Bill

Whether to add chemo to radiation is always a difficult issue. Did you have a medical oconologist (chemo doctor) evaluate you? My experience is that each specialist brings something different to the table. For example, right now my ENT who did the recent surgery recommended follow up CyberKnife but not chemo. the Radialogist who is doing the CyberKnife thought I should add chemo "since I need all the help I can get" due to the agressive nature of my cancer plus the facts that it has proven radation resistant plus pathology says it has extensive perineural involvement. so I see my medical oconologist tomorrow to discuss carboplatin
I just worry if radiation alone will do the trick. As Sandy notes, the idea is that the chemo increases the efficacy of the radiation.
good luck
Charm

Charm,

A medical oconologist is the one who told me I did not need chemo, only radiation. IMRT will begin on Monday 5/4/2009.
VERY NERVOUS!

Just go into the treatment room and tell them to do what they have to. Keep that attitude and you will make it easier on ourslef by far. BUt you have to mean it. Good luck WFC and wse are behind you all the way. Notice I said behind LOL

wfc,

Did your doc give you any Ativan or some other medication to help calm the nerves. My husband is not claustrophobic and didn't seem all that nervous on his first day of radiation...but, being in that mask takes a little getting used to. He ended up taking the Ativan on subsequent days for about a week until he got used to the process.

I never needed to take anything but was offered. THe 1st day didn't seem too bad so I never needed a relaxer.

Bill

Radiation was a breeze for me during treatment. Just lie bolted to a lead table with weird noises with your ankles and wrists shackled so you don't move. I spend the time imagining the invisible rays killing the cancer - It was the after effects that got me, not the actual treatment plus they only lasted about 15 minutes. good luck
charm

Bill,

Welcome to OCF and I truly wish you never had a reason to be here. When I was diagnosed I felt so alone and had so many questions. I didn�t find this forum until nearly a year after I was diagnosed, so be thankful you found this forum before you started treatment. I�ve found this forum and the OCF website to be the best source of information and support.

Thanks to this forum I meet some of the OC survivors face-to-face and now I don�t feel so alone. A group of us are having an oral cancer awareness walk in Bethlehem, PA this weekend (5/2/09). There will be at least 6 OC survivors at this walk and who were diagnosed anywhere from less than one year ago to 16 years ago. I don�t think any of us had tonsil cancer, but most of us had radiation. Certainly not a pleasant experience, but we did survive it and are doing well.

I know you are starting treatment on Monday, and it may help to join us in the walk and meet those that have already been where you are going. If you decide to come, I�ll be glad to talk with you and I�m sure the rest of our group will be glad to offer advice and support.

Good luck to you!