I recently had a "shunt revision" which took my taste. Can it return again?

Beets, nuts and fruits are NOT "odd" foods. I eat them all the time. If you are trying to be a professional chef, having taste buds is rather important. I am not sure what you mean by "revision", but check with your doctor about your concerns with taste. It will either be temporary or permanent.

I don't know what a "shunt revision" means translated out of 'medical terminology' into 'layman's terms'. About a year ago I was part time culinary staff for room service / in-house restaurant. Clearly there is positively no way I could do that know.
As far as tastes everything is bland at best. I still have a sense of smell. I have found I can smell an orange quite well, but when I bite into it would best be described as an orange texture with 90% of it's juices replaced with water that's boiled and recondensed.(I.E. mineral free.) Orange juice now tastes watery (which isn't so weird,) with a saline taste that's a little soapy. I don't know if that helps. I am curious how it will change what I eat (and no longer care to.)

Seems like you need to talk to your neurologist about this. It may be an indication that your shunt is not working properly.

Oooh, the revision was done 'because' it didnt work right. At the moment I am in a rehab style nursing facilith. Although I do mention it all the time, perhaps I can see if they will pass that along to my nuerologist. So far, I just figured it was caused by damage from it not working before the surgery. Thanks for the hint to ask questions!

The name for your problem is called dysguesia (an altered sense of taste). There are MANY reasons for dysguesia, so finding the cause is the tricky part of finding a solution. Some of the common reasons for dysguesia include: Bell's Palsy, cranial nerve damage, infections (mouth, throat or lungs), nutritional deficiencies (zinc, Vitamin B-12, or copper). Plus, many medications can cause dysguesia. Sometimes anesthetics from surgery can cause a temporary loss of taste that slowly returns within 3 months. The root cause for your dysguesia will determine if you have a temporary or a permanent issue. Since you're currently in a rehab facility, you may request to have the pharmacist review your chart for medications that may be causing the dysguesia. You could also request the dietitian to review your chart for possible nutritional deficiencies. Definitely notify you neurologist about the situation. Good luck!

I'm a dietitian, so please believe me when I tell you that your cravings for "weird foods" like beets, nuts and fruit DOESN'T mean your body is seeking certain nutrients. You probably want those things because they taste "normal" to you compare to some of the other foods like meat and dairy.