Oh Heather and Seth -- I do not know what to say -- continue to be strong for Michael, yes, but I think you also need to sit down with his medical oncologist and discuss a Plan B if he gets too sick -- is this a reaction to the cisplatin? (I have heard of a couple of similar situations with cisplatin -- (one recently elsewhere on this forum) -- a birdwatching friend in Australia is also going through a rough time with HNC chemoradiation using cisplatin and we just heard that they had to put him in the hospital on IV for a number of days as he was so constantly sick.

Encourage Michael to try the acupuncture again -- he might have to do it 2x a week for a while -- I asked our medical oncologist and she said that they have had good luck with it in cases of nausea or pain not responding to the conventional drugs.

We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers,

Gail and Barry

Barry: Dx: 6/21 Stage IV right tonsil, base of tongue, HPV-16+, in 4th week of chemoradiation (tomo-IMRT and carboplatin)

CG to husband Barry, dx. 7/21/05, age 66, SCC rgt. tonsil, BOT, 2 nodes (stg. IV), HPV+, tonsillectomy, 7x carboplatin, 35x tomoTherapy IMRT w/ Ethyol @ Johns Hopkins, thru treatment 9/28/05, HPV vaccine trial 12/06-present. Looking good!