Thanks EzJim, but my husband and I owe everything we have to my brother. He was the one who insisted that my husband get an Agent Orange Physical and join the Agent Orange Registry. He nagged until my husband followed up with his application for disability. If it hadn't been for my DB, we would have had inadequate insurance for all the health problems my husband has due to Agent Orange. The co-pays alone would have bankrupted us.
Now it is my husband that is helping my brother with his appeal to the VA for recognition of oral cancer as Agent Orange related.

My brother has just left our house to drive four hours to his own home in Oklahoma. He will spend several days doing minor fixes and will be putting it on the market. After his house sells, he will move here and build a small home on our property.

He had gained about 2 pounds since his stay with us. He can manage smooth foods as well as rice and beans. His main meal is breakfast which is around 800 calories. Two packages of instant oatmeal cooked in one cup of heavy cream, three scrambled eggs, cranberry juice, and a high protein Boost.

For lunch he has soup made with home made chicken stock, onions, garlic, potatoes, heavy cream all smoothed with a stick blender. He has apple sauce and Boost.

Dinner is beans and beef stock (home made). Pureed peaches in heavy syrup and Boost.

Right now he is short on green vegetables but I will correct that when his mouth is more fully healed. I am going to make some split pea soup while he is back in Oklahoma and freeze it so he can take it back with him.

He will be returning to Arkansas for his follow up visit on April 12. We will find out where he will be receiving radiation. If there is a qualified place near his home, he will have radiation there. If not, he will stay with us and have radiation here. We will also be asking for a referral to a VA dentist specializing in oral cancer before radiation begins. I will also request a TSH test for him.

This board has been so helpful to me in caring for my brother and in preparing us for what is to come.

Thank you all.