Roger Ebert: No Longer an Eater, Still a Cook

[elleng]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/dining/01ebert.html?pagewanted=1&hpw

[beac]

1. Ebert is a national treasure.

His wit ALMOST makes me want to join Twitter just to follow him.


It must be terrible not to be able to eat.

[madmax]

2. I'd rather be breathing than eating.

Anyday ;) :bounce:

[housewolf]

3. This is something I have some experience with

The good news is that today's feeding tube formulas tend to take away one's appetite, so as long as one feeds on a regular basis the desire to eat dissipates as well, The social aspect of it is still difficult to deal with in today's food-centered culture. For people with swallowing difficulties - like those who aspirate food into their lungs or whose throat muscles don't work to swallow the food, it can become so difficult and time-comsuming to eat that the effort and unpleasantness can make it hardly worth the effort no matter how good something is. It's a sad thing but over time, one accomadates to it.

[housewolf]

4. Let me just add...

some people on feeding tubes actually use a "blenderized" diet - they add a little liquid (broth, water or whatever) to cooked foods (or raw, like smoothies) and take it in through their tubes so that they get something of a feeling that they're taking in regular foods.

Many heand & neck cancer patients are routinely fitted with feeding tubes because it becomes so hard for them to eat due to their radiation treatments.