Yay! Tommorrow I graduate from radiation. I have accepted that this doesn't mean I'm going to feel any better for a while but it still is a great landmark! I will have had 33 treatments and 24 of those I had Amifostine with (the last few weeks I have been doing Amifostine every othr day because it was making me so sick of a while) so I'm very hopeful that eventually I'll have some decent salivary function (also I am having IMRT so that part of my right parotid gland will be helped by that). But I know I'm going to have to deal with really awful drymouth in the near future (it will probably feel even worse once the thick sticky mucous isn't always clogging up my mouth) and who the heck knows when I'll start to have these mouth sores heal which are really painful at times.

Still, just thought I'd share a little crowing with you all since I've shared so much whining.

It looks like I may not be able to have the last chemo, though, because I have a very low WBC count right now and that probably won't chnage for at lest a week-so probably couldn't have it until a week after radiation ends. My radiation oncologist says he doesn't think that would be worth it--I talk to the medical ooncologist about that Monday. I'm actually not too bothered by that, though. I've fought a battle with a very aggressive treatment plan for my stage of cancer, even with one chemo not happening.

Nelie,

Congratulations on this milestone. You're right to recognize that it won't mean immediate signs of improvement, but hopefully it won't be too long before you start feeling better, bit by bit.

You had a post awhile back where you were wishing that you could be outside gardening now that the weather is warming up here in the northeast. Later that day I was outside pulling weeds (definitely not one of my favorite tasks) when I realized how much you would actually enjoy that compared with what you've been going through, and it made the tedious work much easier for me. I hope you'll be able to enjoy your garden soon!

Cathy

Nelie-
Congratulations on reaching the end of radiation! In a few weeks you will feel better, the gaging will stop and you will start to mend. The dry mouth symptoms are really not that hard to live with and are managable with the Biotene products. I actually forget the water bottle most of the time! For being doubly hit with the big "C" I think you have a terrific attitude! Best of luck to you - Kris

Thanks Kris and Cathy. I got my "graduation certificate" Friday and found out I could take my mask home as a souvenir--so Idid. I'm going to have to decorate it somehow in a way that speaks to the whole experience but I'm very glad I won't be wearing it again.

Cathy, Yes, I even miss weeding a lot. Right now I am neutropenic from the last chemo so one of the many things I am not supposed to do is any kind of gardening including weeding because something like a simple thorn-stick or bugbite could make me really sick with no white blood cells to fight off infection. I hope that I'm not in this state for too much longer and maybe in a few weeks when I start to fel better it will be OK to get out there a little.

Nelie,

Have the docs not given you anything for the WBC deficiency?

Harry had neutropenia after the first chemo and since then they have given him an injection called nulasta after every treatment. It works great and he has not had the WBC issues anymore. It is an injection that sends your bone marrow into hyperdrive so that it can produce a lot of WBC. Also, are you having any fever or anything?

Be VERY careful with neutropenia. Harry's docs would not let him stay home with the low counts. They insisted that he stay at the hospital under special care (what they call neutropenic precautions) until they could get his neutrophils to a good level.

You should wear a mask around others and you should not be around children at all. I remember how hard it was for my kids even after the docs were able to bring up his WBC because I could not let them be around him at all. But the reality is that it is a matter of life and death. I will tell you what Harry's rad doctor said to him.... "It would be a damn shame for the medical examiner to determine that you were cancer free!" As you can tell from the harshness of the statement, Harry had the wrong attitude about things. He still has it. The "it wil go away" attitude. It makes me crazy!

Please be very very cautious and take care of yourself.

How is your RBC fairing through the chemo?

I am not a medical professional but I have learned a lot taking care of Harry and sometimes I feel like I at least deserve an honorary degree :-)

Glad rad is done. It is always nice to have finally finished something and to feel like you are moving forward.

Best of luck to you!

Cindy