Hi Maureen how is your radiation going how are you feeling x hi christene dad was drinking and we went to hospital and surgeon said you must not drink they won't do a swallow test till after radiation complete and healed :(( he can swallow and he doesn't choke but they said it could still be going in his lungs called silent aspiration so they have scared him to death I'm worrying that the surgens here arnt as good as in other parts of the world as he said the only thing he thinks will improve is his speech :((. He still has tiny sips when rinsing his mouth out so hopefully this will keep his swallow glands working xx he's pump fed at night now and that's better for the sickness x can radiation make you feel sick ? As I seem to think it's that ? X. Still so much saliva in his mouth so doesn't talk it a just filling up constantly even radiation not drying it up like they said x physio coming tomorro to try help but I don't no what they do xx

Hi all dad finished radiation now very sore mouth and face and lips are so swollen :(( feel so sorry for him but just got to wait now till it all heals and see what next step is x saliva still there not dried up at all :(( still pours out when tries to talk so won't talk still writes down x still not seen any speech therapists or McMillan nurse x just got to wait and see what next step is x they said 6 week of healing now xx hope your all well xxx

He's through the radiation already! Well done. I know it was a very hard process. The soreness will go down and a nurse and speech therapist to help with rehabilitation will be something to look forward to. How is the feeding going?
Best wishes
Maureen

Hi Maureen how are you after your radiation x dad really struggling at the moment doesn't get outta bed most days he feels sick a lot and his face is so swollen especially his lip xx still having saliva problems nothing dried up so goodness knows what's next with that xx was you sick and very sore x dads only having his night pump feed which is 10 hours which is a lot better but scares me because of pneumonia x he should have bit more in the day but can't manage it at moment xxx

Delly, the worst of radiation is the last few days and first 2-3 weeks after finishing treatments. I know this is very hard on your father. Im sure for you its even harder to watch someone you love going thru so much. Being a caregiver is tough!

Intake is what will make this easier and help your father feel better. He probably doesnt have much energy right now so maybe you could convince him to take 2 more cans while he is propped up watching tv? If you think he isnt getting enough water (48-64 oz daily), you can also talk to his rad doc and ask to get extra hydration every other day. That will help boost him up right away.

Hang in there, your father will begin to feel better very soon. Most of us woke up one day about 2-3 weeks post rad and actually noticed we didnt feel quite as bad as we had. Recovery is full of ups and downs and even some setbacks so watch your father closely and report any changes to his doc right away.

Hello, Delly. My radiation was one year ago now. I remember feeling better a couple of weeks after treatment ended. It took months before I was really over it, but yes, at six weeks the skin and mouth had healed. I'm crossing my fingers that your father improves a lot.

At a talk I went to at the hospital, a speech/swallowing therapist showed us how swallowing is affected by the little flap of skin at the back of the throat called the epiglottis. It closes the windpipe during swallowing. Maybe this has been affected by your dad's surgery and is why he has been told not to drink.

I hope you get lots of help and good advice in the coming weeks.

Maureen

Sorry Maureen I didn't see the year ha xx thankyou ladies it's a week tomorro so hopefully two weeks to go x they found a lump in his neck so we there on Friday for a biopsy they said it might be scar tissue so fingers crossed cos I don't think he could cope with more xx take care speak soon xxx

Hi all not good news for dad the lump wS cancer so so sad it's aggressive and grown whilst having radiation :((( never been so heartbroken :(( xx MRI was yesterday and results tomorro x they not sure if there's anything surgically they can do :(((( xxx

It sounds aggressive but tell them to look to proton therapy, or intraoperative radiation. PaulB might be able to better explain what both are about but they are viable alternatives. I am sorry for this but I would still push them to try to do something. Hugs.

We live in england x I bet there is better things in America for dad I wish I could afford to have him treated over there :(( I'm so scared what they are going to say and I just pray it's confined to the lump but it's been growing since having his operation because they must of left it in there and radiation should of killed whatever was left :(( I feel so sick that he's come through all he has and now this and there not sure if there anything they can do xx