Better News from the Hospital :-)

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I just thought - I haven't shown you the scar recently. I think it is fading pretty well. The neck and shoulder feel a lot better too - or maybe this PEG malarky has just taken my mind off them :-)

Fading scar

I've had a couple more hospital appointments since I came out on Wednesday. Yesterday I went for the final mask fitting and a go on the super-duper Radiotherapy Simulator Machine. It lines all the lasers up against the marks on the mask so the technicians can fine-tune things ready for the real thing on Monday. It was pretty exciting - maybe they should get one at Alton Towers!

The mask wasn't quite as tight as I'd remembered and the bed was quite comfy and they gave me a blanket - I was quite relaxed. Took about ten minutes, which is how long the daily sessions will be from Monday onwards.

Then today I went to see Dr Gahir to make sure everything was okay to start the chemotherapy on the same day. She told me that she had been discussing me with colleagues, because I am such an unusual case in that you don't usually get adenocarcinoma in the head and neck area. So all the research is about a different kind of cancer cell, so there are some different opinions the best way to treat me.

She had asked three experts and two out of three had said they only need to radiate one side of my neck. The plan had been to do both sides AND the back of the throat too. So now it will just be the right side, so will not be as bad as they had originally said. I was delighted by this news! Maybe I will come out of this with some taste buds and salivary glands intact.

She warned me that it will still be very sore - as they are using the highest dosage allowed - but only half as sore as it could have been!! I'll try to remember that once it kicks in!

The chemotherapy is still going ahead though - to make sure and give me the best chance of getting back to normal. I liked the sound of getting back to normal :-)

So I am pretty happy right now. Even a visit from the District Nurse to twiddle my tube hasn't got me down! It is pretty easy to clean and turn - it's just a bit painful when you have to push it in and out a bit. It is still pretty tender from the op so I guess that will settle in a few days. I am now flushing it like a pro though :-)

So, we now await Monday when it is all systems go!