Hi everyone,
This is my first post. My husband is recovering from his head and neck cancer treatment going on two weeks tom. -- he had two doeses of cisplatin and six weeks of radiation, including twice a day radiation the last two of those six weeks. His swallowing is great. The Dr. is amazed, and his neck Z(outside) is helaing nicely. We (along with our 4 year old son, Carter) are focusing on maintaining weight, and wrapping our minds around what theheck just happened to us. Craig, my husband is only 36, and is now facing what I think may be a serious depression, as he attempts to look to the future, but is filled with fears and uncertainties.

His sleep is way off, because he coughs up mucous all night and is also sweating a great deal, which necessitates his change of shirts/pants three times a night.

I have read several of the previous posts pertaining to this issue, and there is not much said in those posts that I haven't said myself over and over again to Craig in my efforts to get him focused on the joy of life, and the reason for the treatments to start with. As optimistic as I am, I am finding it very difficult to constantly battle the intermittantly apathetic/negative energy coming from him, although I know that it is absolutely normal.

I do have some questions that might help him in his understading and patience with recovery.

How long does the mucositis hang around?
Does anyone have recomendations regarding loss of appetite? It isn't even that the food tastes foul. He's just overwhelemed with the idea of eating much at all, even though the Dr. told him he could resume eating whatever he wanted ASAP.
It is as if he is frightened to move to the next stage and away from the PEG tube. Is this normal?

How can I help him help himself to see the beauty of life again?

Steph