I will be thinking of you. Appears you have a road ahead of you. 2 Rad tx tomorrow and week 1 complete. Today I fought back after a tough day yesterday. Was able to work 7 hours. Chemo and rad days take it out of you.

One foot in front of the other. Eyes ahead. Don't stop till you're on the other side of the valley! Or better yet...Kick cancer's A$$!

Be realistic too. There are only so many productive hours in a day. I forgot how much of a real day is consumed with chemo and radiation treatments. There were some days it was 6 hours just to get through these basic treatments due to holiday schedules then backups in the labs, etc. Hardly realistic to think you gonna get a 7 hour work day piled in there too, go easy on yourself. Rest is the best medicine your body can use right now. don

Thank you for the encouragement, caution and advice. Just to clarify Tuesday is my chemo rad day. So Wednesday after rad I was spent and slept the day away. Yesterday was rad and then I worked after that. Just closing out some projects and final delegations. I only expect to work 2 maybe 3 afternoons next week and then take my leave of absence.

The other factor is risk of infection due to a compromised immune system from treatment, commuting to work in public transportation, if so, working around other people at work that may be ill, but most of us go to treatment everyday at the hospital anyway, which has their own risks too. Just something to consider. Pre-cancer, I lived in Manhattan, walked to work, had no flu, cold etc. for years, then I moved to the suburbs, traveled by crowded bus, and got sick more often lol, go figure. Good luck.

Because he is in the Cetuximab group, James is less likely to be immuno-compromised than someone in the platinum-based arm.

Right Maria, but one can be immune compromised even before treatment due to the body fighting cancer, other medical cinditions. Radiation effects the white blood cells too, even RBC.

Erbitux is not without side effects either, which some weakens the immune system:

Rash, generalized weakness, malaise, fever, low magnesium levels. Less common nausea, vomiting, distress, constipation, poor appetite, headache, abdominal pain, nail or toenail disorder, mouth sores, seelling, difficulty sleeping, itching, low red blood cell count (anemia), infections, Others as well.

I forget my CBC, but needesd a blood transusion due to low hemaglobin, RBC. Raised creatine, which measure the kidney function. Any of the infection can become systemic.

http://www.erbitux.com/main.aspx

Understood and appreciated. On the brighter side week 1 is complete. 5 more weeks for Rad and 6 more for chemo.

Had a great weekend and started week 2 of TX today. Just rad and now my throat is a challenge. Could not eat all of my dinner and switched to rice only. Minor irritation from that. Monday and first punch is thrown. Dawned on me that no day/week will be the same for awhile. Did manage diversion by working a few hours though.

If you can still swallow suck up the calories via protein shake... good luck with the rest of treatment