Nate,

Don't want to be negative but I must tell you that for many of us our worst time came the first few weeks POST Tx so don't be surprised if you don't "hit your pain plateau in the next few days". Also your doc using a phase like "home free" dealing with this cancer or it's Tx is just plain stupid. To this day I have never felt "home free" and I don't ever see that happening either. I just don't want you to get your hopes up when it's likely what he has told you will not be true. Heck I was told my my RO's nurse that my dry mouth and taste would return in a few weeks post Tx and she works at a well respected CCC.

I'm now one week past TX. I gave up on my mustache, because 1/3 of a mustache is just weird. I'm still extra tired, but felt more energetic today and yesterday than I have in a couple of weeks. Energy level improves if I get enough calories into me, too. I'm having a hard time getting food into me because it feels like most of my mouth is burned. And I've got the dry mouth and thick mucous/saliva thing going, as predicted. Pain doesn't seem to be getting worse, though. It still hurts too much to talk, and with the dry mouth I'm hard to understand anyway. Can't imagine being able to post anything to YouTube at this point...good for you! It will eventually be over.

Nate & David K

Gentlemen: there is indeed hope for facial hair at the end of this terrible tunnel. While I'll never sport a full beard again, to my surprise my moustache has grown back even better than before. I had shaved it off due to all the white and gray hairs but surprise surprise, it has now grown back red. I've even trained it into a nice handlebar.
Keep the faith
Charm

Well I sure hope the big patch of hair I am missing on the back of my head doesn't come back RED! I have brown hair! LOL Dr. told me I would lose hair behind my left ear but it is actually clear across from the top of ear to top of ear where I lay on the clear plastic neck thing. I keep "combing" the back of my head instead of hair! Hope it doesn't change too much when it comes back! Luckily the rest of my hair is long enough to cover it so it isn't showing...but I wouldn't want a pony tail! LOL

Hey everyone,

Still battling for fluids and calories everyday, the long weekend has helped as well as the patches so thanks to those who recommended them. I am still able to swallow a pill with full concentration and motivation if I have to. But right now the problem is limited foods, so I could use recipe suggesstions if you can. I am doing broth soups and carnations all day but I feel like the carnations are thickening up my throat in the night and I am gagging on the crap as well as when I spit foul smelling old yellow carnation out mixed with mucous. I have found that warm soups help south my throat quite a bit. I am still at 203.3 lbs with 13 rads left to go, last few days have been the toughest because of the second round of chemo last tuesday but today have really gained my appetite back and just need to know what I may be able to swallow down without chewing or trying to hard. Tried jello the other night, that was a no-go and almost choked to death right here in bed as it was way too thick. My nausea has been under control since wednsday, that was the only day I vomitted since this whole ordeal. I am really looking for help in the nutrition department besides just carnation all the time as I think it is not helping my throat out at all, and boy do those 8 oz cans seem like 40 oz cans, so damn thick. Wish me luck, I am not looking for negative recipes please...Keep those to yourself.

Your Friend,
Nathan

Have you tried Ensure or Boost drinks? They are high calorie/fiber drinks that aren't quite as thick as Carnation (I don't think). I have been using protein shakes but they are rather thick. Maybe someone will give you an idea that will sound good to me too! LOL Nothing tastes right or good so I have been just drinking to get my calories. As of last week I have only lost about 1 pound as well! :o)

I had a couple good days, feeling pretty good, but then mouth sores/blisters came back. :o( One more day off, then back to the grind.

Sorry that Jello almost choked you. I haven't tried it, thinking it would be hard to wrangle around in my mouth.

Keep hanging in there!

Michele in IL

Great to hear from you Nate. Ensure and Boost would be great as well as milkshakes (add some protein powder to 'em if you can.) I remember Teresa eating all kinds of soups, grits, mashed potatoes with gravy, but mostly the liquids for about 2-3 weeks. Pudding, yogurt, ice cream were also on the menu. She gratduated to mac and cheese (mashed up really well).

I think Christine has posted the easy to eat recipes a few times... try a search on Recipes.

I know it's hard to make yourself eat, and when the taste goes it's even less appealing but very very necessary. The difficulty will pass so both you and Michelle just keep plugging along and getting those calories.

HUG
D

So good to hear from you, Nate. Re the liquids or soft foods, someone on here mentioned chicken and stars soup which I wish I had known when my son was trying to find things he could get down. He went for a long time just on the broth from chicken noodle soup because he couldn't manage the noodles. He also like softly scrambled eggs with cheese on top. It's good to try different things, but whatever you try, don't get a large quantity of it since taste for things can change from day to day.
Michele - Glad to hear you are hanging in there, too! I used to make "jello water" as a drink for my kids. I would just put a little water and the jello powder in a pan and bring it to a boil, then add more liquid than what is recommended on the jello box and let it cool to where it is comfortable drinking it.

Nate here is the list of easy foods....

http://oralcancersupport.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=125343&page=1

Now is the time for you to be trying to get the most calories per swallow. Go for milkshakes, cream soups, anything soft and fattening! I used to drink chocolate peanut butter milkshakes, if made right they have well over 1000 calories per shake.

You have passed the 1/2 way point. Hang in there, only a couple more weeks til you start feelign better.

How bout McShakes, already made for ya! And Fruit Smoothies too.
Oatmeal real watery to slurp down. And has anybody used Quinoa? that is supposed to be good for you and easy to mix in shakes and all. And has anybody used or heard of Juven? I bought two boxes of this stuff and Ron never used it, well he used a couple. It's orange flavored and helps in maintaining muscle mass and helps with healing.