I have always hated oatmeal. I wanted to like it, I tried to like it but could never stand the texture in my mouth. I had heard for many years the many health benefits and oh, how I wanted to join the ranks of healthy rib sticking oatmeal eaters.
After C-sections, I'm limited as to what I can eat and after having Monkey, I was served my regular broth and jello; then came the oatmeal (but I guess you saw that coming). I gagged as it came into my room and wondered why they would put me through such torture after they'd already cut me open. I stared at the bowl and knew that if I didn't put this into my stomach, I would get nothing else and if I didn't eat, I didn't have strength to walk and if I didn't walk, I didn't get to go home or get to see my baby in the NICCU.
There I was. A grown woman, now mother of 4 and I was making faces as the spoon of oatmeal came at my mouth. I tried making airplane sounds, that doesn't help. (oh the guilt I felt for every time I came at my children with an airplane imitating spoon!) I touched the oatmeal with my tongue only to spit it out. I tried smelling it a minute and closed my eyes.
When your stomach has staples in it, laughing and coughing does not bring warm fuzzies. Gagging is worse.
The nurse came in and asked if I was done while reaching for my plate. She was very good at her job because when I started crying she quickly stepped back and had the look of "don't mess with a mommy on medication" know- how about her. I said I was trying but just didn't like it. She offered to bring me some peaches and I nearly hugged her (of course she still kept her distance, the whole mommy on medication thing- they can turn on you at any minute. The peaches came but to my surprise it was a slice of a peach and she told me to put it in the oatmeal. I don't know why she wanted me to ruin a perfectly good slice of peach!
I did as told (I'm good at that) and took the first bite. I was swallowed and must have had a look of pride because the nurse clapped for me and got excited for my accomplishment. We truly lose ALL pride when having babies.
Well, it's been 3 years since that experience. Over those 3 years I have continued my quest to eat a bowl of oatmeal with many failures but still a few successes. I tried different fruits, different liquids, different add ins and even different oatmeals (brand and textures). I even tried putting it on my toast and plugging my nose. (I don't recommend the whole nose plugging thing unless you have a tissue close by) I never went back to the airplane but did try a fire engine a time or two (that doesn't help either, it just calls the kids in to watch your failure- which does not help promoting them to taste it with you).
Still, I never gave up. I was determined to add oatmeal to my list of breakfast foods!
I am proud to say that today, yes this very day, I ate a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. No gimmicks, no sounds and no rag in sight. I ate it (and only had a slight twitch in the face) and while I've still yet to love it as much as my cocoa puffs, I dare admit I may have enjoyed it a little bit. Perhaps it was the strawberries, the sugar (WHAT?), or the sure taste of victory that did it for me but either way- I did it.
I did it and I'll do it again, Sam I am!
So, as it turns out, even moms can learn to like new foods! Maybe there is still hope for the sausage and hash brown epidemic that fills my house; or the six pounds of ketchup we go through a week; or the never ending french fries; or the ....
No comments:
Post a Comment