A day without a Smoothie

CivilMatt
CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Everyone,

219 days post treatments and I can declare my first day without a smoothie or protein drink (at all). Frosted flakes with half-n-half, broiled chicken, mojo potatoes, almond joys, snickers, cake, cherry pie and a ham sandwich and I may not be finished yet, I might need some food to make it more balanced.

Granted this was not as nourishing as my chocolate banana smoothie, but I also did not have to hear the whir of the blender or wash it for use again in 4 hours.

None of the food I ate today tastes like I remember, I just did not want to spit it out faster then it went in. I always questioned Skiffin’s assertion that taste would start to return (all be it slowly), but had my doubts based on my radiation oncologist telling me she may kill my taste buds forever. Hopefully, without jinxing anything, I bow my hat to Skiffin and his patience to catch fish and wait for taste buds.

Warrior with an appetite,

Matt

Thanks everyone that has helped me get this far.

Comments

  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    #2
    Finally!
    Matt,
    I'm so happy for you! I'm also now a little bit hungry after reading your post! I just can't bring myself to drink another smoothie or protein shake, even tho that might help me gain weight faster. I'm eating pretty good. Not tasting like I remember but I'm still eating anyway.
    I'm so happy for you, it has been a long road. Keep eating and enjoying all the things you haven't had in so long.
    Billie
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    OH!!! The variety of today's diet did your
    adventurous side justice!! Candy bars? I haven't tried them (tho I did give Butterfinger icecream a real go)...on your scale, where did you place them? And then there's that sandwich...how was the bread? I've done hamburgers but haven't tried real meat...well whole meat...You must be getting some spit to go with these food journey's...right? :)

    Today was an icecream day (what day isn't?)...but today I had 2 bowls AND a milkshake...that is way more than my normal icecream intake. I might have stayed with you calorie wise, but you have me beat in the foodie safari....LOL

    p
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    phrannie51 said:

    OH!!! The variety of today's diet did your
    adventurous side justice!! Candy bars? I haven't tried them (tho I did give Butterfinger icecream a real go)...on your scale, where did you place them? And then there's that sandwich...how was the bread? I've done hamburgers but haven't tried real meat...well whole meat...You must be getting some spit to go with these food journey's...right? :)

    Today was an icecream day (what day isn't?)...but today I had 2 bowls AND a milkshake...that is way more than my normal icecream intake. I might have stayed with you calorie wise, but you have me beat in the foodie safari....LOL

    p

    I need icecream
    It seems I turned a corner from everything feeling and tasting disgusting to not so bad. Matter of fact the candy bars taste petty good about a 7 on the Matt scale. The sandwich was the real eye opener. Last week I got caught out on a job at lunch time and had to order something. I ordered a turkey on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato and ate the whole thing. I almost cried, I was so surprised. So far the bread is better than the meat and multiple glasses of water, milk and coffee follow every indulgence. It seems I am getting both sweet and salty back a little (very little) at a time.

    Matt
  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #5
    CivilMatt said:

    I need icecream
    It seems I turned a corner from everything feeling and tasting disgusting to not so bad. Matter of fact the candy bars taste petty good about a 7 on the Matt scale. The sandwich was the real eye opener. Last week I got caught out on a job at lunch time and had to order something. I ordered a turkey on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato and ate the whole thing. I almost cried, I was so surprised. So far the bread is better than the meat and multiple glasses of water, milk and coffee follow every indulgence. It seems I am getting both sweet and salty back a little (very little) at a time.

    Matt

    Welcome back to eating !
    Matt,
    You could defineately be a food critic....or a writer. I love the expressive way you tell us of things others take for granted. Every new day after our dx's takes on a new and exciting meaning ! Continue the adventure my friend, and please continue sharing the experiences with us ! Katie
  • Tonsil Dad
    Tonsil Dad Member Posts: 488
    #6
    katenorwood said:

    Welcome back to eating !
    Matt,
    You could defineately be a food critic....or a writer. I love the expressive way you tell us of things others take for granted. Every new day after our dx's takes on a new and exciting meaning ! Continue the adventure my friend, and please continue sharing the experiences with us ! Katie

    Way to go.
    Sounds like you are moving along quite nicely there Matt.
    Like me I've been eating regular food for a while ( the taste
    and saliva still up and down ) but eating none the less. I will
    be testing my taste buds in a couple of weeks with all the different
    foods on the cruise.
    I'm happy you are getting back to normal ( whatever that is ) and
    I wish you the best on your food venture.
    EAT, DRINK AND EAT MORE.........

    God bless
    Tonsil dad,

    Dan.
  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #7
    Don't forget to...
    Pass on your smoothie recipes or concoctions...I'm probaly going to be needing some different ideas. Were these after the PEG?
  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #8
    cureitall66 said:

    Don't forget to...
    Pass on your smoothie recipes or concoctions...I'm probaly going to be needing some different ideas. Were these after the PEG?

    Exciting isn't it?
    Feel like a kid again...only as kids we didn't get all the candy bars and ice cream that we wanted in a day. Happy for you Matt!
  • ditto1
    ditto1 Member Posts: 660
    #9
    Hold the Pickles Hold the Lettuce
    Special Orders don't upset us. Good for you Matt, I think the fear of not being able to eat as we used to is pretty concerning. Although it may never be quite the same its nice to be getting closer to the way it was. Heres to hoping all your foods from now on are at least an 8 on the MTS (Matts Taste Scale)
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #10
    cureitall66 said:

    Don't forget to...
    Pass on your smoothie recipes or concoctions...I'm probaly going to be needing some different ideas. Were these after the PEG?

