Mike, glad to hear you've come through things and that you're ready to fight on!

I was on liquids for a good six months after RT. Once the mouth sores got down to tolerable levels I started in with the blender. And in fact I still do it once or twice a week because I like it and it's a quick meal.

Normally I'll take 2 cans or bottles of whatever nutritional supplement I have on hand - i.e. the one that was most recently on sale - and dump 'em in, then a banana, a scoop of protein powder and some frozen strawberries. Often I'll add a couple of spoonfuls of peanut butter and/or yogurt. I resist the urge to finish the masterpiece with ice cream and chocolate syrup as the damn thing is already pure sugar...

Whip that baby up and mmm-boy, she's good.

Best of luck going back to work. That will be challenging, but I know you can do it.

Hi Mike,
You are asking an awful lot from your body, but I understand completely why you are doing it. Protein up buddy! Take your breaks when you can and make them REAL breaks. SIT down and drink something with lots of nutrition. Same with lunch, afternoon and dinner and another before you pass out. Then rest!
Good luck. Keep us posted.
Kathy

... and speaking of nutrition and protein ...
Whey powder is an excellent source. If you get the kind with the natural vanilla, it will taste ... less bad at first, and good later. My husband's first homemade shakes included dairy or soy milk, whey powder, 1 or 2 packages of breakfast essentials, and canned peaches. Once these were going down well, I picked up toddler oatmeal cereal and that went in the shakes: its smooth and mixes up easilly, and has some 'stick to your ribs' quality. If you can do one of these for breakfast, you can bring a pack of nutrition drinks (get the high protein kind) to work with you for lunch and breaks.

Oh - and very important, have a water bottle or three or four.

Hello everyone.
I wanted to say thank you as well. My sister successfully (well, hopefully!) completed her 35 radiation and 7 chemos....35th radiation was today.

We know things are still going to be tough for a while but she believes that after the radiation and having to go every morning, that she can face anything now.

She still has a lot of voice...at least more than I had imagined. She can no longer eat or even swallow for that matter....Thank God for the Peg Tube...but I think once the healing stage begins she's going to be able. Or at least learn a NEW way to do it. I don't know, but this is all so much more than I had hoped for that I could cry for days with happiness. She surprised me with how very strong she was...she may only weigh 75 lbs but she is a tough old bird, that is for damn sure.

I know we have more to face and really won't know anything definite until after all the scans in a couple of months....but she is alive and I am happy.

Thank you all for all the unbelievable love and optimism and FACTS you give every day. I can never begin to tell you how helpful it has been....helpful is silly...invaluable is more like it. So many times when I didn't know what to do or say to help Marie through, I would come here and read and read and I always found some right thing that would get her through another aggrevation.

You are all wonderful people and those who find this site are indeed blessed.
Thank you.

Jane

So happy to hear how positive she is. That is half the battle. I found that in my husband too.
Kathy

Awesome... Let the healing begin!