Hi All,

Week 2 was not so kind as week one, not by a long shot.

--I've lost my sense of taste.

--My tongue is gray, as are my gums in spots.

--My throat is sore, to the point where swallowing is uncomfortable.

--I'm having trouble talking--it seems like my tongue weighs 10 pounds and my lips don't work quite right.

--Mouth feels absolutely terrible first thing in the morning, dry, rough, tasteless, etc.

--I've gargling with baking soda/salt mixture--it seems to help a bit.

--I'll talk to the doctor about getting some meds tomorrow for the sore throat.

--However, I'm not fatigued, which is good.

--Twenty more sessions to go.

--I've noticed how important the mouth is! If it isn't working right, life can be miserable.

--I think 40 years from now, they will look back at radiation treatment as a barbaric way to address SCCA. At least I hope that happens--there's got to be a better way. For now, I'm thankful at least we have RT and the talented people who utilize the technology to help cure SCCA...I guess the fact that I'm typing this post right now says a lot--i.e. I'm not incapacitated by the treatments and am looking foward to this being over soon and getting my mouth back to normal. We have to give first with this disease before we get. The radiation technologist said that she feels the RT is curative based on 16 years experience. For me, 20 more treatments to go, a few months of recovery,and hopefully this is a done done deal.

Thanks for reading my ramblings, and my hat's off to all who have preceeded me, as I have a greater understanding of the RT experience.

Regards,

Oscar

Hi Oscar,

I am really sorry to hear you had a rough week.Of course, now I'm really scared since I'm a week behind you. My first week was uneventful, as was yours. This week will be 5 days straight. I was really hoping to feel well until at least Christmas. I hope those next 20 treatments speed by best they can and you can proceed with your recovery.

Oscar
hang in there! For what it is worth the cancer "likes" radiation even less. Keep up nutrition and drinking. When the salt/soda mixture burns (if) you can leave out, or lower the amount of salt. Also, viscous lidocaine was of great help for me. It provided instant and local relief.. alas only for a short time, but it allowed me to use less oxycodone/morphine.

Best

M

Oscar and Jenna,

Hang tight and try to keep a mentally positive attitude.

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT....

drink at least 48ozs of water each and every day;

drink at least 2000 cals of food each and every day;

DO NOT fall short and think you will make it up tomorrow because tomorrow NEVER comes as you most likely will feel just as bad the next day or even worse. If you want I can personally tell you what happens if you don't keep up !!

try yawning to help keep your mouth from getting to tight;

sleep as much as you want as your body is fighting the war of it's life and needs all the energy you can give it;

drink Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC which has 560 cals in just 8 ozs which really is a god send when you don't want anything in your mouth. I had to have mine room temp, ugh;

ask for as many pain meds as you need, and

ask us a million questions no matter how silly you may think there are.

Now if you do these things I GUARANTEE that you will be better off during and after Tx than you would have if you don't.

I didn't find this site until 2 weeks Post Tx and I thought many times that my Tx was going to kill me, not the cancer. Please listen to my advice because it's all the things I didn't do that made my Tx more of a nightmare than it needed to be.