Hello everyone!

The end is in sight! I have 5 more radiation treatments and one more chemo this week. The end is so close but it's been a rough time getting here. I've got sores in my mouth, my throat is sore, my mouth is full of thick mucous that makes me gag at times, taste buds are all gone and I've been exclusively using the feeding tube. I miss food so much! I lost about 10 pounds after the last round of chemo but haven't lost any more.

I'm worried because I hear that the week or two after treatment ends are just as difficult. When will I start feeling well? When will taste come back? How long until I'll be able to eat again and get this dumb tube out?

Doctors say I could certainly be worse off at this point but my spirits are sinking Also, as the end of treatment approaches, I find myself really worried about just going back to the nitty gritty everyday mundane like nothing ever happened. I thought I'd be stronger on the other side of it but I'm even more afraid, especially of waiting to find out if all the treatment was successful. I guess I'm just hoping for a little encouragement to get me through this last week.

Thank you all for your kind words and useful tips. This forum has been wonderful to connect with others who have been in my shoes.