Being sick is expensive

... even without a doctor's visit

I got horribly sick two weeks ago: aching muscles, sore throat, a low grade fever, stuffed nose and general miserableness.

I tested twice for COVID and both were single lined. I could only assume it was a cold. I don't believe in going to a doctor for a cold. It’s expensive. I don’t need to pay $80 just to be told that I have a cold. The only upside is the government subsidised prescription. But if it was COVID, I wouldn't be eligible for antiviral medication either.

So I spent most of the first week in bed. Rewatched the whole three seasons of Ted Lasso, and repeated the last episode a few times for good measure. If you're a Ted Lasso fan you may have recognised the reference to that episode in my last newsletter.

Even without a doctor's visit, being sick was an expensive experience. Not feeling up to daily cooking for Jaime, I got her to buy lunch from the school cafeteria. They serve Hare Krishna vegan dishes, so it seemed a healthier option compared to the regular school fare of chips. We got Uber Eats a couple of nights as well when I had the appetite for some sort of food that wasn't spicy Korean noodles.

On a normal day I make so many things from scratch: pasta, noodles, bread... When I'm sick the only thing in the house that is quick and easy to cook is Korean or Indonesian instant noodles.

I did find a recipe for Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup that was easy to make out of the pantry and freezer, so I made that a couple of times. Chicken soup is always something I savour when unwell. Indonesian rice porridge would have been better, but it’s a bit fussier to make. You could also make this soup vegan by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and silken tofu instead of the chicken pieces and the egg swirl.

I still handmade the fried wonton wrappers. I like some crunchy texture with my soup.

A colleague suggested Coke, ginger and lemon as a Hong Kong remedy for a cold. I tried it, and must admit it was a pleasant enough drink. But then I worried about how much sugar is in a can of Coke and went back to honey, ginger and lemon as a hot drink.

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I’m feeling a lot better this week, though still wouldn’t say that I’m 100%. Back to making stuff in the kitchen, like focaccia and a tray of lasagne to leave for Jaime while I’m away for a couple of days for work.

Your health indeed is your best asset. Maintain it, and you will be living your best life every single day. Don’t beat yourself up too hard if you do catch the occasional cold. But make sure you have some easy meals in the house while recovering (or better yet somebody who can make you meals). I may need to teach Jaime how to make some more meals other than her go to noodles and pasta.