Maintaining Weight

Andy13460 said:

New normal is the daftest term I ever heard used

Same as you I just got straight back to it back to work and back to sports. No feeding tube at any time 32 weeks post treatment Ive run 1700 miles and just finished my 2nd Marathon last Saturday in 2:58:40. Im 3 weeks of 58 years of age next stop for me is to run in the Irish marathon chapionships and win the Over 55 cat. Most days I dont even think about it anymore. That Marathon time is 5 minutes faster than my pre treatment best in Aug 2016.

Andy,

It appears that the most successful H&N members to go through treatment are possibly less compassionate.  But I do not have any marathon times to support this.  Only the daftest new normal intuition.  I am happy for your recovery and your stellar life condition.  Your 5 minute improvement in time has a lot to say about your pre-treatment self.

MikefromWinthrop said:

new normal

 I have rejected the idea of a "new" normal. I am 3 months out from 35 rads, cisplatin for stage 4 bot squamus cell with 1 node involved. I had a feeding tube put in during week 5, pain was so bad could not eat. Went from 223 to 18 in 2 months. I began eating 2 weeks after treatment ended, scrambled eggs and pudding, boring. Swallow therapy pushed me, and now I eat anything, even subs. granted it takes longer, but I am now back to 203 since December, been working construction again for 3 weeks, gym for a month and a half. Everything got better for me when I walked in and demanded the tube be removed, I wasn't using it anyway, but it also forced me to work through the swallowing difficulties. I will never have a new normal, and will live my life like I always did. Irealize everyone reacts differently to treatment, and some have had major surgical procedures as well, I am only talking about myself. When i was diagnosed in august last year, after an hour or 2 of confusion, I vowed I would win. I will not give in to this disease, or the effects of treatment. Sorry if ranting, but I am going to get some fried oysters now, then see if the trout are biting.

I am glad you are doing so well but I thought the same years ago. Never had to have a feeding tube during treatment for my stage 4 cancer.   After my treatment, I too was thriving, eating just about anything a few months out from radiation treatment.  But over the years things have changed, at least for me.  Late effects of the radiation are tough.  I can no longer eat by mouth and my speech can barely be understood.  My tongue is completely paralyzed, the left side of my face is paralyzed.   No one told me this was coming.  No one can tell me what is next.   I haven't given up.  I still go to work fulltime everyday and currently training for my 1/2 marathon even with my feeding tube.  

So never say never.  I am living my "new normal".