Peanut Butter Pie

As a caretaker of a multiple myeloma patient, my hubby, I am always looking for
information to help my "Big Guy" battle his constant companion. Currently he
has had a tough time, losing weight & feeling poorly. A nurse at his local oncologist's
office told me about a frozen p'nut butter pie I could make him....full of calories,
fat and protein which he currently needs so much!

As a mental health counselor I am consistently giving out "recipes" to clients to
help them with the issues they enter my physical or online "virtual" office with.
I have felt confident that I am helping them to to have more of a map
to follow that will improve how they feel navigating their
daily lives.I feel I am giving them something they can actually DO...take
away from our counseling session to start right away make things
better.

Many times I suggest journaling as a simple way to deal with the daily stresses
that come. Like the pie idea the nurse gave me with such enthusiasm,
I encourage my clients that this will give them motivation, inspiration and a
place to vent...all things that they need so much!

So I left the oncologist's office...ran to Publix, (Florida supermarket chain), bought
the ingredients and ran home to make my hubby the pie that would help give
his body what it needed to improve. I was so glad I could actually be doing
something to make things better...since so many times as a caretaker I feel
helpless as he fights his battle against multiple myeloma. I put the pie
in the freezer, waited a bit and gave it to my husband to try...he liked
it, and like "Mikey" in the cereal commercial years ago...with Bill, finding
something good for him, he likes isn't easy!

But of course after a couple of days...while the pie is still being consumed and
hopefully putting weight on my guy...all the other issues surrounding having
cancer are still there. We will be returning to Little Rock to see his specialist
for his MM to be re-staged as his myeloma markers have increased, with
the disease doing it's best to make a big come back.

My clients must wonder after a few days of journaling that while they
may have a place to vent, and may even be feeling a bit better...
"did my counselor really think it was going to be this easy for me
to get control of my life again." Because I know as my hubby's caretaker,
as we prepare for another round of testing and looking at treatment options
...I am thinking..."if only it were all as easy as making a peanut butter pie."














Jodi H. Underhill MEd. LMHC Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified K-12 Guidance Counselor License #MH9166 Phone: 386.747.7148 Fax: 386.873.4311