September 3rd

Quite a week, in my little world! I moved to my dads house for the week so we don't have to make the drive to SB for treatment. I got a new drug, but really just a timed release version of the strong stuff in a much higher dose, spread out over twelve hours. Even this new one can be supplemented to increase effectiveness.

The Oxycontin is already MUCH better, and for the first time since my treatment began, I spent a few hours yesterday at the number 1 (on a scale from 1-10)!! It was fantastic! Lee Anne and I walked on the beach with Kess and Thunder, then spent some lazy time with Chris and my dad at their Sea Ledge Lane Beach Cottage.

Now I feel like I'm on vacation! Sleeping in a big, fluffy bed being lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean.....mmmm.....watching old classic surf movies like 5 Summer Stories, Endless Summer and Laird Hamilton's Crazy Train. Step into Liquid is tonight's feature film, and I must say, there's no place like home!! (wrong movie, but it fits).

I found real relief for the skin on my neck - true Aloe Vera, with the plant's skin removed, rubbed directly onto the effected area. I have effectively removed this pain from my list since discovering this. Or maybe it's just because my throat has become so excruciatingly painful if I don't keep on top of my meds that It dwarfs the slight discomfort my neck skin has.

I feel bad for not writing more sometimes, but just getting through my days is challenging enough without trying to give everyone all the sordid little details and the blow-by-blow account of my treatment. I am just SO GLAD that we are getting so close to the end of this!! After today, there's only 11 more days of radiation treatment and two more Cysplatin injections!! The end is in sight.

Another bit of good news is that I am holding my weight pretty well. Often, I can only get three or four cans of my Isosource in, due to increased pain, which sets off the nausea. I am supposed to get 6-8 cans every day, but there is no way I can take more than 1/2 can at a time or I lose it. Still, I am taking in as much as I can, and what I have been doing seems to keep me in a holding pattern. Many patients lose 20-30 lbs. and so far, I've only lost about 4-5 lbs!