Hello all ...
I've just started coming to this forum a couple of days ago. I find I can't stop reading. This has been a wonderful resource for me, who will be caring for my sister in a couple of weeks as she begins her 2nd round of radiation and her first round of cysplatin chemo. She had 3/4 of her tongue removed and reconstructed, and some lymph nodes. She is stage II-III tongue cancer. My question is this ... she is herself not up to reading and posting as she is just out of the hospital from the surgery a week. Today she had her first success with getting some liquid vegetables down with water and much effort. It's hard for me to understand what she is saying, so I can't be specific. She seems to be very up, after a week of suicidal thoughts. Now the hard part ... she wants to know what everyone on the forum says about the upcoming treatment? She wants to hear about what to expect, yet I imagine her doctors have told her. I don't know how much or how little to tell her. I don't want to tell her all the horrible things I read and all the struggles that everyone is going through. Yet, I don't want her to be in the dark ???? I have not been with her yet, to meet the doctors etc., so I'm just not sure what is the best way to help her with her questions? I certainly don't want to upset her more than she already is, but just from my short time in researching her condition and treatment, I know this is going to be a tough road. Her first radiation was "brachy therapy," the radiation inserted in her natural tongue through rods inserted in her chin. Some of her original tongue was damaged, and she says her throat was sore. Her next radiation will not be that kind. When she asked me about the chemo, I told her, "well, we have to really be careful about your nutrition and that you are getting enough to sustain you through this time." I didn't know what else to say, but felt from her that she knew I wasn't telling her all that I knew. You all have been there yourselves, please help me know what to say to my sister. With kindest regards and many prayers ... Betty

Caregiver to Sister, Woodstock, VT - 3/4 tongue removed & reconstructed w/forearm 5/21/04, some in the lymph nodes, neck dissection, brachy radiation in the hospital and now going through 2nd round radiation and to add cysplatin chemo. Stage II-III.