Hi.
This is my first post, and I have a few questions...to see if anyone else out there has had this experience too.
I ended treatment ( 35 radiations/2 chemos) for tonsil/neck cancer (stage4) on June 22. I was starting to feel like each day was a little better last week. Friday I noticed a swollen gland or something in my groin area ( about the size of a walnut) somewhat painful to the touch. Sat I sat outside in the shade for about 5 hours and by Sunday morning I was covered in a prickly heat rash. It wasn't even that hot and I sat in the shade! So now I feel like I've taken a couple steps back. I've been mostly sleeping since. Except for my usual hacking up of the yuk every hour or so. I havn't contacted my Drs yet. They are 80 miles away and I just don't feel up to "come down and we'll take a look" so I am thinking I'll wait it out a few days. I also had a low grade temp of about 100.7 but I think thats gone.

It's now been 20 days since the end of treatment...Any input on how long before you quit hacking up the gunk? Also, I am on a PEG tube and if I try more than 3 or 4 sips of water I start coughing and gaging so its hard to get my self to try. Somewhere I heard that ginger ale is helpful? Any other sugestions? I am still on morphine every 4 hours ( 10ml) plus a patch (75).

It sure is hard keeping your morale up when recovering is such a slow process! I try to look at what has improved...like my outside neck skin is all healed up..Ah...there must be something else..Oh yeah, the 5X4 cm tumor in my neck is pretty much gone...just a little nubin of something left.
Mica