I hope you have really good people advising you.

I did surgery , chemo , radiation then feeding tube .

Hell, I'll do all three if it betters my chances.

I don't know your cancer or stage. One friend of mine with early stage breast cancer had radiation 15 yrs. ago and is still doing fine, in her 70's now. My young uncle, OTOH, died one year after diagnosis with a very aggressive colon cancer that metastasized all over his body including brain. He had 3 surgeries and numerous chemo treatments including the HAI pump that's implanted and pumps chemo direct to liver.

Not to scare you--- just advising that you very carefully choose b/c the treatments can shorten lives, too. That's the reality.

I agreed reluctantly to chemo following surgery, but refused one of the drugs recommended in my chemo cocktail, Avastin. I also refused a new maintenance drug for which a trial was starting, in favor of organic food, lots of exercise and med marijuana.

I'm Stage 4 colon cancer mets liver and no evidence of disease (NED) 2 1/2 yrs. after surgery.

Good luck, I'm pulling for you Alfredo.

Then I didn't notice it much at all. It didn't even bother me when it would stick out from under my shirts. Other people would stare and it would take me a minute to figure out why.

I got surgery, along with radiation and chemo.

The most effective course would be my choice.

Might not the biopsy results change your options?

I'm rooting for you!

Now bathing is one concern. My usual sink has a faucet that is restricting the flow of water, so it takes forever for it to fill. I might get a burr haircut to make cleaning easier. If I go chemo, it will be gone anyway.

The biopsy plus the oncologist suggestions will sway me one way or another.

BTW, hospital coffee sucks.

Home services comes by today. I will be baking bread.

Seems that way.


What kind of bread?

Vegan No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Written by Mattie



This Vegan No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread is now my go-to vegan bread recipe because it's simple to make and is a great example of how wet doughs can create wonderfully light and spongy breads. The higher water content allows the gliadin and glutenin in the flour to align into tight gluten bonds over time so you can forget about all that kneading drama. The result is a fluffy, chewy loaf that's perfect for sandwiches. Feel free to use this bread as a starting point and substitute a ½ cup of the flour for things like wheat germ, wheat bran or oat bran. It's important to note that due to the wetness of this dough it's only suitable for baking in a loaf pan.

Find more Whole wheat recipes on Veganbaking.net


Vegan No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe
2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave syrup
1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¼ teaspoons salt

1) Mix the wet ingredients and activate the yeast
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the warm water, maple syrup and yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the yeast activates.

2) Whisk together the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour and salt.

3) Mix the dough
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl containing the dry ingredients and vigorously mix with a wooden spoon in a circular motion for 1 minute. Cover the bowl with a plastic bag and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.
The benefits of a cold dough fermentation
Alternatively, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator for a cold rest for about 12 to 24 hours. This method will produce more flavor because amylase enzymes in the flour will break out more sugars from the starches more effectively at lower temperatures. If you choose to use this method, factor in about a couple additional hours of extra time until the dough doubles in size. Typically after a cold rest, I leave my dough out at room temperature for about 4 hours until it doubles in size, depending on how hot my kitchen is. Since the dough will be cold, the yeast will be in a near dormant state and it will take time for everything to warm back up to room temperature to activate the yeast again. Feel free to let the dough rest in the refrigerator for some of the time and rise outside of the refrigerator the rest of the time; we want our dough to double in size regardless of whether it spends a full 24 hours in the refrigerator or rises at room temperature.

The great thing about the cold rest method is that if you want to make the dough ahead of time, or break up your bread baking into more manageable time frames, this method will allow you to do this as well asproduce better tasting bread. It's a win-win!


4) Mix the dough again briefly then allow it to rise again
Vigorously mix the dough again with the wooden spoon for 30 seconds and allow it to rise once more, covered, at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours.


5) Proof your dough
Preheat your oven to 350F (177C). Stir the dough one last time for 30 seconds to degass it. The dough can now be proofed by gently forming it into a lightly oiled loaf pan and allowed to sit covered with a plastic bag until it reaches about 80% to 90% of it's intended size, which should be about 40 minutes. The proofing stage is where the dough takes most of it's shape. It's important to leave room under the plastic bag so the dough can rise sufficiently.

6) Bake the vegan bread to perfection
Remove the plastic bag so the dough can rest for about 10 minutes. Due to the high water content in the dough it may begin to spill over the sides of the loaf pan. In this case, take the edges of the dough and stretch it over the loaf to the other side, working your way around the perimeter of the loaf pan as you go. Stretching the dough over itself will also help keep the loaf in its proper shape as it bakes. Lightly dust the top of the loaf with wheat germ, wheat bran or oat bran.

During baking, the dough will rise another 10% to 20% of it's intended size in the process known as oven spring. Bake until the internal temperature of the bread registers 180-190F (82-88C) when read by an instant-read thermometer. This should be about 45 minutes. Rotate the loaf 180 degrees in the oven halfway through the baking duration for even baking.

7) Allow the bread to cool slightly before removing it from the loaf pan
Remove the bread from the loaf pan after about 30 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack until it's cooled to room temperature. This bread is best stored covered in a cool dark place or pre-sliced and stored in a plastic freezer bag in the freezer. This recipe makes one loaf of Vegan No Knead Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread.

I even bought a new pan for it. The old ones were cheap non stick and started shedding the coating.

Throat cancer?

In my case (colon cancer) I had radiation and chemo to shrink the tumor, then surgery to remove it, and I was basically on chemo afterwards (with a brief episode of spot radiation a few years later when it metastized to my lungs).

