Tongue To Be Treated

It's official: I have agreed to undergo radiation therapy on my tongue. I spoke with Dr. O'Sullivan late this afternoon. On Tuesday he reviewed my case with the panel of UHN doctors, including Dr. Irish, and they came out supporting Dr. O'Sullivan's recommendation to zap the tongue. I was considering taking my friend Chad's advice and holding an American Idol style phone-in vote to decide the course of my treatment, but I suppose listening to a panel of doctors works too.

Aware of my concerns about risks to my jawbone, Dr. O'Sullivan offered two points that offer some comfort: 1) my tongue will be treated with a low dose of radiation to minimize side effects; and 2) I've never broken my jawbone, nor have I had any surgery on it before, which lessen the chances that it will be damaged by the radiation.

Nevertheless, having my tongue zapped will still be an ordeal. I'll need to be on liquid codeine to deal with the pain, and by the third week of treatment, eating will be nearly impossible. At that time I'll be admitted to the hospital for a few days to have a feeding tube inserted in my side that will provide food directly to my stomach. The tube will remain until I can handle solids again orally some time after treatment ends. Unless of course I get hooked on such an efficient means of administering nutrition. Maybe chewing is overrated?