Thank you all for your comments. I have emailed some to Gordon, as he will read things I send him (but won't come to the Forum himself), and hopefully he'll feel encouraged.

He's now carrying the water bottle with him everywhere (even to restaurants) and can now eat Japanese and Greek food, selectively, with water to wash it down. It's a big step forward! Tempura and kalimari are big hits (relatively speaking) right now. I think it's the batter.

I'd be happy to hear from anyone else on this topic, and thanks again.
Anne

It is likely that it will never return to what it once was. As the saying goes...he will have a "new normal". Everyone recovers differently, based on their treatment plan and dose of radiation. I learned that saliva has two parts. The viscous part and the cirrus part. My rad doc said that the radiation usually destroys the cirrus (watery) producing salivary glands. That is why most of us oral cancer patients are only left with the viscous (thick) saliva, if we are lucky to have any at all. It takes a long time to adapt...just trying different things and ways of eating. For instance, I cannot swallow anything thicker than my saliva without drinking a liquid to wash it down. In fact, my doctor told me the truth. He said..."you will never be able to eat the way you used to eat". When he said that, I knew he was being honest. I am now three years post treatments and can eat most things, but not everything that I did before and not with the ease that I did before the cancer. Good luck to you and tell Gordon to hang in there because it DOES get better.

I went almost 2 years with ~70% pre rad saliva. It was low enough to where eating with a fluid was my only option. A friend took me to an Acupuncturist. I know, I know this stuff sounds hokey cause I was a skeptic. The nice lady hit 2 spots on my right ankle and foot and woosh - saliva. My saliva has maintained about 85 - 90% ever since, even through my second round of radiation. This only took one visit. I was able to eat without drinking until my throat closed down and stopped moving. I still have saliva to my doctors surprise. I wish your man the best with his recovery.

I am about 14 months post treatment and have about 75 percent back now, it has been improving the more I eat. My neighbor is about 4 months ahead of me and he is doing pretty good now also. he also carries a water bottle everywhere he goes I don't as I have never been a big water drinker and at my age the more I drink during the day the less sleep I end up getting, guess that is what they mean by the "Golden Years" . My taste buds haven't improved as much which is my major problem as my hobby is cooking and it is hard for me to tell if something tastes good or not. Still having problems with anything sweet ie cake candy, cookies and ice cream tastes terrible.