October 13, 2011 – Pot Roast or Chicken Chewing Gum??

October 13, 2011 – Pot Roast or Chicken Chewing Gum??

No, I don’t believe anyone actually makes this kind of chewing gum but as I continue to progress by trying to eat anything that suits my fancy, I’m finding a real challenge eating meat. I chew pot roast or chicken and chew and chew and chew and nothing much happens. I need to add liquid or mix it with squash or mashed potatoes to make it easy to swallow. Imagine the driest chicken you ever tried to eat and you know what I mean. Sort of like rubber chicken I suppose.

I also ate my first wrap sandwich yesterday. That worked pretty well (but very slow) but I’ve yet to try anything with real bread, a roll or other “sandwich like” food. I may have to give up on things like hamburgers for a long time or maybe forever. Deli sandwiches too.

Speaking of chewing gum, I found a short term cure for my need to take water with me everywhere I go. Sugar free chewing gum produces enough of my limited saliva to keep my mouth in reasonable shape while I’m in a store or something. I went to a play on Saturday night but needed to sneak water in there. Too long for gum.

Last night my old band members came over for our first practice. That worked out pretty well considering we haven’t played together since April. My voice sucks but I could croak out some harmonies and did some vocal leads that were not good enough for public consumption. Maybe in time I’ll get my voice back – but maybe not.

In conclusion, I continue down the road to recovery. I feel normal most of the time now except for my constant dry and annoyed mouth ( I seem to bite my tongue and lips more frequently) and the challenge of eating and “oral hygiene” I have to cope with all day long. Food is still something like medicine in that I do it because I have to but I’m adjusting. I was told I would have to adjust to the “new normal.” I’m adjusting, I’m adjusting.