Three-Four-Five

   Nothing spectacular, really. Thursday, I went to get fluids. They started them up and I went to sleep. When I woke up, they had potassium and magnesium running into my veins. Okay, I knew I was going to get fluids, didn't know I needed those. 😟 But you do what you got to do. 
   Finally made it out of there and home. Got a little bit done. 
   Friday. I did nothing. Watched some TV. Watched Brayden. Got a phone call that Gabe hurt his ankle. Okay, sprained his ankle. 
   Then last night. Friday night lights. Friday Night Football. 
Trenton Peabody Vs. Gibson County Pioneers. 
  I was sort of following along through Facebook. 
Gibson County scored first. 
Reading the message boards, Peabody fans weren't very happy with the way their team was playing. Slipping and falling? I don't know, wasn't there.
Then Peabody scored. Peabody scored again. 
   Finally I find somebody live streaming the game. There's about 2 minutes left. Goal line stand. Peabody has the ball. 4 timeouts?
  In the end Gibson County won 14-10. And Peabody fans were complaining about the officiating. So nothing has changed in 35 years.
   Today, I guess the Volunteers are going to lose to Georgia. It would be nice if they'd win a game in the SEC this year. But, let's be honest, the last 4 coaches haven't gotten then straightened out. Maybe this one will get long enough to get his style implemented. 
   But tomorrow, church. And next week, fall break.
  
But today, I had nowhere to be, no-one that I had to watch, nothing that I thought, I just have to do THIS! So this morning, when Yvette left, I went back to sleep.

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2 Days Past

   
   I've been blessed throughout my treatments. Blessed to have people praying for me. Blessed to have a doctor that recognized something wrong quickly.
   Blessed to get treatment fast. Blessed to stay healthy through the treatments . And from what I've been told, Blessed to keep a Positive Attitude through the treatments.      
   I'm sure part, if not all, of the positive attitude has been because of the people praying for me. That's part of why I've ended my posts by thanking people who are reading, thanking people who are praying, and thanking people for their support. 
   I've been told that I didn't have it as bad as it could have been. I don't know. I think part of it has been pretty rough. Maybe putting on 10 pounds before I started the treatments was a help. 
   For those people who have commented on me looking slim and trim. Losing 30 pounds will do that. Not being able to eat much will do that. 

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1 Day Past

    One day after my last radiation treatment. I have a couple more IV's to get fluids. They're going to do a blood draw to check my blood levels Thursday before they give me fluid.
   That's cool. Im looking forward to having something like normal taste buds. It could be somewhere around 2 weeks before it starts to change according to the Doctor. The internet says it should take 
3 -12 weeks before the mucositis is better. Maybe then, I'll be able to actual swallow something solid. 
   Luckily I'm still able swallow a little bit. That's a good thing. Otherwise, I'd be getting hooked up with a feeding tube. I don't want a feeding tube.
  P.S. Linda, your note was a blessing!

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Uurggh!

   Last Radiation Treatment scheduled for 9 AM. 
   Driving to Jackson at 7:55 and Yvette says the car is making a funny noise over here. I get out and check and the right front tire is going flat.....
   I get the jack out, I get the spare tire lowered down, I start trying to change the tire. And I stop to catch my breath. I get the lug nuts loosened. And I stop to catch my breath. I'm leaning on the car and a guy walks up and asks if we need help. 
   He changed the tire for us. He said he drove by and the the Holy Spirit told him to turn around and help us. 
   I am very thankful for the Holy Spirit.
   He got the tire changed and I made it to the Kirkland Cancer Center in time for my final radiation treatment. They got me treated and then I got to ring the bell.
   Now, I'm looking forward to getting my life back together. Getting my tastebuds back, getting my appetite back, getting my energy back.

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One more

   Radiation Treatments that is.
   I have 3 appointments to get fluids. And then maybe, I can start getting back to normal. Whatever normal is.
   I had someone ask me what I was going to do when my treatments were over. And honestly, I don't know. I'm not sure at what point I'll feel up to doing anything.       Yesterday and today, I've spent most of my time in bed. I went to church, had a poem read to me. And came home a Unicorn.

   

   Which is okay by me. I like unicorns. Then Tiger Woods won a PGA Tour Event, which may be rarer than a Unicorn sighting. 
   
