appreciation

I want to thank everyone again for all the advice, support and information in this community.  I am not good at responding to each comment but my appreciation is genuine and sincere.  I am now in my last 2 weeks of radiation, with my last treatment and last chemo scheduled for Sept 29.  So far, in comparison to some of the experiences I have read here that I have been thus far, event and crisis free.  The side effects have been virtually unnoticable, I feel, for the most part because I was so prepared for what is to come by all of you.  My skin at radiation site is in excellent condition still, because of all the advice given here regarding lotions, ointments, creams etc .  My throat has been, for the most part, comparatively speaking, pain free other than two nights I spent in tears, which I look at as badges of honor.  Other than some mild skin peeling on my hands I see no side effects of chemo.  I am still able to swallow anything that I want with pretty much no problems.  I still have taste issues which make swallowing yucky, but the swallowing process, with 2 weeks remaining, is intact.  I went through maybe 2 weeks with dryness issues in my mouth but right now my salivary g;lands seem to be working triple time.  All the poisonous phlegm is just rolling out of my throat now, effortlessly.  I am still very tired and want more sleep than I am getting, but still tolerable yet.  I know I am not out of the woods yet, but sometimes, as event free as I have been thus far I almost wonder if there was no cancer to treat from the giddyup and this has all been a dream.  I know I have treatment + recovery to go, so I could still possibly have hell to experience and heartbreak with final results but at the moment I sit here grateful to be breathing.

So agin, from my heart, I say thank you to everyone here.  I wish I were more loquacious in my expressions but I am by nature a very sedate individual.

Thank you, thank you, thank you