Absolutely this can happen. Since radiation continues working even after you finish treatments, things still will get a little worse. Usually around 3 weeks after finishing treatments most patients will notice they are beginning to have more good days than bad. Its almost like one day you wake up and are in shock when you really dont feel that bad. Recovery can be full of ups and downs, even after having a few good days a patient can have set backs. It can get pretty discouraging when all the patient wants to to be well again and return to their previous life. It will eventually happen. A complete recovery can take up to a full 2 years. Most of us have felt pretty good after about 6 months and even better at the one year mark.

About your burns. I hope you have some prescription cream like beta-val. If not, ask for it. there are many different ones out there. Take that thick cream and pat it onto your wounds. If the wounds are 'weepy' place a non stick gauze square on there and let the cream soak in. Never rub it in as your skin is much too sensitive right now. Apply the cream several times per day and avoid letting the shower run on the burns. If it helps, my wounds were very bad open oozing sores but after they healed I had no marks at all.

Try some high protein whey powder mixed into your drinks or formula to help speed your healing. Keeping up your nutrition with at least 2500 calories daily and 48 oz of water daily (for at least the first year) also will help you bounce back quicker.


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile