Hey Michael --

You (and Barry) are now on the out-bound course -- keep on keeping on!! It's only two weeks and 2 days left for Barry (would have been 2 weeks and one day but the machine was down one day) and he's doing pretty well. He is still eating and drinking by mouth and his weight is still above when he was first diagnosed (but he has lost a lot of the "excess" put on before treatment, at least 1/3 of that the first week after the PEG was inserted due to nausea and bloating -- until he got the Reglan). His throat is pretty sore, worse when he eats as he is battling a thrush infection that comes and goes -- but no actual mouth sores, just very irritated on soft palate and around uvula (and probably back of tongue which is getting a lot of rads). He takes pain killers before eating, which works. The doc wants him to eat and drink at least some as long as he can to avoid swallowing problems later, tho they have set up an app't with swallowing therapist for week after next (routine for all HNC patients). Our RO gets on the cases of folks who don't keep swallowing, so maybe you should keep on eating those Kitkats and other "healthy" treats! Barry eats 5 small meals of about 350-400 calories each which is easier for him -- he gets full more quickly than before and we wonder if the "balloon" on the PEG is causing that or whether it's a result of the meds he's taking. He doesn't have too much mucous, takes the guaifenesen syrup too and uses a humidifier at night which really helps. Also sleeps with 3 pillows. Lots of salt/soda rinses and GelClair, also uses a probiotic for thrush as well as his prescription meds.

Re dogs -- yes, I was at Westminster with an entry -- did this for some years and finally, it got to be too much of a hassle. Last year I went with a friend and her dog (stayed at Hotel PA) and I recalled why I stopped showing there! Quite an experience, though -- once I was sitting with my dog on the "bench" (the little stalls each dog is in) and I heard someone say "Oh, nice dog!" and I looked up and it was Cary Grant!!

As to the tinnitus, I think it often resolves over time but we were told by our MO that the cisplatin hearing losses can be permanent (why Barry declined that drug). You should ask the audiologist. I have some tinnitus and there appears to be little that can be done though my ENT says some drugs and biofeedback have shown positive results -- varies by person.

Don't know about WBC -- Barry's is fine so far but platelets are dropping -- so far OK but if they go below 100K they won't give him chemo.

When you get through you guys ought to come down here for a party -- we will have Yoo Hoos for you!

Cheers, Gail and Barry