So this part of the blog will be added to as things occur, mostly chronologically. Remember, these are MY experiences and may be different to others. I hope this will help anyone with understanding what happens after treatment. I have also added a few tips that I may have omitted in earlier blogs.
It was lovely having a please myself period now so took the opportunity for a moving to a perfect rural mooring a little way ahead. It was an amazing feeling cruising again watching herons, baby moorhens, ducks swans etc all getting fed ready for the day ahead. The sun was shining and I was so happy! We had a few boaty things to do and hire boats creating a few blips along the way but its all part of the fun.
The main problem i have now, is no magic medicine so the ice pops are really coming in the picture now. I usually wake in the night and instead of a cuppa, its the icepops that are favoured. Cooler drinks work better too with the radiation burn and also found mint imperials help keep the acid down a bit too. I keep a jar near the bed now. Did I tell you honey was a good to try both before and after radiotherapy? Mark saw someone mention it once on a different site and i have considered how honey may also protect the oesophagus in the absence of the magic medicine. Worth a try perhaps. So far I have tried: ice pops, honey, Gaviscon, ice cold drinks with a straw (sips rather than glugs because glugs hurt!). The blender is in much more use this week too, Banana's need more liquid as they are quite thick to slip down. Berries, chopped with low-fat yoghurt, milk or water and a little crushed ice is great. If you need energy, add some honey. Another favourite early morning snack I now have is 2 Weetabix with cold milk. It needs lots of milk though to make it soft enough to slide down the gullet. Tinned rice pudding is also a nice quick fix and if you get constipated, try the tinned Del Monte prunes! They are plump, soft and have plenty of juice to help keep things moving... the old remedies are the best! Apparently dried apricots work well too.
Without the Antacid and Oxcetacaine, I am really struggling to eat much more than blended smoothies etc but I keep trying and coming up with weird and interesting concoctions, I will add more tips on later to see if you can try them too. I have cooked casseroles and gravy laden meals and had to blend them making it almost baby food but without the magic medicine, unless it is really runny.. it still hurts like hell! Yesterday I pulverised dried pasta into tiny pieces and cooked it to help avoid all that chewing. It worked partly and simply added pesto, mayo, sweetcorn, tiny chopped up cucumber (nice and cooling) and chopped fresh baby plum tomatoes finished with a little grated cheddar. It took me a while to eat and saved the last part for dinner. That's the problem, smaller meals, more frequently but then you have to suffer the pain of swallowing. Ice pops and Gaviscon at the ready!!! When all else fails... out comes the trusty rice pudding tins!
Watch this ever updating space for now!
