Dad's treatment DONE

CherieLW
CherieLW Member Posts: 472
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi Everyone,

Dad had his last radiation treatment a few hours ago.  Now I hope everything goes well and things start looking up.  I know you all have said these next few months he may still be miserable, but if that means no more chemo/rads he will make it through! This treatment in my opinion was one of the worst I have ever seen. Having the head/neck area radiated... You all are troopers! 

Thanks so much everyone for all your support.  If it hadn't been for you, I think I may have driven myself crazy by now. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. I'll continue praying for everyone, even if you are just beginning this crappy journey, you will get through it! You will continue seeing me on here as I am sure I'll still have questions and want to check on everyone.

Everyone on here is so right about things...Dad's hardly taking anything by mouth however (meaning water, liquid).  Which concerns me, but hopefully he can start to feel better and work through these issues.

Tomorrow we celebrate his bday!

Cherie :)

p.s. Smiling more than I've smiled in the past 2 months and I'm doing a dance around my work table baby! ;)

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Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi Cherie

     

    The last day of my second round of treatment was the best day of life. I walked out of those doors and said never will I go back again. It was extremely hard on me but I made it and I am now 9 years passed all of that. Just remember he will not be the same as he once was but he will still be the loving Dad he always been.

    God Bless

    Hondo

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #3
    Hondo said:

    Hi Cherie

     

    The last day of my second round of treatment was the best day of life. I walked out of those doors and said never will I go back again. It was extremely hard on me but I made it and I am now 9 years passed all of that. Just remember he will not be the same as he once was but he will still be the loving Dad he always been.

    God Bless

    Hondo

    Thanks Hondo,
    I hope he takes

    Thanks Hondo,

    I hope he takes it easy these next few weeks.  He's always been one on the go all the time and doing things, helping people, building things, working on cars...I hope he will be able to enjoy all that eventually again and get back in good spirits. Praying things continue looking up for you and that no one ever has to endure this again! Ugh... Now just hoping treatment was successful... waiting! Praying...

    Thank you,

    Cherie

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #4
    He'll Be Good To Go...

    He's tough...

    It'll all be good, like me, yes you are still going through crap, but your done... That in itself is like the best thing ever....

    And per what Tim said below (up there ^^^)..

    Hell, I was never normal to begin with, LOL...

    At least now I have an excuse to be Abi-Normal...

    JG

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #5
    cherie, i'm so happy that

    cherie, i'm so happy that trmnt is behind him now.  now comes the time to recover.  glad 2 hear u r dancing but u also need 2 ring the bell!!  finishing trmnt is a really big deal around here.  congrats 2 ur dad.  also, wishes 4 the best birthday ever one day early!!!!!!  Laughing

    dj

  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #6
    CherieLW said:

    Thanks Hondo,
    I hope he takes

    Thanks Hondo,

    I hope he takes it easy these next few weeks.  He's always been one on the go all the time and doing things, helping people, building things, working on cars...I hope he will be able to enjoy all that eventually again and get back in good spirits. Praying things continue looking up for you and that no one ever has to endure this again! Ugh... Now just hoping treatment was successful... waiting! Praying...

    Thank you,

    Cherie

    He will rest

    I remember after the end of my first treatment being so tired.  So glad not to have to go anywhere, just rest and take a lot of naps.  Wondered how I had enough energy to get to and through all of those treatments.  After 4 maybe 6 weeks things start to progress little by little.  Never like the old us but the new normal is more than ok.  I returned to work after the 1st and 2nd cancer treatments, this last one I have retired.  Very slow going for me this time but I think it is because of so much that the body has gone through and I had chemo this time.

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #7
    Before you know it!

    I thought I heard a bell ringing! Tell him congrats from "T"! One of the best things about finishing was not having to get up and go to treatment. I could finally relax. As bad as the first few weeks after treatment were, not having to spend my days at the hospital was wonderful :)

    "T"

     

  • Ruben and Jude
    Ruben and Jude Member Posts: 155
    #8
    6 weeks out

    Hi Cherie

    Ruben finished treatment 6 weeks ago, and things are just now starting to get back to semi-normal. He's feeling better, throat is not as sore as before, but still having some issues. He also went through a huge mood swing which started about 2 weeks ago, but now is subsiding...thank God! I have no doubt it was due to the whirlwind of diagnosis, treatment, side effects and now recovery, besides other pressing issues of finances, legal family issues (long story!) and being around me 24/7!

