Its been 5 years since I was diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal cancer. I am still cancer free. For treatment, I went once a week for 12 weeks of chemotherapy (Taxol and Carboplatin), and also everyday (5 days a week) for radiation. I was finally diagnosed after sending my biopsy results and scans to MD Anderson. I was treated in Atlanta by Atlanta Cancer Care and had my radiation at St. Joseph's hospital in Atlanta. I heard they have come along way in 5 years, especially with radiation treatments. My treatment lasted only 3 months but while you are going through it, it seems so long, but in hindsight it was just a short time. During the first few weeks of treatment, I felt fine and then one day I woke up and felt awful, throat sore, weak, achy, dizzy, and zero energy. I wasn't able to swallow anything and lost a lot of weight. If they are going to be doing radiation to the neck, I would highly recommend that you have a stomach tube put in at the beginning of treatment. That way you are able to get used to it before you feel bad.
Make sure you have a great ENT doctor. You should have a very close relationship with that doctor during and after treatments.
Almost immediately after treatment, I started to have more energy and was able to eat again. About 6 months after treatment I felt almost normal again.
I know cancer is tough on the patient and their family and friends. I know it is especially hard at this time of year. You would think after being a cancer survivor, I would know the perfect thing to say but I am always at a loss for words. What helped me (besides a lot of sleep) was to focus on what I was going to do in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years and having a great support network of friends and family.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Even if the questions come a week, a month, or a year from now.