New Pants Needed
Following Pork Fest last Sunday, it was a pretty low-key week. As I expected, Pork Fest was near the nadir for this cycle, so the recovery started a few days afterwards and has continued. I have a better sense of what to expect after going through the first cycle, and there’ve been no surprises this time. After not being able to eat at my own BBQ (resulting in my lowest weight yet), my diet has expanded, and I was able to eat some of the saved leftovers, including a brisket and pimento omelette. My favorite food item for the week was the rice porridge with clams (pictured above) at HaiSous, a modern Vietnamese restaurant that we love. It was tasty and easy to eat for me.
The same issues that I’ve experienced before are still present, however. In particular, there remain three issues. First, the spice hypersensitivity has not changed. In fact, it may be even increased. At a restaurant, we ordered some crispy drumsticks that the server mentioned as not being spicy. However, whatever was in the coating caused me to drink about a liter of water (perhaps should have asked for milk?) to settle down my mouth. Good thing I didn’t dip it into any of the sauces, which could have made things worse. Second, while I can chew and eat meats, it takes a liquid assist to swallow it. This even applies to slow-cooked or braised meats, including a soy braised short rib recipe I made. I could easily eat the carrots but the beef was more challenging. Finally, and related to the second issue, I continue to have a lack of saliva, which makes breads and dense foods difficult. I figured things like cakes would be good for me, as they would be calorie dense. That may still be the case, but I need to be careful about who I talk to after eating such things, as dense, rich foods tends to get stuck in my teeth. Bits of chocolate cake hanging on to my teeth and on my lips don’t make for a great look.
Given the lack of saliva, it’s a good thing that my mentor Claudine suggested I buy a Waterpik. It’s the most useful purchase I’ve made recently. The first time I used it, I was a bit surprised (and perhaps a little disgusted) by how much more effective it was than just rinsing or flossing. Even after brushing my teeth, the Water Pik extracts stuff that was otherwise stuck in my teeth. It’s definitely a must-use after eating desserts like muffins or cakes.
The other issue that’s come up this week is the slow transition to fall, which will necessitate a shopping trip. With the temperatures dropping, I’ve re-introduced pants into the wardrobe. Right now, the look is not good and perhaps comical in many cases. It’s a look that reminds me of what I’ve seen occasionally in Chinatown - a man with pants hiked up high, belt loop on the last hole (or even made new ones as it’s way too big) and a saggy bottom. As mentioned previously, I’ve lost over 25 lbs from my starting weight, which has translated into 2-4” off my waist size (from a 33/34” to 30/31”). Even the slimmer fitting selvedge denim jeans that I bought 2 sizes smaller than usual (the instructions were to go down in size until you can’t button anymore) are now fitting quite loosely. I can squeeze into size 29 right now, which is not something I’ve been able to say since high school. I’m not sure I qualify for the “athletic fit” at this time, as I’m missing quite a bit of muscle from my legs and derriere. I fear what the dress pants will look like at this point. While belts can hold up the pants, the fit is not what I want, so it looks like I’ll have to go shopping for some new pants. The question is how long I expect to remain at this size and whether I need to buy pants for now or for a new target weight/size. It could be a few months before I start to put on meaningful weight.
(For what it’s worth, I tried to find a good comparison photo, but I’m not in the habit of posing for pictures from behind. The best representations of a potential “athletic fit” profile are included below.)
My last chemo treatment is scheduled for next Friday. Between now and then should be a good period. Hopefully a more full recovery starts soon.