thanks Dana. Sounds like it's going to be a truly trying time. It's hard already and I expect it will get harder before getting easier as you've said. We will hang in there. I just expected the mucous to start after radiation had begun, not before. So my well planned things to expect list went out the window and I panicked. Just wondering also, does the pain from the tumour reduce as radiation progresses or does he have to deal with that pain as well as the side effects? Thanks again for your help.