Tomorrow will be "the big beginning." A really long day, since I am not to eat or drink anything after midnight tonight. My treatment for Base of Tongue will be chemo and rad for seven weeks. Fortunately, my PET shows no spreading. I'm 81 years old and my doctor sys that a "cure" is possible or a "long remission." In 1981 I checked into a rehab to kick a severe alcohol habit. I gave up smoking a few years later. Good, but not soon enough, apparently. Perhaps most people don't live long enough for this "scourge" to catch up with them. That would be a blessing.

I am a Ham Radio hobbyist. I sure do miss it. My voice is so constricted that it becomes very difficult to talk after just a few minutes. I may have to go to Morse Code, but most of my friends don't use that mode, preferring to stick with "phone." (microphone) I'm hoping my voice comes back as the tumor shrinks. (maybe just wishful thinking) At any rate, the treatments should not make me miss Christmas with my family. I have 5 children, 8 grandchildren and 5 greats. My wife of 40 years died of cancer in 1998.

My fifth child is my only daughter. She is truly wonderful and helps me with anything I need. The boys, of course, have their good points too but nothing like a daughter. She will spend much time with me since her children are "on their own" except one still away in college.

So, tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. I get my first chemo (and lab work). Then at 10:40 is my first rad. At 1:00 p.m. I check into a nearby hospital for placement of a PEG and that will do it for the day. I know I'll be "thirsty." LOL

Just learned that PEG tube has to be rescheduled to January 5 so chemo can start tomorrow. (Chemo will last 5 hours.) Yeah, no fasting for tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the start for you to eliminate your cancer. For most patients, its not the easiest thing to go thru chemo and rads. But some do get lucky and sail right thru treatments barely noticing any side effects. I hope you are one of the lucky ones who dont notice many side effects. Over the years Ive noticed the patients who do the best with their intake are the patients who get thru rads the easiest. Since you are starting your treatments tomorrow, I suggest today you spend eating like crazy. Try to have all your favorites, desserts too. From here on until you hit your first year post rads your intake needs to be at least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water every single day. If you can manage to take in more calories it will only help to make everything easier for you. Taking in 3000 or even 3500 calories a day is not too much for patients who are going thru rads or those patients who are in recovery. Make sure you take in extra water on chemo day. You probably will be given extra fluids along with the chemo. But still drink lots of water to flush that poison out of your system. If you notice anything unusual, even minor things like ears ringing speak up and notify your nurses and doctors. To me, having any hearing change or difference in kidney function are potentially huge problems down the road. Different chemos have different things to watch out for. Make certain you tell all your medical team about any changes in how you normally feel, no matter how minor.

Feeding tubes can take a little getting used to. The first couple days with it, you may be a bit sore. Any discomfort is temporary, in time you will find having a feeding tube painless. Theres all kinds of tricks for taking meds and doing feedings. Ive used a feeding tube for almost all of 10 1/2 years since my original diagnosis. If you need help, feel free to ask questions.

Theres an app called "speak it" for ipads. By now it may be available on other computers, laptops or tablets other than Apple products. The speak it app would enable you to go back to using your ham radio. You simply type what you want to same and push a button to have your computer read what you typed. I had a close friend who lost her ability to talk by having her voice box removed. She would make phone calls with the speak it app. When we got together, we would sit and "chat" and laugh just like we always did. I would definitely look into this. Rads are cumulative, it gets more difficult as treatments continue. Most of us have had our treatments impact our speech. Using speak it, you could type whatever you wanted to say and let the computer talk for you. Im pretty sure there are different options you can choose for how your voice would sound with speak it. If you need help with the app, maybe check with your children or grandchildren. Kids now a days are born with a computer in their hands. I dont know how they know all the ins and outs of any electronic device you hand them.

Best of luck tomorrow!!!

Hamguy,

Christine has given you very good advice for the start of chem-radiation. It’s so nice to read that you have a large family with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I would just like to wish you a good holiday with your family. You may not be able to eat any turkey by that point, but family and not food is what the holidays are about, right?


Here’s to smooth sailing through the treatment. You can also get your daughter to post on your behalf to let us know how you’re getting on. A few members have done that. I will be thinking of you.

Christine,

Thanks for all the tips. I'll try to keep up with the required intake. I really need to do it! I'll check out the "Speak it" app. I have an iPad if that's what it takes.

My chemo is Sisplatin. They tell me it helps the radiation work better. Also, It's a 'heavy metal.' (Not musical.) All the chemo folks are very nice. They answer questions and share their food goodies! I was in the chair from about 10 a.m. till 4:30 pm with one trip to 'pee.' They offered me Rx for nausea meds, so I took the offer. I have Zofran ODT and Compazine. I didn't ask when I might expect to need them. Right now, I feel fine.

I had a bit of a struggle through the rad experience. That mask mad me a bit claustrophobic but I was able to make it through. I sure hope it gets easier.

gmcraft,

Thanks for your kind thoughts and ideas. You are so right about Christmas and family. I am so blessed to have had such a wonderful wife that instilled family values so deeply in our children. My only daughter, I swear, is her "clone." I could not ask for any better or more loyal children. Sometimes I say: "It seems they fought like cats and dogs when they were little but now they're 'thick as thieves!'"

If I can't eat any turkey, I'm sure my daughter will have an alternate for me. She's a great cook!