I am over 4 (almost 4 1/2 in my books!) post transaction and I still have swallowing issues with food and liquids. The liquids not cooperating end up with a mouth full of really thick, salty goo. Top that off with a Nissen Fundoplication and if it gets past the throat, the esophageal spincter gets another chance to reject. That one is much more painful. Noodles that used to be the easiest are hit and miss, caramels at Christmas proved near fatal but were eventually handled with a self-control heimlich type maneuver from "deep within". I felt faint from the lack of oxygen but knew what I had to do. When the weather changes from 80 to 25 and back every other day for the past two weeks, it's like Groundhog Day; you never know what to expect. Hot spicy foods trigger the esophageal rejection and that one really hurts deep in the chest.

But, you kow what? I still eat every doggone thing I like and just hope it is a good experience. Even the worst is better than the tube, the boost or the TPN through the port!

I don't know about the rest of you but that first 15-30 minutes every day I seem to have to reteach the swallow, if you will.

The day always starts with a grin, though, because I wake up! I think through it all, that is truly the best time of the day.

I don't know if I ever get used to it, but I know just like bad software, I have developed a significant number of "workarounds" for each specific instance. It's been a tremendously long time since I sneezed food out of my nose and that was really the only one that bugged me, and especially my dinner guests!