Hi Jim,
I have been through alot from cancer in the past 4 1/2 years. Surgeries, radiation, all of it. You know from reading my posts that I'm pretty tough, can deal with alot and get through alot. So listen to me babe when I tell you that radiation took the wind out of my sails for a period of time and I had to adjust my thinking. I had my daughter drive me, although I do admit I could have driven myself, but I didn't. I didn't start any pain meds until about the third week and the only pain med I used was vicodin BUT that is a medication that shouldn't be used when driving. I had a feeding tube that I used from the third week for all of my nutrition although I did drink water all day long. I also used the mouth rinse, the one that contains lidocaine and some other things that help soothe the mouth. I didn't have IMRT, I had the old fashioned kind of radiation that is brutal. I lost my voice for about a week at the end, hit a time of depression when treatment was over, but I got through it. I stopped pain meds the last day of treatment although I could have used it for a few more weeks. Don't make it harder on yourself, take it from a friend.
Love,
Minnie