Hi, Cathy G.

I am quite sure that radiation is the way for your mother to go.

While this web site is a blessing in many respects, It also is perhaps not an accurate representation when it comes to side effects and the overall positive results. In other words it can be scary and a bit negative when reading here. A good number of people go through radiation treatments without extremely terrible side effects. Granted it definately is not easy nor is it fun and the long term side effect are a problem, but the best chance of winning against this disease is to get the radiation treatments. She made it through child birth, she can do this too.

You didn't mention your mothers overall health and that probably makes a difference. You will see here a consistant reminder to seek out more than one opinion before proceeding with treatments. You likely have several more weeks to do some checking into options because they usually wait 4 to 6 weeks after surgery to start radiation.

Yes everybody will have side effects but every body is different so you don't know for sure how bad they will be. For sure there will be fatigue and plenty of it. Usually the sense of taste is altered for a period of time during and after treatments. Saliva production will drop to nearly nothing, this is probably permanent. The teeth are affected but not always seriously. and as the treatments progress mouth and throat sores develope to some degree sometimes severe. At the same time the appetite drops so that weight loss is very common. Sometimes feeding tubes are are needed to allow supplemental feeding (this is not always the case)

Recovery time varies widely, with many of the effects fading gradually over a period of 4 weeks and out to many months. It would be good for her to ramp up on high quality nutrition starting right away, and try to stay ahead of the weight loss that will very likely happen during treatment and for several weeks after treatments end.

Ask more questions as needed and take care.