It took me 4 years to eat a hamburger.
It was a milestone moment that happened on the coast of Portugal.
Once upon a time I’d not ever think of eating a “hamburger” - I don’t eat fast food chain hamburgers, but in Australia (and I now know Portugal) we have what we call a fish and chip shop hamburger, which is a whole different food group.
It started when I woke up in intensive care, immediately after cancer surgery, the first thing I remember is how loud everyone was and when asked if I wanted anything, I actually had no voice, I literally could not speak.
I had a squamous cell carcinoma on my left tonsil removed.
I was starting to think about food, given the 48 hours or so I had been without, either food nor drink.
A nasal tube had been fed up my right nostril to supply, via a pump that systematically dripped commercial formula at a pace which made me gag.
You might note the name of this newsletter, now you are getting the picture and those things are a living hell, but was in fact the one thing keeping me alive.
Nil by mouth for this code blue princess.
Little did I know that was to continue for nearly 2 years.