Truly one week left

I had radiation at 7am and hydration at 1pm. Am pretty tired this afternoon. Did not sleep well last night. My pillow keep moving all night and could never get it settled. But the good news is I drank most all night so kept my mouth moist.

Did not sleep much today either. Tired but was not able to sustain any long periods so maybe tonight will be better. Will be in bed early tonight fighting my pillow!

Next week will be radiation thru Thursday and most possible hydration will be everyday thru Thursday and than hydration some the next week. Hopefully to help get over the chemo quicker in getting it out of my system. Can drink water and warm coffee. Can eat soft much but nothing has taste so no desire to eat. Week after next that has to change. But expect another week before truly being able to eat another that has some taste.

So while it may not be a posting every day I will continue to post for awhile. I want everyone to know when I truly have gotten back to a "normal" state for a cancer survivor!

Tomorrow and Sunday should be the bad days for the chemo treatment. So will stand on morphine and the other drugs I'm on. I will not miss the upset stomach at all!!

God keeps opening doors when you least expect them. We just have to listen and be patience with him. It's his schedule not ours.

My neck is much better this day and hopefully will continue to get better as this next week unfolds. This is due in part of the lotion, in part to the 15 minutes of radiation instead of 30 minutes of radiation and the boost in radiation (the decrease in the size being treated). I still get cold at night and sleep in a hat. Bet it will be next summer before that part goes away!

My voice fades in and out and after about 15 minutes, it is gone for awhile. My hearing has finally started fading but hopefully it will pick back up after this is all done. As hopefully my eyesight will. Lots of ifs, but the best part is still above ground and breathing.

Nite all...

just notes

It's Wednesday morning and after a pretty sleepless night, I feel pretty good this am. Am going to work for a little while today but will plan on spending time in the chair this afternoon. Yesterday I went into chemo lab for hydration and that has helped me today. Tomorrow will be chemo day, probably most all day. But due to the fact that my last chemo day is a week from tomorrow, then my last chemo may be tomorrow. Weight is up to 139 pounds this morning.

My mouth is getting drier but I can still swallow water and a little coffee. But looking forward to start trying food late next week. My goal is to get back to food as quickly as possible although I think it will take 10 days to 2 weeks to get there and that will depend on taste buds.

Six more days of radiation. Still have a little anxiety about if all this will work but have to just have faith in God and the doctors that it will. Have to have a little patience here.

I am still tired and like to sleep, and will but think too much sleep is keeping me from recovery as fast as I want so will be trying to do a little more activity around the house to get my energy level back up.

I cannot say enough about the folks at Texas Oncology. They have fantastic this whole time and especially these last eight weeks. If you want to give to some, the Hope House is a great place to start. Mary Collier is a great and compassionate lady that does wonders here. In fact, they are now building a new facility adjacent to the old one. It's a facility I am sorry to be build but it is a facility that needs to be built with the rise in cancer.

My friend Jim is back in Midland and so thankful his recovery is going well. I continue to think of my boys at summer camp this week.

And those who are in the middle at chemo and or radiation, know that is does end. And while it gets tough, the finish line is what it's about. Know that there is a finish line. Perservance, prayer and support and God will get all of us there, whether we are the victum or the supporter. I hope everyone has a blessed day from God today.

July 2 is graduation day!

Weekend was kinda long. Did not feel too good so just slept and rested. My father's day present was some solar outdoor lights. They are pretty neat. Adds alot of soft lightly to the front and back of the house.

My burns seem to be getting worse but tech today said mine were better than alot others he has seen so will continue radiation. Was informed that July 2 is the final day! So only 8 more days to go. Will have a final boost starting tomorrow. The end of this treatment is in sight! A few weeks ago I did not think I would make it to the end. And the end is in sight. Thanks to all of you and my family. God does not let us endure more than we can handle and I think that is what is happening now. The recovery road will take awhile but hopefully my body is up for the task.

Will take it easy today and work some tomorrow. My boys are at summer camp this week. Sent them off yesterday morning. They will have fun.

Talk to ya'll later.

Another day down - another day closer to finishing

What a blessed night and day of rain. We got 1 1/2" here at the house. Spent part of the day getting my Boy Scouts ready for summer camp. This will be the first year in 25 years that I have missed summer camp. Spent most of the afternoon with one of my Eagle Scouts - Ben Kennady. It is so refreshing to see them grow into responsible young men. I'm not even holding it against Ben for going to A & M!

