I'm Baaack! - and better than ever!

     You may have noticed that it's been 9 weeks since my last blog - I have really missed writing it and hope you've missed reading it. I won't go into gory details, but I have a reason for my absence. A few days after my last post, I landed in the hospital and had major surgery - this came as a huge shock and was totally unplanned. After a week in the hospital, and then 3 weeks in a rehabilitation facility, I came home to continue my recovery. I still have a long way to go but am steadily improving. My biggest problem is lack of patience - that has never been a strength of mine. I'm also used to being in control and in charge and I'm trying to learn a new way of being.  😮
     I would like to report that post-surgery hospital food is delicious, but here's what they served me:

Yummy IV fluids

After I graduated from  IV fluids, I remember broth, soup, juice, applesauce, and not much else. I was still under leftover anesthesia and pain meds, so even if they did serve something fabulous, I have no recollection of it. And not willing to go back to check it out!
     Following my hospital stay, I was admitted to a rehabilitation facility to continue recovery. Though I'm grateful for the medical care I received, my culinary experience there was extremely unpleasant, even after talking with the dietitians.  I know that after major surgery it takes awhile for your appetite to return. And I was on a "no added salt" diet to lose the 15 pounds of fluids added to my body during surgery. And I know that salt is amazing for enhancing flavors, even sweet ones (have you ever sprinkled a little salt on ripe watermelon?). I also know that there are so many other ways to add flavor to foods including herbs, spices, vegetables. The person who made the soups, stews, and chili three times a week obviously knew how to season food - the soups were the high point of the time I spent there. But the rest of the food was plain - picture a boiled/poached in water boneless, skinless chicken breast on a plain white plate - and nothing else.   Oh my.
     But all turned out well - here I am the first morning home, happily bundled up sitting on my patio in the sun, drinking 100% Kona coffee from a real china coffee cup. Pure bliss. And then my daughter made me this terrific breakfast - the best food in a month!