Nelie,
the things you write about eating in your post make me feel like I am reading about me. Only I do not like onion soup but your description of how food sticks to your teeth and all over your mouth sound so familiar. I had this happen during treatment when I tried to eat some good home cooked food. And after treatment ended and I would try to eat.

I have been eating soup for lunch along with a bottle of ensure and sometimes will eat a can of carrots plus some equate for dinner. After each time I have brushed my teeth, gums and tongue with the biotene toothpaste. It has gotten a lot better.

I still am also swishing with the salt and soda and still use the magic mouthwash now about every other day. The swallowing specialist told me to drink apple juice that it would not burn. When I first tried this it did. About a week ago I tried it and it just made my mouth want to kind of turn inside out and make my mouth feel funny. Today I actually could taste the apples and it didn't make my mouth feel funny!!

Now for my news and I hope that it gives you more hope. I saw my ENT yesterday and I had asked about him taking my PEG tube out and he said he could. I was scared but felt that if I lived through getting drains out from the neck dissection that the tube removal wouldn't be so bad. When he looked at it he said well good you have one that has a balloon at the end this will be easy.

He got out a syringe and tried to pull air out? He said it wasn't doing what it was suppost to he only got a little. He went to check to see what resistance he would get and it came right out!!! I didn't feel it at all. I feel so much better.

I just keep pushing myself talling myslf if others could do it then I could. I was ready to get it out. It was starting to hurt anyway.

Just keep on trying with easy foods. I also found out that my tongue is very sensitive so I am being careful about what I put in my mouth. Any thing with the tinyest spices makes my tongue feel like I just ate a jalapena pepper!!

I did finally eat some ice cream the other day. Not as much as I use to but was able to get one scoop down. Just need to conditon ourselves to eating again.

I hope that things with your eating improve and that your treatments go well. I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Take Care
Love
Terry

Terry | 42 female| base of tongue w/swollen lymph nodes | Dx'd-Feb 05 | Stage IVA T2N2M0 | radiation/chemo 8 weeks finished 3rd week May/05 | bilateral neck dissection 9/2/05 45 nodes all neg.