Ten

   Today I went and got fluids again. With magnesium and potassium added.  I'm trying to get fluids in me, really, I am. But it still hurts to swallow.
   But.
   BUT.
   Yesterday, after I got my fluids, Yvette wanted to get something to eat. She had 2 requests. She didn't want something she could get at home (Dyersburg) and she didn't want burgers.
   So I took her to Outback. 
   She didn't want to go in because she said she would feel guilty eating, when I couldn't. I said surely that have something on the menu I can try. I found something.

   Baked sweet potato and broccoli with cheese. I didn't finish either one, but I did get a few bites in me.
   We did have to reorder the broccoli with cheese. The first one had a sauce (cheese?) That was spicy. That's a nope.
They remade it with the cheese from mac and cheese. That was better.

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Six Seven Eight Nine

 

 Had a doctor's appointment with my radiation oncologist yesterday. That was 8 days past radiation. I was glad I had Yvette with me. 
   The bad. I lost 44 pounds from the time I started treatment.
  The good. Everything else. I had basically maintained my weight from last Monday. The day I had my last radiation. Maybe lost 2 pounds. He said my throat looked great. That it should start healing more within the next couple of weeks.
   That I will start to get more taste back. That it won't hurt as bad to swallow. I really look forward to that. 
   But he wanted me to come over there and get fluids today and tomorrow. Urggh okay. But not 2 liters, just one. I wanted to strangle him. When they access my port, they have to flush it with an anti coagulant.
   If you've ever donated platelets, you know that weird taste you get when they do the first return? The one that makes your gums hurt? Yeah, that taste. That's what it tastes like. 
    I asked the nurse one day, why, I couldn't taste anything else, but I could taste that s#!t. She couldn't explain it. I can taste some things a little bit now. Not much, and not well, but I can taste the grape in the crangrape. It sort of reminds me of communion. 
   Today I went and got a liter of fluids. 
   Where you go into the Kirkland Cancer Center, there is a shop called Inspirations. When I started going there for my treatment, they had a bunch of pink flamingos in the display. When we had to take Brayden with us a couple of times, Brayden would yell that he LIKES PINK FLAMINGOS.
   Yesterday when we went in, the flamingos were gone. I think I've figured out where they went.

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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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