Debra,
It does get better. Just about the time that the thick mucous goes away and quits waking you up at night, the dry mouth begins waking you up. Actually I found the Yankauer suction machine very helpful. I did not use it to pull the stuff out of my throat, but to have someplace to discharge it other than into a tissue. I kept it by my easy chair during the day and bedside at night. It was amazing how much of that stuff I could discharge in a night.

Best of luck,
Danny G.