Off Nexavar for 2 weeks

Ed has not had any better days since I last wrote; in fact, he has hardly eaten anything for the last several days because his mouth sores hurt and it is simply too difficult to swallow. He has now lost 28 pounds since this ordeal began. Today, the oncologist saw him and stopped his taking the cancer-fighting drug Nexavar for 2 weeks (he only began taking it May 1). If the mouth sores are from the Nexavar, he should have some healing and be able to eat again. If they heal, he may start taking Nexavar again to see if they return. There is an alternative drug, Sutent, that he may change to down the road if necessary. If the mouth sores are actually from the radiation treatment he had, they should heal on their own but it could take weeks. I was chastised by the doctor (can you believe that!); I'm not to make a big issue out of getting Ed to eat. He is to eat whatever he feels he can whenever he feels like it. Even if he goes back on Nexavar, we don't have to be so stringent about following the timing of eating and taking the drug (I probably was a bit overboard about that). The doc says the body is smarter than we are and will accommodate what's going on. He says the nutrition Ed does take in is probably mostly "feeding" the main tumor. I don't really understand how that works nor the logic of not eating, but he says there is no danger of organ failure or anything like that. The swallowing difficulty, however, is most likely due to the cancer. There is a lesion on the back of his throat that is probably the culprit. The loss of appetite is also due to the cancer.

Ed is to keep using the "Magic Mouthwash" prescription he started the other day. I am to call the oncologist by Friday if the mouth sores don't improve. Not sure what he'll do about it then but I'm hoping I won't even need to call. Ed will also start wearing a patch for pain control tho it is a low-dose medicine--he's just glad it's not another pill to swallow--yet he is still to take Tylenol for pain as needed. We go back to the oncologist May 30.

A priest from our church is coming this afternoon to give him Communion and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Maybe this spiritual boost will do some good. Thus ends today's update.
Joni