A big thanks to this board otherwise I would not know what to do. Side effects hit hard day 12/13 - no need to go through the list but it was just like people have shared. Knowing intellectually versus experiencing it is a big difference!

Just finished day 14; next week have 5 treatments in 4 days to make up for the July 4 holiday. Working hard to focus on self care and positive attitude. Have cut out everything except treatment and work. (Working mostly from home)

Friends want to visit but I am really tired and trying to sleep when I can.

Stef, thats what we're here for. We all help each other.

If your friends want to visit you, they should be prepared to do something to make your life easier while they are there. Running the vacuum, doing dishes, or a load of laundry all are a big help when you arent feeling the best. You are about the half way point. You are coming into the point where you will begin to notice the side effects. For many patients its a constant battle of taking in enough calories to fight off the horrible side effects. Some find that even talking can wear you out when going thru rads. If your friends take too much of your energy when they come visit then you may have to limit their stays to 10 minutes unless they are helping you with doing chores. When faced with a close friend or relative who is going thru rads it makes some people afraid and they run for the hills when the going gets tough. I was surprised at the people who I thought were close but they avoided me like I had the plague while others I barely knew wanted to be my BFF and help me with everything.

Focus on your intake every single day. Some patients get into a routine by every morning setting out how many bottles of water and formula they need to drink that day and when the bottles/cans are gone they have met their daily minimums. Please make sure you count your calories and water intake every single day and strive to hit the minimums.

I cant remember if you told me already but you do have someone taking care of you right? What about someone to drive you to your treatments? Im concerned you may not be up to driving yourself by the end of rads. I was dependent on others from my second week into rads. But Im also a bit of a wimp when it comes to stuff.

Hang in there, you're almost half finished already

Stef,

It IS daunting to be told that you will have two radiation treatments in a day. My husband's treatments spanned the Christmas and New Year holidays and so we got the double-header a few times. You will be given 8 hours between the two sessions. You may want to think about whether you want to drive home after the first session and then drive back or if there is a treatment center at the hospital where you can rest between the two sessions. It makes the patient quite tired at the end of the day but the side effects are not going to be doubled noticeably. It's just annoying to have to be there almost like first thing in the morning and then return in the late afternoon. Like you said, all the side effects do seem to start all at once and it seems that the fatigue is the worst.

Christine and gmcraft, thank you so very much.

Some friends have definitely disappeared. I live with my partner but she travels for business occasionally. Her Dad is in a nursing home in another state and she will visit him next weekend. May ask a close friend to stay with me as we have three very large dogs and they can be a handful. May also consider having the dog trainer take two of them to his ranch.

I live 4 miles from the treatment center and usually grab a ride from my partner or from a friend, though I can still drive. Will come home and rest between the two treatments.

Surprised my doctors as I eat mostly solid food; Christine I have taken what you said to heart before I started treatment and I track calories, grams of protein, and ounces of water. I also track sleep using my Fitbit. I can see a correlation with fatigue/pain based on sleep and water primarily. I try to do the neck, tongue, and swallowing exercises as much as I can. I use the salt/baking soda rinse before and after meals and in the morning and evening. My doctor said to rinse at least 6 times per day.

I suspect solid food will likely be too difficult in about a week. It's weird eating food I can't taste! Definitely food has become fuel.

My weight is stable for now; gained 11lbs before starting radiation and am down 5 from there. The gabapentin (900mg 3x/day) manages the pain until about one hour before the next dose. Have started taking Advil to help get over that. The nurse prescribed hydrocodone but I am saving that for pain the Advil won't touch. Have throat, tongue, and gum pain.

My emotions have been all over the place but returning to gratitude and being positive. One of the cool things is friends who aren't close occasionally send cards or small presents and that really lifts my spirits. I am working on thank you cards this evening.

Again, my thanks. Would really be lost without the guidance of this board and the survivors and caregivers willing to pay it forward.

You have two very important things working in your favor right now. Positive attitude and a solid support system. Keep pushing and you'll be through it before you know it.

Good Luck with the balance of your treatments

Thank you, bjm! (Btw, I love Pittsburgh. Visited in Nov 2015 and had a great time.)

My doctor told me to switch to soft foods today. Will do so. I love mashed potatoes. 14 treatments and 20 more days to go.

Need to remember how lucky I am to have these treatments and hopefully the cancer won't return.

You have a great attitude. Stay focused on the goal. A wise person once said "you will never get where you want to go if you stop to throw rocks at every dog that barks". That phrase kept me going. I knew I was headed towards hopefully good health so all of these other issues were just barking dogs. I needed to finish my treatments and focus on the big picture. Good for you.

Pandora99 - thank you. Radiation treatment #20 today. We are in the home stretch (have 30 scheduled.)

Love that phrase and will remind myself when I am down