7 weeks of treatment - done!

Fern60514

My husband just finished his 7 weeks of chemo. rads (1 cisplatin, 3 carboplatin) 2 days ago!

I thought he did really well through treatment and his throat did not start to hurt until this last week or so. He is still eating a very small amount of food by mouth (banana's, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, cinnamon waffles with strawberry preserves and just recently fresh strawberries...he said he can taste them!) and then drinking Ensure Plus and Gatorade. Still hasn't used the PEG! His oncologist has agreed to remove the PEG on Oct 12th if he keeps his weight loss in check. Has lost about 23 lbs so far.

Now we are focused on his getting well and getting his strength back. Unbelievably his Dr. released him to return to work for 4 hours per day starting next Monday! I thought that was a little soon, but luckily he can work from home and won't have to take the train into the office until mid to late October. He sleeps alot during the day as he is having trouble sleeping at night, doing a lot of hacking and coughing.

He ended up driving himself to treatments most days except for Wednesdays which were Chemo days, I went with him on those days.

He is taking just Tylenol during the day and sometimes a Tylenol 3 at night for the pain. I know his side effects may continue to worsen over the next week or so but remain cautiously optimistic since he is still eating some.

He has not used the Magic Mouthwash yet at all, just the baking soda/salt water mix and Biotene. Very minimal mouth sores so far. The information on this board has been so helpful...I thank you all!

I asked his Oncologist what happens next, I found it interesting, he'll have exams by the surgeon and just an annual chest x-ray...no scans? Many people on this board mention scans, does this seem unusual?

Fern

Hondo

Hi Fern

That all sound really good and looks like he was able to take the radiation quite well. I think it is a bit early for him to start working but if it is at home that should be OK as he can lie down when needed.

I would think that because he did so well on taking the treatment most of his side affects will go away and not get worse but only time will tell.

I not too sure I like just the check and x-ray thing. I was being checked every 3 months and my doctors told me I was doing just fine till one of them ordered a PET and found my cancer was back and in to my neck as well, so much for the exams.

Wishing you both the best on his recovery
Hondo

Jimbo55

Excellent Progress
Hi Fern,

Yes he did do really well through treatment and it seems to me also that usually continues in the recovery phase. So far so very good.

As far as the no scans, it does seem out of the ordinary not have a PET or CT scan even an MRI sometime after treatment. It wouldn't hurt to follow up on that issue on your next visit to the docs. Cheers.

Jimbo

jim and i

No scans?
I find that very uncommon. Jim went misdiagnosed for three years due to just exams and scopes by ENT. Unless there is a visible sore or lump they can't diagnose. Jim had no visible problems. They finally ordered a CT when he lost 40 lbs. By then it was stage 4 and only had less than a year if nothing done. I do not know what the chest exray has to do with his cancer since it only shows the lungs. Another question I would have is, "How do they know if the treatment worked?" I would definately push the issue and not take no for an answer.

Debbie

buzz99

Done
Wonderful news. Your husband did really well and now can start healing and feeling better. Take care. Karen