Jason B.
Yelp
If I may take a moment from your day, fellow Yelper or prospective customer, I would like to share our story. Ours is a testament of how Lobel's came to be a very important and very personal facet in one of the most challenging times in my family's life.
Many years ago, my wife experienced a rapid and severe decline of health. Though we had the good fortune to have excellent physicians, she had come to the point that our care providers felt that a mortal juncture was upon us: undergo radical treatment or risk death from complications of the underlying condition. We were a young couple but I watched over my wife during the course of a year of treatment as she lost much of her hair, could scarcely hold any food down, and her regimen of daily medicine had escalated to a count of over 40 pills.
About 10 months into her course of treatment, my wife had become anemic, partly as a result of the medicine and partly because she was having so much difficulty eating enough due to the nausea. Our doctor's recommendation was to prescribe Epotin alpha, a drug specifically engineered to address this condition. Aside from the potential side effects, this was to be yet one more pill my wife would need to choke down every day. I looked to her for a reaction and, to my heartbreak; I saw a flash of sadness followed quickly by the bravest attempt to muster a smile.
I cannot honestly tell you that my next action was wise. I can only share what any spouse must feel when the one we love is at their most vulnerable.
"NO! Wait.... I mean. Can't there be?"
The doctor paused a moment and then began to look as though he was going to reply. Again - I interjected.
"Doc, I can't. I just. You give me TWO weeks. That is when we see you next, yes? That is when we pull the next blood test, right?"
The doctor checked the chart and agreed. He asked me, "Jason - I appreciate your frustration. I know your wife is brave and she can handle this. We're going to take very good care of her. I am not sure what you hope to achieve in two weeks."
I became flush with a mix of fear and embarrassment. I was not entirely sure what I was going to do either, but I had to try - something.
Food science to the rescue!
Beef, when subject to dry aging, results in steaks that are not only incredibly juicy and flavorful, but are also remarkably easy to digest - owing to the enzymes that break down and naturally tenderize the meat. With my "Eureka!" recollection in hand, I dialed the ONLY place I trusted - Lobel's.
When the steaks arrived, my wife's initial reaction was surprise. She asked me if I was planning a celebration. I smiled, touched her cheek, and assured her that this was simply a husband doing his job and taking good care of his wife. She gave me a big hug and went into the living room and sat expectantly as I prepared one of the steaks. I was not sure if she was hungry (the crackers I had left out for her earlier were still untouched). I had a moment of apprehension as I very lightly salted each side of the meat. Once it touched the hot skillet, all worry was set aside. That glorious nutty umami began to waft throughout the kitchen and somehow I felt at ease -as though we were turning an important corner for the better.
I brought the steak over to her. Her tired eyes fluttered shut with a quiet smile. "Mmmmm... smells good." As I watched her take a small bite, I did not see any of the regular apprehension like a bout of nausea might take over. Slowly she chewed. She ate all but two bites! I gulped down the remaining piece of steak at her strong insistence (waste not want not ;-)
That night, there were no panicked runs to the bathroom. Nausea, that ugly usurper of appetite, had bowed its head low in defeat.
Over the course of the next two weeks, those steaks became a string of small but constant victories. The rosiness that I cherished so much in my wife's cheeks had slowly returned. I tamped down the excitement of my observation because I still dreaded the return visit to the doctor. To this day I do not know if it was the steak, the pleasant distraction from illness, or some combination of the two that brought us so much happiness.
What I can tell you is... my wife never did have to take that new pill.
Eat well, live well, and love well my friends.