Always on the Go

by Rosie Peters

Jodie Pinter climbed the stairs to Helen’s second floor flat. Spicy cooking smells wafted through the communal hallway. Jodie’s plump face broke into a broad smile. It seemed ages since she’d enjoyed her sister’s cooking. The front door flung open, and Jodie found herself pulled indoors.

‘Happy birthday, Jodie,’ said Helen, kissing and hugging her. ‘You don’t look thirty.’

‘Thanks, Little Sis. It’s great to see you again. I’ve missed you.’

‘I’m glad to be back. Travelling’s great but sometimes you just want to be home.’

Jodie felt puzzled as she knew how much Helen had been looking forward to her much planned backpacking trip. To come home after just three months was certainly a shock.

‘What’s up Helen? Did you get Delhi belly or something? You’ve certainly lost some weight.’

‘No nothing like that. I’ll tell you over dinner. I’m cooking something special and I don’t want it to spoil.’

Jodie noticed Helen’s hands shaking as she poured them both a glass of white wine. Some trickled on to the carpet. Helen rushed to get a cloth and was soon on her hands and knees dabbing at the stain with vigour. Her screwed up face looked clammy even though it was a cool day. Jodie thought how agitated her sister seemed and wondered if something had happened on holiday to cause her change from the generally carefree young woman she grew up with to someone strangely anxious.

‘Can I help with the food?’

‘You could stir the soup and take the bread out of the oven while I finish off the main course.’

As Jodie tended the soup she could see how her sister had altered in the short time abroad. Gone were the voluptuous figure and thick chestnut tresses. Helen’s dull brown hair was tied into a wispy ponytail. Her slim frame was clothed in a loose cotton tunic and a pair of baggy jeans. Even her face seemed thin and her eyes looked as if they were bulging out the sockets.

‘I’ll serve up,’ said a red cheeked Helen. ‘Sit up, birthday girl and I’ll wait on you.’

‘Great! I could do with some care and attention.’ Jodie couldn’t help thinking about Gary who never even cooked a simple meal when she’d had to work late. She felt glad she’d dumped him and not felt obliged to bring him to Helen’s. He’d certainly taken up far too much of her time the last year.

Helen placed two bowls of steaming clam chowder and some crusty rolls on the table.

Jodie leant over the bowl, closed her eyes and breathed in the wonderful aroma. ‘Gosh! I wish I could cook like you.’

‘I collected recipes on my travels. I first ate this dish in Los Angeles.’

Helen enthusiastically supped a second portion while Jodie relaxed and sipped her wine thinking how good it was to have her sister home again even though so seemed so changed.

The moment Helen finished her soup she leapt up, grabbed both bowls and sped to the kitchen. She returned to the table with salad and a bowl piled high with a rice concoction topped with black olives and parsley.

‘It’s Creole jambalaya. You’ll love it. I first had it in Louisiana which is where it comes from.’

Jodie could feel her mouth watering with anticipation. She’d always enjoyed her sister’s cooking but this dish was so much more interesting than what she usually ate. The combination of ham, chorizo sausage, prawns, rice, vegetables, garlic and spices made Jodie feel that foreign travel was a good idea.

‘Did you always try the local dishes then?’

‘I tried to. People are always so friendly if you’re interested in their cuisine rather than trying to get chips and something everywhere.’

‘Or a nice cup of tea.’

They laughed.

‘You’ll rarely get a good cuppa abroad,’ said Helen, her hand shaking as she brushed her fringe to one side.
‘So you’ve come home to get proper English tea then have you?’

‘I’ve been ill. That’s why I cut my travels short.’

Jodie put down her cutlery and frowned. ‘What’s happened, Sis?’

‘I think it actually started before I left England. I remember being so excited and not sleeping well. I felt restless and always on the go. I thought it was just the anticipation of setting off on my own.’

Jodie nodded. ‘Go on.’

‘It got worse while I was away. I kept getting diarrhoea and I was hot all the time, even when the weather was cold. At first I thought I’d picked up a bug and it would go away. I couldn’t relax either. Then I noticed my heart seemed to be beating quite fast and all my muscles were aching.’

‘That must have been scary.’

‘It was. I felt terribly poorly. Thank goodness I had travel insurance. I ended up in hospital for tests while things got sorted out.’

‘Why on earth didn’t you let me know?’

‘There was no point in two of us worrying and it wasn’t as if I was going to die.’

Jodie felt a tear trickle down her cheek when she thought of her sister unwell in a foreign hospital.

‘Come on now. I don’t want any tears diluting the Creole jambalaya.’

‘What was it that made you ill?’

‘There’s a problem with my immune system. I’ve got Graves’ disease which makes the thyroid gland in my neck produce an excessive amount of hormone. It means I’ve got too much thyroxine which has quickened up some of the body systems. That’s why my heart beat too fast and my bowels speeded up giving me diarrhoea. It’s why I’m so hungry all the time too. I’ve never had such a huge appetite. Perhaps you’d like some more Creole jambalaya before I scoff the lot.’

