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The Blessing by Pearl Took	10 Review(s)
elanor winterflowers	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/4/2007
My mother-in-law used to measure like that. I remember taking her 'handful' of this and 'two fingers' of that and translating those amounts with measuring cups and spoons, so that her recipes could be passed on. I continue to ache for Pippin. There is nothing so discouraging as medication that does not work when you want so much for it to do so. It is exhausting after awhile, surmounting disappointment. Your story is so touching. Difficult, but very well done! :) Author Reply: Hi elanor! Another personal "hand measuring" account. Cool! That really all was one of those happy happenstances that I never expected to get any response to - and I think everyone has commented on it :-) It has been a difficult story to write as well. Easier times will come eventually, so hang in there! Thank you so much, elanor :-)

Larner	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/4/2007
Oh, I can see just such a fortnight of experimentation. And having the full seizures would have been so disheartening. Poor lad. And having to have things done for him would be awful. Loved seeing the psychomotor seizure. One guest had one during a visit, and found roller shads I'd not even noticed were there on a couple windows behind the lace curtains. How she found them is beyond me, for she had very limited vision, and me, fully sighted with my glasses, hadn't seen them in two years of residence! Now, more experimentations! Author Reply: Wow! That is interesting, Larner. I wonder if her vision improved when she was having a seizure? I've read that people with mutiple personality disorder sometimes have the vision change with one personality needing glasses and the others not. Yes, more medical trials :-) Thanks so much!

PIppinfan1988	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
You mean I can't try this concoction at home?? Darn. Ooooh! Now I'm sitting on the edge of my seat! Something must be coming up; I can feel it. Poor Pippin - losing independence and privacy would be hard on anyone, but I can tell it's taking a toll on our dear lad. It's a wonder he was as cooperative as he was. I hope this next batch of medicine works...but... I'm waiting on pins and needles, dear friend! :-) That part about Sam measuring with the palm of his hand and being ever so accurate -- that is so true! That's how my grandmother used to measure, and she was a pretty good cook. :-) PF Author Reply: Hi PF :-) Trust your feelings ;-) He really has been doing pretty well, all things considered. It's his innate cheerfulness :-) That's cool about your grandma and that you remember it! Thanks so much, m'dear!

Andrea	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
Sam, as was the case with most good cooks in the Shire, had long ago learned the art of measuring into his hand. Now, that is an art I wished to learn myself, and an elegant way to solve the measuring problem. Poor Pippin! I can understand his frustration! And his embarrassment when he found himself standing in front a that statue and when he heard that he had actually been babbling to it. It would have been a wonder if the first medicine had worked. They have just begun! But there is one thing Pippin should not forget: The other hobbits are as unconfortable with the situation as he is. Not out of annoyance but out of fear and love for him! I'm looking forward to reading more! Author Reply: Hi Andrea :-) Yes, various things I've read mention closer attention and observation being needed for either someone who isn't on medication or there medication isn't set yet. I think it would have even been more so before reliable anti seizure medications. Not much fun for a tween or adult. Again, from my reading, it would have been very unusual for the first try to work with this sort of situation, they have indeed just begun. That is another thing Pippin will have to deal with is looking beyond himself to understand what all his friends and loved ones are going through. Thanks so much, Andrea!

Telpethoron	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
I love the way you bring out small details in this story, such as the difference in measurements between hobbits and men. It's not something a lot of people would think of at first, but it makes sense that hobbits would think in much smaller terms than men would, because of their size. Pippin's frustration is almost palpable. One of the biggest problems the hobbits have had to face in dealing with others is the perception that hobbits are like children - both in stature and in temperament. I was a bit surprised myself, when reading LOTR for the first time, to find out that Frodo was around 50 years old during the time of the Quest. And now Pippin finds himself being treated, in many ways, just like a child...both by men AND hobbits. No wonder he's in such a sour mood. I can only wonder what's going to happen when they return to the Shire. Can't wait to see the next chapter! Author Reply: Hi Telpethoron :-) That is a problem all little people deal with I'm sure and Pip even more so as, being the youngest, the other hobbits would be more llikely to treat him as a child just as much as the others would. Add to that, I think it is easy to treat any ailing person in a more childlike manner. I do plan to take this story into when they return home :-) Thank you so much for reading and responding!

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
“Yes,” Sam jumped in. “I’m not sure we call all of these herbs by the same names, for one thing. Then, there’s all these measurin’ terms. Where’s the dabs, dashes, smidgens, drams, gills, and such?” Sam paused and his eyes widened. “I just now thought, sirs. Most everything we use back home is smaller than anything men use. Smaller cups, smaller spoons, smaller mortar and pestles. I don’t know as any of your measurements are going to work even if the names for them did match up proper.” What a stroke of genius to remember this! It's not something most writers take into account with hobbits! I also loved that you showed how accurate Sam was, measuring in his hand. Great cooks can do that! (I remember the cooking show of the late Cajun cook, Justin Wilson. He'd pour some salt or whatever into his hand, and say "that's a teaspoon. Don't believe me?" and then he'd pick up a teaspoon and pour it from his hand into the spoon. It was exact every time!) Poor Pippin! I just cringe, reading about what he's going through. Author Reply: Hi Dreamflower :-) Thank you! I took a bread baking class a long time ago and the teacher could measure in her hand. She said at first every time she measured anything dry, she would dump it into her palm first to learn what it looked like, then gradually quit using the measuring spoons and cups. The poor lad is going through a lot, bless him, as are all who care about him.

