I find myself wondering how some ideas have gotten fixed in my head. Rather like the idea that I had to predominately use one side of my mouth to eat and drink over the other AND how on earth I managed to do this with the wrong side. Thinking back on it there were only a few occasions that lead me to have problems swallowing water (once I was properly allowed to try) at the hospital. I was, I am fairly sure, doing this with the side of my mouth with the graft in, in other words where the tumour was removed and the part of my tongue without any sensation (well, it tingles alot). Somehow or another I learned (quickly too) how to swallow water (the thinnest and hardest of liquids to drink, I have since discovered) without much sensation or movement.
It was one of those things that set me thinking today. Given that, for whatever stupid reason, I have been eating - well attempting to - with the wrong side of my mouth, I started to wonder how I would get on with using the side that still actually has feeling and full movement. Now bear in mind I still have limited mobility in my jaw and I haven't even attempted chew anything, never mind which side of my mouth I use, I really had no idea if I had enough movement or feeling to chew anything at all.
Did that stop me trying? Like heck. I can report that I was able to eat (with relative ease) several chunks of ripe mango today. Chewing them properly and everything. Its another small step, you might argue its a pointless one given what the radio and chemo is likely to do to me and my ability to eat, but I don't care. It shows that I can eat soft foods with relative normality. It shows I don't have to keep on eating nothing but soups and smoothies.
Wicked. Where's that steak and chips?
