Mother diagnosed with Head and Neck Cancer of unknown primary.

That’s a great update 

Herbo said:

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.

Is she not sharing that?  

Hazel/Ray

Thank you for your comments.

Dani

She is not sharing anything. The Starbucks on the way home has a Mark's Spencer's next to it that sells 4 Chocolate Tiffins in a box. So she has 1 of them everyday.

Herbo said:

The Starbucks on the way home has a Mark's Spencer's next to it that sells 4 Chocolate Tiffins in a box. So she has 1 of them everyday.

Yummy 

End of week 4 update.

20 of 30 Radiotherapy sessions completed.

There is not much to update on really as side effects from Radiotherapy are almost unchanged since end of last week.

The minor changes have been the following:

1. Areas of neck where RT is being directed at are becoming slightly sore. Nothing alarming but it is slight discomfort as it is a bit itchy too.

2. Taste buds are much reduced, but virtually unchanged since end of last week. Chocolate has become unpalatable, but strangely after 19 RT sessions my Mother had take away Cod and Chips and tasted as it always has. Plenty of salt and vinegar on it too.

Plain water is described as being slightly sweet and not very nice. However, my Mother has embraced the taste of sparkling mineral water and says it tastes really good.

Coffee (starbucks) as good as ever, but tea is still described as being vile.

The following foods seem to have retained their taste.

Tinned fruit with single cream.

Honey on toast. But not plain toast.

Chips (take away only). Oven chips not very nice.

Stewed vegetables with plenty of gravy is just about edible.

Tinned milk with victoria sponge ok.

3. Sore throat is still very minor and Oncologist Nurse says area at back of throat is red and slightly inflamed. No signs of any mouth ulcers just yet.

4. Lymph nodes in neck have now returned to normal size. 

5. Hair on head apparently feels drier.

6. Voice sounds hoarse and dry. But no major difference since last week. 

10 more sessions to go.

Well done here’s to next 2 weeks. 
Tell her we’re all routing for her to continue in same vein 

Hazel xx

Sounds ok. A lot of us plateaued at 4 weeks so fingers crossed your mum doesn’t get worse. 

Week 5 update

24 of 30 Radiotherapy treatments completed, 25 will be on Saturday.

No further progression in side effects other than sores/flaking scan/rash to neck where RT being directed at.

At the back of the neck it looks like sores will appear shortly.

Sores are itchy/irritating and moderately painful.

My Mother is not taking any pain meds other than 2 paracetamol everyday. She has painkillers supplied by Oncologist but has not had to use them.

Body weight is the same.

The only improvement is that strangely my Mothers throat is less sore than it has been in previous weeks.

Wow Herbo ...,..Go Mum Go. She is doing brilliantly.

She sounds as if she might need something to ease the burns so do ask at her next RT session

Well done

Wow she’s certainly bucking the trend well done. Yes mention to team about her neck. 
One week  to go. 
Hazel x

That woman certainly has some great genes and a wonderful desire to crack this cancer.  You should be very proud of her!