Imagine the scene… my wife, mother, daughter, and I are all staring at this glass of water, thinking the same thing:
“No way.”
It looked like a scene from a horror movie. We were having dinner – the other three were eating adult plates of salmon, mash and vegetables, while I had the soft white fish virtually puréed version (still using a fork, despite all logic now demanding a spoon). That’s when we decided to try the first glass of water with the highly recommended and apparently tasteless thickener that had arrived by courier.
My daughter, the family scientist, and I, mixed it up according to the instructions. We watched it for the prescribed five minutes, using the minimum dosage.
It was shicking…It looked like a slightly thinner version of the sloppy hair gel I used as a teenager.
“No way.”
It looked disgusting. But I went ahead and tried to drink it.
Water is something you pretty much take for granted – you just know how it tastes. This tasted vaguely like water, but in a weirdly solid way. Horrible.
I then looked for volunteers to try it… not many ran to sign up. It was so funny and yet so distressing. This was my new water – because the tap variety makes me choke.
No way!
We double-checked. Yes, we used the right dose: two spoons per 200 ml of water. Then, out of nowhere, we saw it – 95% buried under the powder like treasure was THE SPOON. It was (and still is) tiny. A tiny scooper that comes with the powder. And then we realized… we’d used the wrong spoon. We had all just assumed a teaspoon (thankfully not a tablespoon).
And then it became clear: we had put about eight times too much powder into the water. We all breathed a massive sigh of relief.
We tried again with cold water and the correct measurement – and it was fine. Slightly thicker, clear enough to go down pleasantly without choking. A little bit strange, but nothing major.
So what did I learn?
Well, obviously reading the instructions helps. But to be honest, it was worth it for the laugh.
PSP brings so much change and so many bizarre first-time events for a 50-year-old and his family. Each new event usually comes with a hiccup – and an opportunity to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
It’s worth taking those moments for what they are: times of laughter. Because with the pain of PSP, every bit of humour helps.
I’m now on day three of the thickener. We’ve learnt to make a jug of water and leave it in the fridge. It tastes OK – genuinely – and I’m truly grateful that I can drink water normally at the moment.
Before these last few years, I thought water was water. I thought breathing was breathing until I started yoga. I took a lot of things for granted. I don’t anymore.
I’m just wondering what the next surprise ahead of me is – but I hope it comes with a good chuckle.
