Radiation, I think, was the worst part of treatment. The complete lack of saliva is really bothersome for the first while. It is unfortunate but I have gotten used to the Sahara desert feeling in my mouth when I wake up know. I have tried almost every saliva replacement solution I can find but none work for overnight when things are this dry.

I'm on my second recurrence now ad am about 6 years out from my radiation now and it was a long and hard road to feeling more normal after radiation. I was radiated during my first round of treatment and I think was the harder recovery than the second set of treatment they did with chemo only.

Recovery is a marathon not a sprint. What others expectations are for your recovery don't matter.