Hello to dear members and forum readers.

First of all, I actively visited OCF forum even I didn't post updates since post-surgery. Part of commitment, I am here with updates for respected members. I successfully completed radiation treatments on 4/28 with �expected and acceptable normal� seamlessly. Again, a BIG thank you to OCF�s extraordinary contribution for achieving such smoother treatment experience. In short, I completed treatments without any external feeding systems since swallow function remained intact throughout the journey.

No exception, side effects I witnessed are;

1. Mouth sores.
2. Weight loss due to inability to eat. Net weight loss is five lbs in six weeks.
3. Natural appetite was always remained intact, but due to sensitive mouth, was not able to eat properly.
4. Puffiness on neck surface due to treatment. It�s gone now.
5. Lot of throat secretions cough during weeks 4-6.
6. Doctor stopped using fluoride treatments until complete healing due to sensitive nerves in mouth which reacted horribly during week three.

7. Week 4 and 5 were worst among the all including current post treatment week in terms of two elements.

a. Inability to eat.
Even with the pureed food I had a hard time. Was able to feel salt presence in peanut butter (extreme burning sensation) and a very fine texture of two ingredients (peanut butter and protein powder) in a milk shake while swallowing. I just took those two off for three weeks and continued milkshake without those. I never had a swallow problem at all. Only thing was, due to sensitive skin surface, nerves reacted in an extreme burning sensation with these two ingredients which I managed by taking those two off for three weeks. However, I tried and ate variety of pureed and boiled food just to maintain body with variety of nutritional values among other things.
Most important, my taste remained intact throughout the treatment. Yes, there is a deviation in taste but was able to taste everything I ate and drink, more specifically, I was able to differentiate taste (I did blind taste experiment during week 5 and 6) of sugar, salt, tea, coffee (Dunkin Donuts vs Starbucks), mango juice, mashed potato with-without butter and few of the naked brand smoothies.
b. Throat secretions cough
I religiously maintained every hour (starting week four until today) exercise to have mouth and throat seasoned with salt and baking soda. This was an annoying part for two weeks (week 4 and 5). Learnt lessons within two days, when I woke up in the morning of fourth week full of cough jammed in throat. Took an hour to get normal feeling. I decided to have salt-baking soda gargle every 90 minutes through out the night after 11:00pm. I sat up alarm at regular intervals of 90 minutes at 12:30am, 2:00am, 3:30am, 5:00am. 5:00 am on wards, I started my day to get ready and drive to treatment center. This was an extreme easier way for me to control horrible accumulations of thick saliva and cough. Had never problem with sleep despite regular intervals of 90 minutes wake up calls. Was worth the judgment I made to achieve more normal feeling in throat.

8. Energy levels: I myself drove to treatment center for all 30 treatments every morning 7 AM without any one, just by myself. Drove 22 miles each way, with an average 20 minutes waiting before my call to treatment and 20 minutes waiting to get my car back after treatment. Meaning, I spent 2 hours 30 minutes on an average every day in total for the treatment round trip. I used to take salt-baking soda and a cup to treatment center to keep mouth clear off from thick saliva and cough.

Post treatments feeling;

1. I rang a bell on 4/28 9:00am.
2. Outlook has changed due to treatment, especially due to weight loss and skin scars from treatment, but it�s all temporary.
3. Healing is improving every day.
4. I am able to enjoy milkshake with everything now, peanut butter and protein powder for last three days now.
5. Today I experimented first semisolid food intake with rice-lentil soup and a half banana with sugar and butter. I ate everything I had in bowl.
6. Weight is now stable and I gained two lbs so far.
7. Throat secretions cough is now less than 20% than what it used to be about two weeks ago.
8. I cut down on meds I was prescribed to control pain, thrush, saliva and secretions. I just taking at nights now.

Please feel free to replay or PM if have any question. I always have and will keep checking posts. Will keep posted all on a regular intervals. Again, a BIG thank you to all.

Wonderful post! Your tenacity and focus throughout shows in the great results you experienced. You did all the things right, maybe too right :-) gargling every 90 minutes? You got more grit than most. Hang around and offer support to others who come along after you. You have a great story to share and uplift the folks.

Congrats on completing your treatments!!! Looks like you did very well only losing 5 pounds during your 6 weeks of treatments. Continue taking in extra calories to help promote healing. A full recovery can take up to 2 years so hang in there. Slow and steady will win the race.

Best wishes with your continued recovery!!!

What an incredible story! Glad it went so well for the most part. You were definitely on it, neversmoke. Great job on your part. Congratulations.

Congratulations! Thank you for the summary, which I'm sure will help others through this journey.

A BIG thank you to all of you (Christine, Uptown, Donfoo and PaulB) for your motivational support and blesses. Definitely, I'll take care of myself and will maintain patience since it's a long way to go. One day at a time. Learning was immense during part two treatment compared to part one treatment. But ultimately, I am happy to hit the finish-line I drew back in November.

You're welcome! Always here to help anytime you need it.

Ankur - you are amazing. Fantastic job through a grueling time, and the relatively small weight loss is especially impressive (I lost something like 30 pounds and know many people have lost more). Must admit I identified with the driving onesself to treatment part as I did the same thing, about the same amount of time each day as well. Good for you.

Continued healing and improvement. You're a hero.

Congrats on completing the Radiation treatments . I am a new member to the forum. My mother has stage 4 Oral Cancer. Surgery was a success in removing the Tumor in the lower right bottom jaw. My mother is now in her 3rd week of radiation treatments. She is noticing some swelling and redness in the neck and face area. Its starting to scare her a little. She has to complete 30 treatments and in the last 2 weeks of treatment she will have two treatments a day six hours apart.

I'm praying my mother will be able to get through it.

You mother will get through it. But do let her know that she has to keep up with her fluid intake and put cream on her face and neck are (NOT before radiation, but immediately after radiation). My husband had a few double sessions during his treatment because of the Christmas holidays. It was a bit of a drag because we had to go to the hospital twice in a day, but it did not seem to make a significant difference to how he was feeling.