HI there... sorry you have to be here... but it's a great resource.

;o) Everything said above is correct and good advice.

Drs tend to have tunnel vision. This is what I do... surgeon - cut, radiation oncologist - cook, medical oncologist - poison. They will inform you about their area of expertise (if asked) but beyond that you are on your own. I sometimes wish the drs who treat this cancer actually had the experience of going through it so they would realize there is more to the dx, and rx than just their area of expertise.

This is one of the reason being treated at a good CCC can be so useful. They often have a protocol for dealing with cancers. For example. I had surgery. Then follow up. Was told I needed radiation and chemo. In the interim my hospital set me up with a hearing test (I was getting cisplatin so they wanted to make sure my hearing was ok) a dentist appointment at their in house dental oncology clinic ( where they examined my teeth, and mouth and then did my trays) set me up with a dietician (so we could prep my diet and she told me what to avoid food wise - ie: antioxidants etc..) They arranged for my PEG, and gave me samples of liquid nutrition to try out. They have an in house radiation nursing clinic for any problems I might encounter. They also have a radiation education program for first timers that tells you what to expect.. and a pharmacy where they are well versed on all cancer meds. They also assigned a nurse practitioner to me as a go to person if I had a problem. Plus a hope lodge if I needed to stay in from out of town. It was one shop stopping. They also worked to coordinate my schedule so that rads and chemo and drs appointments lined up - though there could be a little more communication between rads and chemo with regards to appointment times.

I did have to ask for a referral for physio for my should from my neck dissection - but I was not seeking that in house.

with regards to chemo... some people sail through it... some people have a brutal time. I was fine - my friend who had Base of tongue cancer puked his guts out from beginning to end. It was so bad he lost 50lbs and they were threatening to hold back his final chemo because of it. Everyone responds differently.

hugs and he will be okay... this treatment sucks. But it is doable.