Mother diagnosed with Head and Neck Cancer of unknown primary.

That sounds excellent. Thank you for the update 

Excellent start week 2 I starred getting a scratchy throat. Good luck to your mum. 
Hazel x

Week 2 Update

10 of 30 radiotherapy sessions completed.

Been a strange week, my mothers sore throat which she had since day 5 has almost dissapeared, but this may have been due to Covid which she had a week prior to treatment. 

Taste buds now affected. This started on the weekend after 5 RT sessions. Apparently vegetables, plain rice are absolutely disgusting.

The swollen lymph node is greatly reduced in size. Having felt it today it appears of 80% less mass than it was prior to treatment.

No change in texture of saliva yet.

My Mother also finds gargling with Listerine mouthwash x3 a day makes her tea and coffee taste better.

Best wishes all.

Hi Thank you  for update it’s strange how we are all the same yet different. I at no point has a sore throat but know many who do.As for taste try to get her in the mindset food is fuel eating for pleasure will return but in meantime eat ti live while she  she can swallow. Watch out for week 3 sone if us start to experience the beginning of pain best advice keep on top of painkillers once she starts taking them do it by rote to keep on top of it. Good news about the lymph node my biggest one had gone completely by week 4. 

Best wishes 

Hazel x

Hey Hazel

She has a meeting with the Oncologist Nurse on Thursday so hopefully painkillers will be provided as a precaution.

This forum has been a godsend as I have everything prepared for the next 6 weeks in respect to potential side effects. 

Keeping those fingers crossed.

Again all RT appointments thus far have been in and out within 30 minutes. 

Best to be prepared with decent analgesia even if she doesn’t need it. I’m crossing my fingers with you xx

Hi I would ask as it’s invariably a Friday when everything kicks off best be prepared. If she’s a peg you can also ask for them in liquid form 

fingers x 

Hazel 

Week 3 Update

15 of 30 Radiotherapy sessions completed. 

Lymph node swelling has now dissapeared and the swollen node is almost back to normal size.

No irritation yet on neck where RT is being directed at.

Sense of taste is very impaired. Fruit/Salad/Vegetable is almost non palatable. Drinking Tea has also been described as being vile. Strangely Coffee is fine. My Mother has been advised to let food/drink cool down prior to eating, to avoid irritating the throat.

Sore throat is only minor and unchanged since last week. Speech Therapist noted back of throat shows signs of irritation (redness).

Saliva also unchanged, but slightly thicker than normal in morning.

Very slight/minor pain when swallowing saliva, but this is not present when drinking or swallowing food.

My Mother has been given painkillers but this is not needed at this moment in time.

Also she has put on 4lbs since start of treatment, which is largely due to eating cakes and a large Starbucks Capucinno everyday after treatment.

Halfway there.

Hi Excellent news. Yes for many of us coffee is preferable to tea. Well done on weight gain as well. Look forward to next update keep ticking those days off. 
Hazel x

That's a good update, your mum is doing really well. Stick with the cake and coffee.

Ray.