My dads tongue cancer

Hi don’t worry about the delay a few days won’t make any difference. Usually its towards the end of  week 2 most people start to struggle but as we all say we are all different. The main thing is your dad needs to keep up with the feeds either orally or by tube. If he doesn’t it’s possible he will be hospitalised. He should have dieticians who will be on his case if he looses too much weight the mask will need to be remade. Keeping on top of painkillers is vital plus even if he isn’t eating much he needs to keep his bowels working he should have been given laxido or similar. Try to get him to at least increase the peg feed snd if he can still eat at least ice cream soups eggs

good luck it’s a tough treatment but if I a 61 years old wim could  do it anyone can

hazel

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Thank you for your reply. I know he really does need to up his eating, I don't know how to achieve this. We can get him to take half his recommended amount but he won't do the rest. I just can't understand why, he says he doesn't have any discomfort with his tube so I just wish he would let us give him the full amount. It's so hard to see him like this. 

Your reply was comforting and your strength is real! Thank you for the luck. 

Have they given him a feeding pump?

I was given one of these when leaving hospital - Flocare Infinity Pump Setup (English) - YouTube 

You just set it up when going to bed and it feeds you overnight

Hi gettingthere

Sorry to hear about your Dad.

I agree with Penrod about the feeding pump.Ask his radiographers at his next session to get on to his dietician team to arrange it. It's available at every hospital through feed suppliers such as Nutricia. They loan you the pump and deliver the food regularly. It doesn't cost anything. I had one that fed me over night so I didn't have to bother with trying to get enough food down by mouth to keep me alive and latterly in recovery I could play with food knowing I didn't have to eat it.

The swelling in his neck will be a lymph node and that should go down as treatment progresses

Pain killers are best taken by rote regularly so perhaps your mum can make a list of when his meds should be taken and do them herself. I was on oral morphine every four hours with paracetamol liquid in between so I was taking something every two hours. If he is waking at night in pain long acting morphine taken in addition to the rest is available and can make a real difference. Again, ask his RT team.

Much is made of maintaining oral intake during treatment but as long as the swallow exercises are done I'm not sure it makes much difference if all you take is water.

Have a look at this LINK from heads2gether. It has a useful video on some simple exercises to do through radiotherapy

I'm sorry he feels so low...he's not in control of what's happening and is scared and needs the support you are already giving. It's a tough ride yet so many of us did it and are living well.