Having a D&C in Singapore

I spent all morning at the hospital having a D&C (dilation and curettage). This is a very common procedure after miscarriage. They open your cervix to insert an instrument, which they use to scrape off the lining of the uterus (and then suction it out sometimes). Basically it's a kind of abortion, but the kind you don't have to feel guilty about (B's description).

The Internet makes it sound quite simple, so I was surprised that I had to go to the hospital and be under general anesthesia. The day started at 5:30 in the morning, when I had to wake up to take some medication after fasting all evening. I was due at the hospital at 6:45 (easy enough as we live less than 10 minutes away),

After checking in, I had to pay for the procedure's estimated cost, in advance (I will receive a refund if the cost turned out to be less than estimated). The system for maternity care in Singapore is a little strange: typically, all maternity care is NOT covered by insurance (including ours) and there is basically no way to buy maternity insurance once you are pregnant. (You can buy it, but only at least 10 months in advance, meaning you would need to pay almost a year of high premiums--probably equalling the cost of care--before using it.) Since we have to pay for everything out of pocket, it's a lucky thing that costs are much lower than they would be in the US. I ended up paying about $1500 for everything. I still felt bitter about having to pay it though, because I didn't end up with anything good (like a baby), just an avoidance of something bad (getting an infection). I can certainly think of better things to do with that money, like go on a trip somewhere!

Then I waited around for a while, first in the waiting room and then in my hospital cubicle. I slept most of the time as I was tired from getting up at such an ungodly hour (by my standards, anyway: R usually wakes up around 7). The anesthesiologist visited, the nurse prepped me and in general it was just like having surgery in the US or any other Westernized country (I had my appendix out in Taiwan. A change from Taiwan was that in Singapore there are real nurses: in Taiwan, the hospital only had nurses' aides with minimal qualifications and did not provide food. Family members were expected to provide nursing care and meals. I was very lucky B was with me!)

Eventually they took me to the operating room and had me breathe oxygen in and out through a face mask while the drugs took effect. I woke up later in the recovery room feeling tired but otherwise not too bad. The recovery is definitely nothing compared to other surgeries I have had. I was very tired from the effects of the anesthetic though, and spent most of the rest of my time at the hospital sleeping. B greeted me when I awoke, and then went off to do some work while I slept. He came to pick me up at 2 pm, at which point I was feeling well enough to go out to Burger King for some lunch.

Since then I have just been resting (for the first day the doctor told me to not do anything). I feel tired and a bit achy, but overall pretty good and even antsy to stop resting and clean the house (which is a total disaster zone; I am trying not to look at it). I think by tomorrow I should be well enough to go back to my normal routine, with some caveats (I am not supposed to have sex, go swimming or exercise for one week).

The entire procedure went very smoothly and I received excellent, if rather impersonal, care. The whole experience gives me increased confidence in the Singapore medical system, making it a good choice to have a baby here (if I am so lucky). I will see what the future holds!

Singapore So Polluted I Can't Leave the House

From the Straits Times

Air pollution has officially reached "hazardous" levels here in Singapore. The government is recommending that children and the elderly "remain indoors and keep activity levels low": everyone is supposed to avoid outdoor physical activity.

Outside our house, at around noon

This is totally NOT awesome. Not only does the air smell bad, breathing it burns my throat and nose. The sky is permanently darkened (you cannot actually see the sun, let alone blue skies or clouds), which gives the entire city a rather ominous, gloomy feeling. I keep imagining that I am being poisoned and will suddenly drop dead like those poor people in Pennsylvania (whose fate spurred the creation of the Clean Air Act).

Even more depressing is the reason behind the pollution. It has nothing to do with Singapore (whose government is quite responsible): the haze is caused by farmers (illegally) burning down the Sumatran rainforest. So not only am I being forced to live in an unhealthy environment, but it's being caused by the wanton destruction of endangered animals (pygmy elephants! orangutans!) and an irreplaceable natural environment.

