My stoma eventually healed in when it was no longer necessary, it sounds like his is a permanent end result. But the mucous issue has never gone away over the years. I have taken antihistamines when it get really bad which help sone but the by product of that is my very dry mouth gets worse.

His problem is common, and humidifiers are only a modest help. The suction machine is necessary and the means for dealing with the worst of it, but years later it is still a problem for many. As to the nerve damage that keeps his throat from channeling liquids and food in the right direction, there are some swallowing exercise protocols to try and strengthen his safe swallow. Many people like me never are able to get that function back. The risk of aspiration of liquids and the resulting repeated aspiration pneumonia is a dangerous problem. While antibiotics will deal with this initially, repeated pneumonia will create antibiotic resistance and they no longer are effective. When that happens there is no alternative but to have a PEG tube put in to eat and drink through. I’ve lived with nothing by mouth for four years now and I miss normal food more than anything else. I blend all my meals in a Vitamix blender, and do not eat that canned pharma company junk. But it’s a lot of effort to eat this way. The alternative is much worse.

I think you should have his swallowing evaluated at the hospital and have them determine if he is a candidate for some kind of swallowing therapy to see if this can be managed as a first step. Getting a feeding tube isn’t the end of the world, but it’s a lifestyle change of major proportions and requires a mental adaptation from him as well. Pretty sure he won’t like the idea if things go that way, but there are few alternatives.

You don’t want him having a larygectomy and losing his voice. That will not impact his safe swallow issue.