Does anyone know any good resources for cooking for cancer patients?

V

vicki-in-tucson

Well-known member
A friend of mine has been diagnosed with Stage 4 head and throat cancer. He's going to have both chemo and radiation treatments, and it sounds like he will get quite sick. He feels fine at the moment; so ironic when the treatment makes you more ill than the disease.

Eating will be a problem, so I was wondering if anyone had any resources like websites or cookbooks that provide appropriate recipes. I'm thinking smoothies, that sort of thing.

This is a tough time for my friends. His wife is pregnant, and to top it all off, their cat just died.

Your public service annoucement is that my friend's dental hygenist found the cancer tumor on his tongue (he doesn't smoke or drink heavily and he has no symptoms). So make sure your dentist and hygenist are checking your tongue and mouth. My dentist does this at every check up. He said that it's very important, and that if your dentist isn't doing this, you need to find a better dentist.

Thanks, all.

 
Hi Amanda.....sorry to learn about your friend's problems. Your friend will be the

best judge of what appeals. Smoothies are a good way to go. If he can tolerate solids or semi-solid foods, pureed potato mixed with other pureed foods goes down well.

Unfortunately both chemo and radiation have a terrible effect on the appetite and make most foods taste terrible. Your friend will likely lose interest in eating during and post treatments for a while.

My best wishes to your friend and his family.

 
I am a 22 year Cancer Survivor, Hodgekins Lymphoma, when I was receiving

chemo and radiation I was advised NEVER EVER to eat my favorite foods because it association: What happened to me was I loved (key word loved) pistachio nuts, ate them all my life and ate them while in treatment, now: I smell pistachio It brings me instantaniously to chemo & radiation, never will I eat another one.

Colognes & perfumes too: Again, while in treatment in 1985, Musk scent was popular and I wore it and if I get a hint of it, right back at chemo & radiation, and all of it still gets me the gut wrenching nausea.

I suggest natural soft foods, like soups, eliminate dairy if possible, gets thick in your mouth (for me it did) VERY MINIMAL of spices, spices will excellerate during treatment, all fruit were good except banana's got thick tasting, green vegetables - steamed to make them soft.

I hope this helps. I had to learn them all on my own and it is with gratitude that I can help others during this difficult time. Ask me any questions, I will go very far out of my way to assist you.

Your friend will be in my prayers, and Amanda you are an awsome one of a kind friend, this is a time when surface friends will leave and that just makes it harder for the person with cancer to cope with, real friends such as your self are what I lived for and that time along with my family.

 
My DH has this. There is a ton of support on the Oral Cancer Foundation website.

Depending on the treatment, he may eventually have a feeding tube to help get in the nutrition because radiation and/or surgery can severely affect the ability to swallow. He shouldn't fear this. I hope he doesn't fight having a feeding tube---it is a lifesaver for lots of head and neck cancer patients. In most cases it is temporary, but my DH has it permanently. His foods will be mostly soft foods and liquids for many months. Spices and acids can be a real problem, so keep foods mild and no citrus, at least for awhile. High calorie liquid supplements like Ensure Plus will most likely be needed. Most H&N cancer patients lose alot of weight, so getting in the most calories in a small amount of food/liquid is really important. The radiation is what is so tough on the mouth and throat and the taste buds and salivary glands. The chemo was not so bad for my DH. He wasn't too sick. I wish them all well and please pass on the website to them. It's invaluable support.

 
Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the responses.

I'll collect all the info and website links and pass them along to my friends. I am moving across the country in a few weeks and feel less than useless--I can't really help them from a distance so I'm trying to do what I can while I'm still local. It's so frustrating.

Thanks again. You all are the best.

 
Amanda, being a phone call away is really the most helpful thing.

Some cancer patiients and families tend to withdraw and form a bit of a home "cocoon" to shelter themselves from having to talk about it so much with people outside the family. So we really haven't wanted much help or visitors etc, BUT, knowing that I have those core friends that I can turn to when I need it is so very important.

 
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