Since the Indonesian government's response is to accuse Singapore of "acting like a small child" as a result of its complaints on the issue, I don't see the situation improving any time in the near future.

Gross! When can I flee?

Bedbound with a Sprained Ankle

R is not a fan of bed-bound Mommy

On Sunday I took R to see the latest exhibit at the ArtScience Museum, because it was mummies!! (shipped over from the British Museum). I prepped her ahead of time, showing her pictures of sarcophagi and talking about how exciting it was going to be to see them in person. This worked well (and taught her a new word, mummies, which she kept repeating the whole way there), until we actually arrived.

The exhibit started with a 3-D movie showing the different layers of a mummy. I tried to watch it with R, but the content was beyond her and the pictures were unintelligible (as she wouldn't keep the glasses on, everything appeared blurry). So she began to make noise and I had to quickly remove her.

I hurried down the unlit staircase to the exit, naturally wearing 2-inch wedge heels (because I am only 5'2" and like to appear taller), and hauling a grumpy, struggling toddler. So maybe it's not surprising I failed to notice the last step and slipped instead. My ankle bent inwards and right away I could tell things were not good (an impression furthered by the gasp coming from the rest of the audience, who could see it all as the exit was in front).

R was of course fine (one interesting thing about being a mother is your apparent protective instinct: I have fallen twice while carrying her and both times my body just naturally moved to shield R from harm, at the cost of injuring myself. This happened without any conscious decision-making: more like a reflex than a moral choice.). But I sprained my left ankle and bruised my right knee. At first I could walk fairly well and was able to make it home without problems, but soon my foot swelled up to a tremendous size and I became immobile.

A visit to the ER followed: I am lucky because nothing is broken (rather to the surprise of the ER doctor), but I was ordered to stay in bed for the next three days. I have never been on bed rest before when I wasn't extremely ill, and it is incredibly boring.

It is also very inconvenient, as I can't do anything, even change R's diaper. B has had to stay home from work for the last few days and do everything, including bringing me icepacks every few hours. I find it psychologically difficult because 1. I feel guilty for all the trouble I am causing thanks to my clumsiness and 2. B does not do everything the way I would, and because I am a control freak it is difficult not to mind this. So I am not a good invalid, and instead of being grateful to B for his help, alternate between bitchy criticism ("R still isn't ready for school???") and whining about how I am so pathetic (B: "Do you want water?" Me: "Nobody has offered me any", said in a mournful tone).

Tomorrow I am allowed up again. It is strange to be excited for the opportunity to do laundry and take R to school: I suppose the upside of misfortune is that you appreciate the little things more.

I Have the Flu

I got some sort of horrible flu the day after we returned from Japan, and have been ailing ever since. It's all I can do to keep up with my very basic responsibilities (feed/clothe/amuse/clean R, keep the house from utter chaos) because I feel so terrible. I really want to write a bunch of posts on Japan but just haven't had the energy. Even surfing the Internet is often too much work and instead I lay in bed staring at the wall or dozing, and wondering when I will get better.

Thank goodness R is not sick (she is full of energy and seems more mature by the day: it's crazy to watch her putting on her shoes or getting herself juice from the refrigerator); B isn't either, actually (very unusual as usually he is the first to get anything: I make fun of him and call him "sickly rabbit" but the joke's on me this time).

I'm also very glad R has preschool 4 mornings a week: she's happy and I can take to my bed (though what a waste of my child-free time, considering all the things I meant to get done then). Since she still naps at least two hours daily, if I wasn't sick my life would be pretty easy (with mostly free time until at least 3 pm). For the first time I can imagine having another child (don't get excited though! that won't happen anytime in the near future).

For now I continue to take my six different medicines (Singaporeans love taking/prescribing pills for pretty much every possible ailment) and hope for quick improvement, and think of happier times (the first photo is of me and R at the top of a Japanese castle in Aizu-Wakamatsu; the second is part of the castle grounds, with the town in the further distance).

