Last day of radiation

Tomorrow is my husband’s last day of radiation and he is done with all chemo and red.

The last chemo hit him very hard lots of nausea and more mucus and lost nearly 7 pound in last 4 day. He can’t swallow anything since Monday. He will have pet scan after 3 months and hopefully he will be recover by then.

We will be meeting his doctor tomorrow and I am not sure what to ask him or what should I can ask him?

Any suggestion would be helpful.

Thanks,

Hetal

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member

    While he will more than likely be much better than he is now, he's going to be far for recovered in three months.

    Where he is right now, is more than likely where he is going to be for a few weeks, as even though he is finished... The rads will still be hitting him for a few weeks even after they are done.

    I would first address the MD with his weight loss, and not swallowing anything. He either has to take in hydration and calories by mouth and using meds if needed to numb up..., or might need to ask about the PEG (feeding tube). Yes he is finished, but with a few more weeks of getting hammered, and already losing 7# in a few days.. He's going to get into trouble quickly... Address it now upfront, before later when he's even further in trouble.

    Anyways, to me..those are a few immediate concerns I would ask about...

    Thoughts and Prayers

    John

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    Swallowing....

    He has to swallow...that is so important. I know it's hard. But, if he doesn't use it, he could lose it. He needs to get his nutrition and keep hyrdrated. Does he have a PEG tube? Be sure he drinks things like Boost or Ensure to get his calories. But, he must, must stay hydrated. If you don't already have a script for Magic Mouthwash, I would recommend you get a script from the Dr. This will help him to have some temporary relief/numbness while he grabs some liquid nutrition and water. he could also do regular rinses of baking soda/salt/warm water. Tell him this is temporary....it's a small price to pay to get rid of the beast.

    The mucus can get difficult to deal with from time to time. Mucinex is what some used. We got a suction machine that helped greatly to get this stuff out. The machine is available at a medical supply and is covered under most insurances for rental.

    This is the toughest time....at the end and for the next few weeks. It will seem like the worst, but it will come to an end. In the meantime, make him comfortable and encourage the drinking!!!

    ~C

  • Roar
    Roar Member Posts: 269 Member

    Swallowing....

    He has to swallow...that is so important. I know it's hard. But, if he doesn't use it, he could lose it. He needs to get his nutrition and keep hyrdrated. Does he have a PEG tube? Be sure he drinks things like Boost or Ensure to get his calories. But, he must, must stay hydrated. If you don't already have a script for Magic Mouthwash, I would recommend you get a script from the Dr. This will help him to have some temporary relief/numbness while he grabs some liquid nutrition and water. he could also do regular rinses of baking soda/salt/warm water. Tell him this is temporary....it's a small price to pay to get rid of the beast.

    The mucus can get difficult to deal with from time to time. Mucinex is what some used. We got a suction machine that helped greatly to get this stuff out. The machine is available at a medical supply and is covered under most insurances for rental.

    This is the toughest time....at the end and for the next few weeks. It will seem like the worst, but it will come to an end. In the meantime, make him comfortable and encourage the drinking!!!

    ~C

    One has to experience it to

    One has to experience it to know what he is going through- have plenty of ensure on hand and make sure somehow he gets it down every day- that's his job at least 1500 calories a day - also protein is crucial for recovery- at the end of treatment I was drinking chicken broth with an egg in it- sometimes with pastina- everything is hard going down at this point so have patience with him and encourage him to drink- even water was difficult at the end of my treatment- make sure to keep the nutritionist involved- good luck

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    Whoo Hoo....

    I loved knowing I was this close to being done with radiation.....not having to get dragged out the door everyday was HUGE for me....I didn't care how miserable I was going to be, as long as I didn't have to go any where made it more doable.

    Congrats on getting thru this part of treatment.

    p

  • AJW1966
    AJW1966 Member Posts: 68
    swallow...swallow...swallow

    I know, easier said than done but it's crucial. Watch the magic mouthwash because it will numb the entire mouth! At least it did for me. It felt like i had a shots of novacaine all through my mouth for about an hour or two. You can easily bite your tongue/cheek and not know it.

    So, liquid drink is essential since solids are out. At the least, try water with protein drink mix. It comes in different flavor packs. I tried lemon and it worked. 20 grams of protein in one packet is better than nothing. Then there's the ensure, boost, muscle milk and so forth. If he can, try egg drop soup. Easy to make at home and leave out the corn starch so it's nice and thin to get down.

    All the best, prayers to you!

     

    Alan

     

  • AJW1966
    AJW1966 Member Posts: 68
    swallow...swallow...swallow

    I know, easier said than done but it's crucial. Watch the magic mouthwash because it will numb the entire mouth! At least it did for me. It felt like i had a shots of novacaine all through my mouth for about an hour or two. You can easily bite your tongue/cheek and not know it.

    So, liquid drink is essential since solids are out. At the least, try water with protein drink mix. It comes in different flavor packs. I tried lemon and it worked. 20 grams of protein in one packet is better than nothing. Then there's the ensure, boost, muscle milk and so forth. If he can, try egg drop soup. Easy to make at home and leave out the corn starch so it's nice and thin to get down.

    All the best, prayers to you!

     

    Alan