Dear Danielle,

My husband did very well physically during his cycles of chemo and rad, but blistered completely through his throat the night after the last treatment. It was pretty bad. He couldn't do much more than rinse his mouth with salt-water a couple times a day for about a week.

He lost 50 pounds total (even after having a PEG tube inserted, that he refused to use), but the thing that kept me from losing him altogether was a recipe that I read in a diet book during one of the amnifostine treatments.

I know many here have heard this recipe before, and I hope it deserves repeating. Our radiologist still includes copies of this in all her new patient files.

If your mother enjoys milkshakes, she will LOVE this one.

2 cups ice cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 package instant breakfast
1 tablespoon malted milk
2 tablespoons Ovaltine

Blend well.

This shake provides 1300 calories per serving.

I hope this helps.

God Bless,
Mandi