   Not much has changed, my tastebuds are still messed up, my voice may be a little bit better, but I still don't trust my throat to swallow anything very solid. But sooner or later, that's going to change, right?
   I know it is. I believe it is!
Anyway.
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I'm Tired!

  I wrote this Thursday evening after I got home and then I fell asleep for 4 hours.
It's not positive, it's not encouraging, it's just what I felt. And now I've edited a few things out.

I've got 2 radiation treatments left, that's the positive. And this: 

   I'm not glowing in the dark, but I was blinking on and off for 27 hours. I almost didn't get my chemotherapy yesterday because my white count was too low.  But they hooked me up to this little doodad, which injected  Neulasta into me tonight to make my bone marrow start producing white cells.
   

But for the rest:
I'm tired. 
Tired of the travelling,
tired from the chemotherapy,
tired of the treatments,
tired of nothing tasting right,
tired of it hurting to swallow,
tired of it hurting to talk,
tiredof it hurting to yawn,
tired of not being able to sing,
tired of things not smelling right.

My chemotherapy is done, but I'm still getting fluids for at least 4 more days.

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And maybe an extra dose of prayers of if ycould sulfa them

Get It On!

 If you follow me on Facebook or are cursed to receive my morning texts...

The messages this week have been building up to today.....
Have A Marc Bolan Monday!
Have A T. Rex Tuesday!
And today, Get It On!

  Marc Bolan was the singer in T. Rex. They had one song that hit the Top 10 in the U.S.
Get It On! Bang a Gong!
   When you finish Chemotherapy, you bang a gong to celebrate!
   I still have 3 treatments of radiation to look forward to. And I'll be getting fluids several days to counteract the effects of the chemotherapy. And I'm cool with that. 
In the meantime, just celebrate and be happy! Seriously! 
    👇 Click this Link!👇

Get It On/ Bang a Gong!
 
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Any Old Port in a Storm?

   And then there were 4. Radiation Treatments. 
   I was feeling a little dry after the weekend so I requested fluids. Today, went upstairs and there was a little problem. They couldn't get blood back when they tried starting the fluids. 
   So they squirted in some Liquid Wrench or WD-40 or maybe it was Liquid Drano. Anyway after about 2 hours, they cone back to check and they could get the fluids flowing in through my port. Which means that they can give me my last dose of chemo tomorrow. 
   You know what else is tomorrow? 
This child is having a birthday.

  She's turning 29. I think. Something like that. So if you know her, or have her number, you could send her a birthday wish...



Anyway
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And Then There Were 5

   Radiation Treatments! 
   Maybe after they end, my throat will start feeling better. I'm hoping so anyway.

But before that, tomorrow is a special day, this guy is having a birthday. So if you see him, and you know him, wish him a happy birthday!

   Happy Birthday Superman!
Your messages mean a lot to me!

   I have 1 more chemo treatment Wednesday. That'll be on Hannah's Birthday.

Anyway!

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Broccoli Cheese Soup

   I've mentioned it more than once. And I've got peoples that love me. Not just the 5 in this house that pray for me every morning on the way to school.
   6 Radiation Treatments.
   1 Chemotherapy Treatment.
   But today at church, my cousin said there's some soup in the fridge for you. Mama made it, I think June may have helped.
   Broccoli Cheese Noodle Soup!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

   Thank You Aunt Janie!

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It's the Weekend!

Friday, Saturday,  Sunday! 

    My plans for this weekend? Nothing. Or as close to nothing as I can accomplish. I might throw some seeds at the ground if I get up to get them. If I don't, it ain't no big thing. 
   It hurts to swallow. And I mentioned to Yvette that my tongue feels like it's burned.
"She asked why?"
"I said I don't know."
   But, my cancer was diagnosed as base of tongue. Considering the way the outside of my neck feels, I guess it's logical that my tongue would be feeling a little burnt. I'll see my doctor Tuesday and I'll ask him, I guess he would know. 
   This weekend is the Depot Days celebration in Newbern. Last year, the kids and I went to it. We also competed in the 5K. We all got medals for our age divisions. I don't know exactly how they wound up splitting it where the 51 year old guy pushing a stroller who barely finished in under an hour got a medal, but I did.
   This year, I'm not sure I could have finished the mile. But I think when I get better, I may take up participating in 5K's
  Especially since I saw where Bob Trejo competed in a 5K and finished 2nd with a time of under 20 minutes. It's just like high school. I scored a 30 on the ACT, a year later, he comes along and beats me.
   Anyway.

