Hi Deb:
Does Bob have a PEG (feeding tube)? I finished my 7 weeks of radiation with one day/week chemo in 2/2008, and I really can't remember when the side effects began, except my neck looked and peeled off like burned bacon probably mid way through treatments. Now, you cannot even tell I was burned so bad - back then, oodles and oodles of silver sulfadiazine cream on my neck with a towel wrapped around it. There was an aloe cream, but I cannot remember the name. I know, probably midway through the treatments, I had trouble swallowing and used the liquid nourishment, which was paid for by my insurance company. Everyone is different, and I still have side effects from the radiation (difficulty swallowing and mucus galore), but you'll read that others improved as time went by. After two years, I was promoted to PET/CT scans just every 6 months; just had one and it was negative for any signs of cancer, yippeeeeee!) Like others on the forum, I still sweat waiting for my results and probably you guys will also. I wish you the best of luck and pray for all good scans in the future. When you read the posts on the Forum, you will see what others went through and survived and I pray the same for Bob.
julieann