well, here I am whining , um, venting again.

I am my sixth week of radiation.After my treatment today I'll have 6 more treatments left. That will take me to Friday next week, since we get Monday off because it's Memorial Day, then I'll be done with rad.

My radiation oncologist told me that this week and next week would seem easier, like it's the downhill part of things where I can see the end in sight. But it doesn't seem like that to me. First, I've been fihgting nausea and vomiting from phlegm which had gotten MUCH worse this past week and I know it won't get better untl 2-3 weeks after treatment, right? So we're talking four more weeks of this. It seems like too much.

Second, I'm having worse mucositis--a more painful mouth and my throat is painful. It's hard to swallow water without puking because of the phelgm so maybe that's why my throat is sore but I'm also worried I have thrush. I went to an appt with my ENT yesterday who said he thought I did have thrush, when I asked, but seemed unconcerned. He said I have this Magic Mouthwash, which has nystatin in it, and that should take care of it. But from what I've read on this website, I wonder if I should be given something else, especially since my white blood cell counts are low and heading lower from the last chemo.

Anyway, I intend to ask teh chemo nurses and the medcial oncologists office today and I also have my weekly appointment with the rad. oncologist so I'll ask him (but he always passes the buck to the medical oncologist anyway). But asking is getting harder because aso I can barely speak lately.

Then also my ENT said it would take 6-9 months to recover from all this. I know I've heard people here say the same but he seemed to be saying that even the mucositis might last that long. Ealier, he has said 2-3 months! That really discouraged me. I am still hoping to go back to work part time in August, and I still willhave to have rad. for my breast starting aournd then. I as hoping I'd feel MOSTLY better by then.

when can I hope for some signs of recovery? Is it reasonable to expect that in five weeks, which will be over 3 weeks past the end of rad, I'll feel better and not have the phlegm? Is it reasonable to think in 7 weeks I will be able to eat soft foods and not have to rely on my tube? I need soemthing to look forward to, even if it's over a month away.