pain with swallowing after laryngectomy

Hello everyone.  My brother (53 yrs old) had a laryngectomy 9/29/09.  He was diagnosed about 6 months ago with a stage iv tumor on the superglottic pharynx (?).  He went through 7 weeks of radiation and erbitux first.  It did not shrink the tumor but by about 25%.  He started with a Peg, port and trach.  They took the trach out after 4 weeks of radiation and the fact that it had started to shrink.  Two weeks after treatment had ended they had to do an emergency trach in the middle of night with him aspirating from the tumor still being SO large.  He takes coumadin (mechanical heart valve) and what do you know...given a double dose in the hospital just before he had to have the trach...wow..he did great!  Came home and had to return to the hospital the next day by ambulance due to hemorraging from the trach...been a long hard 6 months as you all know so well.  He is doing great....went to the doc yesterday and was told he could start eating after NOTHING by mouth in 6 months...only jevity through the peg.  He was wondering if anyone could tell him if it is normal to have so much pain when swallowing.  He is not sure if it is from the radiation or the surgery.  The doc said it looks healed enough but it hurts him really bad when he swallows.  Any suggestions from anyone that has been here????  The doc told him he would heal a little slower being radiated before surgery.  How long does it take before eating pain free???  24 lymph nodes removed...and all were CANCER FREE!!!  YAYYY..OUR GOD has been watching over him!