I am the non live-in partner of a 70 year old male who had just entered his 5th week of tx (radiation and chemo only) for Stage 4 bot, lymph nodes, gum cancer. He became extremely disoriented and was turning purple while waiting for his 2nd tx last Tuesday, was admitted to Barnes Center for Advanced Medicine ICU, where he stopped breathing 3x and has been placed on a ventilator. He is receiving steroids to lessen the throat swelling (he has NO available opening for breathing on his own) and has been placed on two strong antibiotics for a terrible staph infection all over his face and neck, where the skin is so broken down. Oncologist says he thinks they are beating the cancer, ICU docs say his immune system is so down, that it may be weeks before he beats the staph. He'd then have to be sent home to build up again before starting tx. ICU docs ordered a CT scan (neg) to ascertain why his throat is swollen shut. They may try a spinal tap this week, because he is too unstable to place in MRI tube. Anyone out there who can give me some help (if not hope)........ At this point, we're praying for a miracle.