Unfortunate Side Effects

Well, it turns out surgery is not without it's complications.

I noticed the first side effect from my filterectomy today. I have no idea how long it has remained unnoticed.

My brain doesn't pause when I'm eating. That is to say, my BODY doesn't pause when I'm eating STRANGE FOOD. Before, I would look at the food, try to identify it, smell it, try to identify it, take a VERY SMALL BITE, try to identify it, etc. Now, I pick it up and put it in my mouth. It looked like a potato, it must have been a potato. I often chew it for a few seconds before the taste hits my brain.

It's amazing how well my gag-reflex control has become.

Things that look like potatoes often aren't. In fact, almost nothing is what it seems. Before coming to Japan, I knew about onions, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach. I'm beginning to think that there must be a dozen or more different vegetables in the world. This is TWICE as many as I thought there were. It's blowing my mind.

I of course went straight to the hospital, but they had never even heard of my condition, and they didn't understand.

"We don't understand," they said. "What do you mean you don't eat everything put in front of you? Don't you know that kids are starving in America?" Apparently, Weird Al was a liar.

I've taken to eating my lunch in the teacher's room on days when I know I will be leaving a lot on my plate. Normally, I'd eat with my students, but I don't want to set a bad example.

Sigh. Sorry I can't blog more. :( I still don't speak Japanese, so it's back to studying for me.