Two years ago our Normal lives were turned on end. We never could have imagined a day when donning a mask to go shopping would be Normal. Where there are no weddings, no funerals, no graduations. Flash forward, i'm startled to see people without masks in the store, terrified to see nurses wearing them improperly. Normal is just a construct of what we are familiar with. It shifts and morphs.
Normal was breathing through my mouth and nose, eating, going to work.
Yet, as the days goes by.... Breathing through my neck, feeling warm breath up my neck, well its not that odd actually. Seeing a dark whole into my esophagus at the base of my neck, once repulsed me and now it is Normal. Hearing my voice emitted from a speaker as i type, well it feels slow and sometimes frustrating, but I'm forgetting the sensation of sound emitting from me. Learning to swallow without a tongue and with a rebuilt esophagus is still taking time, but just the other day i realized I'm not thinking about it when i drink water anymore. Okay, i'd love to shove a plate of fucking loaded french fried in my face!!!!! I miss eating real food!!!! Drinking all my meal is not bloody NORMAL. - whew - sorry.
My ability to adapt surprises me. We know humans do it all the time, adapt to all sorts of even worse things. But it is surprising when you see it happening to yourself. Surprisingly good.