What a difference a week makes!
At the end of the second week I started googling ‘Radiotherapy side effects head and neck’. I discovered that although you cannot prevent the side effects of radiotherapy, there were precautions you could take to lessen the effects. The most important actions you could take were to undertake an exhaustive regime of oral cleanliness. Not only could this lessen the short term effects, it was also important in my long term after care.
The one mouth wash that had medical evidence to lessen impact was called Benzydamine Hydrochloride. I checked through my many, many medications and there was a bottle of Benzydamine Hydrochloride (Difflam). The evidence in the medical report had said that use of Difflam in the early stages had a definite effect in lessening the impact of ‘mucositis’ (the main side effect of radiotherapy in head and neck treatment).
There it was in black and white – I had the answer there in my medicine cupboard. I had the one medication that could lessen effects. This gave me a tremendous lift. I went straight upstairs and gargled with the Difflam as instructed, and have been doing so 3 times a day since.
I finally felt like I had a small bit of control back.
Day 11 - Monday 20th October
This was always going to be a difficult day as it would have been my mums 69th birthday.
After a tough start thinking about my mum, I got into the car for the first time in a while without saying to Kerry, ‘I don’t want to go.’ The journey turned out to be fun. We laughed about a number of situations, something that we hadn’t managed for a few weeks.
After my treatment we got to see my oncologist. I was armed with a number of pertinent questions following my weekends study. The answers that I got filled me with even more confidence going forward. My level of radiation treatment and the area that it was being treated meant that I was very unlikely to suffer the very worst effects of mucositis (namely severe swelling and ulcers of throat leading to feeding tubes in stomach). Again this was positive news that made me feel even more empowered. I received some new medication for other side effect of mucositis (mouth infections like thrush).
The next stop was to see the dietician, neck/swallow nurse and my cancer support nurse. They were all very happy with my progress. They gave me a ‘soft diet’ booklet, in case things changed.
Day 12 – Tuesday 21st October
I had another positive day. We saw the gentleman from Wyke who was undergoing similar treatment to me. We hadn’t seen him for a week and were worrying that maybe the treatment had got too much. It was great to see him there.
Day 13, 14 ad 15 – Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th October
I really managed to get into the groove this week. I had two different friends take me up on the Wednesday and Thursday. This was good to give Kerry a break and also good for me to moan and feel sorry with some new people! I had a massage to my calves and feet on Wednesday from the complimentary therapy team, which was very relaxing and enjoyable. On Thursday I was due to have some scans taken, but was delighted to find out that they didn’t need to take them that day (it means much longer in the mask). However the machine threw a wobbly and I ended up having scans and waiting in the mask longer as they adjusted and reset the machine. I even had to have the mask removed and placed on again several times. The radiology team also informed me that because of the error of alignment with the machine that I would need images taken Friday and Monday as well. Even this didn’t manage to dampen my good mood this week. Friday saw me reach an important landmark of 15 treatments completed. That’s now half way.
My whole mood this week was so much better than the previous two weeks. I feel like I have some control of my destiny over the next two months. The daily oral routines are exhaustive and confusing but very much worth doing. I feel mentally much stronger. The physical side effects are still there with my face burning, my throat hurting, swallowing becoming increasingly difficult and my body feels tired, but I feel in control of how bad the symptoms will become.
As I write this on Sunday night I have now noticed that my facial hair on the right side of my face has now fallen out, and a small bit of hair by my ear. It’s yet another side effect that seems set to challenge my resolve.
I can honestly say that I am ready for the challenge of the next 3 weeks.
At the end of the second week I started googling ‘Radiotherapy side effects head and neck’. I discovered that although you cannot prevent the side effects of radiotherapy, there were precautions you could take to lessen the effects. The most important actions you could take were to undertake an exhaustive regime of oral cleanliness. Not only could this lessen the short term effects, it was also important in my long term after care.
The one mouth wash that had medical evidence to lessen impact was called Benzydamine Hydrochloride. I checked through my many, many medications and there was a bottle of Benzydamine Hydrochloride (Difflam). The evidence in the medical report had said that use of Difflam in the early stages had a definite effect in lessening the impact of ‘mucositis’ (the main side effect of radiotherapy in head and neck treatment).
There it was in black and white – I had the answer there in my medicine cupboard. I had the one medication that could lessen effects. This gave me a tremendous lift. I went straight upstairs and gargled with the Difflam as instructed, and have been doing so 3 times a day since.
I finally felt like I had a small bit of control back.
Day 11 - Monday 20th October
This was always going to be a difficult day as it would have been my mums 69th birthday.
After a tough start thinking about my mum, I got into the car for the first time in a while without saying to Kerry, ‘I don’t want to go.’ The journey turned out to be fun. We laughed about a number of situations, something that we hadn’t managed for a few weeks.
After my treatment we got to see my oncologist. I was armed with a number of pertinent questions following my weekends study. The answers that I got filled me with even more confidence going forward. My level of radiation treatment and the area that it was being treated meant that I was very unlikely to suffer the very worst effects of mucositis (namely severe swelling and ulcers of throat leading to feeding tubes in stomach). Again this was positive news that made me feel even more empowered. I received some new medication for other side effect of mucositis (mouth infections like thrush).
The next stop was to see the dietician, neck/swallow nurse and my cancer support nurse. They were all very happy with my progress. They gave me a ‘soft diet’ booklet, in case things changed.
Day 12 – Tuesday 21st October
I had another positive day. We saw the gentleman from Wyke who was undergoing similar treatment to me. We hadn’t seen him for a week and were worrying that maybe the treatment had got too much. It was great to see him there.
Day 13, 14 ad 15 – Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th October
I really managed to get into the groove this week. I had two different friends take me up on the Wednesday and Thursday. This was good to give Kerry a break and also good for me to moan and feel sorry with some new people! I had a massage to my calves and feet on Wednesday from the complimentary therapy team, which was very relaxing and enjoyable. On Thursday I was due to have some scans taken, but was delighted to find out that they didn’t need to take them that day (it means much longer in the mask). However the machine threw a wobbly and I ended up having scans and waiting in the mask longer as they adjusted and reset the machine. I even had to have the mask removed and placed on again several times. The radiology team also informed me that because of the error of alignment with the machine that I would need images taken Friday and Monday as well. Even this didn’t manage to dampen my good mood this week. Friday saw me reach an important landmark of 15 treatments completed. That’s now half way.
My whole mood this week was so much better than the previous two weeks. I feel like I have some control of my destiny over the next two months. The daily oral routines are exhaustive and confusing but very much worth doing. I feel mentally much stronger. The physical side effects are still there with my face burning, my throat hurting, swallowing becoming increasingly difficult and my body feels tired, but I feel in control of how bad the symptoms will become.
As I write this on Sunday night I have now noticed that my facial hair on the right side of my face has now fallen out, and a small bit of hair by my ear. It’s yet another side effect that seems set to challenge my resolve.
I can honestly say that I am ready for the challenge of the next 3 weeks.