I tasted my first food today, sliced tomatoes!

dales2loud
dales2loud Member Posts: 45
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi everyone, finished 35 rads and 3 Chemo's 4 weeks ago for SCC with unknown primary. Did not think that I would ever taste anything again. After reading posts here about trying different foods I had a small piece of everything on the food bar at work, was about to give up when I tasted the tomato, the taste faded fast but I had 5 slices before it did.
I have been on ensure for all of 8 weeks can't wait to find food #2.
I also wanted to thank all of the posters on this site, there was a many sleepless night I spent reading everything you wrote. I went back to work this week, very weak but getting stronger everyday. I feel like I may get my old life back and I pray the same for all of you!
Dale

Comments

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #2
    Congratulations!
    That is terrific news!

    Keep samplng!
  • RayTodd
    RayTodd Member Posts: 187
    #3
    dribble dribble drool drool
    I am on ensure through nose tube and if i had saliva i would be soaked down the front of my shirt LOL Ah a nice tomato By the way still looking for fish and chips with mushy peas flavoured ensure
    Great news there anyway enjoy
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #4
    Welcome Dale
    I was wondering when you were gonna quit lurking and join us.....LOL.

    Welcome to our little piece of the internet, great people here and tons of knowledge, experience and personal history.

    I was primarily an Ensure Plus person for 7 - 9 weks also. I did squeeze in a few sliced peaches in light syrup, and occasionally canned spinach...

    I think one of my first meals was creamy shrimp pasta...it slid down easily mainly.

    When I first started having taste return, like you I'd get a few bites in then the taste would be gone.

    Eventually, now over 2 1/2 years post treatment sixteen weeks of chemo and chemo/rads (35), I have regained nearly 95% or so of both taste and saliva.

    Keep on sampling, more than eventually you'll have more and more return.

    BTW, that 95% didn't come quickly, even as late as last week I regained the ability to taste ice cream. Up until then, it was one of the things that had never came back more than a bite or so...now it's totally back.

    Best,
    John
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #5
    Hi Dale
    I love to hear stories like you’re my friend. A lot of the survivors stay here hopping to post and help others who are just coming on or those who lurk up about with their treatment. Glad to hear your taste is coming back, from here every day you will start to notice something different as your taste buds come back on line.

    All the best
    Hondo
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #6
    Yay, You!
    And tomatoes, at that! Glad you could eat them, and they didn't burn to much.

    Keep sampling!
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    #7
    Ah progress! Slow but Sure!
    Wow! You are way ahead of schedule. Keep trying and you will add more every week. My wife Connie (SCC survivor) & I are starting to eat at good buffets, Connie trys a little bit of everything and it is working well. Your friends, Homer & Connie
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #8
    Welcome Dale
    Welcome to the forum Dale. That first taste comes as a bit of a surprise, doesn't it? A good surprise though. Keep experimenting and you'll find more things you can taste soon enough. It sounds like you are on the road back. Stay strong and positive. Cheers.

    Jimbo
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #9
    Wow!
    Tomatoes! Good for you. If you can eat tomatoes after such a short time from treatment, I think you are doing quite well! Tomatoes still give me grief after over two years. Lol.

    Hoping that you will find that more foods work for you.
  • dales2loud
    dales2loud Member Posts: 45
    #10
    Skiffin16 said:

    Welcome Dale
    I was wondering when you were gonna quit lurking and join us.....LOL.

    Welcome to our little piece of the internet, great people here and tons of knowledge, experience and personal history.

    I was primarily an Ensure Plus person for 7 - 9 weks also. I did squeeze in a few sliced peaches in light syrup, and occasionally canned spinach...

    I think one of my first meals was creamy shrimp pasta...it slid down easily mainly.

    When I first started having taste return, like you I'd get a few bites in then the taste would be gone.

    Eventually, now over 2 1/2 years post treatment sixteen weeks of chemo and chemo/rads (35), I have regained nearly 95% or so of both taste and saliva.

    Keep on sampling, more than eventually you'll have more and more return.

    BTW, that 95% didn't come quickly, even as late as last week I regained the ability to taste ice cream. Up until then, it was one of the things that had never came back more than a bite or so...now it's totally back.

    Best,
    John

    Dumb question
    John,
    I know how to submit a topic but I don't know how to respond to a topic?
    Dale
  • dales2loud
    dales2loud Member Posts: 45
    #11
    Skiffin16 said:

    Welcome Dale
    I was wondering when you were gonna quit lurking and join us.....LOL.

