Ok, not too bad but I still can't eat

Peaches..

Slippery peaches in Light Syrup...

Preferably Del Monte in the Mason jars...

JG

 

sounds good, but gets stuck in my throat

Joe,

 

Your report was good, congratulations.

 

If your problem is from swelling, it will go down and then food will go down and you can eat real food again and smoke a cigar once a month.

 

While my problem with food differed from yours, I went for 7 months living on smoothies.  I had just about resigned myself to never enjoying food again.  That changed, my condition changed and I am eating normally now.  Your condition will resolve its self and you will be back at the food court.

 

Enjoy your milkshake (which I can not taste),

 

Matt

jcortney said:

Thanks Matt

I was/am really lucky that although my taste buds have changed (things just don't taste "right") I never lost them.  Saliva, a whole different story.

J.

I'm about like Matt...

I had my peg for 7 months as well....I have most of my taste back now (14 months from last tx) but they do go on vacation now and then.  For example this last couple of weeks my taste buds have been slacking again and things that did taste, now don't taste.??  Go figure.

My throat (per my ENT) is about half the size it was ....and I have to really chew, chew, chew to get things down, but I can eat most anything...with fluids of course.

Hang tough ..you will eat again.  I remember making the mistake of telling my wife 3 months after my last tx that I was always hungry, very hungry and wanted to eat...she balled like a baby bc that hurt her to know I was hungry (did not make that mistake again) She truly was / is a great caregiver.

It will get better ..keep us posted.

Tim

Magic Mineral Broth

JOE

on the SuperThread is a recipe for Rebecca Katz' MAGIC MINERAL BROTH.  I know that a lot of folks made up batches of the stuff and lived on it for several months as a supplement to PEG feedings.   I don't know how to do the fancy hyperlink thing, so here is the recipe (cut & paste I can do !!).  You end up with a very nutritious broth that is easy to swallow or put through a PEG.

Ingredients

Makes 6 quarts

6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, cut into chunks
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
4 unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered
1 unpeeled garnet yam, quartered
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 8-inch strip of kombu
12 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice or juniper berries
2 bay leaves
8 quarts cold, filtered water
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preparations

Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leek, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, parsley, kombu, peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Fill the pot with the water to 2 inches below the rim, cover, and bring to a boil.

Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.

Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve (remember to use a heat-resistant container underneath), then add salt to taste.

Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.

Prep Time: 10 minutes · Cook Time: 2 to 4 hours · MAKES 6 QUARTS
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 4 months.

**********************

HOPE THIS HELPS !!

 

 

I know what that's like!

I'm 9 months out of treatments and I still have the same problems you're describing... but they're getting better. It's definitely the epiglottis for me, made worse by the fact that my mouth and throat are so dry. It literally feels like food gets stuck at the back of my throat as I swallow. I find that small bites and a sip of water with and after each bite both help. I also started with really moist, cohesive foods--no rice, no chicken (just now able to start on chicken again!), nothing crumbly, etc. What worked best for me in terms of transitioning to "normal" food were things that were moist and tended to stick together while you swallow or dissolve into a liquid like ice cream, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, or hot dogs without a bun. Make sure you focus on the complete cycle without distraction--don't try to talk AT ALL while you're eating until you've completely swallowed the bite and chased it with a mouthful of water. It sounds easy but going out to eat with friends and family is such an important, social milestone for us after treatment that it's actually tough to remember until you find yourself coughing!

You'll get there, and there will be ups and downs. But before long you'll be eating 75% of the things you used to eat, and that percentage will continue to grow every week. :-)

Laralyn said:

I know what that's like!

I'm 9 months out of treatments and I still have the same problems you're describing... but they're getting better. It's definitely the epiglottis for me, made worse by the fact that my mouth and throat are so dry. It literally feels like food gets stuck at the back of my throat as I swallow. I find that small bites and a sip of water with and after each bite both help. I also started with really moist, cohesive foods--no rice, no chicken (just now able to start on chicken again!), nothing crumbly, etc. What worked best for me in terms of transitioning to "normal" food were things that were moist and tended to stick together while you swallow or dissolve into a liquid like ice cream, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, or hot dogs without a bun. Make sure you focus on the complete cycle without distraction--don't try to talk AT ALL while you're eating until you've completely swallowed the bite and chased it with a mouthful of water. It sounds easy but going out to eat with friends and family is such an important, social milestone for us after treatment that it's actually tough to remember until you find yourself coughing!

You'll get there, and there will be ups and downs. But before long you'll be eating 75% of the things you used to eat, and that percentage will continue to grow every week. :-)

MMB

I am 5 months out from Rads and pretty much all I eat is soups and Ice cream with Dr.Pepper. I cannot eat any thing that's dry so nothing sweet and no meat which were my favorite foods . I am so hungry for meat and sweets taste terrible to me now. I am going to try the MMB. Thank you so much for the recipe . What in the world is Kumbo and I've never heard of Garnet Yams . Are they red ?

Thanks again , Peggy

phrannie51 said:

It's seaweed, Peggy...

and you can get it at the health food store.  The garnet yams are the ones that are fat and reddish colored....unlike the long orangie colered ones .

p

P

Thank you Phrannie ! We can always depend on you for answers ! Guess my question shows I don't go near health food stores ! Lol

Thanks again for all your help !

Peggy