- 10
- Oct
Update on Libby:
Well, there ya go! Shigella is our culprit- some nasty little bugger who managed to infiltrate our little Libby. Apparently, this is most commonly picked up from contaminated water or food (Here? In our clean country with sparkling pristine water and strict food safety rules? Really?). Thankfully it is not terribly contagious unless you are in a daycare with the whole diaper-changing thing. Ewwy!
*warning: skip next paragraph if you don’t like to read about the yucky stuff*
Mini fake science lesson: Shigella is apparently friend or cousin or something to the more popular salmonella and e coli. And infection with shigella is called shigellosis, which shows up in the infectee as bacterial dysentary. I always thought dysentary was the actual disease, but apparently dysentary just means you have the runs with blood and mucous. Was that the grossest sentence in all humanity or what? I love learning new things though- and just imagine how many friends you could impress with fun facts about this??
*end grody talk*
She gets to go back to school when she’s all clear for 24 hours- hoping and prying for Friday, but realistically expecting it will be next week.
Last night’s bulgogi was seriously amazing!! Oh man, delicious!!! And the homemade pitas were so easy and good! And I know you shouldn’t eat bulgogi on bread, but seriously, I’m not Korean and it was good!! It can’t be any worse than the tuna, corn, and mayonaisse conglomerations I often see referred to as “pizza” here in China!
After dinner, I went out with a local friend. She had visited her hometown during the holiday week and had picked up some goodies to share with me. The first things we tried were some sort of dried, preserved tofu slices in various flavors. They were interesting, but perhaps not my favorite food in the world. I will try anything once. I mean, I’ve eaten fried brain, pig bone marrow (with a straw and rubber gloves, no less!), all sorts of random stuff. And I tried all the things she offered- some dried raw pork that you steam and it was actually quite tasty after steaming it.
And then…. this came out….
What is that, you ask? Well, first off, I only had my cell with me, sorry! But it is duck tongue. Now, I’ve eaten duck tongue before. At the same meal that we had the pig bone marrow, in fact! (yes, that was a quality meal, as you might have noticed!) But my rule is that I’ll try anything *once*- and maybe not twice!
The tongue is the front part, and the 2 things on the back are bones or tendons or cartilage or something (I’m not up on Duck Anatomy 101) and you hold onto them and bite off the tongue.
I have one word for duck tongue: chewy. Okay, three words: chewy and gross!!!! But what are you supposed to say to a friend who offers you duck tongue?
Anyway, I nibbled on it and brought one home to share with Keith.
We ended up going on a long (cold!!! I’m a wimp and it is getting chilly out at night- it was 54 when I got home last night! Not that cold, but it is when you are biking!!) bike ride and getting dinner for her and then ice cream for both of us.
And the best part of the night: she knows a place that serves dim sum and we’re going to go with her! Dim sum is a Hong Kong specialty and one of our favorite things in the world to eat!
Oh, and someone asked to see Home Depot here, so this is a pic of Chinese Home Depot:
Oh, and my friend told me that most likely the reason the KFC employees were doing their gong fu in front of the restaurant was because it was an advertising promotion to draw a crowd.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Poor Libby!
I’m sorry she has that infection………..but can I just say you write and describe it in the funniest way! 
You are one brave gal to try different kinds of food! That duck tongue is……umm…quite interesting, hehehe.
I hope Libby feels better soon!
October 10th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Wow… the photo after the description… I thought you were about to get really graphic!
You are brave… we did not get offered as much variety traveling to China for adoption 
Glad your daughter is getting better.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
Oh that poor little soul! I am glad that you know what the cause is now, and I too pray that she will be better soon!
Okay…about that duck stuff…..girl you are one brave soul! I think I would flake out at the thought of eating that!!!! YUCK!!!!!!
Is there a recipie for that meal you made with the pita’s? or is it something you can only get ingred. for in china?
God bless you all!
October 10th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Yay on the diagnosis!! It’s nice to be able to put a name to something and finally get rid of it (unlike my poor Bridget who’s been sick since last Thanksgiving and for our $10,000 in medical testing all we’ve gotten is a shrug and two head scratches!!
)
I like marrow but I would NEVER in a million years or a million dollars eat a duck tongue. That looks like some weird bug someone found deep in the Amazon!! You’re a brave, brave girl.
October 10th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Yeah…maybe Libby can really be on the mend now!
You are, indeed, one brave girl…no way on earth would I eat most of the things that you are game to try. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!!
October 10th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
okay, i wasn’t grossed out by the anatomy talk…but the food talk? pass me a paper bag! lol!
October 10th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
I would totally rather read about dysentery anyday over looking at fried duck tongue! I’ll be trying all day to get that mental picture out of my brain
I’m glad your little girl is feeling much better!
