Friend recovering from throat cancer

[Alioopsidaisy]

My friend finished all her cancer treatment a forthright ago (chemo and radio therapy) and is recovering. She still doesn't want to eat. Well she does but says everything tastes of walpaper paste or nothing. I want to get her something lovely and preferably something that will help her taste buds. She is an amazing person and I really want to help. Can anyone advise me on what I can buy her to help? For context I don't live nearby so it would have to be something I can post. She doesn't want to meet till she's a bit better.

We're in our 50s but have been friends since we were 11. We live 200 miles apart but meet up a couple of times a year.

My friend had this last year and the pain post radiotherapy really took her by surprise. It gets worse initially after the treatment. It took a long Time for her to eat normally and it wasn’t necessarily what you’d expect that was easiest to eat. I would probably avoid food and send her something to treat herself in another way.

My husband had six weeks of radical radiotherapy, five days a week, last year following removal of a cancerous tonsil. The treatment finished last August, he still doesn't have much of a sense of taste, alcohol tastes vile, I think he's starting to enjoy food a bit more, but I think losing your sense of taste is quite common.

My dad had tonsil cancer. Avoid anything food related, it's a nightmare. Id suggest a lovely bunch of flowers tbh

She will be trying anything and everything, DH's favourite recovery gift was a silk pillow case if you can stretch to it.

But don't underestimate a visit and good chat!

Please avoid drink/food related gifts. The period post treatment for this type of cancer is often worse than during. My DM is 2 months post treatment and still only managing to drink shakes as a food replacement. Unfortunately, with the best will in the world nothing you can do/give will help her taste buds. It will just take time. Send something else in the mean time and a promise of meeting up for lunch when she feels up to it will mean the world.

Thank you all for the advice! x

What about some bulbs if she’s got a garden? Something to plant for the future that’ll hopefully be flowering next spring when all this is behind her?

I agree with everyone else. DH couldn’t eat for a long time after his RT. He had feeding tube into his tummy. When he could eat it was only very soft food and he couldn’t taste much at all.
Go at your friend’s pace, she’ll appreciate your company and support more than anything you can give her as a present.

Ooh some bulbs sounds lovely! Friends had the feeding tube too and she says everything she tries tastes like wallpaper paste.

I did this for myself after having cancer last year.

The squirrels ate them all!

Ha ha. I have problems with squirrels but luckily she doesn't!

Give it time. The period after treatment stopped was the worst for me. Peaked about a month afterwards before beginning to get easier.