Metal Crutches—Now & Then

Samwise is constantly Samwise—a cool customer nearly always. His eyes are as watchful as a hunter’s, his soul as still as a calm mountain lake. Conversely, Emily is as animated as a Saturday morning cartoon. How I enjoy watching this contrast play out daily.

It’s even more pronounced today as I limp around the house on metal forearm crutches. The big gout attack began the day after Thanksgiving, and while it has slowly improved, I’ve yet to walk without pain.

These past few days, the gout seemed as if it was coming around. I’m overly cautious with what I eat, choosing whole grains and low purine fruits and vegetables. My uric acid meter tells me 30 seconds after a quick prick of the thumb or finger how my levels are. Yesterday, I was gleeful as they dropped to the lowest they’ve been in six weeks.

But here’s the thing about gout: while certain foods and all alcohol are universally problematic for those of us who suffer from gout, some foods trigger a minority of sufferers. Eat tomatoes…