Thanks for the answer about the PEG Helen. That was helpful.

My dentist said he thinks I need two more weeks for the gums and bone to heal before radiation starts, not one. Actually, I think the rad. oncologist was thinking rad woud start the end of next week--so that's one and 1/2 weeks, making it two only adds half a week, gives me more time to get some things organized before then, and means the rbeast incision will almost definitely be healed enough to start with chemo on day 1 of radaition.

But I'm worried about delay because the whole thing with getting an initial opinion that I didn't need rad. and then also having the lumpectomy/ surgery to get clean margins in there added some time anyway. I seem to recall reading here somewhere about research on how much time is OK between surgery and beginning of rad. treatment--anyone know about it?

Still, I guess there's nothing I can do anyway at this point. Radiation before the gums and bone have healed from the dental surgery sounds like it would be bad news too.

Oh, and I rememebred my other big question. I'm going to be having Amifostine injections and I know I remember somewhere here postings about how Amifostine was hard to take. Why is that? Nausea? My medical oncologist mentioned some people have an allergic reaction to it--what sort of allergic reaction?