Monday, June 14, 2010

Scrambled Eggs Can Heal Anything!


Recently I've been craving scrambled eggs.

I go to the kitchen, open the fridge to grab a few eggs and then remember, "Darn, I don't have eggs". Easily solvable right? Not so much!

Rob does the grocery shopping because my ankle still hurts and I always forget to add them to the list. A mental block I just overcame today.

I just had a temporary crown put on a tooth today which had an emergency root canal a few years ago while visiting my family in Colorado for Thanksgiving. What turned out to be my last one with my dad. Thanks to our nightmare dental insurance it wasn't fixed over and over for various excuses provided by our dentists, Eastern Dental. We switched to another dentist, but it was so bad he had to wait and wait for it to heal, and finally today I reached that point.

As many of you know, I had TMJ surgery in college. While my jaw is much better, keeping my mouth open for dental work, well, hurts! So I am at home afterwards, jaw tired and starving. What to eat? Something soft and filling.

Scrambled eggs of course! But, you already know that problem. Then I started to tear up, but why?

For the last year I've been fighting ankle pain, which led to 9.25.09, my day of infamy! Reconstructive ankle surgery, no weight bearing for 10 weeks. Climbing up and down the stairs on my hands and knees, wheeling around on a knee scooter, switching to crutches and using a handicap tag... and channeling my Dad. Remembering his struggles in his wheelchair and trying to park his handicap van and trying to go up a blocked ramp, and well I could go on and on and on.

So through all of this I've been thinking of my dad. How would he handle it? How would he make a task easier. He was the great inventor. Talking to him and, well, craving HIS scrambled eggs.

My dad's answer to any problem was scrambled eggs.

Bad day? eggs
Fight with a friend? eggs
Rough day at work? eggs

Eggs, eggs, eggs and always scrambled.

And you know what? They always helped, even if just for a few minutes. You know why? Because it was his way of saying "I love you" while listening to my problems.

I keep hearing ads on the radio and TV to remember Father's Day. I always think, "Oh, don't forget a card" but then realize I don't need a card anymore and think fondly of my dad. My dad whose been helping me through my ankle nightmare and my life, my whole life, and somehow scrambled eggs just seem to symbolize that perfectly to me.

So next time you need a pick-me-up, make some scrambled eggs and listen, my dad will be talking to you from heaven over the skillet. You might just feel a bit better. I know he will.

Happy Father's Day Dad! I love you and miss you.

1 comment:

  1. Posts from Facebook:

    Leann Nunnally
    Aww.. Love you Katrina.. this is an awesome tribute to your Dad. :)
    June 14 at 10:26pm

    Katrina Flagel Placer
    Thanks! Luv you too Leann!
    June 14 at 10:45pm

    Melissa Tkach
    wow. this was so awesome!! it also makes me want to eat eggs, and just like you i don't have any. guess i'll be going shopping tomorrow!
    June 15 at 12:01am

    Katrina Flagel Placer
    pick some up while your at it :) and thanks!
    June 15 at 12:06am

    Paula Flagel
    Katrina, You made me cry, which is actually a good thing because today was a bad one for me too. I got through yesterday, what would have been our 40th anniversary, but today I had not made plans. It all kind of caught up with me. I never got dressed, ate poorly, and accomplished hardly anything. But reading this made me so proud of you in spite of my sadness. Dad is proud of you too. You are showing his courageous spirit in so many ways. I have to go cry some more. Love, Mom
    June 15 at 1:06am

    Joanne Taggart Flagel
    That was a beautiful, loving tribute, Katrina. Thank you for that. I'm so glad that with all you are going through, you have his example of strength and love.
    June 15 at 9:47am

    Kate Bond
    Katrina, that was a wonderful memory and tribute to your dear dad. No matter how many years pass, take heart in knowing you will always hear that small voice of daddy encouraging you when you need it most. I know I still do.
    Love words,
    Kate & Hanna
    June 15 at 11:19am

    Katrina Flagel Placer
    Thanks everyone!
    June 15 at 12:32pm

    Emily Gouldey It's so true- I can't eat scrambled eggs without thinking of Dad either. It is what I eat on a bad day and the first thing I offer to my kids if they are having one. Very moving to hear your thoughts.
    June 15 at 3:00pm

    Katrina Flagel Placer
    Thanks, Em. I know we've laughed about the eggs more than a few times.
    June 15 at 7:11pm

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