It's still a long, slow climb -- Like the microwaved food, we keep on cooking for a while -- Coming in out of the sun is good, but that sunburn is still working -- It's a surprisingly long process, but one day you realize you've felt better for the last couple of days than in a long time and realize you really have crested the darn hill!

Don't expect miracles, slow and steady is how the course goes!

Since my recent surgery I'm back on a PEG with instructions not to swallow (barium swallow test this week, so hopefully that will change), so I don't carry water with me -- I feel kind of naked without it because I've had at least one water bottle with me for the last couple of years.

congrats!!! Like others have said...it will be a couple of weeks before you start to feel better, hang in there..it will happen.
Keep your fluid intake and nutrition up..if you can get pills down, I doubled up on my vitamins and zinc to help get things normal again. But, it will take time...best wishes.

Dear Stephanie,

Try Honey in water, say a lot of it about 4-5 tablespoonful in a glass of water. I bet youll be able to drink it without any problem and also it will give you the needed calories and energy and clear the mouth from all the stuff and refresh you.

And yes! although it will take a while to clear everything, you'll recover preety fast (u'll feel better each passing day and feel the diff too)
Just Cheer Up dear !!!!
Best Wishes
Rohit

I am officially one week out of treatment!!!!

I will have to try the honey in water (I can't taste sweet though so I don't know how it will taste). My ulcers are getting better slowly. I was able to drink a glass of tea today - and taste it (I didn't put sugar in it). It just loosens up everything in my throat so then I have to go spit mucus out in the sink for a little while after! I had about three days this week that I spent mostly in bed, but I have been up and about the past two. Apparently my blood work Monday showed I was slightly anemic and my white blood cell count had gone a little further down from the week before. I will have more blood work this next week to check my counts again. But I'm feeling good now and I'm noticing a few slight changes for the better. I'm hoping by the weekend I'll be able to down some soup and smoothies or something but I'm taking it slow! I want my ulcers gone and my throat healed up before I try too much. Also, my skin from the radiation is almost healed up! I have a couple spots left, but that's about it! So I'm definitely on the mend!!! Thank you all for the advice and encouragement!!!

Stephanie,

This is so good to read! I have 7 rads, and 1 chemo infusion left - yes! the end is in sight, or as my mother says, I can smell the hay in the barn.

I'm so glad you're on the mend.

- Margaret

Stephanie:

You are doing great!!!! Its so good to hear that you are making such fast progress in recovering. Have you tried chocolate milk? I found that wouldnt burn my mouth and was high in calories. Keep up the good work

Also try Carnation IB VHC which packs plenty of calories in a small can so more bang for the effort.

Margaret- it's probably just the burning from the radiation your smelling, not the hay in the barn! Just kidding! It's so exciting that you are almost done! Hang in there!

Christine- I bought some chocolate soy milk today, I'm lactose intolerant, so it's soy for me, which is fine, because I really like it.

David- I have been doing the 2calHN down the PEG, I only have to do 4 of those a day for my calories so it won't take much effort when I start drinking them. I tried the 2cal before I had my surgery and my only complaint was how thick it was so I guess I'll be thinning it down some with soy milk so it may not matter much that there are so many calories in a small can!

I bought some different teas today, one with honey, and it is sooo good! Does anyone have any suggestions for juices? Apple juice is a little rough on my throat, even cut with water, but I know it is kind of acidic. Any other suggestions? Juice is the one thing I have been craving.

Stephanie:

I use the 2cal also. Never have tasted one drop, only put it down my tube. To me, it has a bit of an odor like any other of the feeding formulas. I thin it out with water.

The fruits that arent so acidy are pear, peaches, apricot, and banana. When I started treatment somebody recommended the FUZE drinks to me. That might work for you. I think there is a mango peach one that should be ok.

It does smell bad doesn't it! I had to switch to the butter pecan flavor because I threw up the vanilla too many times early on that I could not stand the smell of it anymore! Thank you for the juice ideas! I'll have to get to the store and see if I can find any of them!