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LOOK OUT FOR<br />
MY RECIPE INFO<br />
AND TOP TIPS!<br />
HI THERE!<br />
I'M DIZZ<br />
(LAURA)<br />
AND I'M AN ORAL<br />
CANCER SURVIVOR<br />
In 2019 I was diagnosed with<br />
stage 4 advanced oral cancer.<br />
I had a 5.5cm tumour, which I named Larry, invading my<br />
tongue. He had to go, but with it he also took my tongue.<br />
I was told that I would never eat or speak again, unless I<br />
used a machine to speak and a tube into my stomach for<br />
liquid nutrition to be pumped through.<br />
So, using my food background and passion for food<br />
- and my passion for feeding people - I set myself the<br />
challenge to eat. Once I learnt which method worked for<br />
me I was able to move from soups to stews to well, pretty<br />
much anything, over several months.<br />
I refused to accept that my life would be that drastic, so I<br />
pushed and pushed myself to learn to swallow, speak and<br />
then finally eat.<br />
After many long months of tears, frustration, anger,<br />
grit and determination, I did it. I achieved my objective<br />
of all of the above. I am not living a life of soups and<br />
smoothies, even though they are very tasty, but I can<br />
have stews, fried chicken, salads and stir-fries. I can also<br />
talk and people actually understand me.<br />
Radiotherapy in the mouth compromises the saliva and<br />
can eradicate taste buds, but every person experiences<br />
different side effects and permanent changes from their<br />
treatment.<br />
Some people are no longer able to eat tomatoes in one<br />
form or another yet some can, some are unable to take<br />
spices no matter the strength, whereas some people can<br />
take ridiculously spicy hot food. Some people lose their<br />
taste buds altogether.<br />
Learning to eat was slow and not always successful. It<br />
was ongoing trial and error. There weren’t any videos<br />
of people who have had a total glossectomy eating<br />
food. The Speech and Language Therapy teams were<br />
as helpful as they could be, but unless you have this<br />
problem then it’s difficult to be able to find what works<br />
for each individual.<br />
This book is a guide, a tool to help you get that desire to<br />
eat again and to be able to curb your craving. There are<br />
hints and tips on how to make the food challenge your<br />
mouth during its rehabilitation period, but also make<br />
food sociable again.<br />
LAURA<br />
4 EATING WITH CONFIDENCE<br />
<strong>Swallows</strong> <strong>Recipe</strong> <strong>Book</strong> V3.indd 4 09/04/2021 15:50
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