Thu the 7th of May – Mara Foie Gras

And so it has passed. The big cloud over Mar’s head has lifted. Today she’s her usual witty, spirited, charming self.

When I arrive, the nurse who admits me immediately says Mara is feeling better. Mara. Not Domenica. I’m so proud. The cheeky me almost asks: “Who?”

Since she’s practically being force fed, Richard nicknames her “Mara Foie Gras”. She, in turn, refers to the tube dangling from her nose as her elephant trump. When not in use, it is tucked behind her ear. It is still unhandy and when she struggles to drink from a plastic cup, I ask about her strategy. Her smart ass response, while pretending to dip into the glass with the open end of the tube is: “I’ll just have to slurp it through my trump.” We seem particularly gifted in nicknaming hospital equipment. In Amsterdam her drip was affectionately called "octopussy".

Although she has no appetite, all she can think of his food. This obsession is a recurring symptom of the treatment which also surfaced during her hospital stay in the Netherlands. Her latest craving his spaghetti Bolognese. In Amsterdam, she longed for hamburgers. The whole day today, she tastily smacks her lips while making typical noises made when savoring an incredibly delicious dish or the prospect thereof: “Mmmmmmhhhhh….Yummmmyyyy….Spaghetti Bolognese…Hamburgers…Mmmhhhh….Sushi…Empanadas…Carne Mechada…Platanos Fritos…Gado Gado…Rendang…Pancakes…Pain au chocolat…Mmmmhhhhh….She doesn’t discriminate and all International Cuisines are randomly brought up in no particular order. She has one request for me. When I return to Amsterdam, I am expected to go to all these different restaurants and eat on her behalf.

As of yesterday, Mara is connected to the World Wide Web. She doesn’t really seem that interested and I suspect it serves more to feed my Bloggers Addiction. At this rate, I will soon have to sign up for BA (Blogger Anonymous) sessions.

Today is a good day. May there be many many more.