    All in all, he's doing really well, except for still getting 99% of his nutrition from his G-Tube. I'm more anxious about that than he is.

    I'm glad the treatment is over. And I agree (as an oncology RN) it's one of the most brutial treatments, but also has one of the highest 'cure' rates.

    God Bless you, your dad and the rest of your family, as this is something we ALL experience and go through together.

    Take care Sweet One.

    Jude

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #9
    Wonderful....

    only the next few weeks might be bad, but then the small improvements will begin to come about.  Just knowing he doesn't have to go to radiation, or get any more chemo's will raise his spirits....it's all onward and upward from here.

    Keep him swallowing some water everyday.....the rest he can pop into the tube.

    p 

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #10
    WOOHOO!!!!

    Yay, yay, yay for your dad!!  I am truly so happy for him!  I know you've probably smiled until your face hurts today! Tell him to use that PEG.  I was so sick that I couldn't even drink water for almost 2 1/2 weeks so I did my tube feedings and lots of extra water!    Tell him Happy Birthday from all of us here!  Head and Neck treatment is the HARDEST and WORST for sure!  Each day from here on out will get easier and better. 

  • sin9775
    sin9775 Member Posts: 199 Member
    #11
    Yay for your dad!!

    Oh Cherie, I so know how you feel!  Congratulations to your dad for getting through his treatment like a trooper.  I pray for him right along with my brother.  Hopefully we will both be able to report great news as far as our loved one's recovery goes! 

    Happy birthday to your daddy.  What did you end up getting him??

    All the best to you and your dad!

    ~Shawn~

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #12

    Cherie,

    I will ring my bell for your Dad.  Besides the neck burn I started to (slowly) feel better and improve soon after treatment ended.  A great big weight has been lifted off your Dad I hope your family has many, many sunny days ahead.

    Matt

  • VanessaSLO
    VanessaSLO Member Posts: 283
    #13
    Glad that it is over!!

    Cherie, you remind me of myself... I was in the same state as you are now, last September. The truth is that my dad was really "cooking" first month after rads were done and it was the worst. He was hospitalised and put on IV fluids for 3 weeks. But he felt good there in hospital because they took good care of him. He did not have PEG tube so IV fluids were absolutely necessary. He could not eat or dring anything for the first month. Only a few sips of tea. Then, after first month, things slowly started to improve. But for the first trhee or four months he mostly slept all day and eat his pain killers.

    Your dad will go thru this too, I just know it! And yes, it is great to know that at least he is done with treatments and now he is on his way to recover with no more damages to the skin or the neck.

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #14
    KTeacher said:

    He will rest

    I remember after the end of my first treatment being so tired.  So glad not to have to go anywhere, just rest and take a lot of naps.  Wondered how I had enough energy to get to and through all of those treatments.  After 4 maybe 6 weeks things start to progress little by little.  Never like the old us but the new normal is more than ok.  I returned to work after the 1st and 2nd cancer treatments, this last one I have retired.  Very slow going for me this time but I think it is because of so much that the body has gone through and I had chemo this time.

    I'll continue praying for you

    I'll continue praying for you and everyone else on here.  I'm just so releived that dad can start the healing process. It's his bday as some of you may know today so I'm going to go cheer him up as much as I possibly can when I get off work! Dad is retired, he worked in a glass factory and docs are 95 percent sure that this is where he got the type of cancer he had.  How far out of treatment are you Kteacher?

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #15
    KTeacher said:

    He will rest

    I remember after the end of my first treatment being so tired.  So glad not to have to go anywhere, just rest and take a lot of naps.  Wondered how I had enough energy to get to and through all of those treatments.  After 4 maybe 6 weeks things start to progress little by little.  Never like the old us but the new normal is more than ok.  I returned to work after the 1st and 2nd cancer treatments, this last one I have retired.  Very slow going for me this time but I think it is because of so much that the body has gone through and I had chemo this time.

    I'll continue praying for you

    I'll continue praying for you and everyone else on here.  I'm just so releived that dad can start the healing process. It's his bday as some of you may know today so I'm going to go cheer him up as much as I possibly can when I get off work! Dad is retired, he worked in a glass factory and docs are 95 percent sure that this is where he got the type of cancer he had.  How far out of treatment are you Kteacher?

