Tuesday, February 19 2008.
This is the last week of the seven weeks of Radiation treatments up at Dana-Farber or DFCI as it is called by those who love it. There are four "zaps", er-- treatments to go. There wasn't any Radiation on Monday, yesterday, because of Presidents Day. I didn't know that cancer took holidays. We learned about this when we drove all the way there on Martin Luther King Day and it was locked up.
We learned that cancer takes the usual twelve holidays that we all do. Who knew?
We were happy for the day off. No commuting to Boston. One less zap, sizzle, fry that each treatment delivers to your designated body parts. Sometimes you just need a day off.
The Radiation has really begun to "burn". There is a pink sunburn to the outer skin now. I don't think that it's painful. There is pain however on the inside, where you can't see the burning. They have been warning that it would come. I guess he was lucky that it was late in coming.
But it's really here now! They have prescribed a cocktail of "Maalox,Benadryl and Lidocaine" for this esphogeal pain. It's all mixed in a thick, sticky, pink liquid. It works! If you drink it just before you eat, it numbs your esophagus so that you can get some liquids down (you have to use a straw or your whole mouth becomes numb). They give you lists of foods to avoid. You really don't need the list- you know really quickly that you don't even want to drink water. Everything hurts to swallow... anything cold, anything hot, anything crunchy, really anything!!
This should get a bit worse for a week or so and then it will begin to resolve, so they have told us.
Treating cancer is hard work. Being treated for cancer is even harder.
1 comment:
Hi -
I found you on my sitemeter! I am tickled that you have linked my photo blog! :)
Wow, you are one strong woman fighting a big battle. I wish you blessings and strength on your road to recovery from the cancer. I've always, always, believed in the phrase, mind over matter.
Kate :)
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