbc version of pride and prejudice. Preferably in bed on the laptop, with a monstrous pot of tea with lemon and honey on the side. A cat at one’s feet is nice but essential. Hope you feel better soon!

  17. Anonymous

    “I’m so grateful to have a body that can feel malaise and pain.”

    Shauna, you are so right about that. On the rare occasions I get sick, I almost relish it because I know that my body is revving up in it’s fight against the invaders, and just the change from the normal routine is refreshing in its own weird/masochistic way.

    Feel better, but enjoy the diversion, too. :-)

  18. Anonymous

    To the person who suggested Pride and Prejudice: How do y’all get the cat to stay down by your feet? Mine insists on laying on my chest. Hard to see the laptop around her cute but rotund butt. She doesn’t take suggestion well.

  19. Trig

    Shauna — Sorry I didn’t get time to post a comment before due to being out so long hours each day. I hope you’ve recovered by now.

    When dad is unwell he likes the traditional Jewish recovery food chicken noodle soup. Made by a coeliac who is too unwell to make any effort at cooking, this is chicken boiled in a gluten-free low-salt bouillon (he is able to use Swiss Marigold because his intolerance is not acute) with rice noodles (we use Sharwood’s) cooked for just a minute.

  20. Shauna

    Thank you, everyone. Your suggestions truly helped! I’m on the mend now — still weak, but writing. In fact, tomorrow I’m going to do a post about how to heal from a flu, gluten-free, and much of what you wrote here will be in it. You truly did help make this gluten-free girl feel well.

  21. Gluten Free MappyB

    Ooo, I just have to contribute. I’m glad you’re feeling better. When I feel sick, I find a nice steaming hot bowl of pho (the rice noodle soup) is the cure. You can add spices if you want, but breathing in the broth and the hot soup feels SO good! :)

  22. s'kat

    Sometimes when you don’t take a rest, your body forces you to! Glad you are better, I am sure the extra TLC from the chef didn’t hurt, either.

  23. Ethan

    Emergen-C packets contain wheat according to the ingredients. (At least the Raspberry flavor does; not sure about the other flavors.)

    I’m new to being gluten-free and assume that any product which contains wheat is off-limits. If I’m wrong, please say so. I’ve been using Emergen-C up until about five minutes ago when I read the label. :-(

  26. Anonymous

    From FAQs tonight on Emergen C website:
    DO YOUR PRODUCTS CONTAIN GLUTEN FROM WHEAT, OATS, RYE, OR BARLEY?
    “There is no gluten from wheat, oats, rye, or barley in any of our products. We were given incorrect information regarding Raspberry and Bone Health, and we are currently working to remove the “Contains Wheat” statement from those boxes.”

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