October 10th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Oh Kimberly, it is official you’re more adventurous when it comes to asian food than this asian over here! I won’t even eat duck meat…lol. Really hats off to you! Btw chinese food is yummier here than there as I was told. Anyway i was thinking of trying out thai food with hubby but he wouldn’t budge. Yeah we’re more of a western food type of folks. We do love japanese and or course filipino food though… When you come here someday I’ll whip up something for you…nothing chewy and gross I promise!
October 10th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Poor Libby! I hope she’s all better very soon! If it makes you feel any better, we’re having an outbreak of shigella/shegellosis here in the US in my area. They’re warning everyone to really wash their hands well at work and such because it’s so out of control. So it’s not only in China! Duck tongue though - I think that’s worse than hearing about shigella. Yuck - you are one brave girl! I always tell my MIL that if she serves me anything like that, just don’t tell me what it is - although from the pic you showed, I think I would have passed just by the looks of it!
October 10th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Oh Kimberly…I admire your sense of adventure so much. No way would that duck tongue have come close to my taste buds. Think that goes right along with the pickled pigs feet that are available in some parts of the South. Sorry…too icky for me. EEWWW!
So happy to know that Libby is on her way to a complete recovery. Glad you were able to find out the cause. Not knowing can be so unnerving. Poor little one…truly hope that she’ll be feeling 100% normal very soon.
Your blog is one I try to check daily. I so enjoy your pictures and what you’ve written…always so interesting and so well expressed. Thank you.
October 10th, 2007 at 10:56 pm
So glad you have a diagnosis! And that Libby is on the mend!
I’m on a diet - low carb OH that reminds me, can you give me that recipe for baked green beans again?
AnyWAY, I need to start reading your blog whenever the urge to snack hits - 8 times out of 10, I won’t be hungry anymore! LOL You are one brave brave woman!
L
October 10th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
So glad you have a diagnosis for Libby and she seems to be on the mend! My littlest had the same thing when we brought her home from China….but it took our labs here about 2 mos to find and properly diagnosis it! Oy vey! She had giardia on top of it that was diagnosed prior to the Shigella…so I feel your pain in this process. She will be feeling much better really fast once the meds take over. Promise!
And, yes, I agree with everyone that you are awesome when it comes to adventuresome eating! My DH once ate some fried locusts and I joined him for some sauteed Asian water bugs…but, that was about the best I could do…no ant larvae for this girl!
October 11th, 2007 at 12:26 am
I am glad that Libby is starting to feel better. Love your description of what it is. Your blog is always so interesting, full of energy and makes you feel like you are right there with you. The duck t ongue dont think I would have tried it. With my luck I would be quacking after eating it lol
October 11th, 2007 at 1:23 am
Okay, I was fine with the Libby talk (so glad you know what is wrong and can fix it) but the food stufff, ugghhhhh!! I would be soooo skinny there - LOL! *STAMPIN HUGS* Alex
October 11th, 2007 at 4:53 am
So, did Keith eat the duck tongue you brought home for him?
I’m glad you found out what was making Libby sick. Hope she feels better quickly!
October 11th, 2007 at 5:54 am
Awww–poor ‘lil Libby–but I am so glad that you found out quickly what was wrong, and that she is feeling better. I totally don’t get grossed out by any medical stuff–but the food talk??? *shudders* I also thought the duck tongue was some freaky creature from the ocean, LOL! I would never, in a million years, eat some of the stuff you described! My hat is off to you, girlie!
October 11th, 2007 at 8:19 am
i’m so glad they finally figured out the diagnosis for libby! poor girl
but at least the worst is over now. after feeling bad for libby, i couldn’t help but lol at the descriptions of the “tasty” food items you tried 
check out the pics on my website….we should come up with a “unique” cookbook during our experiences here in china.
October 11th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Ok, you are a braver woman than I - no way would I eat duck tongue. I gagged just looking at it.
Glad to hear that Libby will be alright…poor baby.
October 11th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Poor Libby! So glad you’ve got a diagnosis though. I hope she is well on the road to a full recovery now and feels totally better FAST! What a rough time for her! As for the tongue…eewww.
October 11th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
dude I am NOT eating duck tongue!
October 12th, 2007 at 7:08 am
OMHeck that is SO funny! I need to read your blog more often!
I’m SO impressed you actually ate that! How very gracious of you!
You sure have a way with words and I really enjoy reading of your
fun adventures in China!
HUGS
October 12th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Kimberley!!! Tell me you did not eat that duck tongue!! That looks so gross. But I love your stories. And have I mentioned before that Libby is gorgeous!?!?! So it’s 10am on friday there right now, is that right? That is just so weird for me. I am just heading downstairs to go stampin. I seem to get creative this late at night. Prolly cause I spend all evening blogging first. But I am on vacation this week so I can!! Have a good one!