I'm trying to figure out my work schedule need a reality check. I know everyone is different, but this is all new to me....I have not been to a medical oncologist yet, so I'm not sure about chemo. If I don't get chemo my treatment will be 5 weeks of radiation focusing on the right tonsil area and all draining lymph using IMRT. There would be 25 treatments. Then I would receive 2 weeks of radiation focused on the tonsil. 35 treatments total during 7 weeks. (T1N0M0, poorly differentiated SCC)
Right now I'm working part-time from home because I have been going to so many appointments and needed to make so many phone calls. I expected to work part-time during my treatment, which starts 2/20. I can do some work from home, but if I go to the office, that work requires a lot of talking. Will I be able to talk? I'm thinking it's not a good idea to be around germs. I can't imagine having a cough or cold during radiation. I have heard some people feel okay until their 3rd or 4th week of radiation. Then what? Is it reasonable for planning purposes to think I'm out 100% from week 4 until 3 weeks post-radiation? My employer is rescheduling a project based on my availability so I am trying to estimate. Of course I'm going to put my health first and I have no pressure from work to return sooner than I should (thank goodness). I just want to have a tentative plan and I wasn't sure if my talking might be limited.


SCC, right tonsil, T1N0MO, G3, HPV-33 positive, 7 wks IMRT 2/21/07-4/13/07, 48 year old female when diagnosed, non-smoker, weekend wine drinker, tumor and both tonsils removed. Ethyol for 3 weeks; no peg; only minimal longterm side effects