My sister had 6 and 1/2 weeks of radiation twice a day as well as a neck dissection previous to the radiation. Last treatment was 4/27/02. She had a rough time during and especially after radiation but the last week she has been in a fairly
good place. She is grocery shopping again and doing some of her daily tasks and cooking for the family. I have notice though that she puts her hand up to her ear and today she said it has been hurting her(same side as neck dissection and tonsil removed). She does not have an
appt. with her oncologist for 2 more months. Ibecome alarmed when she complains of any ache, though I don't show her that. She has had enough of Drs. and medicines and I really don't think she will go before her set appt. Is this something you all have had (a hurting ear). Another thing
that bothers me about her treatment of cancer of tonsils is that she has a radiation oncologist but not just an oncologist. Should she have both? Her radiation oncologist did take exrays of her lungs before radiation and she was clear. She told me that the size of her tumor was a stage 4 but the stage of the cancer was a stage 2.
I don't really know what all this means. She sometimes acts like she wants to stick her head in the sand about this and I can understand why, but I wish she would get more involved in her care. I become afraid that something may be missed.

Molly......I would encourage your sister to see the Doctor for her ear ache. I suffered from an extremely bad ear infection after completing radiation and chemotherapy and waited longer than I should have before calling my ENT. That only made things worse. My ENT did a few x-rays to rule our any tumor and then put me on a rather strong antibiotic and pain medication AGAIN!. It took a week or so before I was back to normal and the pain subsided. IF there is an infection present the only way your sister will begin to feel better is with an antibiotic anyway, so the sooner she sees the doctor the better. I know how she feels about not wanting to see yet another Doctor but it is her own best interest to do so. Good luck and I hope she feels better soon! SIncerely, Donna

Molly,

I would agree that your sister should see the doctor for her ear ache...but the good news is that I also got aches in my ear after surgery and radiation. About a month or so after radiation ended. When I ask my ENT he said it was a good thing. It was the muscles and nerves coming back.
They have faded now and happen very infrequently. It's sharp pains that only last a few minutes.
As I said - he only said this AFTER looking and confirming nothing else was going on.

Take care,
Dinah