‘No thanks, Helen. It really is delicious though.’

‘Yes, it’s nice cold too. I tend to sleep badly so it’s possible I’ll raid the fridge and finish it.’

‘I’ve never known you eat so much, nor yet seen you so thin.’

‘It’s this hyperthyroidism that does it.’

‘Will you always be like this?’

‘Goodness no, I hope not. I’m on beta blockers to slow down my heart and on a drug called carbimazole to reduce the amount of thyroxine produced. I suspect I’ll need a bit more but I’m seeing the GP tomorrow for blood test results so I expect she’ll sort my medication out. There’s other treatments too if needed but I’m waiting to see a specialist.’

Jodie felt shocked that her sister seemed so cheerful, or was she just putting on a brave face? Her thoughts were interrupted when Helen placed a magnificent dessert with a single lighted candle in front of her.

‘Austrian coffee cake. Hope you like it.’ Helen then sang, almost tunefully, the happy birthday song.

Jodie, delighted that her sister had gone to so much trouble, blew out the candle.

‘This is the best cake ever,’ said Jodie spooning the cream and toasted almond topped cake into her mouth.

‘Glad you like it. The sponge is soaked in coffee and brandy which is why it’s so moist.’

‘That was a wonderful meal, Helen. If only your health was sorted out, my day would feel complete. I don’t really feel I understand things properly.’

‘I thought you might say that so I’ve got some information from the surgery for you to read. But you’ve got to have your present first.’

Helen placed a large packet on Jodie’s lap and some medical pamphlets on the table.

Jodie tore off the shiny wrapping paper to reveal a rucksack. Her mouth widened into a grin. ‘That’s great, Helen. Thanks a lot.’

‘Soon as I heard you’d split with Gary I decided to ask if you’d come travelling with me. I especially want to go to Australia and I’m sure once my medical problems are sorted we can think about making plans.’

Jodie felt a rush of excitement. ‘Of course I’d love to travel with you. For me it’s a perfect time to have a long holiday. I refuse to make plans though until your condition is stable. Now pass me those leaflets, please. I’ll try and educate myself about this hyper… what is it?’

‘Hyperthyroidism. It’s also known as thyrotoxicosis. Don’t worry, Jodie. Things could be a lot worse. Thankfully, I’m not pregnant. There’s the risk of pregnancy complications for anyone expecting a baby. At least the problem was discovered quickly. If it had gone undiagnosed it could have led to all sorts of things.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I could have developed a weak heart or angina and I could have been at increased risk of osteoporosis. At least the problems I have now should settle in time, the doctor has assured me.’

‘That’s good, but I’ve never heard of this disease before.’

‘Well it’s best you know about it because it can run in families. It’s most common in women around our age although others can get it too.’

‘So I suppose I ought to be on the lookout for symptoms,’ said Jodie frowning.

‘Now don’t start worrying, Big Sis, but just be aware if you get symptoms like me, or others I didn’t get you should tell your doctor.’

Jodie picked up one of the leaflets. ‘It says here you can get light or infrequent periods, shortness of breath or itchy skin.’

‘Yes that’s true and often the symptoms are things that crop up in other conditions so the diagnosis isn’t always straightforward.’

‘Helen, I’m amazed. You seem to know so much about it.’

‘I’m determined to learn as much as I can. I want to go travelling again and I’ll feel safer if I understand things. The main thing is, I’ll need drugs to keep my thyroxine level normal and this is why I’ll need blood tests to see if my treatment needs to be altered.’

‘A woman I worked with had to have part of her thyroid gland removed. Will you need surgery?’

‘The doctor didn’t seem to think I’d need to because I haven’t got a swelling in my neck. If my eyes don’t settle down though, I’ll have to see an eye specialist to discuss treatment which could be surgery.’

‘I hadn’t liked to mention your eyes, but I’d noticed the change.’

‘Yes, I know I look like I’m staring when I’m not really. My eyes feel a bit irritated some times so I use artificial tear drops which help, and I tend to wear my sun glasses more than I used to. Anyway, Jodie, we’ve talked enough about my problems. I’ve got a big box of chocolates we’re going to eat with our coffee. I want you to tell me all that’s been going on in your life.’

‘Where do I begin?’ thought Jodie thinking back to her troubles with Gary. ‘I’d much rather just enjoy the chocolates and start planning some travels together for once you’re fit again.’

Helen poured the coffee and offered Jodie a chocolate. There were several empty spaces in the box.

‘I’ll be glad when your appetite’s back to normal, Little Sis. I like chocolates too, you know,’ said Jodie laughing. ‘Never mind, it’s great to have you home again.’