R Has Pneumonia

R watching TV with a 104 degree fever

I got a diagnosis for R today: mycoplasma, aka walking pneumonia. We all have to take antibiotics, as I probably have it too (though I didn't get the blood test necessary for a definite diagnosis). This explains why I have been feeling so exhausted and generally awful for the last few weeks!

The doctor expects that she will be better by early next week, once the antibiotics start working. I certainly hope so, as life has been really dull around here lately.

R doesn't like it either: she cried and cried yesterday because she wanted to go to school, and couldn't. She also misses seeing other children (she was ecstatic at the doctor's office because there were some there!).

I relaxed the rules about TV, and she has been watching hours of videos (though because I have very strict personal standards about what she can watch, and toddlers tend towards obsessive behavior, it's mostly either Kiki's Delivery Service or My Neighbor Totoro over and over and over).

My Neighbor Totoro (I owned the stuffed Totoro pre-R)

Watching Kiki's Delivery Service, stuffed Jiji in hand (she likes to get him out to tell me what she wants to watch)

Not only have the videos been a lifesaver for hours of feverish house-bound amusement, I think they are developing R's imagination. She acts out scenes from the movies: she likes to take the broom from the kitchen and pretend to fly on it as Kiki does, for example. She has an obsession now with rain and umbrellas (which are important plot elements in both movies). This is all very cute, but it's also a good reason to only allow her access to movies with characters that behave appropriately (modelling moral and considerate behavior): I don't want her influenced in the wrong direction!

I Hate Having a Sick Toddler

R got very sick Friday afternoon and by 6 pm she began to get lethargic and mostly immobile. Taking her temperature was the final proof it was time for a speedy trip to the ER.

I was really worried initially of course (she was so listless, very unlike her!). As soon as the medicines began to work though, she started trying to climb all over the spare wheelchairs: when she made a sprint for the entrance to the parking lot (one of her new favorite activities: the quick dash into danger) I knew she would be fine. And she's been recovering little by little, so my anxiety is gone.

But she's still been sick all weekend. I feel like a bad person saying this (and probably AM at least an ungrateful one, because I should be glad for my mostly healthy child), but I really dislike caring for R when she is ill.

She is clingy: only Mommy will do, and Mommy must be in sight, preferably in physical contact, at all times (generally R is quite independent). She wakes up multiple times at night, insisting on being nursed (her throat is really inflamed, which with the fever explains this desire); she wants me to carry her everywhere; she has temper tantrums whenever things don't go her way (her toy cars wouldn't fit into a box because she was too sick to do it right; she wanted to watch a violent forbidden show; she spilled water on the floor accidentally). She cries and whines a lot: our house has been filled with SO MUCH unpleasant, grinding noise (usually R is very cheerful and rarely whines). She also refuses to nap, which means I've lost my usual 1-2 hour "lunch break".

In general I would just regulate on all this behavior, but she's only doing it because she is in pain, weak (she wanted to go out today but was too frail to take her own steps past the elevator), and generally feels terrible.  Expecting her to behave well is both cruel and futile. So I have to put up with everything as cheerfully as I can: but because I am a rather selfish person, I feel resentful about it.

I hope she gets better soon!

The Eyes Have It

One of the humbling things about being a new parent is realizing your naivete yet again. I take R to the doctor of course, but just recently realized that she is supposed to visit the dentist also. She's also supposed to get her vision checked regularly. (Although why this didn't occur to me before, since the same is true for adults, I am not sure.)


I think in the US pediatricians might do these functions at well child visits? In any case, that is not so in Singapore. Well child visits take about 10 minutes and are mostly just about shots (and not covered by insurance). Pursuing the other elements of your child's well-being, like developmental progress beyond very obvious stuff (like the baby isn't walking at 18 months or something), has to be done on a proactive basis by the parents. 


So I have to keep on top of all appropriate developmental milestones (physical, social, intellectual, etc.), pay careful attention to her hearing abilities, and just today, take her to the optometrist for her first eye exam (at least since she was a tiny infant). Luckily her vision is fine. 

It is kind of tiring keeping track of all this stuff though. I also wonder how other parents manage, who don't have the time, resources, and education that I do. I suppose the answer is that they don't. If they're lucky, their kids don't have problems; if they're not, the kids' development is just permanently damaged. Guess they shouldn't have been poor! (This is sarcasm for those literal readers.)

This is one of the (many) reasons Singapore has a pretty stratified society. (It's one of the most stratified places in the developed world.)

My Stomach Is Back in Business

Previously my stomach was disintegrating (OK, not really, but I felt like it was) and finally after throwing up blood I really did visit a doctor. I saw the specialist yesterday (I couldn't go earlier as we were traveling) and spent this morning getting an endoscopy.

Basically they numb your mouth, pump you full of drugs until you are pretty much passed out, and then stick a tube down your throat into your stomach. The tube has a camera so that they can see exactly what part of your insides are messed up. Luckily for me, I am only a little bit messed up (I have a small tear in my esophagus).

I'm actually very glad I went. All I have to do is to take a pill every day for the next three months, which will supposedly fix me right up. The doctor was awesome and didn't even tell me to give up caffeine. I asked her about it and she said, "How can you do that when you have a baby? Mothers need coffee! And wine in the evening! That is too extreme." My kind of specialist. (I am also smug because B has been constantly on my case about giving up coffee--he is right of course but who wants to do that?--and now I have MEDICAL advice that it is all right.)

 The only downside was that all day I felt sort of loopy and sedated. (I had to sign consent forms telling me I couldn't drive, operate machinery, sign legal documents or make any important decisions today.) Luckily it's a quick acting sedative, so by tomorrow I should be back to my old self (or rather, better, as I can have coffee in the mornings again!!).

My Digestion Is Shot

My stomach is breaking down with whatever has been troubling it for the last year+. The problem has been getting veeerrrrry slowly but steadily worse. I asked my parents to bring me a bottle of antacids when they recently visited (I have not found it here). They brought the very largest size (400 extra-strength) and it lasted me less than a month. Even with consuming fruit-flavored chalk at an enormous rate, I am in some degree of pain often, most of the day, and it significantly interferes with my eating habits and sleep. NOT GOOD.

But I've procrastinated, because I don't have a doctor here and it seemed like a big hurdle finding one and making time to see him/her. (It's not like I don't know that this would be a good idea: not only have my mother and husband been consistently nagging me to go see a doctor, but I even put it on my 101 in 1001 list: yet nothing has happened.) I think I am frightened by what they will say.

But it's time to go. I threw up blood three times today (fairly small amounts but still NOT GOOD). Per doctor google, this is a "serious symptom" so I really need to get my act together. Hopefully posting this, even anonymously, will serve as a permanent record of my poor self-care, and spur me to do the right thing.

Down with the Flu Ugh

I have always thought of myself as very healthy and tough, but maybe now I should lose my health card? I came down with the flu yesterday afternoon and spent the rest of the day throwing up over and over (in a way, it was good timing as I was hosting little R's playgroup that morning and cancelling would have been logistically complicated). 

Today I spent all day in bed sleeping off and on: I literally could not spend more than a few minutes standing without feeling like I was going to keel over. I haven't been this sick in a long while, but I was ill just a few weeks ago. I hope I'm not developing some sort of weakened immune system! 

Actually this is probably my body telling me to shape up: drink less coffee, eat more healthfully, and for crying out loud EXERCISE (despite periodic good resolutions, I haven't yet succeeded at this consistently). 

I joined a weight loss challenge last year and lost about 10 pounds. The new version of this challenge (since most people didn't lose all the weight they had hoped for) started last month, and I joined again, to lose the last five pounds. So far I haven't done anything whatsoever and not surprisingly haven't lost any weight either. 

