Jordan,

I went through very similar experiences when I was dealing with the after-effects of radiation. I always had to cut solid food into tiny pieces and rinse with lots of water to get them down my throat. As I recall (it's been a long time) it often took me two hours or so at lunch time and another two hours at dinner time to get something resembling a reasonable amount of nutrition.

It did get better over time, with lots of exercise of the chewing and swallowing muscles. While I've never become a "fast" eater, I was able to get much closer to a normal pace and really enjoy the taste of a wide variety of foods again. I was 39 when I was treated and I'm 57 now, and in retrospect the period of my life when my eating habits were seriously restricted has (thankfully) become a dim memory.

Healing from radiation can take many months, but it sounds like you're on the way. Try to be patient and you should continue to see improvement over time.

Cathy