Dennis . . . I too had tonsillar cancer, radical neck dissection, 34 radiation treatments completed January 4, 2008. I continue to heal as you will. I am very surprised your doctor did not recommend G tube or did he? I could not have gotten through treatments without it - I still lost around 20 lbs. and am slowly making some gains now that it is out and eating again ( not like the old days but making progress ). I also had a morphine patch for pain during last 4 weeks of radiation treatments. Never really knew it was there but I do believe it too the edge off. I spent many a night swishing magic mouth wash and putting hydrocodine down the tube. As Nelie says, everyone is different in how they react to pain, etc. but ask your doctor about the patch. They started me on 25mg and gradually increased to 100 and then backed it down same way when I was through with treatments. No withdrawal, etc.

When you done with radiation, friends and family all think you are well. Not so, you are so thankful to be done wiht that but it like a gas tank. You're now full of radiation which takes time to burn its way out of your system. Good luck on all fronts!