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Have I Introduced You?

   This is my treatment partner. I think I've shown it to you before, but if I haven't, it's been to the doctor with me, to the PET scan with me, to the biopsy with me, to the surgery with me, and to radiation and chemo treatments with me.
   It started back when we had first moved. Not sure how long afterwards. One Sunday the children's sermon was about happiness and the children were asked what made them happy. They were giving typical responses. So I texted my response to the person doing the children's sermon.
   Kittens Riding a Unicorn Sliding Down a Rainbow!
   At Christmas, I got that unicorn for a Christmas Present. 
   And when I was told I had been diagnosed with cancer, I started carrying the unicorn with me to the doctor appointments. It's hard to be depressed when you're holding a blue unicorn. Listening to banjo music can prevent depression too. 
Pig Ankle Rag on banjo

   Today's treatment reduces my treatments left to 7.  Or 8 if you include my chemo.  But 7 radiation treatments. I'm 80% done with radiation.
   And I got me something to help me celebrate.

   Yeah, try getting that image out of your mind.

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27 of 35

   Actually it's 77% , but I couldn't find a pretty gold 77% image.
   I went today for a radiation treatment and they took a blood toxicity sample. They checked my levels and I actually tested at a good level.
   I seem to get tired pretty easily but maybe it's my sleeping patterns that have me screwed up.
   My throat is sore, it hurts to swallow, but my weight is holding steady. 

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Attention!!

   "All 300 units, go to the Community Center at X o'clock!"
   That was it, no further information coming. You'll find out when you get there.
   We were being told stuff by customers on the route. 
"They blew up the stock exchange"
"They blew up the Pentagon"

   Wrong information, but it was all we had. We were working and our trucks didn't have radios, other than the 2 ways for communicating with other trucks and the office.
    We get to the Community Center go into the Dome and they've got a tv on stage showing the planes crashing into the Twin Towers.
  Then they start talking to us about what had gone on. 
    It's not just our department there. All the "out there on the streets" departments are there. The strangest thing was they said
 'If you see any suspicious packages or boxes on the street, notify police dispatch'
   I never knew looks  could make a sound. But 30 members of Solid Waste looking at each other with a collective "HUH?" Does make a noise. Solid Waste, the department whose job at that time was to pick up anything they put it out that weighed less than 50 pounds. 
  The next day and the weeks that followed, everybody was proud to be American. People were bonded. I don't know what's happened since.

Anyway.
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Undecided

 25 of 35. 5 of 7. If radiation were a week, this would be Thursday evening. As it is, I've got 10 more treatments to go.
   My radiation doctor looked at it today. He said it looked normal. 
   I'm not sure that's a good thing. Yesterday at church someone said I looked a little blistered. I said, "oh, okay" 
Today when the nurse said something about looking blistered, I thought, maybe I should look when I get home.

Dang!

   Now I kinda wish I hadn't. It does look blistered. Ouch.
But the doctor said, that's normal. He said the places in my mouth look normal.
  
   So even though it hurts to swallow, and my neck looks horrible, the doctor said that's normal. And that's good enough for me. 
   I may have overexerted myself Saturday. Sends used up too much of my energy, but, I'm  glad I got done what I did. Even if it ain't what I set out to do in the first place. 
   Maybe I'll get around to doing what I intended sometime......

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Working for the Weekend!

   24 days.
   That means I've got 11 more days of radiation. Hopefully after this is over, I'll get my voice back. It's getting really bad. To that point, it's frustrating to try to say anything.
   I need to work some more on my project that I started getting ready for the other day. It's one of those, I need to be having a good day to work on it. 
   That first week after chemo, ain't good days. But that's okay, I've got one more treatment of that left. 
   I guess, I'll wind up coming to get fluids by IV after my radiation and chemo have both ended. 
  I'm sitting here getting 2 liters right now. 
My wife is killing time somewhere. The children are out of school.

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23 Days

   Yesterday, well, I had nothing. I mean I had radiation, and Yvette went with me which means Brayden was there. 
   But pretty much a bleh day. It looked like rain in the morning on the way to too Jackson. And it did finally rain later. 
   My weight was up from Tuesday. And I bought and cooked a spaghetti squash. It was good. Well, as good as something that doesn't really taste can be.

