Shari,

Welcome to OCF. Like you and Bob, I had tongue/neck surgery followed by radiation. I didn't have a tube at any point, so I was just trying to cram in as much soft and/or liquid food as I could to keep a decent level of nutrition. Most of it tasted terrible for several months after radiation, but I tried sort of a mind-over-matter approach -- if something smelled good and I knew it was supposed to taste good, I shoveled it in and hoped I could ignore the metallic taste.

Things that worked included creamy soups (warm, not hot), ice cream, pudding, baby food (yes, I went back to strained peas and carrots), various fruits and vegetables pureed in the blender, pasta, and oatmeal. Elsewhere on this site, in the Products section, is information about a cookbook, "Easy to Swallow, Easy to Chew". I bought a copy of this for someone I know who is going through head/neck radiation -- it has a lot of suggestions about recipes to try at this stage if you're looking for some variety.

As Bob said, experimenting with different foods is probably a good idea, because some of them may taste surprisingly good, or at least OK, as your taste buds start to come back.

I wish you the best for your recovery.

Cathy