Hi Patricia,

I'm sorry you're hurting. Unfortunately, you're feeling pretty much as you should be.

I'm 3 weeks post treatment today and I'm still hurting pretty bad. I haven't had any food by mouth since April 23rd. With the exception of water, I'm getting all my nutrition and hydration through a PEG (which I had to have put in the last day of treatment). I've been on narcs for pain for months now.

Fatigue has been the biggest challenge. Even the smallest of exertion wears me out. It's getting slightly better but it's still a big obstacle.

On the positive side I never lost my taste buds so I can taste but unfortunately it hurts too much to eat ~lol~ My sense of taste and smell have become over sensitive. I tried a sip of chicken broth the other day and I ended up vomiting. Smells that I normally like are grossing me out. My partner and caregiver made a wonderful seafood and pasta dish for herself and I ended up having to go upstairs and close the bedroom door because it was making me nauseous.

Saliva has vacated the building for the most part since about week 4 of treatment. I'm getting a little bit back but it's thick. The mucositis has eased up a lot and I'm grateful for that.

Hang in there! Make sure you hydrate as much as you can and get nutrition into you or you could end up in the hospital. Sleep when you can. If you can, get up and at walk around. Even if it's back and forth in the room. Any tiny bit of exercise is beneficial. I'm finally at the point of going shopping and walking around the market. It exhausts me but I know it's doing me good.

You should start to see and feel some minor improvements by the 2nd week out.

Positive thoughts and prayers

"T"