:/Hi,my name is Wendell Rhoe,you can call me RhoeDogg(poker name).i have been battling cancer,since 2006.I first went through chemo and radiation, then eventually had major sergery, two or three years after.Well i have learned how to eat and swallow,with a little difficulty,but for the most of it i am doing fine. i am eating everything,no specific diet but it's getting a little more difficult to eat,and i have to be very careful. i have no feeling in my tongue,nor can i move it but i move ti with a fork, or whatever fits in my mouth. i'm getting tired of that, so is there anything,anyone can recommend as far as what types of food i can put in food processors, and makybe what type. i know this might be a lot for my first post, but i feel as if i am going backwards.i would appreciate any help or advice, anyone can give me. tyvm,and bless you and yours,Wendell Rhoe(RhoeDogg).

Hi, RhoeDogg
have you discussed this with your doctors? Possibly a physical therapist with experience in this area could help.

As for food - from what I understand, a thick liquid is the easiest to manage without choking. Many of the soups developed in the middle ages - and other recipes for soft foods - were designed for people with no teeth. These recipes live on in French cuisine. If you google cream soup (followed by your favorite vegetable) you will get some ideas. Cream soups are NOT hard to make!

Our blender is an ancient Oster from the 1960's. I believe that others have found the Vitamix to reliable.

Maria

Yeah. I use a cuisinart but I just use it for smoothies. I agree with Maria. Maybe talk to your drs. A therapist may help with the eating and swallowing. Did you have a full glossectomy? It sounds like you did. This would make eating anything other than liquids quite hard but there are others here who have managed. I usually use something like almond milk or water to get my food down if its dry or harder to swallow. The damage done through radiation is long term - it requires long term work on stretching and physio to maintain any sort of range of motion - As far as I can tell muscle memory is damaged by radiation but after a long period of time you will begin to make gains (once the original cells effected are gone or have had a chance to repair. The average life span of a muscle cell is 25 years (although some can last a life time) a bone cell can last as long as well though the average is 15-20 years. This is why radiation has such far reaching consequences. Normally with muscles the use it or lose it idea is very accurate. With radiated areas - its even more prevalent.

yawning, stretching helps.

Im always opening my mouth as far as I can, exercising my tongue. Swallowing.

hugs and congrats on getting through it.