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Every Day is Precious: Teach someone how to fish
By ROB PAYNE
For Williamson A.M.
Tori did something for us a couple of years ago, but I still think of it almost every meal. It happened back when Marcy was able to walk, talk, and eat back when I was working. Early in Marcy's diagnosis we learned that environmental toxins might cause, or at least contribute to, a worsening of her symptoms. We heard about a diet and way of eating called macrobiotics that helped people with gastrointestinal disorders and cancer. The basic idea of macrobiotics is that you don't eat any processed foods or beverages. That means no frozen or canned meals, no packaged snacks. Like the Atkins diet, you don't eat anything white: no potatoes, no bread, no carbs. Unlike the Atkins diet, dairy products are also not allowed; neither is meat. So, what are you supposed to eat? That was and is a great question. The answer is organic vegetables, beans, brown rice and some lesser-known grains like quinoa, couscous and spelt. Your protein is supposed to come from fish and tofu. Marcy and I wanted to try the diet to see if it helped, but weren't sure what was allowed and had no idea how to prepare it. Back to Tori: I wasn't looking for an employee when Tori came and interviewed; I was just going to talk with her as a favor to a friend. She had no experience in marketing or advertising but she had an attitude that told me she would do well at anything. We hired her to help me and she proved to be a quick learner. She rolled up her sleeves and did everything there was to do and did it well. She not only maintained her great attitude, but improved attitudes of everyone around, and helped me out tremendously. One day I came back to my office from a meeting and there was a gift-wrapped box on my chair. No card, no note, just a present. Sometimes I sent gifts to clients, but I didn't remember asking anyone to pick up anything for me. I asked Tori if she knew where the package was from and where it was supposed to go. Tori asked, ''Did you ever think it might be for you?'' I opened the gift Tori had taken a collection from the entire office and purchased in-home cooking lessons from a local health nutritionist. It was one of the first, if not the first, of many selfless acts of kindness shown us in this part of our journey. Gabrielle came to our house several times, each time bringing great tasting, good-for-you food already prepared. She stayed and showed me how to prepare those dishes and many more. We don't do macrobiotics any more. In fact, with neurological disorders it seems that the Atkins approach is better the more of the right kinds of fats and lipids, the better. But we do still like to eat healthily. We avoid processed foods, keep no carbonated beverages in the house and limit our red meats and sugars. If you know a family in need, consider giving them lessons in something that matches their interests. Even if it is not nutrition-related, it may give them a lifetime of food for the soul.
Every Day Is Precious is a column to remind us to treat everyone we see today as if it could be the last time we see them. It is written by Rob Payne, whose wife, Marcy, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in August 2000. For more ways to help others, to find more about Marcy or to receive e-mail updates on her condition, visit www.EveryDayIsPrecious.com. If you have helped someone without being asked, or know of someone who has, share it with others. Send to rob@everydayisprecious.com or to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN 37069.
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