Crime and Punishment

My latest obstruction caused such alarm that sister Mary flew over from Melbourne and joined sister Jeanine to drive down from Tauranga. Their visit cheered me immensely and gave welcome support to Miang.

I was finally discharged on Sunday with no greater insight as a result of the X-ray CT scan. There is a suggestion of further disease sites and the nodule in the lung has continued to grow, suggesting that it may be another site of metastatic disease. As for the bowel, clear evidence of distended loops was found, but no obvious site of obstruction. It could be that my problem is diseased bowel, but the pattern of rapid recovery between the six obstruction episodes suggests that scar tissue may indeed be the cause.

Most importantly, we need to identify triggers in the diet. Until speaking to the hospital dietitian, the last two episodes had been a mystery. I had thought I needed large insoluble items like peanuts or unchewed segments of hard fruit. What I have learned is that seeds and pips are enough to cause the problem. On Tuesday evening, after speaking at the Poutama Maori Business Hui dinner in Auckland, I was presented, by an ex Massey student of mine, with a gift of two Muesli bars made by this young man's company. In my hotel that evening I devoured one. It was utterly delicious.

My crime was discovered. The other bar of this pair was left in my suitcase, only to be found by Miang when she unpacked my belongings following my admission to hospital. Being the food scientist she is, she dissected the bar. Her photograph reveals all.

You will be able to read the wrapping label. Apart from being labelled "organic" I can find no other fault with this product, and if you happen to be favoured by not suffering from bowel obstructions, I can highly recommend it.