    Welcome to our little piece of the internet, great people here and tons of knowledge, experience and personal history.

    I was primarily an Ensure Plus person for 7 - 9 weks also. I did squeeze in a few sliced peaches in light syrup, and occasionally canned spinach...

    I think one of my first meals was creamy shrimp pasta...it slid down easily mainly.

    When I first started having taste return, like you I'd get a few bites in then the taste would be gone.

    Eventually, now over 2 1/2 years post treatment sixteen weeks of chemo and chemo/rads (35), I have regained nearly 95% or so of both taste and saliva.

    Keep on sampling, more than eventually you'll have more and more return.

    BTW, that 95% didn't come quickly, even as late as last week I regained the ability to taste ice cream. Up until then, it was one of the things that had never came back more than a bite or so...now it's totally back.

    Best,
    John

    Never mind
    Told you it was a dub question.
  • dales2loud
    dales2loud Member Posts: 45
    #12
    Hondo said:

    Hi Dale
    I love to hear stories like you’re my friend. A lot of the survivors stay here hopping to post and help others who are just coming on or those who lurk up about with their treatment. Glad to hear your taste is coming back, from here every day you will start to notice something different as your taste buds come back on line.

    All the best
    Hondo

    Thanks Hondo
    Yes I've lurked for awhile, I like to sometimes take things slow. I'm still eating and I can kind of taste things when they first go in but the taste fades quickly. I get tired of eating food that does not taste good, I think I'm getting lazy, it's so easy to drink ensure,, did I just say that??
    Help somebody chew me out!
  • dales2loud
    dales2loud Member Posts: 45
    #13
    sweetblood22 said:

    Wow!
    Tomatoes! Good for you. If you can eat tomatoes after such a short time from treatment, I think you are doing quite well! Tomatoes still give me grief after over two years. Lol.

    Hoping that you will find that more foods work for you.

    Thanks Sb22
    Thanks so much, I've learned a lot from your posts. For one thing you, John and so many others showed me that I was not a victim of fate and that not only should I stop feeling sorry for myself, which I did a few times, but I needed to thank the good lord everyday. The fact is I had a fairly easy treatment compared to others and that it can always be a LOT worse.
    Heck I went back to work this week as a trainer, teaching 3 days with little trouble except for weakness and a dry mouth and I ended up getting stronger everyday. I hope to maybe try to help others as you all have helped me but once again thank you, thank you.
    Dale
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #14
    dales2loud said:

    Thanks Sb22
    Thanks so much, I've learned a lot from your posts. For one thing you, John and so many others showed me that I was not a victim of fate and that not only should I stop feeling sorry for myself, which I did a few times, but I needed to thank the good lord everyday. The fact is I had a fairly easy treatment compared to others and that it can always be a LOT worse.
    Heck I went back to work this week as a trainer, teaching 3 days with little trouble except for weakness and a dry mouth and I ended up getting stronger everyday. I hope to maybe try to help others as you all have helped me but once again thank you, thank you.
    Dale

    Thanks
    You are the reason we are here.... I'm glad that I might have made your journey a little easier...

    Like you, I also had it fairly easy compared to a lot on here.

    Best,
    John
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #15
    Skiffin16 said:

    Thanks
    You are the reason we are here.... I'm glad that I might have made your journey a little easier...

    Like you, I also had it fairly easy compared to a lot on here.

    Best,
    John

    It's my party and I'll cry if I want to......
    Glad you feel well enough to be back to work.


    There are days I feel sorry for myself. I can throw a pity party like no body's business. ;-) (guest list is short. Usually me and Nizzy. Food's good, and there are no party favors, good tunes ....) Then I log on here, or read about another survivor's story and I stop feeling sorry for myself. I remember it can always be worse, and I thank God for what I've got.

    Be well.

    Sweet
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #16
    dales2loud said:

    Thanks Hondo
    Yes I've lurked for awhile, I like to sometimes take things slow. I'm still eating and I can kind of taste things when they first go in but the taste fades quickly. I get tired of eating food that does not taste good, I think I'm getting lazy, it's so easy to drink ensure,, did I just say that??
    Help somebody chew me out!

    Taste

    It will all start to come back a little at a time, and before you know it you will tasting everything again. But watch out as some things might taste a little different then they use to taste, we call that our new normal.

    Wishing you the best in taste
    Hondo

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