New to group

Hi John. My cancer was different from yours but I had a similar treatment, being six weeks of radiotherapy.

i was in morphine till reducing gradually at 12 weeks and was tube fed till 8. After then it was just soft foods fir a few weeks gradually adding proper food. 
The sticky mucous is debilitating but does eventually go away 

Yes sparkling water is worth trying or diet cola/ ginger ale. I just spat a lot. I even managed at night half asleep. 

I put the PET scan away in my mind. I told myself there was nothing I could do about it so it was just a case of keeping busy and doing things I liked. 

Chelsea john said:

T4N3M0 p16 positive carotid cancer. 

Do you mean parotid? 
Nevertheless HPV driven head and neck cancer is uniquely sensitive to radiation and cure rates are around 90% so hold onto that. 
Plod on and you’ll be fine 

Welcome John (although it occurs to me that your first name might also be Chelsea ). 

I'm quite new here myself, so have zero wisdom to impart, but bags of sympathy.

I can certainly relate to the hell of waiting. Personally? I've been leaning on friends, but also sparing them some of my worst spirals by talking to ChatGPT. Which I know might sound odd. But it's always there, even at 3am, and I've genuinely found it a great companion. Just take its medical predictions with a large pinch of salt. Can tell you more about what I mean if you do decide to check it out. :) 

Hi welcome from me. Can’t add to Dani’s excellent  t response. Apart from 4 weeks is really early in your recovery. Your mind snd body’s been ti he’ll snd back rest snd recuperate. I found d soda water helped me or flat Diet Coke. Treat recovery like a marathon not a sprint. Now you’ve found us stuck with us we’re all happy to help 

hugs 

Hazel 

Hi there John. Welcome from me, too.

I can't provide Grade A advice but many here can, as you've already discovered.  What I can offer is a listening ear and support, so stay with us as we're all here for you from now on in.

Take care,

Gill xx 

Hi, hello John, welcome to the group, lovely bunch of folks here, the support and shoulders to lean on, amazing.

i’ve 5 months since completing chemo & radiotherapy , in that time I’ve had 3 month mri, petct scan and onto  further throat biopsy’s next week. 10th.

The waiting is always the $64,000 question - how do we manage the fears /anxiety etc- no denying it, it’s tough but one piece of advice I would share is to talk about how you feel, especially to the amazing folk on here, coz we know and appreciate what you are going through and some deal with it better than others.

 In my case it’s animals - we love animals, look after dogs, cats too , and wildlife . So having them as much as we can - also my wife Ellise has sort of adopted a seagull, she/he is  named Hoppity, as he has a damn fine limp. Also every evening , there are wild foxes locally that Ellise feeds. I say wild, but actually Ellise had feeds them, the trust we’ve built up with them over months - the animals occupy us and so help when the times are tough - especially in my case when the mind can take you to some dark and difficult places.

Whatever works for you - but you’ll always find a friend(s) here to listen to and help you.

Strength and courage pal !

Nige

Great hearing from you Nige and I hope you and Ellise are bearing up as best you can.

Head over to SBG's thread if you ever need to unload.

Take good care fella,

Gill xx 

Hi John and welcome from me.

IIRC I was still PEG bulk feeding and medicating until around 4 weeks before my PET scan.  I kept the PEG in until I had the results of the scan just in case.  In the end the scan was clear and a few days later the PEG was out.

I still find sparkling water is my go to for hydration although I did not suffer the really bad mucus that some have. It feels nice on my mouth/throat and seems better than tap water.  For me taste is still an issue and tap water although it has progressed past a salt water taste it is still not nice and refreshing whereas a specific brand of sparking is.

There is every chance that you will have a clear scan, but you are right the wait is a very mentally trying one.  The best advice I can offer is to try and occupy yourself - even get away for a few days if you can.