I am so very sorry....

Thanks I have another 14 to go. My neck is burned red raw like sunburn with some open wounds. Mouth dry and red raw. Truely a nightmare experience. It's one of the rarer cancers and it's the worst suffering. I pray every day on the radiation machine.

I had chemo, not radiation, but I can imagine the pain.  I'm in Raleigh, North Carolina, sending loving thoughts and praying for you....

Hello Emeraldstar

My radiotherapy for cervical cancer was 25 sessions, with three treatments of internal brachytherapy.  I thought it was harsh, along with the chemotherapy.... but now that I've read more about other cancers and spoken to other people, mine was technically a walk in the park.  I am stunned by the brutality of some treatments, and the length that they go on for.  Mine was for five weeks, it seemed to take forever, but it ended on 4th Jan, and is now a distant memory (apart from the burning in my hips).  I'm currently reading Milkshakes & Morphine by Genevieve Fox, which details her treatment for head and neck cancer, and her inability to eat or move her tongue following radiotherapy and the fatigue she felt.  I can only wish you the best, and for you to carry on taking each day as it comes... once you get to the last week of it, you'll see the end in sight, and that is a beautiful thing !  I hope the treatment works... my feeling was that no tumour could survive the brutality of the radiation.... my other worry is will I be subject to secondary tumours arising from the radiation in years to come.  You are correct to say that cancer knocks on every door... but everyone in my family had it ... usually discovered at Stage 4... so I consider I'm lucky that I've made it this far.  I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you... best, Diane.

Hi Diane I also read the book whilst u was having treatment for the same tonsil cancer .yes irs brutal but I am niw living my life 17 month post radiotherapy.i have a blog where u detail my treatment I haven’t drunk in over 10 years minecwas caused by the  h p v virus which is niw the fastest growing cancer type in head and neck cancers uts iver akrn the old smoking stat .

sending best wishes for your recovery and long may ut continue  I don’t even think about the what ifs years down the line just grateful for the now days .

blog www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com

hazel x

Hi Hazel... thanks for that, great blog.  It's amazing the affect that radiotherapy has on the neck, whereas directed through my hips I not only didn't feel anything (well, not during it), but my skin didn't change at all.  I had no pain, no redness, no sores... and yet the photo of your sores is quite extraordinary, as Emeraldstar will no doubt attest.  I wonder if they'll still be using radiation in 10, 20, 30 years time !  Even though I had state of the art equipment, it still feels quite old fashioned - though it definitely works.  But I still have to wonder at all the damage it does to surrounding tissue.  So glad it's all over for you.... and yes, the HPV virus has a lot to answer to ?  Best, Diane

Hi Diane thank you has you could see on later photos it did heal very well,so hopefully this helps Emerald star as well,thatnmornal life does happen after the brutal regime.

the next new thing for Throat and mouth cancers is immunotherapy tests are ongoing. Plusnprotin beam therapy butbthunk we are a long way of that being offered as routine treatment.My radiotherapy was IMART which is highly targeted , the burn in neck was because the big lymph Larry was  close to surface somwas inevitable, as my oncologist said he knew it would happen but why scare me any more than I was .  

Oh yes h o v has a lot to answer !

good luck 

Hazel x

Hi there,

have responded to PM and try to stay as positive as you can.

Treatment and recovery does have its challenges but although its one of the worst cancers in terms on treatment, it has one of the highest success/cure rates as I alluded to.

Quite a few of us have been through the same journey and you do get through it and I keep repeating the light at the end of the tunnel is there.

I think you have read my blog as well as Hazel's but I have listed again below for ease of referece and may give you some indication of timelines/tips, albeit we are all different and recovery times can differ. That said we pretty much all have had the similar side effects from treatment.

Plenty of help and support here or in PM and we are only a message away if we can help in anyway.

radiotherapythroat.home.blog

Kind regards

Ian