...I had my first surgery that was diagnosed as cancer. I can not believe it has been that long and how far I have come. I am eating totally by mouth and am learning what foods I will not ever be able to eat again due to the dry mouth. I have not used my tube in about a month now and am scheduled to get it out at the beginning of summer as long as my next check-up goes well. I am really nervous about getting it out. I know there is nothing to it, but I do not want to have another one put back in.

Congratulations on your one year anniversary.

I'm sure you'll hear from someone that's been through the tube removal that can help to put you at ease.

Angelia,

Never say never. My food choices are still increasing and I'm only six months out. A few here say it can be up to two years before you max out on the return of saliva. I do crackers (with soup) and I ate a subway sub for dinner, so bread is doable now.

I remember when you started posting and you have come so far from that person. Your strength in the face of the adversity you have encountered has truly inspired many here.

Don't worry about losing the PEG, just keep marching forward.

I live for the day to be able to eat a subway sub and pizza again. At this point I choke on the bread, but I can handle that. I have learned that I can eat bscuits and gravy if I have a little bisucit with the gravy. It has to be a really moist biscuit, though.

Angelia,

Congratulations on the 1 year mark. I want you to know that I have read many of your posts in the couple of weeks I have been coming to this board (1 week out from surgery) and your posts along with others have been of great motivation to me.

Thanks and Congratulations to you!

Wow, one year, congrads. You have come such a long way.
I know how you feel about the PEG, I wan not using it before I had it removed, I was kind of sacred.....what if I nned it???. Getting it out was SOOOOO good. When I would look in a mirror and would not see that stinkin tube...

Any very happy for you ao your 1 year day!

Steve

Angelia,

I didn't even notice an improvement to my dry mouth and taste, which I think go hand in hand, until my 4th month post Tx and then I saw more improvement at 5 months, 15 months(the biggest) and the last at 24 months. Point is IMO you haven't even started to know how your taste and dry mouth will end up so please don't think your dry mouth or taste now is even close to being where you may end up.

Angelia

Relax. It's very very unlikely you will ever need a PEG put back in if you are eating enough already. Like David, IMO you will be able to eat more and more food even with dry mouth. Before the cancer came back, I slowly added more and more food even though I had to wash it down with 16 bottles of water a day (my kidneys got a real workout).
Congratulations on getting rid of the feeding tube soon. It's great to hear good news.
Charm

I am drinking about a ton to wash the food down. My kidneys are also getting a great workout. It is cool to try something you didn't like a week prior to find out it actually tastes decent again. Or try things I did not used to like and like them now.

My brother called me recently while I was at a Mexican place getting dinner. He asked me if my taste was back and how did I know what I wanted to order. I told him that I now view every meal as a culinary adventure. He got a kick out of that.