Paula,

I so know what you are going through. My husband and I had almost 7 good years after his radiation, chemo and neck dissection. Last Oct. a tooth on the radiation side started going bad. No one would touch it due to brittleness of his jaw. We went to dentist affiliated with our medical insurance. They did a "special" root canal. I think the only thing "special" was they exacerbated his down turn in health. He had a lung abscess in Feb...some of the hospital drs. thought it was caused by the bacteria from the root canal getting into his lungs. He was in hospital 6 days. He started seeing a maxillofacial dr. in our ins. group. He had a few good weeks and then bam...terrible jaw pain. He also developed 2 abscesses on outside of his jaw. MF dr. referred him to infectious disease dr. who put him on IV pump antibiotics. He went back in hospital in late May with pneumonia...3 days that time. He had another okay couple weeks, and then last Sat. I had to take him to hospital due to terrible jaw pain. He wasn't able to swallow much at that time so he couldn't get pain pills down. Another 4 days in hospital as he had pneumonia again. He is aspirating his food and pills into the lungs. Drs. at hospital convinced us he needs a PEG tube as he's lost 50 pounds in about 4 months. He goes in Mon for tube. He dodged that bullet during radiation, but it came back to hit him.
I think we may have to go back to hospital today as he has been in terrible pain all day...his jaw is so swollen. He may not be able to have tube on Monday if the jaw is still so bad. He's sleeping now. for so long, our days have been filled with his pain and not much else. I look outside my window and see neighbors going to an fro or working in their years, and I am so sad....our yard is his pride and joy. This week we had to hire a gardener as he just can't do it now. I have to have faith that we will get through this, but some days it's so very hard.....A few years ago, he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocitic leukemia. He is still in stage 0, but his white count is climbing. If we don't get him better, he will never be able to tolerate the chemo when it's time. I am scared because I am a very strong person, but I can feel myself starting to fall apart....
You are all in my prayers....
Siouxbee