Lindelea	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
Have just caught up in this story. sigh Alas, poor Pip! This has been painful to read. The differing measures was a masterful stroke of insight. But now I am called to take a dog for a walk, and it's best to get out of the way early, as we are in the middle of a heat wave and it'll be quite oppressive later on. Here's hoping for some relief for our favourite hobbit and those who love him. Author Reply: Hi Lindelea! Thank you for catching up with us :-) The measures thing was pure serendipity. Relief for Pippin will come . . . eventually. I hope it comes soon for you too. Hugs!

shirebound	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
"Most everything we use back home is smaller than anything men use. Smaller cups, smaller spoons, smaller mortar and pestles. I don’t know as any of your measurements are going to work even if the names for them did match up proper.” That's very perceptive; I'm not sure I would have thought of that. Author Reply: Thank you, shirebound :-) That was one of the serendipitous things that came to me as I started writing the scene. The whole metric vs. English issue popped into my head, so I thought the nomenclature might not match up. That led to looking up old measuring terms. Then as I was doing that, I thought of the movies and how they had two scales for everything - hobbit sized and man sized - and realized that the vessels themselves would be different sizes. Like the Prancing Pony scene with Pippin's amazement at the size of a pint. Sam then says "You've had a whole half already!" (which sounds funny - whole half) showing they knew of pints, they knew they were used to half pints. But Pippin's reaction made it clear that the full pints weren't used in the Shire. It was clear this would all be a problem when it came to needing to mix medicines.

Garnet Took	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
Wow! That pretty much sums it up.:) But, you know I'm going to say more, right? This was an incredible chapter, both in detale and emotion. I found myself feeling so bad for Pippin when it came out that he could no longer be left alone for even such things as bathing or seeing to nature's call. I can't even begin to imagine how humiliating that must have been. I also feel his frustration over not being able to do even simple things like fastening a belt or cutting his own food. And, yes, I do believe that it was a little irritating to the others when they had to cut things up every time he asked for more; but it is sad that he was able to read that so clearly in his friends. The thing that left me speechless was when he simply walked away from his post and started babbling to a statue. How fightening that must have been for Aragorn to witness, and how embarrassing for Pippin to learn that he had done it. I can fully understand why Pippin didn't want to stand guard after that, but I am thankful that Aragorn insisted that he did. In the long run, it will be good that they didn't let him stop doing the things that he should do. He'll have lost less if he does all that he can to live as normally as he can while they search for the best treatment. This way, he'll have less retraining of himself to do when he is released back to as normal a state of living as he'll ever have. There's a term they use in special education called the Least Restrictive Enviroment, that's what Aragorn wants to provide Pippin with. Let him do all that he can for himself, adapt what needs adapting to help him live normally and only help directly when it is obvious that help is needed. Sorry for the wordy review, but this chapter got me thinking that much.;) Now, I really want to see the next one soon. Great job Pearl and Golden. Author Reply: Wow in return :-) Thank you for such wonderful comments, Garnet! The descriptions of complex partial seizures that I read sounded a great deal like dementia and Alzheimer's - they can include odd behaviour like stripping, wandering off, muttering, etc. so I thought I'd bring some of that into the story. The issue of how much can Pippin do will be a recurring theme with both his epilepsy and his damaged arm and hand. They all still have a lot to learn ;-) Don't apologize for the wordy review, it's wonderful! I'll do my best to get the next one done asap :-) Thank you!

Agape4Gondor	Reviewed Chapter: 12 on 7/3/2007
BRAVO! Great idea with the confusion about weighs and measures and names and sizes of tools... never thought of that! Brilliant! My first thought, after the mess, was to bring in Aragorn and, lo and behold, you bring in Aragorn! And Sam's cooking... great job with his knowing smidgens and such! But the lack of privacy for poor Pip! That was a cruel blow, but understanble. I do so love this tale - you just continue to surprise me with the level of ingenuity! Author Reply: Hi and thank you, Agape! Does it sound too corny to say I surprise myself? Stuff just pops into my head as I'm writing - and it's often the best stuff I write ;-) I thought Aragorn would know some things like that, having hung around Bree where there are both Men and Hobbits Not bathing alone (not so sure with showers), or at least without someone nearby who knows you're in the tub, can still an issue for people with epilepsy - as is swimming. More so with someone who is either not medicated or doesn't have their medication established and their seizures as under control as possible. I'm glad you are loving our story :-) Thank you!

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