Thanks Ananth for the words of wisdom. I will tell LT what you said about me.

You take care too and have a great weekend.

Thanks Hagg. for your reply. I am not sure the difference but I am glad that you've done it for many years! Keep up the good work and thanks for the info.

No worries,I never bothered with the technical terms to do with any stage of my diagnosis and treatment really. I just wanted all info in laymans terms. I know the proper name of my particular cancer but thats about it. All I needed to know was that I had it and had to beat it. Keep positive if you can,I found that the most important weapon.

Hi Jian
I'm Deborah, Trevor's wife.
I've just caught up with your posts as I've not been online for a week or so. Good luck with whatever you and your husband decide. No matter which, it will be a trying ride but believe me, it's great being able to talk to the mad lot that are members of the board!
As 'the wife of' the person with the cancer I have found life to be very lonely (or it has become that way, particularly over the last few weeks). There are lots of phone calls and emails from family and friends but since it has been winter down here, no-one has wanted to call in if there is the slightest chance they may have some kind of bug. While I really appreciate them being mindful of Trevor's lowered immune system, it's pretty isolating really. I find that when I go to the shops, I'm looking around in the hope I'll run into someone I know. Hell! I may become a stalker if Tricky Trev isn't well soon.
No matter whether you want to laugh or cry, someone will soon pop up on these pages to hold your hand, offer a shoulder, laugh at or with you or just say 'hi! I'm here'. They're all lifesavers!
Keep on posting
Love from Down Under
Deborah

Hi Jian
Me again! I meant to mention the cream we have been using on Trevor's neck. I don't know if you will have it over there but the product is called Sorbolene. It is a moisturiser with 10% glycerin.
It was first given to us the day Trevor was fitted for his mask and one of the nurses asked us to start using it right away ~ a couple of times a day. This was at least two weeks prior to starting r/t and we applied it religiously from then up til about a week ago when we slackened off a bit. I have to tell you that Trevor's neck is as smooth and soft as a babies bum! The only place he has any issues with his skin breaking down was the back of one of his ear lobes and really, that was nothing major. It's now two and a half weeks since he finished his treatment and there is no redness or blemishes at all. Whatever you use ~ be sure to use it at least twice a day starting from now!
Good luck
Deborah

Hi Hagg
I know what you mean about the technical names for these tumours ~ Trevor and I have called his lots of names that don't get mentioned in any of the text books but it makes no difference to the pain and suffering they cause!
I just want to call it ~ GONE!
Keeping on keeping on
Deborah

Hi Deborah,

Thanks for the support. I know that sometimes I felt very longly too even with family and friends around us because you just felt hopeless, specially things that they can't help. But I will definitely like to chart here so at least I know I can have some people to talk to. Thanks.

Hi all,

LT and I just finished the appointment with the Oncologist. He is still strongly pushing us to go through Surgery, and when it comes to the point that I asked "WE DON'T want to do surgery, instead, we wants Chemo. and Radiation", the Oncologist becames not that friendly and supportive and kept telling us how much the side effects that would be....

I am just very frustrated as to why they are so negative about Not to have surgery...also, he recommended to put the PEG so LT can continue having food in his stomche (his throat is hurting now that it is very difficult for him to eat). Can anyone tell me should we need the PEG before the treatment even start? The Doctor said they might be able to start the treatment next week.

Hi Jian
Trevor's oncologist recommended he have the PEG fitted prior to commencement of treatment (immune system compromised etc one treatment begins). However the radiotherapy dr felt it wouldn't be necessary and basically that's how it was left for a couple of weeks when once again the oncologist said we should get it done. When we saw the r/t dr that day and told him the oncologist was stressing it be fitted, he reluctantly relented ("You're a strong,healthy man. I'm sure you'll manage the treatment alright"!!!!). The PEG was fitted one day short of Trevor's third chemo (day 15 of r/t), thankfully because by then he was really struggling to swallow anything and has nothing orally since the next day (21st August).
So from Trevor's experience I would advice your husband has the PEG fitted before treatment begins because you don't know how he is going to cope with the r/t.
Good luck
Deborah

Hi Deborah,

Thanks for the detail about this. I think we will take your advice. It is so good to hear from people on this board that I felt like I can ask for help and always get a response. Thank you very much.

Hi Jian,
I would suggest the peg tube be inserted afer the chemo and the radiation. This is strictly my reasoning and got nothing to do what the doctors may say. If, once after the radiation and the chemo- there are not too many side effects ( which I am pretty sure they wont as everything is pretty well contolled these days ). The reason why I say this that LT may not need the peg for feeding ( which in my case I could not feed orally five months after the radiation and chemo and a lot of people have not required it at all).
As Deborah says - there will be problems swallowing but at the same time he will get back into the groove of eating solids faster then if he has the peg.

Hi Deborah-
How is Trevor doing.I have not been through all the posts as I am still feeling as miserable as ever. Though am slowly overcoming the same it has led to underfeeding and cutting down on my work outs making me feel wobbly on my feet. I will send you a post once the is is better. I will also tell youn how to cope with the 5 days of cricket.

Al my love to you Both and a attach a bear hug for both the hubbies.
Ananth

Hi Ananth,

Thanks for the advice. I felt the same too and I will ask the R/T Dr. to see what he thinks as well. I just don't understand that it seems I have gotten different answers between the Chemo. Dr. and the R/t Dr., which I am more confident on the R/T Dr. but they just made you confused sometime.

Dear Deborah,
I hope I did not get you mad with my take on the peg as I never intend to hurt anyones sentiments. I just gave my example and thats all. As I have always mantained I am no doctor but can only suggest after having been through the experience. So, my sweetheart, I really and truly apologise if I have hurt your sentiments in anyway.
Lots and lots of love and big bear hug.
Ananth

Just thought i'd chip in with my opinion on the PEG tube situation -
I needed my PEG from week 1 of treatment as the mouth sores came along in that time, accentuated with my final chemo cycle.
As Deborah said if you wait your immune system is weakened from treatment and there is a more risk of infection.
Also i steadily lost weight from week one of R/T even withthe tube attached. & its VITAL to healing that you get all the nutition you can
& as i say - prevention is better than leaving it too late!
Oh, asnd it made no difference to how quickly i started to eat again. I hated feeding through a tube and couldn't wait to get back to real food.
my tube honestly kept me alive.
Sorry to but in guys!
Michelle

I agree with Michelle. have always considered myself a strong willed man with an extremely high pain tolerence. My Doctors gave me no choice about having a Peg tube being put in as they said it was not optional over my objection. The end result was that I could not eat or drink for over 3 months. My Peg tube actually became my friend even though I hated every minute it was dangling from my stomach. I also think that I was in enough pain when going through tratment without the added burden and pain of having the tube put in after treatment began.
Regards, Steven