Hi Don,
Don’t give up, post radiation healing takes some time. Back in 2010 I was on a liquid diet for 6 months or more. I was surviving on Carnation instant breakfast, a lot of instant breakfast!

The closest I can get to the oral pain is a bad dry socket from an extraction, back when I was a heavy smoker, couldn’t wait an hour or so...lit that and lost the clot. This will all pass. This summer heat doesn’t really help.

I know it’s tough, look for something you can chuckle about through all this, can you still smell food? Revel in it, my mouth would water, if it could.

I had my tongue removed a year ago, I just pulled some chicken off the grill, picked up a piece to put in the blender, here’s the funny part....reflexively, and for the 1st time in a year, I went to lick my fingers...my wife and I laughed out loud about it, all I did was get grease on my lips!

My point is, this will all pass, look for the light moments, don’t dwell on the dark stuff. You’re going to be able to eat and taste again, the taste part will take some time. Others on this forum can attest to that.

Good luck, from Sebring, with all this!,