Hi Everyone, I just want to say thanks for all your replies and for making this site function. The information here is invaluable to an oral cancer patient, and has really helped me through tx and recovery. I saw my ENT last week and he said that things looked very good. He said that there is a very good chance there was a complete response to the treatment and that surgery might not be needed. Of course we won�t know for sure until after the PET scan in March. I will be seeing my RO this coming Monday and I don�t see any reason why he won�t release me for work. I�m not 100% but I do think I�m well enough to do my job. I need a job, and I need benefits so I guess I just have to man up and do it. The nausea is completely gone, and the dry mouth is here. I also had my PEG tube removed. I�m still not eating because it�s just too much trouble. I have to take small bites because it�s too dry to swallow and everything tastes like crap, it�s so much easier just to drink 2 can of Ensure, 3 times a day. It�s only been 4 weeks post tx so I hope in time my appetite and taste will get better. Overall, I�m very grateful for the progress I�ve made. Thanks again for all the help available here at OCF

Its always great to hear a member has successfully completed their treatments and is doing well with their recovery. In time you will begin to have more good days than bad. At one month post rads, you still have lots of healing to do. Keep up your good nutrition and try to have a high protein diet to help speed your healing.

Best wishes with your continued recovery

Hi, Mike
glad to hear you are doing so well! If you don't already have one, get yourself a blender. You can start experimenting with your own protein shakes - they won't taste great for a while, but you can probably find a recipe that tastes less bad than the canned variety.
Best wishes,
Maria

That's a good idea Maria, do you know where I can find some recipes for protein shakes?

You are so right Christine that I still have a lot of healing to do. I am hoping to go back to work soon, not because I feel so great, but mainly because I need the job and the benefits. The only choice I have is to push through this. I still have my ups and downs through the day, and I'm really hoping that I can push through them.

As a day goes by its one day closer to being well. I forced myself to return to my office job part time after only 7 weeks post rads. The first 2 weeks were horrible as I was so weak. I would come home and take a 4 hour nap.

Returning to work is not just about money and benefits. You must regain your strength before you rush it. Try doing some short walks to regain some endurance. Even a little exercise will help build you up. Walking around the block and then in a couple days making it 2 or 3 blocks will help. Alot of this also depends on what type of work you do. If you have an office job that would be much easier than someone who does physical work. But jobs which require lots of concentration and memory may also be a bit of a challenge at first. If you are able to return part time at the start that would make it much easier for you to adapt to working again.

Good luck!!!

Hi!! there's a site run by a cancer survivor and member of this board. They charge a monthly fee, PM me for details if you are interested. There are two parts to it one is general nutrition and weight loss, but the other is for people who are tube feeders and cancer survivors, or those in treatment. It has all sorts of recipes, and for those of us who like to make our own smoothies etc... and it's free to us.

Often I use a two different vegan proteins and blend them with fresh fruit and almond milk for my breakfast and protein boost for the day (yum) but I'm now almost two years post op and 21 mos post treatment so I can eat most foods so the evenings I eat pretty much what I want.

You'll get there too.

congrats!

Unfortunately my job is going to be much more physical than office work, and I�m going to have to go back full time with no restrictions. I really have no choice, if I don�t get back to work soon I will lose the job completely. I cant imagine what it would be like trying to find a job at my age, in this economy, and with the condition I have, not to mention not having benefits to pay for all the medical expenses I will no doubt have in the future. I don�t know what I would do. I figure if my doctor releases me without restrictions, and the company doctor ok�s my return without restrictions I have to give it a shot and hope for the best. I just hope this doesn�t tax my body in any way that would hinder my recovery or cause more damage. I think getting my doctors approval, and then passing a physical is going to be a lot easier than actually working an 8 to 10 hour day. I�m hoping that I can make it through the day and crash when I get home, doing nothing else but regaining strength for the next day. I have been out and about and sometimes I feel very good, but than at other times I feel weak. Its up and down throughout the day. Its hard to figure, sometimes I feel good to go back, and other times I question whether I can do it. Believe me, I�ve been doing a lot of praying about this.

Hum, let's see. When exactly did your treatment end? Are you about a month out? I went back and checked my e-mails I sent for my husbands updates, and they note an increase in stamina at about 6-7 weeks out.

One of our member's husbands also went back to a very physical job - on the slopes of Alaska!!! - very early. She posts as KP5, and I think has responded to your thread. If you look at her early posts, I think you will find them inspiring and full of great advise. The following link is was one she wrote 7 weeks post TX - as you can see, there are ups and downs, but the long shifts in Alaska were managable for him.

7 Weeks Post TX for One Tough Dude

Thanks Maria, As always the information on this site is invaluable to a cancer pateint.