20220623 : temperature moderation

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When we consume something, if it is cold we can and do gulp it down. If it is nice and warm, we chew it a few times and then swallow. If it is very hot - we sip it slowly or we spit it out if it is too hot to handle.

I think it is nature's way of moderating the temperature amongst other things. 

Chewing or sipping will bring down the temperature quite a bit in the mouth. When the swallowed food or drink goes down the oesophagus, it further cools down. When it enters the stomach - it is "Goldilocks" right temperature.

With a peg tube direct to the stomach - that moderating function is lost. It's about a foot length, but rubber/ synthetic material and a heat insulation material.

The nurses are very careful - the feed is tepid ( almost body temperature) and it is not discernable.

Once in a while, it is a notch cooler or hotter. It is very distinguishable because the stomach reacts. It handles a drop in temperature alright - but can very much feel the cool fluid settling in.

A notch warmer is a different ball game though. You can feel it struggle to accomodate the higher than expected temperature. You can feel the temperature difference very much and can also feel the stomach physically struggling with a few twists and turns.

Strange are the benefits of feeling these things which bypasses nature's ways and barriers...

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