Hey Clark!

How are you doing. Well you are just at the begining. It take a long long time. Do you have a speech and swallowing therapists to work with ?? I hope that my successes will yours but don't beat yourself up if you don't get there. I think that I am an unusual case. I think we can at least get you to a soft /semi soft diet which would sure be a lot more pleasurable than PEG only. A swallowing therapist can really help you breakthrough to relearning to swallow.

I hear you about the commercials. Its amazing how many htings revolve around food. I still have situations where I want to eat and I'm hungry but wait until I'm in a more relaxed enviorment-- like I can't eat on the run or get a "quick bite" ever... and I often have to stop mid meal in public just to go with the flow.... Its hard!

So talk to me. Are you able to swallow water or liquids? WHat was your experience with this?? Water is the hardest thing to swallow which is why they have you try that first-- its also the safest if you aspirate a little bit of it while trying.

What do you Docs say on the swallowing. DO you have more treatments are you done?

Email/PM me anytime... or write here. I can go into depth on my techniques and what foods and methods worked. Have you tried gargling water? I gargled alot of salt water during radiationa nd I foudn it helped strengthen my throat muscles a ton- which is how you will swallow now. It won't be the natural reflex that it used to be- its more forced. You will use you throat to control the liquids and you'll get a feel for controlling it that way and with your cheek muscles.

My cheek muscles are SOO strong now. Its crazy... My face and thoat would get so exhausted after eating when I was relearning to eat and if I'm talking alot while eating .. like with friends or at a dinner party I'm absolutely EXHAUSTED afterwards.

I am here for you Clark. I know this is a terrible horrific really really difficult thing to go through.I wish all the time it had never happened but I think I've managed to get some sence of normalcy back.. and I hope it will become more that way for you too.


KATE




K