Congrats!!! Boy I bet the weight of the world is off your shoulders now without having to spend 4 hours a day in a car. This will make things much easier on you both.

Keep your focus on his intake. He still needs the daily minimums of at least 2500+++ calories and 48-64 oz of water daily. This needs to continue (at the least) until he hits the one year post rads mark.

Dont be surprised if you dont see any improvements for a while. The rads are still working just like he is still going to get zapped. The next few weeks are the hardest, so be watchful for any setbacks like dehydration, excessive fatigue, etc. About 3 weeks from now the worst will be almost over and recovery will start. Its a slow and frustrating time for most of us patients. We all want to be better the day after finishing rads but it simply doesnt happen that way. A complete recovery can take a full 2 years (especially the sense of taste).

Dont rush to get rid of the PEG. Until your husband can sustain himself for a full month without using the tube he is not ready to have it removed. Its a temporary tool that is there to help and soon enough it will be gone. Most patients hold onto it for a few months post rads, some take longer to recover and keep it around just in case they have a setback. Never know, recovery is a tricky period of ups and downs.

Hope you are being kind to yourself. You deserve to be congratulated too, without your help your husband would have had it much harder. Good job!!!


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile