Heading for the finish line

miccmill
miccmill Member Posts: 248
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Glenn has 6 more radiation treatments and 1 more chemo to go.

He's experiencing every side effect they told us about but the real help in preparing for this stage came from this forum.

I don't even know how to describe how much the knowledge and experience posted here has helped us. It's certainly kept me from panicking once or twice which is the least I can do for him.

His attitude is still great even though he's in considerable pain and has lost his voice.

We had a long meeting with his team on Friday and his RO said she would schedule an appointment with a pain management MD. That will happen early next week.

He told me to go to Target and buy him some Italian Grandfather T-shirts. After some sign language to describe these "Italian Grandfather T-shirts" I told him most people call them "Wife Beaters". When I brought them home, he put one on and shook his fist at me with a little smirk.

Comments

  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #2
    6 days
    Wow - how excited are you to be within sight of the end of rads? I remember, I was very happy at the end of treatment. I knew I'd feel worse for a while, but it helped me to know that I was no longer doing anything to damage my body, and what needed to be done had been done.

    Here's hoping you guys are abnormal, and Glenn starts feeling better quickly. Glad you're working on a pain management plan next week.

    Do well
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #3
    Pam M said:

    6 days
    Wow - how excited are you to be within sight of the end of rads? I remember, I was very happy at the end of treatment. I knew I'd feel worse for a while, but it helped me to know that I was no longer doing anything to damage my body, and what needed to be done had been done.

    Here's hoping you guys are abnormal, and Glenn starts feeling better quickly. Glad you're working on a pain management plan next week.

    Do well

    Excited
    I AM excited about seeing the treatments end soon and for the reason you said. Just to see the damaging radiation stop.

    He had an incident of sloughing this week that made me realize what's going on in his throat.

    I know he won't feel better right away but it's easier knowing an upswing should start within a few weeks.
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #4
    miccmill said:

    Excited
    I AM excited about seeing the treatments end soon and for the reason you said. Just to see the damaging radiation stop.

    He had an incident of sloughing this week that made me realize what's going on in his throat.

    I know he won't feel better right away but it's easier knowing an upswing should start within a few weeks.

    6 Days
    Best of luck this next week. Hope everything goes smoothly for you and things turn around quickly. Only 1 more week!!!

    Jimbo
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #5
    Jimbo55 said:

    6 Days
    Best of luck this next week. Hope everything goes smoothly for you and things turn around quickly. Only 1 more week!!!

    Jimbo

    Finish line....
    So happy to hear that Glenn is near the finish line and hope they can get his pain under control soon.

    My best to both of you,
    Glenna
  • CLRRN
    CLRRN Member Posts: 127
    #6
    Pain control
    Keep sight on the finish line!!! It's a beautiful feeling. My other half is 4 weeks out and the pain gets better/better every day. His voice will also improve over time. Mike was also the poster child for every side effect and can appreciate where you are!
    Mike ended up going on a Fentanyl Patch (also called duragesic). It was awesome and controlled the pain.

    Hang in there!!!
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #7
    CLRRN said:

    Pain control
    Keep sight on the finish line!!! It's a beautiful feeling. My other half is 4 weeks out and the pain gets better/better every day. His voice will also improve over time. Mike was also the poster child for every side effect and can appreciate where you are!
    Mike ended up going on a Fentanyl Patch (also called duragesic). It was awesome and controlled the pain.

    Hang in there!!!

    Keep your eyes on the prize
    It's a wonderful feeling to have the end in sight, and then to finally get there. At Johns Hopkins they have a metal bell hanging in the radiation oncology department, and when patients finish their last treatment they ring the bell and everyone cheers. You can bet I took my turn.
    I'm sure you're aware that the last week is tough and the two weeks or so thereafter are even tougher, but like my friends in AA say, take it one day at a time. Pretty soon it'll all be in the rear-view mirror.
    Good luck!

    --Jim in Delaware

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