Up to Today

I got out of hospital on Sunday evening and was able to make my last two radiation treatments during the following week.

It was a huge relief to have the radiation treatment over and done with and assumed the damage being done to my throat and mouth would stop there and then. Unfortunately not, I now believe my throat kept on cooking for up to another 2 weeks after treatment.

The mucositis continued for about 7 weeks and by now as I write this on the 12th August and gone but has been replaced by ‘dry mouth’ whereby my saliva glands are not working properly and not producing enough saliva.

On the 16th July I was in hospital for my heart ablation and that all went well. It was after this that I finally felt like trying to eat real food. Linda has been cooking me up simple dishes such as chicken pot pie and ground beef and mashed potatoes with loads of gravy and I am able to swallow these down without too much trouble.

On the 3rd August I had my feeding tube removed, another big relief.

For months now I had not been taking the medications I was supposed to be taking because I couldn’t swallow. As my condition improved, gradually I was able to swallow bigger and bigger things and finally I was able to cope with swallowing all my prior medications which is (yet another) big relief.

I have a follow-up with the doc about my heart ablation on the 24th August and some time this month I am due to have a full pet scan which, I assume will either confirm that my cancer has gone or worst case, highlight if there are still some issues that need addressing.

Other than that I am trying to eat, get some exercise, put on weight and appreciate being alive!