Hi Everyone

Week two over and done with, all good so far. Thanks Trev, hope you are ok - what a great support you are to everyone. Hows that little grandson?

L o L

Joan

Hi everyone,

Week three and not so good. Thought we would get away a bit lightly for a bit longer. Paul not been good since Sunday, started peg feeding last night as throat so sore. Has to wait to see doctor on Thursday for stronger pain relief - regular routine before chemo. Had lost 3 pounds last week and think more gone since then. I hope the sore throat means it is working.

Did anyone see the radiotherapy report in the health section of Daily Mail yesterday? In view of the amount of damage done it surely must be more cost effective in the long run to use the more expensive treatments in the first place. Surely there must be a way of looking at the bigger picture.


L o L

Joan xx

Hello everyone, been a while since I posted but been quite a lot happening. Just thought I would update on Paul's progress and how the last few weeks have been for him. He had his final chemotherapy session on Thursday and has now completed six weeks of radiotherapy. He has Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to go, and then thankfully it will be finished christmas eve.

He had a bit of a glitch on week three but apart from that it has all gone pretty smoothly. He is peg feeding which he dosen't like but getting on with it. He can swallow but the texture and taste of food isn't pleasant. Don't think he likes anyone much at the moment and his normally keen sense of humour has taken a hike. He has lost some weight but not too much.

On the positive side. He has travelled to London daily virtually unacompanied apart from in the beginning which he didn't really need. He has, apart from week three, worked at some point every day before his afternoon appointments, he is a builder. His throat is very sore but his mouth has stayed completely free of any ulceration so far. His neck is slightly red but that is all. He still has some saliva.
The doctors at Barts seem pretty amazed at how well he is doing and very pleased that his mouth looks so good. He started to get the stringy saliva at week three and his throat was extremely sore then too. He found that if he put 2 or 3 drops of Obas oil in hot water, that seemed to deal with both problems for him and he said that things have proved greatly after that in that regard. He told the doctors he had used it and they said that as long as it was comfortable to use it was fine. He is extremely tired but keeps pushing himself to do things to try to stay as strong as possible. He says it would be so easy just to lay down but he needs to keep his business running as he employs seven men.

We are all keeping our fingers crossed that this continues once the radiotherapy has finished. The Doctors said the effects still continue to peak afterwards and then gradually things begin to settle down. As usual, dosen't seem to be any conclusive answers to anything but fingers crossed things will continue well for him.

L o L to everyone.

Joan xxxx

Hello Joan

Thanks for the update on Paul. He sounds to be doing well and seems to be such an amazingly strong and determined person!

Hope you all have a great Christmas.

Love

Gwyn