Sorry it took so long to post back but it has been a full week of ups and downs. We went to see the radiation onc before his scheduled treatment on Monday and he decided to postpone his last 4 treatments for a week. That was a great relief and a pick up to his spirits. So much so that he ate a bowl of ice cream and drank an ensure Monday night. Tuesday came and he was feeling pretty worn out but optimistic. That night he started running a temp and at 4 am Wed morning, it was up to 103.2. I called the doctor on call and was told to take 2 aspirin and call in the morning. We visited the med onc on Wed and Lew had GAINED 2 lbs but was still feverish. We were sent over to the cancer center so he could receive his daily fluids and had 3 antibiotics administered as well as blood cultures drawn. When we left the hospital Wed., he had no fever. The fever returns each night and edges up as the night goes on. Then after he receives his antibiotics (3 days worth so far) it recedes. Right now its a little over 102. And of course, he has quit eating again because the ulcers in his mouth seem to get worse daily. Can somebody please tell me what the yellowish stuff that seems to just ooze from the corners of his mouth is??? He has also developed radiation burns starting under his nose and continues to his chest. Weeping oozing sloughing of the skin type burns. He doesnt sleep at night because he becomes so swollen and takes 2 or 3 hours to get cleaned up enough to go out in public for his treatments. The only sleep he is getting is while he is at the hospital getting his fluids. Everything I say or do is wrong and is nit picked to death so I invited 2 of his buddies over tonight and await their arrival. Hopefully hearing from someone else will help.

Sophie, to answer your question....yes he did receive 2 cycles of taxotere, cisplatin, and 5fu that dripped for 4 days. Then he started weekly chemos of Erbitux, Taxol, and Carboplatin along with radiation.

Thank you everyone for your posts. You can view pics of Lew from diagnosis to his current condition on his webpage http://asilentepidemic.webs.com/apps/photos/


Traci
*******
Spouse to Lew (59)(5 family members DX)
SCC IVA/T1N2M0 BOT DX 9/08 /Tonsillectomy(cl)/ TX 12/08 (TPF)x2 /RT x35 w 7 wkly (Taxol, Carboplatin, Erbitux) Finish 4/09 / Port /no peg lost 105lbs/ 2/10 CT clear/HBOT x30/all teeth out and implants placed
www.asilentepidemic.webs.com