Rad Qs for SCC mobile tongue 4 no node no HPV

Questions
Others will think of others, I am sure, but these few come to mind for me:

1. What prescription are you going to give me for burn prevention (or, what do you recommend...natural aloe, for example?). But there MUST be something for post-treatment application.

2. How long will each treatment be, and should I supply my own music, CAN I supply my own music (you will want it for both distraction and to sort of keep track of time).

3. If you are remotely claustrophobic, ask about a sedative, valium, whatever, to keep you calm, something to take prior to each treatment.

4. Be sure to ask them for cut-out for mouth in the mask...they don't always do that, I know first-hand, unless you ask.

5. Ask how you are to engage the rad techs if you need to get out of the mask. In my case, I simply needed to shout and they could hear me through the glass (allegedly...I never needed to escape so badly that I would interrupt a session; once into it, I wanted to finish it, get it over with, but still, you want to know, for your comfort).

6. Ask about the viability of amiphostene (sp?), used in my day (2005/2006) to hopefully reduce or eliminate deterioration of saliva glands. While my doctors were 50/50 on its usefulness, they provided a prescription for it when I said I wanted anything that might REMOTELY help down the road. The stuff is expensive (but my insurance covered it) and in my case I had to arrive early to get two shots of the stuff. Since I had a total of 33 of scheduled 35 rad sessions, that meant 66 daily shots early in the morning, moved from place to place, of course, to prevent complications from so many shots to one area (initially my stomach).

That's a start, tigger...I hope all goes well.

Take care,

Joe