Nelie,

It's been a long time, so my memory may not be accurate on this, but I don't think I lost my sense of smell. During radiation, I seem to recall smelling food aromas that I knew should be creating hunger pangs, but eating was such an abysmal (and painful) chore at that point that I had no desire to eat.

I'm really surprised that your radiation oncologist said your taste buds would never be the same again. For me it took quite a few months, but mine eventually got back to what I would call normal -- in other words, they seem to have the same likes and dislikes as before cancer. (By the way, the day before I had my surgery, I decided to give my mouth a "sendoff" by going to the local deli and getting a tongue sandwich -- PATHETIC?!)

Cathy