End of week 7

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Hi everyone, 

Well my last week of RT complete now ,the "Bell " has been Rang!!, but I think  I'm ringing it to allow for next week's of pain to start ,not to celebrate my  end of treatment!!

This week has been toughest up to now, very dry mouth, thick sheets of saliva of all colours ,but mostly brown hideous stuff that clings to anything ,sometimes use my finger to scrape it out ! 

Saturday and today have been the worse, getting to know my new pains and problems is so mentally upsetting.

I know I don't have the comfort blanket of going to RT each day now and I'm crossing back over to my Rotherham team ,whom I can't fault ,they have rang me and my wife over the treatment weeks just to make sure we are coping and if we needed anything. They are calling tomorrow and I have a list ready ,!!! 

Thinking back on some of the old topics in here , I do admire the people who have been able to eat up to the end of their treatment ,at this point in my own journey ,I'm questioning why couldn't I ? Today I had to use gelclair to numb my throat to get a caplet down..

So my sips of water are nonexistent now ,as they make me cough ,which makes things,so sore at the back of my throat ,like putting cold water onto a flaming chip pan !!!

So I'm sat here trying to guess what's going to hit me next , even though I "rang," the bell . Sleep is a no go also, ended up downstairs at 2 am this morning with earpods on , still didn't do the trick !

So lack of sleep , pain , drugs ,you can guess how I'm feeling as majority of you have been here.

Sorry for a long yarn , but any thoughts that will help me through these next week's would be appreciated. 

At the moment I'm scared ,that non of this is going away and that's it ,I hope it's not and sooner rather than later I will begin to see a tiny light starting to appear at the end of this gruesome tunnel .

Once again thanks for listening, the support I get from this group is amazing and I'm always glad I joined up!!

Best wishes to everyone!

Mark Xxx️

  • Hi Mark, well done on completing your treatment, now time to recover. Unfortunately, you will feel your worst for a while, then slowly things will start to improve bit by bit, your body now has a lot of healing to do, which can't be rushed, give yourself the time to recover. It can be a time of ups and downs, but you will get there in the end. Remember we are all here for you, any worries or questions just ask.

    Ray. 

  • Hi Mark 

    You've got through the treatment and that's amazing, but I won't lie and say you get better over night. Look ahead to 3 or 4 weeks time and you ll be feeling lots better. But some days you ll feel like you're going backwards - that's how it goes - so as the people who are so generous with their time on here say - its a marathon not a sprint. 

    All the things you've said resonate with me - but I coujdbt swallow any water it all went through the feeding tube, including meds. I finished treatment October last year and im feeling good now, but it takes lots of time and patience. 

    Good luck - you sound like you’re strong so it ll all come good in the end. 

    Rachel 

  • Hi Mark

    well done so far 

    Sorry for a long yarn , but any thoughts that will help me through these next week's would be appreciated. 

    My advice would be to understand that you are unique. Anybody else’s experience is simply a guide. 
    Listen to your body. If you need to be up in the middle of the night then so be it. If you’re sleeping in the day then that’s fine. If you’re in pain take more analgesia. If you feel like a meltdown then do it. 
    This is your time. Be selfish. It passes. Honest. Hugs 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

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  • Hi Mark, it isn't a pleasant journey in any way, shape or form..  I was still in hospital when I rang the bell, and I remember thinking I wish it would end.. but, it does get better.. you may not think so at the moment, but it does.. all you can do is ride out the storm, the treatment is over and you will slowly start feeling better, but its not something you can rush I'm afraid.. but it does get better.

    Loz (61)

    Oropharyngeal right tongue base T2N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma p16 positive..