Hi Liz,

I only had a single tumor in the tongue with cells spreading to one lymph node on the same side of the neck. I had radiation on both sides of the mouth/neck and from the front.

Like David has posted, everyone tends to react differently. However, I can tell you that nutrition is the single most important thing you can do to help your husband right now. You really want to try and avoid getting a PEG (feeding) tube if he can avoid it to prevent a longer recover period. Without nutrition he is going to get tired quickly from the radiation process and also run the risk of having to stop the treatments and start over again. With nutrition, it allows the body to heal a bit between each session.

As for his skin, think of it as a really bad sunburn -- the worst he will have in his life. Aloe based creams help with the burn. Vitamin E creams help with the healing and scars. The best is actually breaking open Vitamin E pills and rub the liquid from the pills on the area of skin.

You may have read some of the posts about the magic mouthwash. Ask your doctor about it. It mixes several drugs together to relieve the pain inside the mouth to help your husband keep eating (back to nutrition -- am I making my point clear about nutrition?).

Working will be touch and go to be honest. It all depends on how much energy he has (which again partially depends on nutrition). Radiation really zaps you over time. I worked the first two weeks of treatment and took the next five off. It took a week or so after treatments stop to regain enough energy to go back to work. I am a software engineer and sit in front of a computer all day. My work is a lot less physical than a plumbers so you can imagine that he will not feel like working on some days.

You may also want to check with the caregivers group to see how to handle his moods, etc. They have been there. The survivors have not

Take care and tell him to fight hard.

Jim