Connie, even though your husbands first appointment with his medical team is at the 4 week post rads point, the team is still there 24/7 if there are any issues that come up. Dont hesitate to call for any changes you notice. His recent behavior should be passed along to his medical team. It could be the sign of some other ailment or medicine reaction?
At the very least by calling this in, you would be able to know what is normal and what else to watch for or if this would be necessary for his team to check on. I always err on the side of caution, if for no other reason than to ease your mind and know he really is ok and not a danger to himself or others. Most patients will have ups and downs (especially the first month post rads) and setbacks during their recovery. Almost every patient gets frustrated at the pace of their recovery. Patients can never get well as fast as they think they should. Unfortunately it takes 2 long years to be completely recovered! If your husband has not yet seen anyone to talk about his cancer to he really should so he can get some help in coming to terms with everything he has been thru. From what you've said, this probably will not happen but its worth a shot. If someone from his medical team recommends it, maybe he would cooperate? As far as the recovery phase goes, my doc explained to me its one month of recovery for every week of rads, but then it still takes more time for patients to regain their full sense of taste and saliva function. The sense of taste and saliva (excessive dry mouth) are what takes the longest to bounce back, patients report noticing improvements with them even around their 2 year post rads mark. During recovery its easy to lose track of time as most patients are so fatigued they sleep most of the day, especially the first month post rads. On a daily basis its not easy to know what day it is or if its night or day without looking outside.

Since your husbands behavior is so bizarre, I suggest calling his doc or even talking with his nurses. Do you know if your husband is on the fentanyl patch? If you dont know what meds hes taking, check with his medical team. My concern is he is not taking his medications as they are intended to be taken. Patients who are "out of it" should NOT be in charge of taking their own medicines without someone overseeing this. You should probably count his meds (if they're in pill form) first thing in the morning and check back at the end of the day to see what hes taking. For liquids, every morning pay attention to how much is in the bottle then check it at the end of the day to see what he is taking. Im sure your husband will NOT be happy being watched but for his own safety someone needs to monitor his meds. Maybe his meds should be visible like sitting out on the kitchen counter so he takes them in front of you or others in the household. Back when I was going thru rads and recovery, I made a little chart and wrote in the time I took what medication so Id know when it was ok to take another dose. I also kept a list of the time and date I changed the fentanyl patch. Previously I mentioned about following every single direction for the patch, patients who arent careful can easily (and innocently) create a very serious problem by the patch releasing too much medication which could cause an overdose. Even something as simple as putting the patch in a different place every time its changed could be a potential problem for the patient.

Please let us know how you make out with this!!! We all care and are concerned about both you and your husband.


@KristenS... Sorry that I am such a nag about intake!!! It really is THAT important. I nag because I hate seeing anyone struggle thru their treatments when its within their control to change the path they're on simply by increasing their daily calories, taking in more water, or by getting a couple bags of extra fluids every few days. I suffered far more than I should have and it hurts my heart seeing anyone else follow that same path. Almost all OC patients struggle to take in the recommended daily minimums. Most of us are lucky to hit even 1500 calories a day. BUT!!!! Those patients who can come close or exceed the minimums are the ones who have an easier time of things. During rads its not only the no appetite that impacts patients intake... everything tastes horrible. For me everything I ate or drank tasted like it was burnt, even water! My throat was so sore and I had mouth sores which hurt so bad, even talking was agony. I have no doubt every single one of us patients puts a significant effort into trying to eat and drink. Patients with feeding tubes struggle just as much as those who dont have one. Usually the nausea and difficulty tolerating the different formulas is a relatively easy fix. Slowing down the intake speed and/or watering down the formula is what works for almost every patient. Other patients will need to try out a few different formulas before they find the right fit.