David,

I agree that he needs a lot of these every day. He is also eating everything my mom puts in front of him. What makes it so difficult to get so many in him a day is that they leave home at 9 in the morning and drive for just over an hour for his treatment. It's about 1 before they get back home. (On chemo days - Tuesday - they aren't home until 5 or later) Between the radiation and chemo is energy is zapped. He eats then goes to bed and it's a struggle to get him out of bed at 6:30. In order for him to eat/drink he has to put his obturator in and once he finishes eating he needs to remove it and wash it off. He's doing everything we are asking of him and even taking some initiative to do it on his own. He hasn't given up, he's still fighting. As far as the water is concerned, he has a bottle with him at all times as his salivary function is basically nil at this point.

Because of the radiation his mouth is shrinking and therefore the obturator isn't fitting as snugly as it should. Food/drink go under it and back out his nose. But he keeps plugging along. This man is truly amazing, and I don't just say that because he's my dad. He's never asked how long he has or what is going to happen if they can't kill the cancer he has now, he just focuses on today and what he needs to do. He doesn't question why he has to do certain things, he just does them. He makes being the caretaker easy.

Weekends are easier because they don't have anywhere to go. I'm sure mom will be pushing 4 today and tomorrow smile

Thanks for the suggestions!

Joy

CG to Father, 75 yo with SCC of the mouth; upper maxillectomy and neck diss. performed on 5/23/07. Father also suffered heart attack during surgery and now has CHF. RT complete on 8/28/07. Cancer back 11/27/07. RT and Chemo to start on 12/17. Cancer back 6/17/08. Finally at rest 08/08/08.