Way to go Mark with your "mission" on the "fluffer nutter" sandwich. It's amazing the things we used to take for granted are now milestones!! Yes, minniea, it seems that any noodle base (as long as they're small or chopped up fine) goes down pretty fair at this point, even with cheese. I still get some burn, even with lots of water, but as JoAnne, Eileen and others have mentioned to me it's all about positioning and taking proper amounts.

JAM, the angel hair pasta is working. Janet (my wife) actually made some the other night. She sat a seperate bowl aside just plain in case I couldn't handle the red sauce (even though it was really mild with very little spices added). I got through it!!! That was a victory due to the red sauce. Most tomato or acid bases are still very irritating and flare up the sores still in my mouth. (all trial and error at this point) Man it was a great feeling.

Now, for the biigest step yet!! I actually bought into having Mcdonalds with the kids tonight!! Janet said she was treating them tonight and asked if I wanted to try something. (during week 3 of radiation I ate there about every meal as it was the only thing I was getting flavor out of) So I gave it a whirl. Well after about 7 or 8 fries my son ended up with them, and the family was done eating long (about an hour) before I was (naturally), but I thoroughly enjoyed a double cheesburger!!! With the exception of about a third of the bun I broke that thing up in little pieces and had a blast with it!!

I feel real positive and blessed that so many things are working for me at this point. It sometimes is a challenge mentally due to the amount of time involved and the amount of water needed to have a meal but it's a small price to pay to still be able to eat!! I'm still struggling with getting enough calories by mouth though. It feels like I need to eat from the time I wake up until I go to bed and it's still not enough, so I'm still using the tube some. Does/did anyone else feel this way?

Thanks,

Steve