I don't know your diagnosis specifically, or what, so I can't suggest an answer. I would ask them if they thought the surgery would clear the cancer and the margin (the area around the cancer). If so, you might wipe it out. But in my experience, I've only been through the cancer tunnel once. The oncologists do this all the time with all sorts of patients, and obviously trained for this. So I usually defer to their recommendation.

They didn't recommend one over the other? Or is the surgery more complete, but with a more radical result?

Without knowing that, I couldn't suggest one or the other, but I wish you the best. If you want to post more we could maybe discuss more, but I wouldn't do that without having a better information.

Only thing I would warn you about is to make sure the radiation and surgery (if you choose that route) is to make sure they're tightly coordinated. In my case, before I moved to my current cancer center, the place that I was going to (highly reputable) did not have any one person actually handling my case. We did the radiation, but the surgery was screwed up (scheduling-wise) and when I ultimately had sugery, it was far more invasive than planned, because even after you stop radiation you keep cooking. That's no reason not to do the radiation/surgery thing, just make sure they're properly timed to make it most effective.

Wishing you the best.

- Tab

I will be going to the Markey Cancer Center at the Universty of Kentucky. They are very experienced with this type of Melanoma. Base of the tongue (on the surface), and right parotid gland.

When I have my talk I will know which way to go. If Chemo is as effective for this cancer, I will go with that. If I have to go under the knife, I will.

When I was given my diagnosis, my doc gave me 80-90% chance. They know more now, that might change.

Attitude: I'll deal with it.

it varies in price alot ,the highest calorie ones are the way to to keep the amount down .

Some day you will look back and laugh at this all promiss and don't get rid of the tube too fast , it can save your life if saliva and taste buds go away .They do come back so expermenting helps .I actually quit sugar because I couldn't taste it so I became healthier .

I do have a lot of Carnation breakfast. Tastes good

All organic ingredients. The toxic pesticides applied to our food in the fields and even afterward, and given to animals-for-food are ingested via the food chain so stay away.

Get a high quality protein powder (organic, non GMO)

In a blender, put in:

Nut milk
Yogurt
Protein powder (amount as recommended)
Bananas
Other fruit (berries, etc)
Spinach
Sweeten as needed with stewed dates, honey, maple syrup or agave syrup

You can also add frozen coconut cream, which I use as an ice cream substitute as I need to watch how much dairy I eat. Or add chocolate powder or a homemade choc. sauce.

You won't taste the spinach but it's great for the vitamins and minerals.

Whirr it up into a smoothie. MUCH better for you than Ensure, etc.

This morning I added fiber and my wife's Carnation Breakfast essentials to my coffee. That's not a mix for my feeding tube.

I hate when we are given options, as if we know the best outcome.

I will pm you a link that might be helpful, someone who had surgery at the base of their tongue, this after a bone marrow transplant. She documents everything, not sure if the cancer is the same, but might have some hints, this was at John Hopkins FWI.

I will ask questions.

just to clarify options are great, but sometimes when the professionals are on the fence, it is difficult.

Good luck!

I need to be the one that agrees to the course of action. Are they equal in outcome? I rather not go under the knife, if I don't need to. If surgery is the best option, "Here, I'll stick in the IV for you."

but without knowing the specifics of your case, aside from not being a medical doctor (dropped out of pre-med), I'd be reluctant. If surgery could have cured me once and for all, I'd have gone with that, but there are so many factors that play into it (current health, degree of agressiveness (is it slow, or has it expanded rapidly) and a million other things, that's why your doctor's should guide you.

I gather from your "I'll deal with it no matter what" and your mention of VA services that you were in some branch of the military. That mindset should help you well, and I don't know your previous position, but now you're in charge, and you're in charge of your own life.

I think you'll weigh the options and choose well. I wish you the best, whichever way you go.

- Tab

Will radiation affect my fifth Chakra?

Today I will have my last pizza before things get serious.

My wife will deny herself the pleasures of good food and drink, thinking it would somehow hurt me to see her eating spinach pie or ceviche. That is the last thing I want. I can enjoy the food by watching her enjoy what is in front of her. Radiation will rob me of taste buds and possible the sense of smell.

I will continue to cook, but with the help of my "taster." I will under spice, then call her in to season to her taste. Simple dishes like steamed veggies over Israeli couscous I can handle myself. I've baked enough Salmon to do it myself.

BTW, my core health is very good, so surviving what is thrown at me is of no concern.

Thanks for the support.

That's what we're trying to determine, but I don't know your case and shouldn't give specific medical advice anyway.

I would (as I think you want to) encourage your wife to continue with the good food and drink. Tell her it gives you vicarious pleasure and it's a way you can both enjoy it, even if you are just watching and smelling (and maybe you can grab a sip or something - I don't know what your ability will be).

In my case, once I stopped eating, I also stopped cooking unless requested. I think I'm a pretty good cook, did it semi-professionally for a while and always cooked for my family (no one else enjoyed cooking, they just enjoyed eating, which is fine. In cars, some are drivers and some are riders). If you still have your appetite, go for it.

If it was me, though, I wouldn't have my wife order any prime rib. That'd be pushing it for me.

Best going forward, and keep us appraised; you sound like you're doing an excellent job of that anyway.

Swallowing will be difficult, if not impossible. So food all be replaced by liquids through my feeding tube.

I can't imagine any scenario where that would be fun. Keep us up to date, and if you want to PM or get my phone number, please do.

- Tab

Embrace the freedom!

BEST of luck with the treatment!!!