During my six months of disphagia I was totally on the tube. For a while I did some swallowing exercises hopefully to make it easier when and if I got my swallowing function back. I am not sure the exercises were any help. When the obstruction was finally breached on Mar 22 I had no real problems at all swallowing except the quantity I could swallow comfortably was much less than before the chemo/rad treatments. This will be work in progress. My goal is to be able to eat enough (probably 2300-3000 calories /day)without the tube. Right now I would have to have about 6 meals a day to consume that many calories, but I am down to 2-3 cans from 4-5 cansof formula per day so I am heading in the right direction. I will be asking the Dr about additional dilations, steroids and/or minimally invasive surgery to further open up my esophagus. Meanwhile, while I want this tube gone, just being able to drink and swallow again is a huge improvment. I am thankful and uncomplaining. What was interesting to me through this whole deal is when the obstruction was cleared, I did not have to re-learn to swallow. It just worked as before but I just can't get a lot of volume through....small bites, little sips, and Ensure type supplements may be my future.

Mr Mike