Hi:

My soon to be 85 year old father has completed his 5th of 7 weeks of radiation therapy, three weeks of weekly cisplatin(had to stop was too tough on his kidneys)and 2 eurbix treatments. He has BOT stage 4 with some lymphnode involvement. He is doing ok. Currently, he is really spitting up a lot of phlem. What should I expect for the up coming weeks? He has not been taking many pain killers, maybe one a day. I know he is in more pain than he lets on. He has been coughing so much that he has thrown up on occasion. So, what next? Will it get really bad now? Please give me your thoughts.

Boston

Boston, your father has a few more rough weeks to get thru before things improve. It will be about the next month that is difficult for him.

The mucous can be very annoying. Try having him take musinex or robitussin. Of course check with his doctors first. Several people here have had to use a suction machine to help get rid of the mucous.

As far as pain goes. Ask his doctors about a pain patch called fentynal. Thats what I used and it worked great for me. Many others here have also used it successfully. Its easy, put the patch on and change it every 3 days. Watch for side effects, just like with any medication.

The last 2 weeks of rad. are the most difficult and every day gets progressively harder. Also the first 2 weeks after it is finished are hard too. The rad. keeps working even after you finish tx.

Stay positive and be there to help your dad. Now is the time most of us struggled. Make sure he is drinking and eating as much as possible weather by mouth or peg tube. Minimum 2500 calories per day and shoot for 64 oz water, but 48oz is still good. The more he drinks the better, it helps with phlem and his swallowing function. If he hasnt been stretching his mouth open wide, make sure he does so several times per day.

Best of luck with continuing treatments.

Boston,

That thick crap phase lasted about 2 weeks or so (seemed like forever) and was the last gasp of my saliva glands before they went to the dry mouth stage which over the next 2 years of the recovery phase slowly recovered to just about my pre Tx normal. As you can imagine with all the variables associated with us and our Tx, each of us can react differently and recover differently. As gross as this sounds I carried a small Styrofoam cup with me (in my pocket when need be) and would constantly spit into it so it wouldn't accumulate in my throat. At night I would often wake from sleeping and have to cough or throw up the accumulation. Some have rented a suction machine to aid them. As I said it will pass as it moves him into the dry mouth phase which will last much longer.

Hats off to your Dad. At 58 and really fit I was really hit hard by this Tx and I can only imagine that it would have been tougher to go thru some 27 years older. Tell him WAY TO GO and tell him he will only have to endure this stuff maybe another 4 weeks and then he'll walk out of his tunnel and into the recovery phase.

I'll second that hat's off!

Boston,

Please tell your dad we are all here for him...!! Boy do I remember the last few weeks. My husband and I had moved for the treatment. So to be able to come home again was Wonderful!!

I was truly glad to get rid of the MASK!! I really had hard time with that do to situation beyond my control.

I remember wishing I could do double treatment, and then I learned it could be possible.. I did not do it cause I felt it would only hurt what I was trying to protect. MY LIFE! I really did not think my body could take it.

Take care & let Dad know we are thinking of him..
Diane