Feel like every time I start a blog I'm saying "it's been a while since I last posted". Funny how time is flying by, yet also feels like it is dragging at the same time (if that even makes sense).
As most of you know I spent some time in the hospital last week. Nothing major, it was basically because of dehydration and my lack of eating. I think I was a little naive when it came to my radiation treatments. 5 weeks every single day, but when you get radiation it is like going in for an x-ray. It does not hurt at all; you just lay there on a table, some loud noises go off and then your done, no big deal right? What I was not factoring in was the havoc the radiation was actually doing to my insides. They warned me that it would get worse before it got better and of course they were right, but for some reason it was just not "clicking" with me. I should have noticed the signs...my throat really started to bother me and I was told I had esophagitis which basically means swollen and irritated esophagus. Amazing how sensitive it can be; sometimes it does not take more than a sip of water going down to set me off on a coughing fit, which then turns into me getting sick. Really it is more annoying then anything else. Radiation has at least allowed me to finally act like a nurse though. I'm taking care of my own IV at home now for hydration. It's pretty straight forward and simple (I think they will let just about anyone do it at home). It's just time consuming taking 4 hours just to get 1 liter of fluid in (at the hospital they do it in 2 hours). So I have a leash for 4 hours everyday. I keep saying that my muscles are going to be lopsided because I move the IV pole around with my right arm and my left is neglected ;-) I'll look like one of those arm-wrestlers with one really strong side and a week side.
I've been spending the last few days with my sister and her family which has been nice. I get friendly reminders that I have not been drinking or I have not had anything to eat, because strangely enough I need those types of reminders. It is actually comforting to have your own private nurse taking care of you.
The 4th of July has snuck up on me, I thought we had an entire week ahead of us before the 4th. As usual our family will be heading to Houghs Neck to Mom & Dads for the 4th. Should be an interesting day to say the least. The holiday for my family usually revolves around having a few cocktails and non-stop eating all day so I will be a very different one for me this year. What matters though is I'll surrounded by people I love and who love me back. I always knew I was lucky for the people I have in my life but it's just so amazing how much you can feel the love right when you seem to need it the most.
I don't have any "important" appointments for a few weeks as they are giving me sometime to recuperate from the last round of radiation/chemo. I would imagine at this point that I won't start chemo therapy again until the end of July and that it will last about 8 weeks. I'll update as I can. In the meantime I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful 3rd & 4th of July.
God Bless the USA!!
