Barbara,

You'll probably get a range of views on this. I went with the "common sense" approach -- plenty of handwashing, trying to avoid sick people, etc., but was definitely not willing to become a hermit. For me, the really bad effects of radiation didn't kick in until around weeks 3-4, so I remember playing a few rounds of golf with friends in the first couple of weeks, before I felt too run down and in pain. I was also able to keep working, at least part time, all the way through radiation (it was something I was determined to do, partly as a way of trying to take my mind off of treatment). However, for much of that time I was able to stay in my office, frequently with the door closed, so I had minimal exposure to workplace germs during the day.

At some point by the middle or latter stages of radiation, your husband will probably find that he doesn't want to be social -- it requires a level of energy that many (most?) people don't have after 15 or so treatments. I was 39 and otherwise in great health when I went through it, and I was initially skeptical of all the warnings I received about the debilitating effects of radiation -- but I learned. Since many social events involve food, it can become increasingly unpleasant for a radiation patient who is having problems chewing and swallowing (not to mention temporarily destroyed taste buds) to try to deal with those situations.

Cathy