Hello - my husband completed chemo-radiation treatment last December. Although he is still having trouble eating some things-especially sweets- most foods now taste like they are supposed to and go down without too much trouble.

Immediately post-treatment John was very grouchy and then distant and depressed. I was a bit surprised at first because I was so relieved the daily trips to the hospital were finished and also because he had pretty much kept his spirits up during even during the darkest days. However, while he got a bit better the first 2 weeks after treatment, he then declined again - soreness, mucous, coughing, fatigue for about another month.

It was tough and I think his bad mood/depression was from thinking that somehow things would be instantly okay post treatment, even though the doctors had all warned him that it doesn't really work that way.

To start eating again - after relying on the tube for about 6 weeks, he began with blender drinks ( high calorie Nutren 2.0 - 500 cals/250 mls, whipping cream, 1 egg and 1 banana). Some people might not like the raw egg but he grew up in rural Australia and likes them and trusts that they are safe to eat that way. We always buy free-range organic ones.

He started with 2 of those drinks a day and once he was able to get down 4 a day, he started gaining weight. At the same time we kept pureeing various foods - e.g. chicken stew, sweet potatoes, peas to see what tasted okay and what he could swallow. If you go this route, be prepared to throw out lots of food either because the effort to eat seems too great or the taste is off-putting.

After a couple of weeks of pureed dinners, he graduated to minced food that we bought from a speciality food supplier. The more he ate and swallowed, the better the eating got.

We, too, have been able to make a few long trips including to Australia and made one about 2 months post-treatment in February from Toronto to Florida so my Aussie could enjoy some sun and warmth. It made a huge positive difference. Although the 3 hour flight wore him out quite a bit, it was worth it.

Everyone is so different in how they react to the post treatment phase but in my husband's experience the heavy depression lifted after the trip south.

Mary