My therapist gave me a can of Hormel Thick & Easy. It can be added to any food or drink (including water), hot or cold, to reach the thickness you find the easiest (or at least the least difficult). He said it's tasteless, though you couldn't tell by me since I couldn't taste much then, anyway.

Also, I asked him why I could only swallow with my chin tucked. If I try to swallow with my head up, like from a water bottle, etc., it goes right down into my lungs and up into my nose. He explained about how the trachea & esophagus "sit" in the throat and how tucking you chin helps direct food & drink by changing the position. I don't really know how to explain it as well as he did, because he used his hands to demonstrate and you can't see my hands. smile I'm sure someone else here can probably do it, though.

Lani


SCC part glossectomy 3/06, recur 8/06 glossectomy, floor of mouth, part of jaw removed, RT/chemo thru 10/12/06, PET clear 7/08
"A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn"
Passed away 12/14/08