Do you know which chemo? Chances are, one of us here has had it. Mine thinned my hair, but I didn't lose it entirely. (As I have very long hair, we did cut it shorter for the duration, and I did wear the special caps ... but my treatments were mostly in February, so it was cold out! On the plus side, it got my mom knitting again and she made me my new favorite knitted cap during that period.) Anyway, double check on that one ... it doesn't happen to everyone, but it does happen to a lot, and it'd be a pity to be told it absolutely won't happen if there's a decent possibility that it might. (Not trying to be a downer, just surprised to hear there's one that doesn't do that... but I know the protocols keep changing and getting better ... so maybe that's one of the improvements!)

One trick that I learned a little late in the game was to ask for wax bits to cover my teeth that had fillings, which prevents some radiation scatter and prevents some of those blisters and burns in the mouth. They'll give you that every day, if you ask. If your dad has a lot of fillings, ask about it! I didn't find out till the last week or two, and apparently it was something they should have told me up front because of it being a common thing and a fairly easy preventative. (Why wax prevents radiation going through, I do not know, but if it works, I'll take it!) For me this was a problem on the bottom teeth mostly ... don't recall needing it on the upper teeth, but my memory is a bit hazy. And your dad's current teeth may be better than mine were at that point.

That's good that they think he won't have to fret about visitors! We had to use caution, but I do a lot of volunteer work with kids and have friends with lots of kids, so that involved a few more germs. Hopefully adults will have both better health and better sense when they come to visit. Make sure they don't overwhelm his resting, but if he's got a favorite show to binge-watch, a TV buddy might be a fun thing to have. Good company for him, and a bit of respite care for you. (My own kids used to insist that they had to stay up late with me each night so they could 'take care of me so dad could rest' so they could watch more TV with me, LOL. It was actually good bonding time.)

Anyway, those were some things I encountered that maybe will help your dad out, and you ... whatever low-key hobby he enjoys (like the TV), this is the time to indulge it. And friends to enjoy it quietly with him, so you don't feel alone (if that happens ... it can be scary being the caregiver, and it must be as exhausting as being the one going through treatment, in its own way). If he likes some light reading and enjoys hobby magazines or the like, the initial chemo might be a nice time to enjoy some reading ... the later ones, the fatigue might make him doze off more (I did, to my surprise, but did do some light crafting the first couple weeks). And something for you, if they let you sit with him, or whoever is his driver for treatments. Something to suck on during chemo, if it's one that gives an 'odd taste' in the mouth ... lots of hospitals offer patient care packages with sweet little gifts, but many contain mints, and mint isn't usually an oral cancer patient's friend at a time like this. There may be other little sweet things in the chemo area that they do for patients ... they can be really nice, varies from center to center. Ours had a lady who came on certain days for an hour or two and gave every patient a hand massage! I totally wished I could reschedule the rest of my appointment days after I found that out, LOL. (I had one that was shifted a day, and met her, and she was just a sweet angel.) If you find out your center has patient care things like this, no idea how you might ask but someone must know, maybe you'll be able to get your dad's times to line up with the ones that would suit him. (or you... you deserve it too!)

Sorry if I ramble too much ... just want to share, so you and your dad can have a good experience ... there are always surprises, but not all of them are bad ones. I wish for you both the chemo days of massage therapists and kind nurses and friendly fellow patients. ((hugs)) And the radiation time slot of folks who you bond with, so you can cheer for each other each day as you end up getting to know each other a little bit at a time.