It started with massage therapist Tara Currier's wise counsel to focus on healthy high fat foods when she noticed Mike's weight loss. Then on Friday Dr. Zhen's Nurse Cindy gave Mike another mini-lecture on the importance of getting sufficient calorie intake. (She reminds Mike of a Gunnery Sargent - and she is good. ) She has a way of getting the point across in a powerful way. "OK, so how many calories are you getting?" she says in a rough, loud voice. "I'll be happy with 2000 but I would rather it was 2500." She explains that the reason you limit your activities is so you don't exceed your calorie intake and lose weight, while explaining that as much as possible you want to keep living life. She found on Friday that Mike was even a little dehydrated and said if he couldn't keep enough liquid down she could arrange for an IV. She laughed and shared that was one of her 'power tool' lines that tends to keep people eating & drinking. She is stern, but compassionate and regularly says "head & neck radiation is the hardest thing you will ever do".
The diet scene took a good turn over the weekend after a trip to Kvam Family Farm where I purchased farm fresh free-range eggs, local honey, fresh cream and stewing hens. When I told Mark Kvam that I was coming out for some chickens for broth for Mike, he said that he had stewing hens as well. He explained that the birds were older and basically had more good fat in the broth. And boy was he right! This broth was seriously more substantial - and perfect for Mike! Can you see the good layer of yummy fat on the soup? We also realized that Mike can manage eating lightly scrambled eggs now. This makes getting protein into the boy much easier! He wasn't able to tolerate them before so I can only attribute the difference to - prayers. I also purchased some fresh, sweet cream which I add to everything I can. Last night after broth & scrambled eggs I made a dessert drink. Into the blender went ice cream, fresh sweet cream and malt powder. What emerged was a creation that tasted just like our favorite "Sweet Cream Malt" from Cold Stone Creamery. Go figure. We are on to a few good things!
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