The four letter word: diet!

I promised to share the experience. Finally I'm back. Hopefully tomorrow won't be agonizing again and I could write more. I guess I'm doing more around the house rather than writing. Good for me ;-)

Between 2nd and 3rd chemo I've seen dietitian.
It appeared I'm doing everything by the book with no book. Instinct I guess.
There it is then, for someone who is looking its way in this tasteless hell. Although I may be not the best example as I wasn't vomiting even once.

It's good to drink and eat, as it's kind of pushing nausea down, back to the stomach.
Small meals, up to 6 a day, eat slowly, do not eat at drink at the same time, avoid odors (big no-no for fish and broccoli!) as well as rich flavor, fatty and spicy food. Dishes with cooked tomatoes are inedible.
To make the story short after chemo you fill like there is toxic waste in your mouth and eating something spicy may bring that taste back even 3 weeks after chemo!
Good news is: the first chemo is usually the worse one. With every next cycle you can try new things.

What worked for me, and what the dietitians recommend:

• Rusks (with jam or plain), white bread called French or Belgian, raisin bread toasts, nesquick cereal they also recommend soda crackers, dry plain cookies
• Cooked ham (for avoiding strong taste 1/2 ham vacuum packed boiled in water for 15min, remove the foil and leave in the pot to cool down), cottage cheese, feta, yogurt and add from dietitian cheese, deli meats and eggs
• Mashed potatoes (eureka!) they say also rice and pasta
• Pear nectar, water with honey, milk to drink
• Veggies were funny and long list: tomatoes and radishes. Only raw and only two.
• Fruits; I said 'apple' she asked 'pineapple?' Pineapple is really good, juicy, helping with the taste.

If you have mouth sores (happily not me) lukewarm water with raw honey should help. They recommend soda water witch is not working well with my stomach.

What is important: you have to get enough proteins: 75g per day.
I was eating skim milk powder! Witch I like. 4g per 2 tbsp. Better is only, and I was surprised, peanut butter 4g per 1 tbsp. For the same amount you would have to have 1/2 cup of pudding, yogurt, milk or soy milk.
Other products:
7g proteins you'll find in 1/4 cup of nuts or cottage cheese, 1/3 cup of tofu, 2 tbsp cream cheese, 1/2 cup of dried beans (wonder who would have that one!) or 30g of meat.
6g of proteins is whole egg. I couldn't even look at them for the first month!

Today I'm after my 4th chemo. Yes! I'm half way through!
On the third day after I was able to have regular dinner: mashed potatoes (that is super food after chemo!) with asparagus and sunny side up eggs. No pictures. Everything gone in seconds.
In a meantime I had what I call plebeian pizza, and this I'll show. I expect it to be eastern European invention.

Baked sandwiches or plebeian pizza

bread
butter
cold cuts: ham or sausage (lean, good, smoked, European style sausage)
cheese
veggies: tomatoes, onion, but also pepper or dill pickles are nice option

Spread butter over the bread. It has better consistency when baked.
Put some meat, then cheese, and veggies on top. Not too much.
Bake 10-15min @ 160 C.

No cheese will also do. My boys are allergic to dairy products I'm using margarine.
You can make them fancy adding different cheese. Blue or camembert like. Try figs or pears. Different breads... endless possibilities. Perfect for winter.