I don't know what happened to the link that was supposed to have been in my previous post but here it is again:
http://www.harthosp.org/radiology/pet.asp If he's had an MRI, the PET scanner is no big deal - it looks just like a CT scanner - just a big old donut hole - MRI conversely puts you in a 10' by 10' cube with a very narrow tube in the middle. There are open frame ("C" magnet types) but their image quality is inferior to the super cooled magnet varieties.
OCF forum policy is not to mention specific doctors names on the forum.
I would an speak to an advice nurse at Eden in oncology before I did an ER trip. He may be in the ER for hours before he even sees a triage nurse. I have been listening to my scanner this morning and the Eden ER has been very busy because of accidents from the storm.
The dry mouth and choking in the morning (on phlegm) is standard operating procedure with throat cancer recovery. The ER is probably not the solution.
I could walk to Eden from my house but I opted to go to UCSF every day for treatment. This is not meant to be a negative thing about Eden, They have one of the best trauma centers around but they are not a cancer center. I think you are wise to get a second opinion. Like I said earlier, you can choose UCSF or Stanford. I chose UCSF based on the type of radiation I recieved and the expertise of the RO. I had an advice nurse in oncology at Kaiser in Walnut Creek that I dealt daily issues on.
About the dry mouth - start out with ice chips, small sips of room temp water (cancer patients are recommemded to take in 2-3 liters a day).
One thing you'll want to avoid is aspiration of anything into the lungs. It can cause pnuemonia.
The phlegm is stubborn and hard to get rid of first thing in the morning. Don't try to eat solid foods right away after awakening.
Here are some tips on managing zerostmia (dry mouth)
Sip water regularly.
Try over-the-counter saliva substitutes.
Breathe through your nose, not your mouth.
Add moisture to the air at night with a room humidifier.
I lost over 60 lbs and still didn't get a PEG. They usually want to see a 20 lb loss before the docs get antzy about it.
