Welcome to OCF, Genau! Im very sorry to read about your recent diagnosis of oral cancer (OC). Your post took me back to when I was first diagnosed and was worried about missing days off from my job and my teenaged children. I knew absolutely nothing about OC! I was trying to control something that I had no control over. Boy of boy, did I have a ton to learn!
One thing you will pick up from our site is that every patient is different and will respond to things in their own unique way. This goes for medical procedures, medications, recoveries, and anything/everything else relating to someones medical condition. You are correct in estimating patients have a hard time after about the first 2-3 weeks and then recovery which can be a tediously slow phase with ups and downs plus some setbacks thrown in as well. There are the lucky few who sail right thru rads with barely any noticeable problems. Its about 10% of patients who will get thru treatments without any major issues. The lucky 10% arent any special population segment, being active and in shape doesnt change who gets thru things easier than others. Over my years of being on the forum and speaking to so many patients from all over the world, Ive noticed the better patients do with their intake, the easier treatments will be for them. Taking in at the very least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water every single day may sound like alot but it really isnt when considering how your body is working OT fighting the cancer and trying to rebuild itself which burns up calories at a much faster pace.
Even if you do great with your intake, unfortunately you still may be one of the patients who struggle almost from the very first day of rads. Unfortunately, this is something nobody can predict. It all goes back to the "everybodys different" slogan. Even if you take several people who are the same age, sex, live in the same general area, have the same type of job, marital status, tumor location, size/stage of the tumor, are in general overall good health, etc... these patients are still individuals who will respond to things in their own unique manner. What works for one may not work for another patient even if on paper they appear to have the exact same characteristics.
From what I know of Hope Lodge, they have locations near all the top comprehensive cancer centers (CCC). Im sorry but I do not know Hope Lodges exact locations but they can easily be found online. When staying there, patients must have a caregiver there too.
Please use great care if you are planning on going against doctors recommendations with your treatment plan. I suggest getting a second or even third opinion before considering any changes. Treatment plans are created from detailed flow charts from years and years of previous OC patients. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has this info available on their website. Oncology doctors have many years of education, clinical patient experience and residency behind them plus they go by tried and true treatment methods to hopefully eliminate the cancer completely the first time so patients wont need to get treated again. I know all too well how OC doesnt fit into anyones current lifestyle. Unfortunately no matter what the patient wants, its still cancer and is a potentially deadly disease that must be eliminated.
NCCN site