Slept pretty well last night and plan on sleeping in again tomorrow but going to see the boys off to summer camp. Looking at my neck makes one think that I need to scrap off this stuff bu I am supposed to leave all the scabbing on and it will gradually come off as the neck heals from the inside out. I have gained 3 pounds through last night so this is a good thing. The bottom has stopped and over the next couple of weeks I will gain some of this weight back. And when it is over it is back to healthy foods! And some not so healthy foods!

The morphine seems to have really helped with the neck pain as well as with the stomach. At this point the neck is giving me the biggest problems. But have another day of recovery before going back for another week of radiation. The pictures below are what the neck looks like today. They are pretty bad so be aware before you look at them!

Silly me!

I've a pretty good two days but tonight I am starting to feel the stomach issues come back. How soon I forget about the bad days when the good ones arrive, even if short lived. But am rapidly approaching the two weeks left mark.

Had radiation at 7am this morning, came home and took my morphiene and proceeded to fall asleep for about an 1 1/2 hours. Went to work for about an hour and then spent part of afternoon at kids new home.Ran out of gas around 3 so came home and tried to sleep. But was too wired so just rested. Maybe it was the morphine. And then at 8pm I took another morphine and fitfully slept for about an hour.

I really thought the morphine would really lessen the stomach issues but still have to take the other pills. As Lucille will tell you, I hate to take pills so she has to constantly remind me. Good thing she is around!!

I am feeling better now that Lucille found my new meals. For 4 oz of this diet I get 855 calories. So for three feedings a day I am over the minimum again. So hopefully the weight loss will stabilize over the next couple of weeks. I sit and dream of eating real food again and even tried hot wings tonight but alas, it was to no avail. But soon I will be eating the juicy burger Michael promised me from the first time he heard I had cancer.

Tomorrow will be the last one this week so with the weekend to recover. Was told today that I will have only one more boost. Radiation is radiation. Happens everyday regardless of how much they do. I spend the same amount of time at this point as I did before this boost. It is just more concentrated.

I am now up to shaving 3 times a week for my beard and should be for my head but will keep shaving to only twice a week. Gotta go get a new fashion shirt for tomorrow because Lucille cuts the neck band off to keep my neck from getting worse. It is the hit of the radiation department!

Good news from Jim Adams. He is home from Houston and resting. Thank you for your prayers. He is a wonderful guy! Nite all...

only 2 chemos to go!!

other side of neck today!


neck as of today!



See what morphine can do?

Well, only two chemos to go. This morning I was trying to throw up and feeling very sick and down. But as of now, I feel alot better and prepared to take on another day. I will post pics of my neck today or tomorrow. Pretty raw. Docs gave me some cream which they use on burn victims and it seems to be helping. I did find out that a boost is when the in the last three weeks of radiation, they start narrowing the scope of the radiation to the original spot to make sure all the cells are dead. My first boost was today and will have two more boost in the next two weeks. While July 4 will be Independence Day, it will take a couple of weeks to get back to strength and eating REAL food. But what an experience it will be until everything gets back to normal.

Weight down to 138 pounds, but hopefully I am approaching the bottom of this. I would not be allowed in school because of my baggy pants. But at least I keep my belt tight. No test pulling my pants!! (I do this to my Troop boys who think they can wear their pants too loose and too low).

My voice has pretty much gone. If I have enough liquids in my mouth I can talk for a little bit but not long! Some people I know will consider that a blessing!

The good Lord keeps blessing me and I keep receiving them happily. And I believe those blessings come the prayers the thousands of you have sent up on my behalf. I know I would not be where I am today with all those who have supported me through this. Thanks again.

another day, another treatment

Today is Monday th 15th of June. went in for radiation treatment today and was told that I would have a boost this week., In other words, they are going to narrow the scope of the radiation.

Spent the weekend sleeping and doing dry heaves. In fact, while getting treatment this morning I thought I was going to heave thru my mask. It make be a long three weeks.

But did find out that I was having a reaction to the Ensure. Lucille found a muscle booster that has between 800 and 1000 per 4 ozs. So far it has not caused any reaction in my stomach. Stomach is still upset but understand it will be for the duration of this treatment.

Still able to swallow liquids and some soft foods (with a water chaser). Biggest problem right now is dealing with the burn around my neck and the blisters. IT itches like crazy but am refraining from scratching.

Am sleeping alot. Working at anything is in less than 2 hour increments. But it is better than nothing. Also am cold alot of the time. Only I'm not is when I am outside in the 100 degree heat.

I think the docs were surprised when I told them I still had some saliva in my mouth. Not enough for sure but some. The little drinks of water really help keep the mouth moisturized.

So if I am sohehow able to keep my stomach somewhat in check, things might not been too bad. Will just have to play it out and see.

Jim Adams is hopefully coming home this week from Houston. Praise God for answered prayers. Later gang...