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| | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) |  Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Welcome to OCF!
You have found the best place to get guidance to help your mother get thru the next few months. Being a caregiver isnt easy, we will help you too.
Yes, as rads go on the patient will get progressively sicker with more radiation burns and mouth sores. Ask the doc for prescription magic mouthwash to help numb her mouth to enable her to be able to eat and drink.
Never put any creams or lotions on right before going into rads, it can interfere with treatments. But immediately afterwards pat some cream on. Many have used over the counter Aquaphor. I liked prescription beta val cream but also used the silver sulfadine too.
Focus on what you have control over which is her intake. Every single day she needs a minimum of 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water. These numbers are the minimums! It sounds like alot but for what she is going thru she is burning up calories at a much faster rate than usual. This higher intake needs to continue until at least her first year after finishing rads. By focusing in her intake and pushing every single day to hit the numbers, it will help her to feel a little better and help with the upcoming hard weeks.
Hang in there!
ChristineSCC 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  | | |
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