Parental trauma

Parenting is 24/7/365. Even when you are all out of the house, we are never far from the worries and always just a phone call away from being on high alert. On my way home from physical therapy last week, Mom called to tell me I needed to get my butt to Harrisonburg toot sweet (not her exact words) because Brad had just broken his wrist playing soccer (again) and was in the emergency room at Rockingham Memorial Hospital:


Steel


We love our soccer,
but at what cost?

Heat exhaustion;
broken ribs that never heal;
one, two and three (at the same time),
now four fractured wrists.

I’m on my way home when K calls,
sounding grave. I speed off
to Harrisonburg to collect Brad from the ER,
then the next morning to the hand clinic,
where the doctor “reduces” his fractures,
fending off surgery,
but multiplying Brad’s agony. Aghast,
I wince as the doc mashes
on his already contorted appendage
while Brad squeezes my hand, moaning,
sweat beading on his brow and upper lip.
"It isn’t great, but it’s better.
Let’s give it a five-minute rest,
then try again."

Five minutes later, the doc takes pity,
maybe, looking at skinny little Brad—
"It’s good enough, we don’t have to do any more."
But Brad surprises with his steely resolve—
"No! Do it again if it’ll make it better."

During the second round,
tears well in my eyes, too,
flashing back on K clutching my hand
as Brad came into the world,
now all grown up, but still our baby.

*********

Mom was away while I was navigating the emotional beatdown of being there for Brad while he was in so much pain. When I'm on my own, I sometimes try out a new recipe, especially one that's gluten-full like Farro with Mushrooms and Thyme, but mostly I just take a break and scrounge some simple meals using whatever I can find in the fridge and pantry. Last week (before Brad got hurt), I used a piece of naan left over from making naan veggie pizza, some fig butter, and a few slices of beautiful prosciutto di Parma to make a different kind of naan pizza, which was probably my favorite one yet.

Naan Fig Prosciutto Pizza

Time from start to finish: 18 minutes

2 pieces of fresh naan (such as Trader Joe’s Tandoori Naan flatbread)
extra-virgin olive oil
Trader Joe's Fig Butter or other fig jam
2 or 3 thin slices of prosciutto, torn into bite-sized pieces
Chèvre or Gorgonzola, crumbled into small pieces
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 degrees. Line an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil, dull side facing up.
    2. Lightly brush or rub the smooth sides of the naan with olive oil. Place on the foil bumpy side up.
    3. Spread a thin layer of fig butter on the tops of the naan. Distribute the prosciutto pieces, then the cheese crumbles, evenly between the two flatbreads. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Grind a twist or two of black pepper over the top.
    4. Bake until the cheese is soft and the crust is browned and crisped some, about 9 minutes. Cool for a minute, then cut each pizza into four pieces and serve promptly. Serves 2 with a salad.