Hi Donnajean,

Can't answer all the questions , but I still have a sore throat most days. Especially in the evenings..and the dry heat of winter doesn't help. If you haven't already you might want to think about a humidifier.
I still have trouble with juices, spices and such. The french toast could have been more of a scratchiness than a sore throat. There are things that still rub and irritate my throat. It gets hard to describe as a patient, so it's easier just to say sore throat. I found myself taking the short version sometimes when describing things to my husband.
Hopefully, someone can answer the drain question. They took mine out on the 3rd day.

Take care,
Dinah