Just read your post - hope it all goes well and you sound as though you're up for the difficult times ahead.
I had cancer on the base of my tongue.Had my surgery in July 2011 and then 6 weeks of radiation (30 sessions) and chemotherapy (6 sessions).I've since had another 18 weeks of chemo - but that's another story.
We are all told that our own reaction to these treatments is all different.Personally, I was ok to drive and generally 'function' for the first two weeks or so of my radiotherapy - though I was off sick from work due to all the medication I was taking.
Gradually, the side-effects of the radiotherapy began to kick-in and I felt that these were worse than the chemo side-effects for me.My taste sensation went fairly quickly,as did my appetite and I relied on my PEG feeding tube.I felt as though my throat was being slowly burned by the radiotherapy and swallowing anything (even saliva/water) became a bit of an ordeal - though I did manage to keep it up.
I produced a lot of mucus in my mouth and throat which I constantly spat out and this continued at it's worst throughout the night - I'd say for about 2 weeks,a month after treatment had finished, I was sleeping in 30 minute slots.
It took me three and half months before I began to eat normally again after slowly graduating from liquid food and mush as my throat recovered.
It is tough, very tough, but doable.
Good luck.
Last edited by Brendan Hanavan; 08-29-2012 06:10 AM.