I saw your reply on the prayer board and your question about the radiation treatments. My father in law has a tumor about the size of an orange on his neck, or that's how big it was when we started treatments. I took him in every day for 2 weeks. It has been 4 weeks since we started radiation, the last two we haven't had to go in, apparently radiation continues to work for a while after treatments, and it's shrunk, maybe 25%. It still is huge, but not as huge as it was. As far as side effects, I think it depends on where they are giving you the treatments. His radiation was on his neck and only his neck, so side effects were dry mouth, feeling like he had a sunburn, extreme tiredness. He still has some of those side effects and he said sometimes it feels like bugs are crawling all over the tumor. The dr gave me some cream for that so hopefully that will help. He did not experience nausea or any of the really bad side effects. It is very important your friend ups her protein intake. My father in law doesn't have much of an appetite anymore so this was hard. I would make him a frappe w/ensure, soy powder, ice cream and some peanut butter. He liked that a lot. The american cancer society has a great web site for both people with cancer and people who are helping those with cancer. I hope your friend's treatments work out. If you have any other questions, I will do my best to help.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 11:07 am:

My bil has been getting radiation and chemo, for some oral cancer, for the past 4-6 weeks. My sister has been chronicling their path, on his blog.

Dan's Progress

He has had problems with a rash and sores in his mouth, thrush, barely being able to eat, etc. They are on the home stretch now, though.

I think the rash was from the chemo, though.

By Kaye on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 11:26 am:

Thanks,

My grandmother and step mother both did radiation (one on leg the other head). Both ended up in a wheelchair by the end of the second week, due to extreme fatigue. So I was hoping to give my friend some more positive experiences. She has bladder cancer. She is 43 and has stage 4 cancer, her only symptoms were about two months ago, her boyfriend moved in and she got a bladder infection (we joked about having honeymooner issues..lol). Anyway, it didn't clear up with the antibiotic, a couple of rounds later they found the cancer. Very shocking and sad.

By Claire on Thursday, July 26, 2007 - 12:02 pm:

My husband is a five year head and neck cancer survivor. He had three surgeries (one of which was a radical neck dissection) and seven weeks of daily radiation. If you have any specific questions I would be happy to help in any way I can.