But that's OK: I am recommitting now! Action plan:

1. Exercise at least 5 days/week.

2. No meat except on special occasions (this isn't just for losing weight but will, I think, have that side benefit).

3. In bed with the lights off by 1 am at the very latest (sleep deprivation makes you fat).

4. Eat more fruits and vegetables, ideally at least 5 servings/day.

5. Drink more water, at least 8 glasses/day.

6. Cut back on dessert/sweets: no more than 3 times/week.

7. Cut down on coffee (it's so bad for my heartburn, sob sob). 

Hopefully these changes will improve my general state of health!

Little R Keeps Injuring Herself

Poor little R's head looks terrible

Little R being so active has had some ill effects.

Last week she suddenly bolted for the elevator door as it was opening (she was so excited to be going to the park!!!) and got her fingers stuck in the gap between the inner and outer doors. I had to force close the door to get them out. Of course she cried terribly; her fingers swelled up, and I was worried that she had broken them. That meant a trip to the emergency room as it was the weekend (she was totally fine, and the next day there was no evidence that the whole thing had ever taken place).

She loves opening drawers and playing with their contents. A few days ago she decided to mix it up by playing IN the drawer, so she climbed in and stood up inside. I didn't think this was a good idea, so I went to get her out. She saw me approaching, and tried to clamber out herself; instead, she tripped and fell out, cutting her shoulder and arm on the drawer's edge (it was a shallow cut not worthy of a doctor's visit).

Yesterday she managed to get our closed bedroom door open while I wasn't looking (her father was trying to sleep in), and full of glee at her successful break-in, began running around the room. She tripped and fell, hitting her head on the corner of a wooden chest. She wailed and screamed, and a huge goose egg on her forehead began to form, with a long, dark mark in the center (where the impact had occurred). B was worried because it was a head injury (he is very paranoid about possible brain damage), so we were off to the emergency room again.

The doctor told us that she was totally fine, and that while it looks horrible (and will look worse over the next couple days), there is nothing to worry about and nothing to do. So we went home. But little R seemed to be in some pain: she was fussy and only napped for 30 minutes (instead of her usual 1.5-2 hours). When she woke up, she was grumpy and wanted me to carry her everywhere. I gave her some Tylenol, and put her back to bed for another nap of two hours. After that, she seemed to feel much better.

Poor little wiggleworm.

Poor Little R Is Diseased

Little R was diagnosed on Monday with hand, foot and mouth disease. It's a virus common in small children, which results in small red blisters on the hands, feet, buttocks, and in the mouth and throat. In colder climates, it's mostly a seasonal disease, but since Singapore has no seasons, here it occurs year-round.

It's actually very common in Singapore, and they have recurrent outbreaks here in which thousands of children are infected. Even though it's a mild virus, the government takes it very seriously, and requires mandatory reporting of the disease from doctor's offices, and school closures if necessary. Little R is therefore under baby house arrest, and cannot attend her classes or playgroups. She can go for walks in the stroller, but is not supposed to walk independently (as then she might touch things), or spend extended periods of time in public.

She really isn't that sick at all. She has some little red sores, which look very sad, but does not seem bothered by them in any way, and has no fever, vomiting or other symptoms. Her spirits and energy are high as always. The biggest problem is that we are both extremely bored at home all day every day. At least because her illness is mild, she should be safe to leave the house by Thursday or Friday at the latest (lucky as we are planning to go to Malaysia then), and will probably be allowed to go back to her usual schedule next week.

Sick Again

I spent most of today either in bed sleeping or wishing I was in bed sleeping. I am sick.

I really hate being sick, because not only is it uncomfortable, but it's a reminder that I am not as in control of my life as I would like. There isn't really any way to surmount a virus with one's intelligence or strength; you just have to be patient and wait for it to pass (which is definitely not a strength of mine).

B is also sick so we had to take turns staggering out of bed to take for the baby and do chores (why I couldn't spend all day sleeping). Little R is not sick at all and was full of energy and activity all day long (especially since she couldn't get exercise outside today, since no one was well enough to take her). She has just learned how to climb onto the furniture. B thinks it's funny and encourages her, but I have visions of her toppling off the sofa and splitting her head open on the hard floor, and cannot enjoy the undeniable cuteness.

