Sorry to be so long in posting back to you all, but I have spent a lot of time sleeping because then I don't feel the pain. Yes we are finishing my last two treatments. I had one today and the last one will be on Friday. I agree that it is the best thing to do and was having one of those low moments when I wanted to quit. I try hard to stay tough, but I am by myself and sometimes I let all of this get the best of me even though I try so hard not to.

The doctor gave me a product called Dromboro and I have been putting gauze soaked in it on my neck every three hours for the past few days and following that with a cream called Biafine. The Dromboro is an astringent that is sold over the counter and states that it is used for things like poison ivy to dry it. It has dried up my neck and the relief from the burning was pretty close to immediate. The Biafine is making a yellow crust on my neck that the doctor says is my skin healing. I know that if I try to remove the yellow crust my skin bleeds so I don't do that. The doctor was very happy that my neck was now dry and seemed concerned that it was so wet on Monday. Does anyone know why? Everything that I read prior to radiation both times said that I wanted to keep the skin moist with the lotions that they gave me. Previously they had me using Aquaphor which is like Vaseline.

The good news is that it does feel better in some ways - it is not burning, but the stiffness in the skin is not too comfortable and I am trying to continue to excersise my neck and mouth so that they don't stay stiff. The best news is that I only have one more treatment to go. Thanks for letting me know that it will not get better right away so that I don't get my hopes up.

Pete how is the new PEG???