Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Day 5 out of captivity and diggin' it. Spent a lovely three days with Sammy, playing in the garden when weather allowed, otherwise the indoor gamut of games, Legos, Wii, or just plain hangin out and lovin' life. As the days for me end at around 8:30 p.m., Sammy took great pride in putting me to bed, reading me bedtime stories (Dr. Seuss). Sweetest thing.

Saw Sammy and Anke off to the airport today. They'd long ago booked a 10-day trip to Italy, which we'd hoped would coincide with my hospital stay. Turns out it's a good thing as it gives me the time I need to recoup at own pace. I can nap when I wanna, or like today just walk barefoot in the grass for hours, let the sun shine and the music play, and occasionally juggling to help regain arm strength.

Will be seeing some of y'all in Walldorf tomorrow, and very much look forward to that. Will also be visiting SAP's house doc as step 1 in the "reintegration" process. Then meet with my doc on Thursday to see how long he recommends rehab time and map out when I can get back among the productive. It all then goes to my insurance company for "approval." Ran my own planned timeline (about a month... and change) by my rep today and she was good with it. Will report next week when it's all fully baked.

In other relevant news, I'm proud to announce first results of a key initiative within my own personal recovery act. Titled 'Find a Thing That Tastes Like it Does,' the initiative -- or rather, quest -- is aimed at finding foods and beverages whose tastes partially or fully override chemoflave. (This initiative replaces its unpleasantly titled predecessor, 'Find a Thing That Doesn't Make Ya Wanna Heave,' which paved the way back to solid food. )

The first discovery will make Americans proud and also would like to teach the world to sing:

1. Coca-Cola. Yes, the beverage I drink once in a blue milkshake. It indeed nearly overrides chemoflave, although tastes a lot like Diet Coke. So have switched meanwhile to that (as BOATs thrive on sugar). Hats off to our first discovery, which portends hope for further such victories.

2. Riding in swiftly on coketails: Campari/water. Tastes, far as I can judge, like it does. And brings the big-league added benefits of quelling nausea and consisting mostly of pure H20, of which I need to drink at least 2L/day.

3: Rocket salad with red bell pepper (Rucola mit rotem Paprika), topped with balsamico/mustard dressing. Whereas it doesn't taste like it does, the dressing overrides chemoflave and I get my much needed greens.

4: After-dinner mints. Complete absence of chocolate taste, but the mint fully asserts itself, tasting just like it does. Thus, in tomorrow's bev line-up, peppermint tea.

5: Chicken McNuggets. Store-bought, frozen, also do. Already stocked up. Don't actually taste 'em, but with lots of BBQ sauce I can get 'em down.

6. Home fries, extra spicy, drenched in BBQ sauce (co-discovery with #5).

7. Cherry pie. Must be bitter cherries as still no sense of sweetness.

8. Bitter coffee or espresso. Beginning to see a pattern here: bitter and sour taste buds are stepping up as first eager beavers.

9. Apple strudel. Key find breakfast-wise. As long as the apples are on the sour side, it's only thing I can get down in the morning. Will be frequenting our town bakery.

10. Cranberry juice. Bitter continues it's winning streak.

In the category 'Also Ran,' but unfortunately tasting like absolutely nothing: bean/cheese nachos, crackers, chips, bread, chocolate chip cookies, sliced meats, Italian sausages, tuna, shrimp. (I'm afraid to try salmon as I might jeopardize it's prior top ranking). But the Top Ten list is good for starters.

Happy days.