Colleen,

For me, the worst part was the Cisplatin in my first round of treatments. It kept me so nauseated that I could only keep down one bottle of ensure plus (350 cal) for 90 days. As a result of that, I lost 38 lbs of mostly muscle, so I know just how he feels.

Encourage him to start planning his physical recovery and his recovery of those lost pounds. Encourage him to engage in as much physical activity as he can stand, and to start as early as the Doctor says he can.

Physical activity, especially strenuous activity, raises the metabolism, and that significantly decreases the side effects of chemo and helps the system excrete it as quickly as possible. If, as you say, he's used to athletic exercise, he should then recover more quickly. Even if it's just walking, have him start as quickly as the Doctor will let him.

Best of luck to you both,

Bart