Bawbee Suffering

Oh Bob, I am so sorry to hear you are suffering so badly, this treatment is ridiculously brutal and it sounds like you are at the extremely rough end.

Have they tried many different sickness tablets to get it under control?? Your nutrition is going to be so restricted if you are that sick which will add to feeling awful, I thought they are usually right on top of it.

Sorry I have no magic answers,  there will be a point that you can look back to this time and it will be an unpleasant memory but that really doesn't help much when you feel as grim as you do now xx

Thanks Juliesss,

you do mention one of my main converts is that I gave do many other medications to take throughout each day and I am alway a bit wary of what medicines I may lose while retching and vomiting; I don’t want to complicate matters.

Bob 

First of all I'm sorry to hear your situation...but you have came to the right place.

• I'm 30 months post treatment and I had the harsh variety so I know exactly what you are going through. The early days are the hardest...it seemed like forever before I saw any improvement but when it did come...it was really fast. It varies from person to person but improvement will come and you will get back to some sort of normality. My experience taught me that you don't know how strong you are until you don't have a choice. I got back to full fitness and work and live a relatively normal life... harsh as the treatment was ...I'm so glad I completed it .

Stay safe and good luck

Chas

Hi Bob. I was in the same position as you in my last week. In fact I spent the last five weeks of RT with constant nausea. I threw up regularly in the evening though in the day I could swallow it down. I’m sure it was the morphine but I really needed it so there was no choice. If the MST isn’t on top of background pain you could see if they can give you Fentanyl patches. 

Are you taking laxatives? Getting bunged up can contribute to nausea. 
Bob, you will get through. You must. If you miss the last week your chances of cure go rocketing down. One more week then a month  of rubbish after that and you’re out the other side. 

Another thing you could try to help you cope is to ask for a short course of antidepressants. They will lift your spirits enough to cope? 
I felt like you but my family need me and dying was not an option. 
I do know how desperate you are feeling. 
If you feel you need a little extra help PM me and I’m quite happy to give you constant support on WhatsApp 

Im sure Hazel would pitch in and between us we can help you through 

Hi Bob. Sorry I’m late in replying step granddaughters wedding dsy. Please think sbout ads is offer if you need some more personal support. I had 35 radiotherapy session s snd please please do the next 5. It’s crap it’s hard but I did it a mere 61 year old female who is a wimp. The end result s are with the brutal treatment. Send me or Dani a friend request if you feel a personal contact woukd help 

hang on in 

Hazel 

Hi Bob

I am so sorry for what you are going through but hang in there.

 I spoke to my doctor about throwing in the radiotherapy on week 4 when I was hospitalized for dehydration and he told me that it would mean that all that hard work I had already gone through would effectively be negated. I thought what a waste that would be to go through all that for no effect so gritted my teeth and went on.

I must admit the week in hospital did help me. They took me to my radiotherapy session every day and managed my pain relief and food intake so that really helped in spite of the ongoing side effects.

Is there any chance even with Covid that you might be able to go to hospital for a short while? If not can you discuss your situation with your medical team so you can get some more support from them?

I kept counting down day by day and then finally it was finished and yours will be too.

The hard time during radiotherapy and the recovery time is worth it though as I am now feeling great after some adjustment to my change in circumstances.

Hold on.

Best wishes

Lyn

My God Bob, you’ve been through the mill these past three years. I’m not surprised you feel down, as we all did I suspect at this stage.  My heart goes out to you. I know it’s easy for me to say, but hang in there pal - you’re very nearly there! Whatever you do now you’ve got to go through another week or two of side effects come what may, but try to hang onto the thought that your tumour was found early, was small and was HPV positive. All very good things and proven to be extremely responsive to this treatment. Like Danni, if you want to talk about it for some reassurance and moral support you’re very welcome to get in touch. You can pm me any time or we can chat via phone or Zoom. I, and I’m sure all of us, will be rooting for you over the coming week. 

POSITIVE +/- NEGATIVE

POSITIVE

Just before 10pm last night, I had everything ready for bed and leaned down to plant a smacker on Wilma’s forehead when she let out a little squeal (I still got it, I guess ). When she had calmed down and I sat back next to her, she asked me to feel the swollen lymph node on the right. It has shrunk to about 20% of it’s usual size over the past 24 hours and this had her a wee surprise.

NEGATIVE

The therapy must still be working as the pain has returned to the lower throat and up to the aural area on the right.

THOUGHTS

From what has happened over the past week; would it if be safe to assume that he radiotherapy waves flow across (wafting) my mouth cavity, left to right, towards the two target areas, tonsil and lymph node, on the right and that  these are are now successfully being treated as planned?

Hi Bob

What an awful thing to be feeling so very ill. It’s a gruelling and very difficult journey at times.

 I am now 13 weeks post treatment so the memories of week 5 are still very real to me. I was so poorly that I couldn’t finish my last dose of chemo and was having daily injections. I remember my neck was broken out and red raw with the RT too. I did suffer nausea but tried a couple of different types of anti sickness medication until I found one that suited me.

Please continue, you can do this, just 5 more sessions to go now. I remember the first week after RT finished, although I felt awful, it felt wonderfully liberating not having to go to hospital every day!! 
Wishing you all the very best as you count down to the finish line

Michelle

Bob, hang on in there, you’re nearly there. I know it feels like those last few days will never be over, but they are just around the corner. I must agree I felt the same way as Shell12 felt after the RT finished and the relief and liberation of not having the daily travel which in my case was a daily 2 hour round trip x 30 sessions down the M1 and around the M25 whilst clutching a bucket in case I was sick and also praying that we wouldn’t get caught up in motorway traffic jams.

Come on Bob, we’re all rooting for you! 

Carol x