Good news! – On Thursday my Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) tried me out on thickened fluids again. She said my swallow may have temporarily got weak if I had a chest infection but when I bounce back it is good to keep eating and drinking whatever I can or the muscles will waste away.
I started with thickened squash and had red soup for lunch (tomato soup – a bit of a lunchtime tradition in our house).
So Audrey’s gone part time!
It was sooo nice to get back or real food!
I can now work through the blended meals in the freezer that we bought from Wiltshire Farm Foods and Oakhouse Foods before I had problems.
On Friday morning I realised the cough had gone too! Whether swallowing food has cleared something I don’t know but I’m happy!
So I’m now eating real food and drinking again and topping up with feeds down the PEG, so there’s no pressure to have to eat, but to be honest I prefer it; all those flavours..
Apparently the internet is all about sharing meals you’ve had recently, so here are some of mine..
Frozen blended food warmed up in the microwave..
Bolognese with potato and veg
Sticky toffee pudding and custard
My beautiful assistant blending bolognese and pasta:
Chicken Casserole
Before
After blending
Very similar to Dexter’s food !
Oh.. and hula hoops..
For some reason, although they are not strictly blended or soft food they go down well, and I was craving them. I did my own test soon after I was told I could eat again. What was that thing I learned at work? “It’s easier to seek forgiveness than it is to get permission.” (Quote from Grace Hopper)
The dietitian came round yesterday and said I had to eat “naughty foods”; full fat milk, high fat puddings, have sugar on everything – basically get the calories in. I get the feeling she loves her job. You spend your whole life being careful about what you eat, watching your weight and then some healthcare professional tells you to throw all that thinking out the window and enjoy eating again!
She gave some really good ideas of what will blend well, things to avoid and ideas for meals so I can just blend what the family are eating. It’s much less hassle.
Will it blend?
The title of this blog posting is an homage to the boys favourite YouTube channel, where a guy tries to blend different things.. e.g. mobile phones, bricks, glow sticks, marbles..
So life is looking good at the moment… the cough has gone and I have loved getting back into eating and all those lovely flavours. Social stuff is easier. I can drink latte and on Saturday I’m going round to a friend’s for a Burns night; they have a blender lined up for me!
Thanks for all your encouraging messages and prayers.
Brilliant news! I am really pleased for you
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Mike that is great news your blended dinners look good and really substantial all done by your beautiful assistant Juju and beautifully arranged I might add. So glad your cough is now gone and you can enjoy your Burns night , go easy on the Haggis !!
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Yes. She does a brilliant job blending each thing separately .. I would have just put it all in together!
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How about melted chocolate, that’s naughty x
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Unfortunately chocolate seems to get stuck on the way down ☹ But chocolate pudding and mousse seems ok.
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Marvellous! X
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Do appreciate the updates and so glad you are back with your coffee 🙂
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I am so thrilled that you are able to enjoy those flavours again. What an answer to prayer! Long may it continue. You are in my thoughts every day Mike. I love reading your blogs. You make me laugh with your sense of humour. What a strength it is to have. I am hoping to make the reunion in April. It’ll be so good to see you. I’ll be in the middle of chemo, so I may not be feeling amazing and I am becoming so round especially on the face. Though I have been told not to worry to much about my weight at the moment because it wouldn’t benefit me right now to cut out things in my diet. Love and blessings, Pauline x
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It would be great to meet up in April – looking forward to it. Look after yourself. x
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So good to read, Mike. Pat xx
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Wonderful news Mike. We’ll keep praying xxxx
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So pleased that you can enjoy proper food sgain. Enjoy them. Love, Mum xxxxxx
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