Jennie,
I can't sugar coat this for you - yes it will get better for a little while as recovery from surgery is fairly quick (unless there are infections and other complications). Just about the time he he feeling a little better then they will slam him with the radiation and chemo part of the treatment and that is far worse than the surgery part. He'll have a few weeks before the radiation effects set in then the real nightmare will begin.

Surgical recovery - about 3 weeks.

Radiation and chemo recovery - about 6 months.

I would keep the visitors to a minimum and DEMAND better pain mamagement - it is a PATIENT RIGHT! He should be getting oxycontin, demerol or morphine at this stage. Probably a drip that he can self administer as needed with a push button (PCA). The pain scale is 0-10 with 10 being totally unbearable - use those terms with the nurses and doctors they understand that.

see:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/paincontrol/page2

See page 9 in the link below

http://www.cancer.org/downloads/CRI/NCCN_pain.pdf

Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)