Just to give everyone an update. We went to Oncologist yesterday and Oscar had another PET scan done and was fitted for his mask. We see the chemo dr thuresday. Start treatment 7/10/07. So things are slowly starting to happen, everyone keeps telling us, it's going to get alot worse before it gets better. I just pray that this will get it, doctor said 50-50 chance, just depends on his body, and how it reacts to treatment. Thank you all for everything...will keep u all posted..Laura

Hi Laura

Wow this brings back memories. It was a year ago today that I started my treatments. It will get worse but try not to focus on the short term, try to focus farther out. That is one things that helped me get through it.

Ya'll hang in there.

Laura,

I also started my Tx almost at the same time, July 11, 2006 to be exact. I am now 10 months post Tx and am totally back to pre Tx normal except a couple lingering side effects which continue to improve every month so tell Oscar he will endue this and he will return to normal so toughen up and before you both know it, it will be over.

Hello Laura and Oscar

I am so happy for you! And so glad you did not have to "wait" as long as I.

I could hold the record at 60+ days. SCC positive biopsy 3-13-2007. Surgery on 5-17-2007. First radiation next Thursday 7-5-2007. We

Went to see chemo dr. yesterday..Oscar is going to be given Cisplatin once a week with his radiation (which is 5x week). We start this as I said before 7/10/07. He recommended a feeding tube, said may not need first couple weeks, but feels it will come down to that. Hubby does not want one and doc told him to go home and think about it. Doc told him, "we are going to burn you up, you really need to think about it, you are going to be very sore and possible unable to eat." Sending in scrip today for nausea and a mouth rinse for sore throat and more pain pills. They are talking like they can get this with just rad/chem treatment, I pray they can.

Still haven't heard anything about insurance, just keep getting more and more papers to fill out and record release forms. But doctors have been real good with us and one hospital with a 3500+ bill, charged it off. That was a big relief for us.

The closer we get, the more scared we become. I'm glad we have the support of this forum and all you wonderful people.

Don't be afraid of the feeding tube. It was the best thing we could of done. It takes the burdenof eating off of their shoulders for a while. I wish we would of done it at the begining. We waited till hubby lost 23 ls. in 2 weeks! Stay strong and we are praying for you.

I second laddyjoes sentiment re feeding tube.
You may no like the idee of it but once you have and are used to it, it it is no big deal. Also, it is easier if you get this early, Reember the radiation will dammage your neck/throat and if you wait long enough I cannot helpo but think that the PEG insertion will be a lot more uncomfortable.
I reccomend it for amongst other things for peace of mind and it also helps with getting sufficient fluids. That said I have a PEG tube and I have 8 rads left. So far my weight loss has not been bad at all and I still eat normally, that is by mouth. I use the PEG tube for water only at this point. Also pleae realize, some people are very lucky as far as sideeffects are concerned, but you should not count on it, I did not. Do I regret getting it. No.

Best wishes

Markus

I, too, REALLY did not want a PEG but was overruled. With it, I lost 40 lbs., which put me way underweight. Without it, I don't think I would have survived, or would have been unable to finish treatment, which is essentially the same thing.

Getting it is a matter of being put out and then waking up with it. There will be a couple days of soreness, not pain, just soreness. I used Tylenol to take care of that. It will not leak or smell.

The great advantages are these:

1. It enables the patient to stay hydrated, and thus out of the hospital, when swallowing the necessary amount of water is too painful.

2. It enables the patient to maintain the necessary nutrition.

3. And probably most important, when you need medication, it is much more quickly delivered via the PEG than by mouth.

Lots of people make it without the PEG. I am one very tough person, but I would not have been able to. I could not eat for several weeks by mouth, but today I can eat and swallow normally.

It was such a non-event in the grand scheme of things, that if I was ever told I needed another one, I would be first in line.

Now I will quietly step off the soapbox.

Hello Laura and Oscar

I would get the feed tube. I am having trouble maintaining weight due to lack of not wanting to eat with no teeth. With limited choices and no teeth Oscar should get it.

I requested it but they are playing the wait and see game. (pro bono) I weighed 180 before surgery, 159 after surgery. I got back up to 169, now I'm 164 and losing.

It will hurt Oscar to swallow in a few weeks. The chemo may make him vomit alot.

The above people speak from experiance.

Good Luck,Petey

fitted for his mask...I keep reading this phrase, but cannot figure out what the 'mask' is for...someone kindly expound....(just call me D.A. for short...)