John,
My husband ,Gil, ended treatment 3/10/06 and couldn't swallow his own silvia( he had his peg put in before chemo/IRMT started. After 2 months they did the barium test and found that his esopghagus was totally obstructed by scar tissue over the opening to the esopaghus.
We were referred to Memorial Sloan- Kettering and went every 2 weeks from beginning of June 2006- beginning of September 2006 for dilations which were done as outpatient. This was continued in our local (rural) cancer center every 2weeks from September 2006-thru this past June. Since the end of June he is now dilated montly. The scar tissue has slowed down on snapping back(like a rubber band) .His gastroenterologist is slow and steady. He has been off the peg tube since Easter but still has it as they dilate through his peg upwards thru his stomach. They are still unable to dilate thru his mouth.He supplements his diet with Jevity as it takes him a very long time to eat. Everything is tiny bites but he is eating.His esopaghus is open to normal size but food gets stuck. It will be fine for meatloaf and then 2 minutes later it is not. The surgeon feels that at his 2 year post treatment mark he will send us back to Sloan- kettering to see if any of this scar tissue can be removed.
He lived to eat and this has been apainful new normal. he gets fustrated and sad but is making it his way. We rarely eat out as he feels uncomfortable with how long it takes him to eat( half hour to eat 2 fried eggs). We don't know if ?probably not ever be able to eat steak and ribs. He also has lost much of his taste buds and has very dry mouth. We keep trying stuff. He never talks about the cancer . Actually, I believe this is harder for him then the cancer diagnosis or treatment.
I sometimes just cry over how much he has been thru and how hard he trys.. It is better.
Paula