Treatment Update / Merry Christmas !!

Season’s Greetings to All!  Hope you are enjoying some special memories over the holidays.  We are taking pleasure in a 4 day break from treatments as the clinic is closed Mon. & Tues. (and weekends).  We call the time to, from and at treatments our “Gilligan Tour”… normal round trip is a 3 hour tour.  When we add Dr. checkups and bloodwork that’s another story. 

Here’s an update on what’s been going on.  The chemo kick took about a week to get out of Ken’s system.  He is definitely not as tired as that period, sleeping well and eating well.  His voice is better than the last few weeks.  Energy level is up too.  Teddy is definitely shrinking based on the pictures we still take.  His throat is sore but more like a nagging sore throat.

Monday we met with radiation resident, Dr. Vikram Velker.  He assists Dr. Read and reports things back to her.  The dietician was there again.  They were most pleased and surprised that his weight had maintained.  It was up a little but he had his shoes on this time! Also liked how his skin is holding up and pleased  how teddy looks from inside his mouth. They noticed the difference from the previous visit. And...after he was done feeling his neck and writing things down...he remembered Ken had a lymph node tumour too and had to go back and try to find it because it has changed too!!!  I noticed the change on his neck so was glad to have it confirmed.  All positive news.  We were told the side effects will catch up to us a few days after the next chemo (this Wed. the 28^th) as the radiation gets further along.  That said, we got prescriptions for mouthwash for mouth sores he already has "lidocaine / xylocaine" and liquid codeine (only if pain not managed by Tylenol.  The dietician also wants him to drink 6 “Ensure plus calories” a day should eating become more difficult. The vanilla is tasty like a custard/pudding.  We’re going to have ‘Ensure-nog’ for XMAS with some nutmeg and a cinnamon stick J.  The VON comes to the house once a week to check on things.  We get a different nurse every time so far.  One was an extra special visit because we know her and her husband's family…xx! 

Wednesday was a long day - left at 7:30am – back at 2:30pm. Very dreary & foggy all day.  Drove there in the fog.  Drove home in hard rain and fog.   Started with blood work for chemo prep/platelet count, then visit to Dentist, then radiation treatment (lucky #13), then chemo Dr. checkup.  Ken’s platelets are down again (71…normal 150-400ish).  They didn’t seem too alarmed and was just a matter of fact note she gave us on the way out because we wanted to know.  Guess that’s the chemo attack.  I suppose we’ll find out Wednesday in chemo if they show up with a bag of platelets if they are worried.  They want him to keep the sodium up now too to help against the kidney damage possibility, with soups and broths.  Dr. Kuruvilla was behind schedule as she tended to other patients with challenges or it wouldn’t have been that long of a day.

Thanks to our recent drivers – M.H. / M.D. / R.C. / B.A.H. / D.L.  It is nice to catch up with everyone, share a bit of our experience and enjoy the scenery instead of the traffic.

The next little while may be a bit unpleasant.  But the view from the other side of this mountain is amazing.  We will stop in often and let you know how we are doing.

Xx

K&S