With RT over I immediately go into the 'recovery phase' where I will overcome the side effects. I look forward now to the skin in treated areas and the lining of my mouth and throat healing first. I already feel as if I am ahead in this respect due to a mixture of factors - my discipline with routines, pre-treatment fitness, nutritional state and relative youth. The level of pain in my throat should improve rapidly as mucosa regenerates covering nerve endings. Mucositis or thick glue like sputum should improve over the next 3 weeks also but saliva if produced will remain minimal. I anticipate to know by 9 months how much saliva production I will be left with and will put in place mechanisms to make this easier to handle . I must try and get swallowing muscles going with diet with a high content of fluid (my wife has kindly just offered to go get a replenishment of ice pops and ice lollies in!). My PEG tube (stomach tube) may come out in about 2 months time. Energy levels for activities outside PT should be normal by 2-3 months. If I would have had to face chemo as well then exercise energy levels may have taken up to 18 months to recover. I look forward to getting stuck into a proper training diary from Mid Feb and hope to keep the weight I have lost off, even if it does mean a new wardrobe.
