Sorry I haven't updated

Sorry I haven't updated the blog sooner but I have had a lot on my plate lately. I am doing better every day! I ate my first meatball sub this week. It tasted great!!! The taste buds seem to be returning. A week and a half ago one of my doctors said I had thrush mouth again. It seems since I've been taken the meds for this and it's clearing up, food has been tasting better. Captain Mo tastes very good. Steak and meats seem to have no taste. Yesterday I had my first hot dog and 2 ears of corn at the Deugwillo's. My life again is full of firsts. As you can see swallowing is going wonderfully. Scratchy, rough foods irritate my mouth ulcers which still persist. I am down to 178 pounds and a size 34 pants. The doctors are concerned that I can't hold my weight. I like my small size.

My Mom was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday. She is doing better with her pain under control and will be discharged Tues. The cancer can't be cured. They just want to slow it down and make her comfortable. Please keep her in your prayers.

Thank you for your support, comments and prayers!!
Randy

Swallowing Well

Since I had my esophagus stretched, swallowing is getting back to normal. I take almost normal size bites and need to be careful when swallowing. Since my salavary glands were fried by the radiation, I need to add some sort of liquid while chewing to any solid food. Then I can swallow it. My throat is still sore and swollen due to the stretching and exercising caused by the swallowing of food. I am not able to consume enough calories by mouth alone to maintain my weight. I am still using the feeding tube. I cut back the # of cans of Ensure Plus that is poured in the tube depending on the amount of food I eat. I am finding it hard to find any foods that have any taste or good taste to me. One day eggs may taste OK and the next, they have no taste. All cereals taste like cardboard. Steak, ham and chicken taste like nothing. Maybe someone besides myself should be doing the cooking. I feel like a kid in a candy shop tasting everything I can find, looking for something to taste good. The doctors say my taste will eventually return but will never be the way it once was. The time frame is one to five years for taste. I have been able to finish a beer in 45 minutes. My new goal is 30 minutes. Its nice to have goals. I had my first Captain Morgan and diet coke! Didn’t taste too good. I suffered through it. When I was halfway done, it tasted good. The second was even better. I just needed to reorient my taste buds.

I got some sad and disturbing news on Wednesday. My Mom was just diagnosed with lung cancer. We have a meeting with the doctors on Tuesday to find out more info and the treatment. Please keep her in your prayers.

Thank you all for your support and prayers

Randy