The last chapter in Taste was hard to listen to. Stanley had pain in his mouth and it turned out to be cancer. Chemo and radiation left his body fragile with a 30 pound weight loss. After 2 1/2 years of suffering, a lot of it in bed and ill from even the smell of food, he is back eating and cooking and filming. The surprise for Stanley was that he was no longer Lactose Intolerant, nor Gluten Intolerant.
One scene remains pretty vivid for me. He was in the doctor’s office accompanied by his friend Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) when he was given the “cancer-free” diagnosis. Rather than coming back another time to the hospital, Stanley asked if the “port” could be removed right then and there. Since there were a number of physicians in the room, one doctor volunteered. She was about to pull it out, when Stanley reminded her of the balloon on the inside of the port. “Oh”, she says, “I have not done this in a while”. Bottom Line: Never be afraid to ask questions about any procedure that is going to happen to your body.”
The book ends on a comical note. Stanley is making a sandwich for his son and chatting about its’ contents. Then the son asks what is for dinner. He apparently does not like what will be served so Stanley uses one of his parents tried and true don’t-like-what’s for dinner? tactics, “Why don’t you go and see what the neighbors are having for dinner?”
Grazie Stanley for your humor, love of family, food and travels and sharing it with us. Pat
