...TO START THINGS OFF THE NAME IS A NICKNAME THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SHAKE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS!

IT WAS A LITTLE DISHEARTNING TO HEAR THE 18 MONTHS REPLY FROM SHIELA AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO HEALING (ESPECIALLY WHEN TASTEBUDS ARE CONCERNED). I WILL JUST HAVE TO KEEP TRUCKING ALONG!

JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT MYSELF. THIS HAS ALL HAPPENED TO ME IN A 4 MONTH PERIOD FROM DIAGNOSIS TO NOW. MY EXPERIENCE IS THE SAME AS MANY OF THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE FROM THIS SITE. A COLD SORE THAT WOULD NOT HEAL, GOING TO MY FAMILY DOCTOR AND BEING REFFERED TO A SPECIALIST, BIOPSY, FIVE DAYS LATER ORAL CANCER, 1 WEEK LATER SURGERY, 8 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL, RECOVERY FOR ABOUT A MONTH THEN RADIATION AND CHEMO (ENDING 1 JULY 2004) AND NOW IN RECOVERY PHASE FROM THAT.

LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT (WISH I NEW THE COVERSION FROM STONES TO POUNDS, BUT I DON'T) WHILE IN THE HOSPITAL BUT BY THE START OF THERAPY I WAS 12 POUNDS OVER MY NORMAL WEIGHT. WHEN NORMAL EATING BECAME A PAIN (AROUND MY 23RD TREATMENT OF RADIATION) I WAS 15 POUNDS OVER MY NORMAL WEIGHT. NOW IM ABOUT 4 POUNDS UNDER MY NORMAL AND ITCHING TO START WORKING OUT AND EATING!

I SAW A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF PAUL EATING (ANY TIPS?). SWALLOWING NOW IS NOT BAD, IT'S JUST THE TASTE OF EVERYTHING IS SO BAD THAT ITS HARD TO EAT. I THINK THIS WEEK IM GOING TO START ON SOUPS AND SEE HOW IT PANS OUT, WISH ME LUCK. IF ANYONE HAS SOME TIPS, THEY WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

WOW DIDN'T THINK I COULD WRAP UP THE 4 MONTH PERIOD INTO A COUPLE OF SENTENCES...

HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL SOON

TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS!

Hello Drbb�. and welcome. I am now 18 months on since finishing radiotherapy, Christmas Eve 2002 to be precise, and can eat almost anything and everything. (I had only 20 sessions). I seem to taste food better now, than ever, and I mean even before my treatment. Mind you, I have given up smoking, I think this has a lot to do with it. I must be careful to thoroughly chew everything�.. don�t want any choking mishaps.

I would say it was a gradual process with me, possibly from about 6 months after treatment I noticed a significant improvement in my taste of food, also my salivary glands. Now its only when waking in the morning that my mouth is dry. I have never had to use a mouth spray. Really the first few months I was just concentrating on gaining weight, I was eating the most unhealthy diet mentionable super duper calorie +. Other than ice creams etc� I used to smother everything in oils or butter, this would ease with the swallowing. Its also amazing what you can put into the food blender, everything. All of a sudden you will realise that you are actually eating solids, gradual though it may be, it does come. I also had my throat stretched a year after treatment. This really did make an amazing difference.

I hope your recovery is as speedy as I feel mine has been. Cancer has no age, sex or creed boundaries. I feel I have now beaten this nasty intruder, some inward scarring remains, but I WON the battle.

Take care

Rosemary

p.s. 14 pounds to one stone.

Rosemary,

Thanks for the personal story. I have to remember to take things slowly, I've always been the type of person that can't wait for anything.

They say that once you loose one sense others are hightened, I can smell everything, especially bad breath and BO. Food smells wonderful but tastes bad. When did you first start to regain any of your taste? My salvatory glands are working but are not as they were. A little bit thick but getting better by the day.

I guess I'll play the waiting game, but I'm always in good spirits.

I'm glad to hear that everything (tastewise) came back better than before. I have something to look forward to!

Take care and God bless!

Drbabyboy,

I would say by six months my taste buds were definitely improving. That was when I became aware I was enjoying my food better. From then on they just got better and better.

After reading some of the members' stories, I have been very very lucky. You'll see you will be enjoying your food in no time.

Take care

Rosemary

Drbabyboy, Hello and welcome to the site. First things first, I am so sorry to hear about all that you have been thru, on here you will find we ALL have been thru almost the same thing. We are all brave fighters. With that said the taste buds should come back tho it does take some time. Or at least mine did. And I had radiation twice. Just try not to hurry things up, with this there is no such thing as hurry. Bless you and let us hear from u..Always,Vicki Lynn,