There’s a mango in my kitchen fruit bowl.

It’s been there for over a week. Since living in the tropics many years ago, I’ve loved tropical fruits. But this one little yellow mango – not like the big fat ones – but the ones shaped like a cashew crescent – has not yet appealed to my recently cancer-altered taste buds. And so it has been left to wither. Interesting – that word wither. According to AI it can refer to a boss creature in the game Minecraft (What!?), a biological feature on a horse, or a verb meaning to shrivel. It’s the verb form that relates to my new situation.

After being Whippled, I have shriveled !

It was a slow, almost melting process of fat and muscle mass from my 123 pound body. I didn’t feel it happening. I hardly noticed it – until I did. One day my pants almost dropped to my feet while I was on my daily one mile walk. Embarassing? Hardly. Shocking? Absolutely!

The next time I showered I looked closely at my body in the mirror. Good grief!! I was starting to look like a neglected mango. The only upside to that shocking image was that my sweetness was surely being concentrated as my poor body shriveled. Hmm? Ha! The downside was possible starvation!

I HAD to start eating more protein, protein, protein! A difficult task for a vegetarian.  Plus the problem with that plan was the double cross of being hungry, knowing I had to eat, and yet repulsed by the smell, or taste, of food! What to do? Protein Shakes are not fit for pigs’ slop. Protein powders seemed worth a try….in gravy, mash potatoes, soups, and my morning oatmeal. Didn’t work! What has passed the taste bud test is a milk shake with added whey powder, a shot of expresso, and vanilla ice cream! Not bad. Fingers crossed there’ll be weight gain.

I know that when the time comes, and I order that “ticket to paradise”, I will do so because of some malfunction of a body part or process. But I’ll be damned if it will be declared : “She died of starvation!”

So…get me to the kitchen ! Perhaps I’ll cook up a tasty Indian curry with – what else?! – Mango Chutney!!!!

Peace, Love, and Bon Appetit to you all,

TJ