Liz,

Robin is only 5 weeks post Tx. His body is still suffering a lot right now and his recovery will be ever so slow and I'm sure his drinking and smoking won't help that process at all.

We all are hoping/dreaming that the next time we want to eat something it will taste exactly just like our mind remembers it. Unfortunately mentally we build ourselves up thinking it will and when we put it into our mouth, ugh and we realize again that we are not tasting normal and we wonder will we ever. What I'm trying to say is that mentally we are beat up everytime we go to eat and some days we just don't want to get disappointed and reminded how unpleasant it is to eat. Add to that the discomfort associated with the recovery period and you can really not look forward to meal time.

I am almost 9 months post Tx and I still fool myself into thinking I want a pizza and it will taste just like I remember so I will eventually get a pizza only to be disappointed again. This happens less now only because I have beat myself up so many times I'm getting used to a new normal taste but at least I still remember what things used to taste like and I hope that never goes away even if my taste doesn't fully return.

Give him time and continue to be saintly patient.

David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.