Hopefully tomorrow B and I will both be better.

Maybe It's Good Americans Are Fat

I recently read this description of the effects of low blood sugar on aggressive behavior. Basically, exercising self control of any kind requires a lot of glucose; if you don't have glucose available, then you aren't able to be self controlled. This means you behave badly: you can't pay attention well, you become impulsive, you cope less well with stress, and you commit more crimes.

One study found 90% of the juvenile delinquents in custody had low blood sugar. Another found that by looking at the blood sugar of recently released criminals, researchers could predict with 80% accuracy who would go on to re-offend.

Having a snack (especially the sugary kind) is the best way to restore one's glucose levels and thus give yourself willpower. Americans have gotten fatter in recent years because they eat too much, consuming massive quantities of sugar (over 150 pounds annually for every man, woman and child!). Usually this is seen as a public health problem, and articles regularly appear discussing the evils of sugar. But maybe this is all wrong: by consuming so much sugar, we may be fat, but we are also more productive, peaceable, and disciplined.

A new public service message: Eat sugar and reduce crime?

Trip to the ER: Singapore Style

Little R did not improve from her illness of yesterday; instead, she got worse and spent the day fussing, sleeping or lethargically trying to play. I took her temperature at 6:30 pm, and found that it had risen to 103. This meant a trip to the emergency room, as her pediatrician's office was not open (it being Saturday evening and the beginning of Chinese New Year).

B and I packed our bags, called a taxi, and went off to the closest hospital, fully expecting an hours-long wait. B even took his computer so that he could work as we waited. To our surprise, the entire experience (including the taxi ride) took under one hour!!

We arrived, were interviewed and processed, then sent to reception, where our insurance information and personal information was entered into their system (as we hadn't been to the hospital before). Then we proceeded to the special children's ER waiting area, where we first saw the nurse (who weighed little R and took her temperature and blood pressure), then saw the doctor within 10 minutes. She was very nice and professional, and spent 20-30 minutes with us, patiently answering all our questions (I was kind of freaking out, as it's the first time little R has had a real sickness; luckily she's fine). We received prescriptions, a follow-up appointment, and a pamphlet about fevers. The prescriptions were filled at the hospital in about 5 minutes, and we were free to go.

It was incredibly efficient and stream-lined. I couldn't believe how easy the whole process was (or how cheap: we paid $5 singapore, or about $4 usd). I was really impressed.

It also reminds me how terrible the US medical system is. We really need an overhaul; unfortunately, due to bureaucratic inefficiency and vested interests, the chances of this are very small. Sad.

Sick Little R

Poor little R got sick today. She missed her second swim class (it was raining and thundering anyway, so the class would have been cancelled even if she could have gone) and had to spend all day at home feeling fretful, feverish and stuffy. She took three naps instead of her usual two, but even the extra sleep did not help her feel much better.

Usually she is quite an independent baby, but today she kept coming up to me for hugs and comfort. She wouldn't stay in my lap though, because she feels compelled to toddle around destroying stuff, so after a few minutes she would struggle up on her feet and set off on a new mission. But then she would feel overwhelmed with sickness after 5-10 minutes, cry in frustration, and come up clinging to me again. This was the pattern all day long. As a result, neither of us got anything done.

We went out to dinner as she seemed to be feeling a little bit better after her third nap of the day. She ate her pasta bolognese with a good appetite, but midway through dinner paused and got a very concentrated look on her face. Then she threw up all over herself and the floor (her first time vomiting!).

I hope she feels better tomorrow.

In Defense of Food

I recently read Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, and loved it so much that I decided to try In Defense of Food.

I didn't like this book as much. It was well-written--Pollan has a very nice style--and had an interesting perspective on how one should eat. But I don't usually like diet books, and this is basically a diet book. They tend to be simplistic in their thinking and use a lot of shady science.

