As a detail and strategy person resources here are developed to help others based on my lived experience. As a head and neck cancer survivor, a qualified chef, an event/project manager, foodie, writer, researcher, traveller and hiker - it's in my nature to be systemised, organised, prepared and ultimately successful.

That is my hope for you too.

Everything here is as an addition to medical advice. This is lived experience and what I know as a qualified chef and by trial and error with my own food life.

I wrote these resources having been PEG tube fed for 15 months whilst eating very little orally. I was not able to manage thickened water.

I was determined to start eating real food and my dysphagia even today, is severe. It goes up and down. I took meticulous notes about my transitioning, what I did and what worked for me and this guide is the result of that research. So if your medical team has given you no reason not to try, these resources will help you determine the way forward.

Each and everyone of us is different in terms of healing and I found that having a pathway to follow, knowing what to do and trusting the process gave me confidence to try. It took me 3 whole months to fully transition to just oral eating. The confidence comes from having a step by step plan and practice. So it will take every person a different time frame based on their personal mind set and commitment to that practice. Give time, time as they say.

No. It's not a recipe book - we all manage food very differently.

The resources ( if selected) specifically includes a weekly meal preparation example (it was my personal meal planner) with ideas for you to consider your meal planning guide based on your particular circumstances. You can then build your subsequent food shopping list based on your meal planner.

It does not provide recipes for meals. Other than reference to the foundation foods being stock, sauce, soup and smoothies. It does refer to IDDSI and food textures which in conjunction with your Speech Language Pathologist you should be able to ascertain what recipes will work for you. This is not a recipe book it is a mind set program with staged steps to get you on the right path for eating.

This treatment as we know is an emotional minefield.

The scope of this guide & other resources does not include material for psychological assistance. I would highly recommend seeking help in that specific area should you feel the need. I used meditation, journaling and hiking to get me through the very dark days and sometimes they still appear.

I do include some tips on social eating, what to say to others, how to manage being in public and talk about elevator pitches and JAM cards. The point of having the guide is to arm you with the basics as to how you can incorporate food back into your life. Each different scenario will likely bring different levels of anxiety and frustration. Being consciously aware of these times, knowing they are coming and being prepared is half the battle.