Srich63300's Journey:

diagnosis of 2nd cancer, not related to first - took a year to find it...how much easier or different would it have been if it had been found sooner?

cisplatin was relatively easy, although much more dangerous - 5FU required a pump for a week at a time...another tube to deal with, along with PEG tube, etc...required a bit of adjusting, inconvenience in accomodating tubes, but with anti nausea meds, not too uncomfortable

breast cancer radiation was not much, sunburn type burn, manageable - head neck cancer radiation was something else again - being covered by the necessary mask, bolted to a table, neck stretched when you are already having trouble breathing and swallowing is another issue...not painful in itself...just those issues...did not lose hair except on back of head from exit radiation...

Can't say enough about this to heal - had third and fourth degree burns inside throat and outside neck - helped immensely with healing these to enable me to get back closer to "normal"

first loss is control of life...second is feeling somewhat scared and abandoned when treatment is finished...third is various adjustments to be made to life with side effects...takes a good year to get back energy, etc...in my case...scar tissue in throat, lack of salivary glands, learning to eat again, and what you can and can't eat, change of taste, etc

loss of salivary glands, peripheral neuropathy, fatigue, mouth dryness, mouth sores, swallowing problems, thyroid changes, taste changes, chemo brain