To Pollan's credit, he notes that very little is actually known about nutrition and food's effects on the human body. But then he goes ahead and makes recommendations anyway. For example, he notes that organic or heritage food has a different chemical composition than the more conventional varieties. This is very interesting and thought-provoking. But then he assumes that these differences mean organic food is superior (even though elsewhere he's stated that we don't know exactly what these differences consist of, let alone what they mean). It very well might be superior, but maybe it's also full of various toxins (since organic plants have to fend off pests); the state of current information is just not good enough to know. Nature is not a benevolent force after all (See: brain-eating bacteria in the water).

Most of his recommendations made intuitive sense, like that eating vegetables is very good for you, or lots of corn syrup is probably not a good idea. However, the glaring omission in his "diet rules" was the role of total calories or portion size. There is a lot of evidence that 1. calorie restriction prolongs life and 2. being fat is really, really bad for you. Americans have gotten a lot fatter in recent decades, and while there are many reasons for this, the main one is just that we eat too much. (The average American consumes 500 more calories than he did in 1970.) Every time I return to the US, I am shocked by the enormous portion sizes and constant snacking.

Pollan does say eat "not too much". But the book's focus is primarily on things like eating more vegetables, local produce, organic/free range meats and eggs, and unprocessed food. Since the book's target audience is American, if health is his goal he needs to focus heavily on portion size and eating less. The average American already eats 20% more fruits and vegetables than in 1970, so stressing an increase in these is not that helpful.

These criticisms aside, the book was well-written and the best diet book I have read (though admittedly this is a very low quality genre). And most of Pollan's recommendations were sensible and well-put. Following his advice might not make you healthier, but it wouldn't hurt you either.

The Omnivore's Dilemma

I had heard quite a bit about Michael Pollan before reading this book, mostly extremely positive things, to the point that I felt dubious about him out of contrariness. Also, I knew that he is one of the patron saints of eating food produced on small, local family farms (a method of food production that I have a lot of objections to), so I came into the book with sort of a chip on my shoulder.

I loved this book. It was one of my top ten this year (I usually read about 150 books/year, so that is really good). I talked it up so much that I convinced both my parents to read it. I also went back to the library and got another of his books (In Defense of Food), even though it's a diet book and I usually hate those. It's even made me feel (somewhat) enthusiastic about both small family farms AND hunting (which is a huge stretch, let me tell you).

So why did I like this book so much? It's divided into three sections. The first covers mechanized, industrial agriculture (how basically all food in the US is produced). I had only a cursory knowledge of this industry, and found his discussion totally fascinating. Did you know that chemically, Americans are basically corn chips because most of our food is just processed corn in various forms? Or that 125,000 acres of North America are covered in corn (twice the size of New York state, and visible from space)? I loved learning about the hidden processes behind the food we eat, both animal and vegetable. B liked this section too (or at least the parts I read to him) because it discusses chemical fertilizer, which is his latest research interest.

The second section is about organic farming, both the large-scale kind (which is very similar to traditional agriculture, minus the heavy chemical use) and the small-scale family farm kind. Of course Pollan thinks the small scale kind is vastly superior, and its perfection is represented by the farmer Joel Salatin. Salatin is certainly an interesting character, but also an ignorant crank on all topics not involving farming, so I found Pollan's hagiographic descriptions of him hard to take at times. Nonetheless, learning about the organic farming industry was also fascinating, and so were Pollan's lyrical descriptions of Salatin's farming operations. There is something very beautiful about the concept of a perfectly contained ecosystem run and maintained by humans, where everything is sustainable and all waste is no longer pollution, but is recycled back into useful products. It's like one of those cool little EcoSpheres, except bigger and actually societally valuable. I was almost ready to go out and join a CSA by the end.

