How great that your Dad is in such good spirits! And that he has such a nice supportive family! If the iPhone is what helped him to be in such a positive mood, maybe all survivors here should get a prescription from the doctor for an iPhone as part of the treatment plan! I'm for that!! Whatever helps, I say.

iphone has been a huge distraction for him ; ) i can now text him med reminders, he checks real time traffic when we travel, watches his stocks go down, chats with people during chemo, music during rads...we created a monster but a good one.

week two is now behind us, he's losing his taste but his tumor is getting smaller--he checks it <eye roll> too bad there isnt an app for that. says that water tastes like oil. holding his weight and still no peg. he is handling the cisplatin much better than his first week, neurontin and oxy are staying off pain. attitude much better than when we first started.

So glad your Dad continues to do well and that the iPhone is helping. Maybe he could use his iPhone to list what different things taste like and from which part of the tongue the taste comes from. He could use the "Notes" app. I was always amazed at all the different tastes that popped up when my son was experiencing Rad Tx. Does he play Scrabble? There an app for that and the iPhone version comes with a little Smiley face that tells you if you played a really good word or if not, it will tell you what you should have played. Your Dad sounds like a fighter! And that is so encouraging for you, too!

thanks anne marie. as he completes his 3rd week his taste is pretty much shot. he still has sweet taste but everything else is gone.

but here's the pluses and i so hope this helps others: his swallowing and ear shooting pain is gone. he gained 4 lbs since starting treatment. he is pumping carnation hc in addition to light weights and soft foods. he is taking all his meds now regularly without fighting us, and i truly believe the neurontin and oxy up front is keeping things in check for him. he's doing water even tho it tastes like 'oil' and he was never a water guy. he is tired, fluctuates between constipation and the opposite, and he dev'd thrush, but all this is under control.

and today : )...his Rad and pain docs felt his lymph area where his nodes where swollen, and both said they are clear. his pain doc checked 2 x to make sure she wasnt imagining it. they'll scope him in two weeks but his tumor is shrinking (he checks it with a dental mirror lol!) and everyone is optimistic. he polished off a milkshake afterwards celebrating with grandkids.

promising and scary times. so happy he went with a ccc, that it was option, so worth the sacrifices.

It's great that your Dad has gained weight - it will certainly be a plus should the Rad Tx effects start to really make things difficult. The worst time for my son was right at the end of Tx and a couple of weeks afterwards. So if your Dad can be prepared for this eventuality, it will be a little easier to get through it. You and he have had such good news so far with his health and how he is handling everything. Plus - his new iPhone! Yay! (I just got an Apple wireless keyboard to go with mine and loving it!) Keep up with the great updates!