Hello everyone!
First let me apologize for not staying in touch with you on the site. I received a lot of valuable information and tips that helped me out greatly. The least I can do is tell you about my outcome in the hope that this might benefit someone else.
The good news is, I�m cancer free! I finished treatment on 12/18/12, PEG out on 1/14/13, and back to work (driving a truck making retail deliveries in the NJ-NY-CT Tri-State area) on 1/21/13, It was not easy by no means, but I did it because I had to. I had my first PET scan in 3/13 and when the Rad doc called me he said �Celebrate! It couldn�t be better�, so I did, I went out and bought a Harley! lol. I became eligible for a pension from a previous job in April (which because of the cancer I thought I was never going to see) and that�s has helped out with the finances greatly. I did developed a bad sore in the back of my jaw bone near the tongue. The Rad Doc told me I NEEDED to have Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment, otherwise the jawbone might die and I might lose it. At first he thought the jaw bone was exposed, but it turned out that what he was looking at was a white colored infection. I went through H.O. Treatment for 2 hrs a day, 5 days a week for 4 wks and it seems like it did the trick, most of the pain is gone in my tongue but I still feel a little if I move my tongue in curtain ways. My next PET scan which was done Sept. 2013 showed some irregularities (which got me nervous) but the Rad Doc said it was due to the healed sore, not related the cancer and not to worry about it. It took about a year to get some decent taste from food back and the dry mouth to get much better but it is certainly not 100%. I still have to chew gum a lot (which for me seems to work best) and some foods just do not taste the same, especially fruit. Something I have to live with I guess. My strength is just about all back, although I don�t feel like the man I was a few years ago. I think the chemo and radiation take its toll. The hair on my neck near the site has not come back but my mustache and the hair on the back of my neck has come back. As long as I�m clean shaved I look normal. All in all, things turned out very well for me and I�m very grateful. I�m going to see my surgeon today for a checkup and hope that everything is ok.
For those of you in treatment right now I want to say my heart goes out to you. I know what a dark period in life this is for you. But stay strong and follow the suggestions of the long time posters here and you will make it through this.
Something that has help me out greatly through this is my faith in God. Since becoming one of Jehovah�s witnesses, I have learned that it was never our Creators purpose for humans to live this way. His original purpose was for humans to live forever in perfect health in a paradise earth. He warned our first parents, Adam and Eve, what would happen if they withdrew from Him and what we see now is the result of their actions. However, nothing can stop His original plan. When Jesus was on earth, he showed that he had the ability to cure all type of sickness and disease, even resurrecting humans to life here ON EARTH. Jesus promised that when his kingdom comes, Gods original purpose for the earth will be realized. All obedient humans will be restored to perfect health, even resurrected from the dead, and have the opportunity to live the way Jehovah originally intended. I have been busy telling people about this Good News, and it has helped me very much to have a positive outlook on the future. And I am sure that this has helped in MY recovery. It is my wish that as many as possible will enjoy life the way God originally planned it.
Again I want to say thanks for all the help I received from ALL your replies. For those in treatment right now, please stay strong through this dark period. You will get through this. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.