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22 Done

   Last night we went to a celebration of life for my cousin. One of the last people I would have expected to exit like that.
   She was one of the people who would send me encouraging messages after I sent my blog updates. Her last text to me was:
 Thx for the update! 
  Stay strong
24 hours later, she wasn't messaging anyone.
   I felt like I had to go. Maybe I shouldn't have. It was hot. Not as bad as it could have been, but probably hotter than I needed to be.
   After we got home, I laid down, less than an hour later, nausea hit hard.
   And I hurled. It Ain't Fun. I rarely throw up, but last night, I did. So today, I'm trying to build back up. Cause I have got to put some weight on. 
    E gave me a ride, and waited while I had radiation and non-chemo fluid infusion. 
  Iit's fun having her with me for treatment. She doesn't feel the need to entertain me, she can take her work with her and stay occupied. I don't need to entertain her, which is great considering my voice sucks.
   Tonight I'm eating grits with cheese. Maybe the food will stick to my ribs.

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21 of 35

   That's right. 60% of my radiation treatments have been administered.
   That means I still have 14 to take.
40%. 
   We ain't made it to the short rows yet, but I can see them from here. 😊
   Saw my radiation doctor today. Dr. G. He said that my neck was looking good. He said my mouth and throat looked normal.
   He wasn't really happy with my weight loss. That was my fault. I didn't realize I was going to run out of anti-nausea medication this weekend. And by the time I realized it, it was too late to get my refill. 
   But it ain't no big thing. Yet.
   I've got to get fluids in me, and get some notion in me. 

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Cancer (Treatment) Takes a Holiday

   Really, it does. Labor Day means a day off from radiation.
   It's also the start of the county fair where I live. Will I go check it out, probably not. I used to spend lots of time at county fairs. Not for enjoyment, but showing livestock.
   It's weird not doing anything on Labor Day. For 16 years, I worked every Labor Day. Then we moved. And last year at a new job, I was off for the holiday.
   This year. I haven't worked. I applied for jobs. A bunch of jobs. Jobs I wasn't exactly happy about applying for. Jobs that I would have loved to have. Jobs I was overqualified for. I got a few interviews, but nobody hired me.
   Then I was diagnosed with cancer.
   And I stopped applying. Which is probably a good thing, considering the way my treatment schedule has been. I'm not sure I could work a job having to spend 2½ to 8 hours a day getting treatment. 
   But, like the hair falling out of my beard, it ain't no big thing.
  
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I ❤ The Vols!

   I love them more when they win, but I still love them when they lose.
   Today, I went to church, I went out to eat later. I had fellowship. That's a good day.
   I love my friends. 
   My nausea isn't quite as bad today, but it's still there. 
   But tomorrow. Cancer Treatment Takes a Holiday.

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Go Vols

   I woke up this morning and finished my post from yesterday. I sent it out and went back to sleep. And then I woke up to bad news. One of the people that I send my blog to, won't be reading it anymore. A person who was consistently encouraging and would often send me texts encouraging me.
   Today is the start of the Volunteers football season. No more brick by brick. Starting out against a top 20 team. 
   Gabe went to a friend's house to watch the Volunteers football game. The person who invited him said he'd be there a couple of hours. I'm guessing that the person that invited him doesn't watch football.
   I'm feeling a little better now than I was this morning. The nausea isn't rolling in waves quite as fast. And that's a good thing.
  Don't know how the rest of the days going to go, but hoping the Vols can make a comeback in the 2nd half. 
   
   Naps. Naps are good. 

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20 Days Done

   I was sitting in the room waiting to see the doctor and there is a screen with a rotating display of information. And I read one of the screens. So the next time around, I took a picture.
   Keep a Journal. Is that anything like write a blog? I may not be real high on sharing everything that runs through my mind. But I figure if my thoughts start getting too bizarre somebody will notice. And there's enough people reading that have been through cancer treatment that if I mention something bad will tell me, hey, you need to ask your doctor about that.
   Wednesday was my 2nd dose of chemo. And I requested that they schedule me for fluids on Thursday and Friday. Especially after the way the first chemo treatment left me feeling. 
   The good: I'm glad I requested the fluids. The nausea is worse this time, even with better anti-nausea medication. It doesn't burn my throat to drink carbonated drinks.
   The bad. My voice sounds horrible, or at least it did the last time I tried it. The nausea. 🤢. Urgghhh. 
   The best. Volunteer Football starts today. And even a bad year gets better when the Vols start playing, even if they're not playing well.
   
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