    Good thing about PEG
    You can blend up anything you have that is healthy and it doesn't matter if it "sounds good" to normal people. I do burgers for breakfast and omelettes for dinner mixed with fruits, juices etc - it doesn't matter so long as the nutrients are there.

    I do love fruit smoothies because if I burp it isn't as bad as some of my concoctions.

    bon apitite :>)
  • luvofmylif
    luvofmylif Member Posts: 344
    #11
    ditto1 said:

    Hold the Pickles Hold the Lettuce
    Special Orders don't upset us. Good for you Matt, I think the fear of not being able to eat as we used to is pretty concerning. Although it may never be quite the same its nice to be getting closer to the way it was. Heres to hoping all your foods from now on are at least an 8 on the MTS (Matts Taste Scale)

    4
    It is so nice to hear that you are slowly able to enjoy more and more foods. Just curious, how long have you been off your feeding tube and are you able to maintain your weight?

    I enjoy reading your posts and your unique sense of humor and way of looking at life. I can so relate to your lines about never feeling sick of bad. That is like my husband. He was in excellent health, went to the gym at least 4x week, prided himself on taking care of himself. I think that is why this disease is so hard to come to terms with. It takes so many by surprise. You think you are doing everything right and then the next day you have stage cancer. Suddenly life is totally unpredictable and very scary. But, because of you and others on this site I have gained alot of strength and knowledge and am grateful to you all.

    I hope each day is better then the one before for you and your family.
    Joan
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #12
    luvofmylif said:

    4
    It is so nice to hear that you are slowly able to enjoy more and more foods. Just curious, how long have you been off your feeding tube and are you able to maintain your weight?

    I enjoy reading your posts and your unique sense of humor and way of looking at life. I can so relate to your lines about never feeling sick of bad. That is like my husband. He was in excellent health, went to the gym at least 4x week, prided himself on taking care of himself. I think that is why this disease is so hard to come to terms with. It takes so many by surprise. You think you are doing everything right and then the next day you have stage cancer. Suddenly life is totally unpredictable and very scary. But, because of you and others on this site I have gained alot of strength and knowledge and am grateful to you all.

    I hope each day is better then the one before for you and your family.
    Joan

    PEG answered
    Joan,

    I had 2 PEGS (at separate times of course). The first one failed to perform its function and was replaced with better model (the first was a Yugo, the second a Corvette). I had that puppy popped at two weeks post. I always managed to drink at least one meal a day throughout treatments and quickly learned to drink all my meals, which I continued for 219 days until yesterday when I gave the blender (second blender, the first stripped out the bottom of the carafe) some time off..

    I still don’t feel sick, instead I feel like a Yugo. From what I’ve learned, cancer is an insidious bung hole that preys on anyone. It is stealth and cloaks it self as something innocuous, then it springs it’s blasted trap and you are like a flash moved into both defensive and offensive modes. I absolutely hate thestuff.

    I hope each day each of us has something go our way.

    Best,

    Matt


    Oh, I started the journey at a plump,food loving 218 pounds, I now have maintained 174 pounds for around 2 months
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #13
    CivilMatt said:

    PEG answered
    Joan,

    I had 2 PEGS (at separate times of course). The first one failed to perform its function and was replaced with better model (the first was a Yugo, the second a Corvette). I had that puppy popped at two weeks post. I always managed to drink at least one meal a day throughout treatments and quickly learned to drink all my meals, which I continued for 219 days until yesterday when I gave the blender (second blender, the first stripped out the bottom of the carafe) some time off..

    I still don’t feel sick, instead I feel like a Yugo. From what I’ve learned, cancer is an insidious bung hole that preys on anyone. It is stealth and cloaks it self as something innocuous, then it springs it’s blasted trap and you are like a flash moved into both defensive and offensive modes. I absolutely hate thestuff.

    I hope each day each of us has something go our way.

    Best,

    Matt


    Oh, I started the journey at a plump,food loving 218 pounds, I now have maintained 174 pounds for around 2 months

    In keeping in following your footsteps...
    tonight I decided to try candy bars...tried a Reeces PB cup (good) and a Kit Kat (tasty but very dry)....Now I'll go eat my icecream...LOL.

    p
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #14
    phrannie51 said:

    In keeping in following your footsteps...
    tonight I decided to try candy bars...tried a Reeces PB cup (good) and a Kit Kat (tasty but very dry)....Now I'll go eat my icecream...LOL.

    p

    Taste buds are coming Matt!!! ::)
    Great to hear you eating all that stuff....careful, you will go up a size or two :)

    I still can't enjoy chocolate or most ice cream flavors...but considering I was 320lbs before dx ...that ain't such a bad thing I don't think. I'm down to 241 now, still the big guy on the block ....but I find it hard to gain weight ...but at least I'm level, for now.

    Best,

    Tim
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #15
    Matt's Taste O Meter Scale..
    LOL, WTG brother....

    I'm sure it will only improve for you...sounds like you had a well rounded taste session going on, LOL...

    Being from Ohio and growing up in the cow and corn capital of the US it seems...Meat and Potatoes are/were huge in my diet.

    Meat took forever to totally not be somewhat not the same and very dry, especially pork. Either through the expereince or maybe not fully 100% as I say, meat is a little less flavorful than before...but still very good.

    Sweet took forever for me..especially ice cream. I'd take a bite and after the first bite or so, I'd lose the flavor. It took nearly two years for that to return to days of old.

    One thing that I did love first regaining the taste for me...was Burger King Double Cheeseburgers.... I love those things, and the taste as good as they ever did.

    I lost 42# during treatment, also another above the 200# mark, start and finish...

    Cheers Matt my bud...
    John
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #16
    First food
    My first solid food that I enjoyed as good as before Abi-normal was a big slice of moist bread puddimg with a lot of sauce. Almost the best sensation I ever had. :>)

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