Faith in experts.

Oh, Bondy! You are having a difficult time. This is an understatement. I really, really wish you all the best. x

Hi, thank you so so much for your kind comment. I don't intend to roll over with it. I hope you are keeping well. And one one or another hopefully it'll be a better Christmas this year.. 

Hi Bondy! Just seen this and thought I'd reply. I had tongue cancer and had radiotherapy in Jan/Feb, so am still recovering from the trauma of it all! You don't say what you can manage to eat. Can you eat anything solid? I totally understand as I was a couple of months when I couldn't even swallow any liquid/solid. It is a long road. 

My cancer was different to yours but all head and neck cancers affect swallowing to varying degrees. I have worked my way up from soup, blended and minced foods over 7/8 months. There is still much I cannot attempt and choke every now and again if I don't chew enough. 

Have your doctors told you that you will be able to swallow more solid foods eventually and it's just a question of when and keep exercising the muscles by swallowing what you can?

You're right - PEG would be a step backwards. I'm still waiting to have mine removed so I can start to fight Lymphoma, which I have just been diagnosed with. (Not been seen yet so don't know what sort) 

You and I have had 2 cancers back to front. I'm happy to chat if you find it helpful.

Susan

Hi Susan,  sorry for the delay. I had a peg inserted for about six weeks post opp. My opp was on the 23rd July 2020. I admit I didn't  take to it that much. Suffered from a very "dodgy" bowel etc. I've now just had my 14th dialatation where they pass a camera and bloom system down the throat and literary "stretch" the area where the join us between my existing throat and new food pipe. For months I was on soup (tomato or chicken but I had to pick the bits of chicken out as I couldn't swallow it) and yoghurts etc. We purchased a small Blitzer that was a great investment. My goal last year was just to have a Christmas dinner. And I achieved it. My food size is now on saucers not dinner plates and I still blitz on a

Regular basis. It's amazing the food stuffs available if you look around. I'm told now to have a high calorie high protein diet... So I get these pro source jellies and satchets. I can sometimes eat normal cooked foods but always with gravy and I mash it up. On the down side though I still can't go out  to a restaurant in case I start to choke and dart to the loo to throw up. People would think I'm an anorexic. I really do hope your journey goes smoothly. Please feel free to contact me at anytime.they say you should never run before you can walk, personally I found its better just to get your feet on the ground and stand...then learn to walk. Set yourself very small goals at first, then you won't be disappointed If at first you fail... I