WEEK 5 OVER

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. After a rough start to the week (unable to eat/drink and a lot of pain) my weekend is going pretty good. This was the fifth week of chemotherapy and radiation. The problem now is not as much physically swallowing as it is the burn/pain from the esophagitis and/or radiation. The doctors have pretty much told me that that the pain is going to be there for a while so we are finding ways to blunt it so I can eat/drink.

I started a new medications this week (Dexamethasone) that I believe is helping the swelling and am always coming up with different strategies to manage the pain. I am taking hydrocodone sometimes before meals which seems to really be helping. I have also come across a product called Blue Dragon. It has 50% CBD (cannabidiol) oil It interferes with pain receptors in the spine. It can take my pain to zero in like five minutes. Again, after taking some of the CBD oil and even just 600mg ibuprofen, my pain is sometimes completely resolved without getting too high like the narcotics can do.

As I mentioned last week, I lost 8 pounds and the doctors were not very happy. I have not lost any weight in almost 5 days and have actually been eating some solid food. Paula and Ian were in town this weekend. It was a blast to see them. We went out Friday night and I ate most of a Beef stroganoff and some dessert (not blended J). Yesterday, I had most of a hotdog with the bun and a Ruben sandwich (without the bread); plus…yes some strawberry cheese cake. Still have ½ of that one left for tonight…ummm. So with a little luck and some good medication management I feel like I will be able to avoid the dreaded “J” tube; just keep it in the box. LOL

This coming week is my last week of Radiation and I only have two chemotherapy sessions left. My hair has started falling out a little bit but we will see how much. Hopefully, I will get my work done and be able to spend some time outside this afternoon. Tom and I decided to stay in Denver this weekend and it is sunny and warm out.

What’s next…..After my last chemotherapy appointment they will schedule another PET scan to make sure everything is ok and the cancer has not spread. Then, surgery will be scheduled followed by more chemotherapy. If I continue to feel ok, in between treatment and surgery I may get to go on a quick vacation. As most of you guys know, there is only one thing on my bucket list and it is to see “Him”. If case you don’t dive, “He” is a whale shark. Currently, I am thinking about Thailand or the Yucatan peninsula. Anyone seen “him” lately?

Still got a long long way to go but today is a good day and my hopes are high. J

I want to THANK EVERYONE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART for the PostHope updates and love coming in from everywhere; it really means a lot. I wish I could email every one of you guys back but unfortunately it is not possible so please know my appreciation is there and I love hearing from everyone.

Everyone have a great Sunday (Monday in Thailand). J