Yep, they got me into radiation as soon as they could after my surgery because I healed up fast (4 weeks). I'm holding up okay. This past week (wk 6) the skin on my neck started to get splotchy and Thursday it started peeling. Also, the mouth ulcers kicked in this week - I have six that I can count and one of them is the whole side of my tongue. So I'm not eating by mouth anymore (I had been up until last week, and I was also doing some feeding via the peg tube - my husband was very concerned about me losing weight), just drinking tea and water. My taste is still really good. I can taste everything except sweets. Up until now my doctor's were all so amazed at how few side effects I was having. I have a lot of mucus and take Robitussin to keep from gagging on the stuff I cough/ hack up! It doesn't keep me up at night but it takes everything I have to keep from throwing up when I wake up because the mucus gets stuck in my throat. I was originally scheduled for 32 treatments but this week we added one more just as a precautionary so I will have 33. I haven't lost any weight and it's making my mask tighter and tighter every time I get in it for treatment! But I guess it's better than the alternative! My last day of chemo is tomorrow!! Yippee!! How are you holding up???


Stephanie, 23, SCC on the right side of my tongue, surgery on 5-19-08, over half my tongue removed, free flap constructed from my forearm, bilateral neck dissection, one positive node. Radiation (32) and chemo (carboplatin) started on 6-16-08. Recurrence 4/09 in lungs.

**** Stephanie passed away 12.15.09.... RIP our dear friend****