The countdown is down to 1 hand!  5 of the 35 radiation treatments left!  Last day of radiation is still set for next Thursday.   

I'll start with the chemo update - Jeff was supposed to have his 3rd and final round of chemo this last Monday.  That day the doctor told him he has checked all of the boxes so the 3rd round of chemo isn't needed.  2 rounds were needed and the doctor was happy with that.  I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that Jeff was getting the highest dose of chemo so with that highest dose, it must have helped cut out the 3rd round.  Jeff wasn't feeling the best that day anyway so he was pretty happy with that.  He had a temp of 99.9 when he went in. They gave him fluids to help reduce the fever since he's not drinking much. He did get sick a couple times on Monday and had body aches and a headache.  Thankfully within a couple of days he was feeling much better. 

The radiation has definitely been causing more pain.  On Monday the doctor said his throat looks like a piece of beef.  He has sores in the back of his throat and on his tongue.  He has been on pain meds but of course that doesn't take the pain away 100% - the doctors definitely let him know nothing will take the pain completely away.  It does reduce the pain though.  At this point he just tolerates it and sleeps when he can.  He said sleep helps the time go by and helps him not have to deal with the pain.  

He isn't really able to talk right now and that can go on for a few weeks yet.  The doctor has told him that radiation can continue to work 12 days after treatment.  So it can be a couple weeks after his last treatment for the healing process to start.  They say the healing process can take 2-3 months.  Around the 3 month mark, they will do another PET scan to see if the treatments took care of the cancer.  

He has lost quite a bit of weight through this and gets tired easily.  He is looking forward to getting a normal life back - working, being able to eat actual food, being with family and friends and is really looking forward to summer and lake life!  

Again, thank you to everyone for your continued support and positive words - this is the roughest part and you are all helping him get through it, along with some good meds. :) 

I have added a couple pictures to the gallery that I took of him over the weekend to show the discolor in his neck after 26 radiation treatments.  That will start to get better over time.