The third section is on hunting (mostly) and gathering (tangentially; he does gather mushrooms but other plant species are neglected). It's the first account of hunting I'd read written by someone with a similar background to my own, and made me understand why people like something that had previously struck me as barbaric and vaguely distasteful: it's completely thrilling. I can believe Pollan's theory that hunting appeals to something vital and basic to human nature. Reading this chapter definitely changed my opinion about hunting (and hunters) for the better, in addition to teaching me something about the mechanics and skills involved.

Things I liked about the book:
--Well-researched.
--While (like all authors) he does have an agenda, it is not usually so strong as to overpower the narrative. He tries to consider both sides in a fairly balanced way.
--The author is self-aware and honest. In a book like this, which is partly memoir, this is very important.

Things I didn't like:
--He definitely did a lot of research. However, he is basically a journalist, not a scientist or an economist, and sometimes it shows. In particular, he is very weak on following the economic consequences of his recommendations to their logical end (like what would actually happen if the average American spent 20% instead of 10% of their income on food).
--The book is very provincial. There is basically no discussion on any food system beyond those in the US. Because the US in fact has a very unusual food system when considered globally, this is a big weakness. This is typical in American books, but as Pollan tends to speak in global terms, he really needs to expand his horizons a bit.

So will I be changing anything? I am considering. His arguments for buying organic were convincing. I had always dismissed buying organic produce as a waste of money, but I may reconsider now. I may also be buying more humanly produced eggs (though I admit this is mostly just because I am sentimental, not because his argument is really that good). I won't be going hunting (ever) but I am more sympathetic and therefore supportive to people who enjoy it. I still am pro-industrial agriculture, chemical fertilizer and agribusiness though, partly because I feel Pollan is very naive about the alternatives. I would love stricter regulations in these areas, especially from an environmental perspective, but I thought that before reading this book.

Overall, I would strongly recommend The Omnivore's Dilemma to anyone interested in food, nutrition, environmental issues, animal issues, eating, or the modern world.

My Sister Poisoned Me

I am very allergic to cows' milk.

I wasn't always allergic. I used to eat all kinds of milk products just like any other typical American. In my late twenties, I started to notice that when I ate large amounts of milk (like a yogurt AND cereal with milk for breakfast), my stomach hurt and I would get gastrointestinal problems. Most people in the world are lactose intolerant, so I figured that this was my problem as well. However, taking lactaid didn't seem to help the problem; instead, I became more and more sensitive to milk. I also began developing other symptoms, like swelling, aching muscles, a stuffy nose, allergic shiners (dark circles around the eyes) and so on.

Apparently I have a milk allergy. My grandmother had one, which also developed in her late twenties, so perhaps it's genetic. In any case, it's a really tiresome thing to have. Whenever I ingest any milk, even a small amount, I become sick within a few hours. It feels like having the flu (aches, exhaustion, vomiting, diarrhea) and lasts 1-2 days. The severity of the reaction depends on how much milk I've had, but even a small amount (like from eating baked goods containing butter) is enough to make me miserable. The only thing that helps is vomiting as soon as possible after eating milk, and taking Benadryl (which I hate because it's so sedating).

It's a really troublesome allergy, especially in the US. Milk sneaks into thousands of products: most crackers, whole wheat bread, soups, prepared meat (like salami), desserts, margarine and highly processed foods are out of bounds, in addition to the obvious foods like sour cream, cheese, ice cream, butter, whipped cream, etc. Even red wine can contain casein (which is the part of milk I'm allergic to). Eating out is always really difficult, because so many restaurants make food taste good by cooking everything in butter. I try my very best to be careful, but it's not always possible, especially as most people don't seem to realize that butter and cheese are milk products (I always must ask separate questions about this).

Today I went to my sister's house and she served me a sandwich on homemade bread that her husband made. It contained butter, as we found out after I'd eaten half of it, and now I am puffy (my fingers swell up), gassy, have heartburn and feel nauseous (I took benadryl so hopefully this will be the end of it). Also I look awful as I always get really pale with huge dark circles under my eyes. Stupid milk allergy.