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #16
    debbiejeanne said:

    cherie, i'm so happy that

    cherie, i'm so happy that trmnt is behind him now.  now comes the time to recover.  glad 2 hear u r dancing but u also need 2 ring the bell!!  finishing trmnt is a really big deal around here.  congrats 2 ur dad.  also, wishes 4 the best birthday ever one day early!!!!!!  Laughing

    dj

    Thanks everyone! Dad was the

    Thanks everyone! Dad was the one doing the ringing! I just got to dance!  And he will have a great bday, as great as it can be. :)

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #17
    fishmanpa said:

    Before you know it!

    I thought I heard a bell ringing! Tell him congrats from "T"! One of the best things about finishing was not having to get up and go to treatment. I could finally relax. As bad as the first few weeks after treatment were, not having to spend my days at the hospital was wonderful :)

    "T"

     

    T,
    I'll tell him! I know that

    T,

    I'll tell him! I know that is one thing he is relieved about too... no more fighting traffic, dealing with walking into that place hopefully ever again...other than for checkups! I hope he is able to finally relax some. I know he is still quite uncomfortable..but he's keeping his spirits up as best as one can in his situation.  You defintely heard the bell! :)

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #18
    fishmanpa said:

    Before you know it!

    I thought I heard a bell ringing! Tell him congrats from "T"! One of the best things about finishing was not having to get up and go to treatment. I could finally relax. As bad as the first few weeks after treatment were, not having to spend my days at the hospital was wonderful :)

    "T"

     

    T,
    I'll tell him! I know that

    T,

    I'll tell him! I know that is one thing he is relieved about too... no more fighting traffic, dealing with walking into that place hopefully ever again...other than for checkups! I hope he is able to finally relax some. I know he is still quite uncomfortable..but he's keeping his spirits up as best as one can in his situation.  You defintely heard the bell! :)

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #19
    Ruben and Jude said:

    6 weeks out

    Hi Cherie

    Ruben finished treatment 6 weeks ago, and things are just now starting to get back to semi-normal. He's feeling better, throat is not as sore as before, but still having some issues. He also went through a huge mood swing which started about 2 weeks ago, but now is subsiding...thank God! I have no doubt it was due to the whirlwind of diagnosis, treatment, side effects and now recovery, besides other pressing issues of finances, legal family issues (long story!) and being around me 24/7!

    All in all, he's doing really well, except for still getting 99% of his nutrition from his G-Tube. I'm more anxious about that than he is.

    I'm glad the treatment is over. And I agree (as an oncology RN) it's one of the most brutial treatments, but also has one of the highest 'cure' rates.

    God Bless you, your dad and the rest of your family, as this is something we ALL experience and go through together.

    Take care Sweet One.

    Jude

    Thanks Jude,
    I read your post

    Thanks Jude,

    I read your post just now in the forum. I'm glad that Ruben is doing really well! We were told dad should have to have the PEG for a few weeks post treatment, but with him not taking even much water by mouth... I don't know...

    I'll be praying for you all! Hope Ruben and you have a fantastic weekend!

    Cherie

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #20
    phrannie51 said:

    Wonderful....

    only the next few weeks might be bad, but then the small improvements will begin to come about.  Just knowing he doesn't have to go to radiation, or get any more chemo's will raise his spirits....it's all onward and upward from here.

    Keep him swallowing some water everyday.....the rest he can pop into the tube.

    p 

    Phrannie,
    I get on him all

    Phrannie,

    I get on him all the time about trying to swallow water or something each day, but I fail :( He says he "drank a little" but I know better that that means barely...

    Looking forward to the onward and upward. NOw they can begin focusing on moving, which we hoped to have done by August.  It's ok if its delayed though, no hurry. Dad's most important right now!

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #21
    TracyLynn72 said:

    WOOHOO!!!!

    Yay, yay, yay for your dad!!  I am truly so happy for him!  I know you've probably smiled until your face hurts today! Tell him to use that PEG.  I was so sick that I couldn't even drink water for almost 2 1/2 weeks so I did my tube feedings and lots of extra water!    Tell him Happy Birthday from all of us here!  Head and Neck treatment is the HARDEST and WORST for sure!  Each day from here on out will get easier and better. 

    Thanks Tracy! So glad that

    Thanks Tracy! So glad that things are looking up for you too.  I k now dad has battled some constipation, but he is taking extra water through the tube.  Is constipation something that is common with using feeding tubes? Thanks though< I will tell him HB.

    Have a good one,

    CHerie

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