Between thrush, infections, weigh and muscle loss, inability to concentrate or focus, depression, PTSD and other issues I was pretty much disabled for about 2 years. Some here (although in the minority) drove themselves to treatment every day (I could not do that) and a few even continued to work - but that is even rarer.

My contingency plan was an equity line of credit on the house and it went in about 6 months. I also qualified for SSDI which helped. We came perilously close to bankruptcy, in fact my wife filed personal bankruptcy because her business was pretty much killed because of her having to caretake me.

You may have not as severe an experience but my thoughts are always to plan on the worst case scenario - the worst that could happen is that you are over prepared.

Realistically the worst time period for radiation/ct is about half way into treatment (2-3 weeks) and a month or 2 post Tx. The 2-3 week period AFTER Tx ends is when you will finally bottom out. The general rule is one MONTH of recovery for every WEEK of radiation. I was healthy and tried to fight it but it was the reality for me. And that amount of time is just enough to be marginally as effective as you were pre Tx.

As you mentioned germs are very dangerous post Tx because the immune system is trashed and many of us lost our voices for a time as well.