Sophomore year of College was a different time altogether for me when it came to Living to eat and eating to live. I had my mouth wired shut from jaw surgery and could only drink liquids. For the first 2 weeks, I drank boost and ensure for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Although I had undergone two major surgeries in Oklahoma, after my second one, I begged my mom to get me out of the hospital and to Provo, UT so I could make it for the first BYU football game of the season within 4 days. I made a bet with her that if I would not complain and if I would drink the ensure and boost 3 times a day, she would take me. I agreed. She and I made the second trip to Utah of the Month (the first was to Grant and Maren's wedding 9 days after my first surgery and 5 days before my second surgery). Of course, I had so many drugs in me, I slept the entire way except through Price Canyon in Utah where my mom asked me to drive...I was pretty drowsy and under some good medication. The next morning was the game! I was lucky because the seats we got were right next to the wheel chairs, so i was able to sit through the whole game. By Sunday, I was starving for food. My mom made a big dinner for Grant, Maren, Mark and me of my favorite meal of mashed potatoes, gravy, chicken, etc. I got to Grant and Marens apartment and tried to stuff the potatoes through my teeth. It wouldn't work. I tried and tried for about 15 minutes, then FREAKED out. needless to say, my mom took me to McDonalds for a milkshake.
After classes started, I had boost for breakfast and lunch, then a milkshake for dinner. I started getting desperate for food when I found a cookbook called "dinner through a straw". I made something with eggs, sausage, and milk. That was pretty good. My roommate Sydney tried it, spit it out, and exclaimed that I must be "STARVING" to eat something that gross. 2 weeks in, I was invited over to some ward members house for a party. One of the kids there made jumbalya and knew I was coming, so he blended mine totally thin like a milkshake. It was the best milk shake of MY LIFE! After this experience, I realized I needed to actually drink more substantial stuff. Every week I went and bought a new bag of 5 lb potatoes for a delicious potato milkshake. Without discovering my potato milkshakes, which were delicious, I seriously don't know if I would have made it for 6 weeks, going to school, walking up to and around campus.
When I finally did get my mouth un-wired in St. George, UT, my cousin Cannon, who was down there anyway for business went with me into the doctor's office. After he and I got out of the doctor's office, he took me out to a restaurant called Fizzolis. He told me I could get anything on the menu. Dont worry, I did what he said! I got lasagna, pizza, bread, a dessert, and packages of cookies! I wolfed down the lasagna so fast, or as fast as my weak jaw would let me. After I finished eating, I looked at Cannon for the first time in 30 minutes. He said that I must have been starving because I was making "mmm" noises while eating. Not only did Cannon pay for my first meal, he sent me home with all the cookies he bought. That was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I definitely think that at that point I was eating, solely on the purpose to live.
Thanksgiving that year, I went to Jennifer's house. We went around the table and told what we were thankful for. When all eyes were on me, I said I was thankful for food because it makes me strong and helps me feel better. I look back on this experience and am always thankful for food to keep us going from day to day.
