WOW! Google got it so right (for once) when in frustration looking for help I searched for "best oral cancer forum on the web"!! What a lot of lovely positive friendly people you all are! I have already learned more from all of you than ALL of the medicos, RO, nurses, Dietitions, speech therapists, ents, etc etc...and I too have heard the "how long is a piece of string" after asking when will this swelling go down or when will that happen...maybe we should say that when they ask us when we intend to pay our bill!
Anyway I thank you from my heart for making me feel so welcome here. I already feel less isolated and alone!
I have another tip for you all...my most useful tips, as you will discover, seem to be always about food... probably why Im eating so well so quickly...Im a food-a-holic! hah! OK heres something more fun than mash and gravy...You will require ONE LARGE BOWL...fill it with Honey flavoured natural FULL CREAM yoghurt (well they keep saying they dont want us to lose weight don't they?)...btw, In Oz you can get a brand called Farmers Union...it is 98% fat free but tastes like full cream, im not a fan of 'diet' anything which is ONE good thing about cancer eating huh?!...if the supermarket is out of it, yoplait or ski...even nestle all do a good honey one). Now, add 1 or 2 mashed bananas (puree them in your blender if you cant be bothered 'excersizing' your poor tortured mouth/tongue)...but bananas are pretty easy to mash and mix with the yoghurt if they arent too green....and add a pinch of cinnamon (sp?). Also, when you are having one of 'those' days, stir in some extra cream (ok so I like cream). Let me tell you, it is SO soothing, cool and yummy. You can let it sit in your mouth then slide down your throat without any work at all. YUM! Of course you can use whatever fruit you like but sometimes I just like to be told exactly what fruit to put with what ..its quick and lazy!
My second tip for the day that I have to offer and for once this one isnt directly about food, but it will help you eat haha..if you have ulcers, go out and buy yourself some toothpaste with NO SODIUM LAURYL SULPHATE in it. My chemist (drugstore) sells it, so do all health stores and its the same price as the normal stuff ...you may need to take flouride tabs if your water supply doesnt have enough in it as most of these are 'natural' products and the both of mine ive tried have no flouride, but apart from that they are just like a regular toothpaste except they have one other MAJOR advantage...they arent as "BOOM-FRESH-BLOW-YOUR-MOUTH-OFF-YOUR-HEAD- MINTY" (ouch) like all the regular ones (even colgate seems to take my head off these days!).They are soft and mild (probably coz they are aimed at people with allergies i guess)..Now this may not work for everyone, but a lady told me her daughter used to get ulcers all the time until she discovered this. I have ALWAYS had ulcers before and since surgery...after ONE use, mine have finally departed and not returned! See?...still kind of about food!
Have a good day all, and I will attempt to do the same and as i think of my food tips, i will add them accordingly. Thank you all for making me feel so welcome and less like a mutant :p Love from Lyn