Real Food

Food was a big dilemma in the hospital. I was still on a feeding tube as they were very concerned about getting the proper number of calories in me to get my body working on healing. I had an evaluation with the speech therapists to see if I could handle soft food and liquids.

Did you know you can still eat when you have a feeding tube in?? You can! I had no idea. I kind of thought my throat was totally filled with the tube. It’s not.

Anyway, because of the semi-paralysis on the left side, the doctors aren’t sure I can swallow or chew. So the speech therapist brings in a variety of things to try. I ate itty-bitty bits of crackers, applesauce, and jello. Oh man, solid food is SOOOOOOO good! I couldn’t eat very much because the feeding tube keeps the stomach pretty full, but I was loving my first meal.

Liquids are another story. Did you know that “normal” liquids: water, juice, milk, can choke people if their esophagus isn’t working quite right? Who knew? Not me, that’s for sure. Due to this potential hazard, I was on thickened liquids to start.

The juices are like drinking partially solidified jello. That’s pretty tasty. Thickened water and milk, on the other hand, are not. It’s nasty, nastiness. It doesn’t help that the milk isn’t really milk, but they stir in cornstarch or something to thicken it. I guess the flavor really isn’t that different, but texture makes a big difference.

I pass my evaluation which allows me to eat real food. Yay!