I had a fun-filled day of tests for the clinical trial last Friday.
The current blood tests showed that my white blood cells are low. Normal is 4,000 - 11,000; I'm at 1,800; 1,200 gets you dropped from the trial. Soooooo ... looks like the "placebo" is working a little too well.
Actually, I don't think we still have to pretend it's a placebo. Still, I clapped my hands over my ears and said "Lalalalala" when the doctor mentioned it.
He had to mention it so he could warn me to "be careful." I asked, "So. If any children with smallpox run toward me I should dodge them? How am I supposed to be careful?" He answered, "Just...be careful." Oh, and he also double-checked my chickenpox numbers and it seems I have had that particular pox, so I won't die like the other two people in the trial did.
The opthalmology test was uneventful, except that Merilee the tech was intrigued by the BNL cruise. Oh, and it was at 8 am.
I was so sleepy by the time I got into the MRI that I drifted off (in the MRI, while it was running) and dreamed the MRI tech asked me some questions about my grandfather which I had to answer "Yes" or "A." (Or perhaps a Canadian "Eh.") I grunted "Mmm-hmm," but so softly the tech didn't notice. Over the MRI. Which was running.
I did not get a satisfying nap in the (running) MRI machine, so my mind was wandering a lot during the Pulmonary exam.
I abruptly asked the technician:
"Have you lived in Saint Louis a long time?"
"All my life."
"I remember going out to eat when I was a kid at some lady-luncheon type place and ordering a Monte-something sandwich. I had it more than once. And now that I've been thinking of it, I remember it was cheese wrapped in ham wrapped in turkey, made in a sandwich, then - and this is where it gets weird - it was all dipped in batter, deep fried, and served with powdered sugar and jelly."
"Never heard of it, but I don't eat at luncheon places."
And after a little research at home, I found that in my youth I was actually allowed and maybe even encouraged to eat one of the Monte Cristo sandwiches served at luncheon-lady places in South Saint Louis. Clearly it affected my health later in life.
Bennigan's used to serve that sandwich. Sure you weren't there?
Posted by: jessica fantastica | December 22, 2008 at 08:23 PM
Applebee's had that on the menu at least as recently as 2002, but it wasn't as good as the one Katy Station in Columbia had. They went out business, though, so I can't send you west to relive your childhood.
Posted by: Caroline | December 22, 2008 at 08:34 PM
A Monte Cristo sandwich is one of the weirdest foods ever. We had them here in California, too, mostly at cafe-type places. Ham? Turkey? Egg? Jelly? Who thought THAT up?
Posted by: Suebob | December 23, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Mmm, the Monte Cristo. I love that sandwich. I first had it at Andersen's Pea Soup Restaurant in Buellton, CA, when I was wee. Now whenever I go to Disneyland, I get it at the Orleans Cafe (or whatever it's called) in the New Orleans area of the park. They cut the sandwiches into the shape of Mickey's head!
Posted by: Catherine | December 23, 2008 at 12:23 AM
I wonder if that's all I have to look forward to when I get older...really good sandwhiches I had eaten of years past.
Is that like ghost of Christmas past?
Posted by: #0.75 | December 23, 2008 at 08:00 AM
They had them at the long gone Consulate on Laclede and Euclid. They served it with honey and it was a great favorite of mine. Yum.
Posted by: stljoie | December 23, 2008 at 03:37 PM
Have the Monte Cristo at Jilly's Cupcake bar. It's awesome. Srsly, I don't jest when it comes to food.
Posted by: Amy in StL | December 23, 2008 at 04:36 PM
Um yeah I was totally thinking Bennigan's too...the Monte Cristo was their equivalant of The Whopper or Big Mac...you know, in case you wanted turkey to be "healthy" while you clogged your arteries ;)
Posted by: Autumn | December 23, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Jessica fantastica - Bennigans has never made it to Saint Louis. I didnt know it existed until I travelled to Detroit.
Caroline - Really? On the brunch menu? How did I miss that? Oh, right, I never wake up on the weekends until 2 pm.
Suebob - I didn't realize until I read the recipe that it was supposed to be a breakfast/brunch food - and ham, cheese, and french toast, powdered sugar and jelly are all breakfast foods. But then, why not top it off with maple syrup?
Catherine - Did you read the Bloggess saying that everything in Disneyworld is shaped like Mickey's head, and she was afraid to buy tampons? That killed me.
.75 - It's all we talk about at the nursing home.
Stljoie - Oh! Honey! Because jelly just isnt sweet enough!
Amy in StL - I'll need to google that. I think I've seen that advertised.
Autumn - Isn't it insane? It sounds like a bunch of chefs got together and competed to see who could make the worst food, and this was the Mary-Shelley-Frankenstein winner.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 24, 2008 at 12:29 AM
It was on the lunch menu. I remember eating it at lunch while I worked at the C-company.
Posted by: Caroline | December 24, 2008 at 04:55 PM
Caroline - I can't believe i missed that! I was probably just focused on the riblets.
Posted by: TheQueen | December 24, 2008 at 10:17 PM