And so, into Week number 4 of treatment and I seem to have forgotten the normal monday morning panic of getting back into work after a weekend off, of having to quickly prioritise tasks for the week ahead against all the Monday morning fastballs, and having to rejig my programme to suit. Today, to be honest is just the same as last Monday morning. Woke up tired again, bit of gargling, feeding tube cleaning, bath, breakfast, brush teeth and hit the road for Southampton. Not sure if I am getting used to pain now, the constant feeling of a weak karate chop to the adams apple every time I swallow has become par for the course, stronger pain relief helps me sleep three hours at a time, might try and get upgraded soon. Weekly Wii Fit weigh in shows a weight loss of 7lbs, now just over 17 stones (a weight I haven't been down to since summer 2011). I continue to eat what I can get down, two small meals a day (if a plate of scrambled egg consitutes a meal?) Plus a couple of complan milk shakes is the norm. Will have to start taking nutrition by tube soon as DO NOT want to be admitted to hospital for week 6 (christmas week)! New jumbo shed/garden pub has been ordered and will be installed in early Feb. am looking forward to treating that and sorting out the internal decor. Will be putting together some party plans in New Year to celebrate us all getting through the last four months. With the World Cup also looming will make sure a big TV takes centre stage come June/July... Just back from hospital, managed to get in to see consultant Dr Ram. He has told me I need to start taking additional food by tube now, and has also prescribed morphine to ease the pain. I am still amazed after each time he looks in my mouth and winces saying " ooh that looks sore!", I would have thought everyone would be the same. He is happy with progress but reiterated that it will not be until end of Feb when all swelling and tissue damage has calmed down that we will know if we have the "All Clear" but remains confident and as upbeat as ever and convinces me we are doing the right thing. That's all for today, time for a nap.
FormerMember
Hello Dave ... it sounds like you are doing quite well all things considered because by this time into my treatments I was a jabbering wreck ! Yes, scrambled eggs should do you a power of good so try and carry on with those ... oh, and if you haven't got them already then do ask for some Ensure Plus / Fortisip drinks as they are loaded with calories / nutrition. They are available on prescription and I lived off them for quite a while after my RT ... I liked the milkshake type as the fruit ones tended to sting too much.
Glad you have got some morphine as it really helps when / if the pain gets too much and it does help you to sleep ... zzzzz !
So keep that upbeat attitude, Dave ... you're doing great !
Thanks for the support Joycee, it's nice in a way to know how I am doing compared to others, I don't want to seem weak by asking for morphine too early, but as has been said there is no prize for pain. I have a few ideas for the pub name Mushty. Stanhope Arms, Stanhope Tavern, Stanhope Lodge, tie nicely in with our house name of Stanhope, but as it is my reward for beating cancer I was going to try and pick a name with a subtle link to the experience I have been through. Stanhope and Sword ( putting cancer to the sword) ?, Shield and Stanhope (my pub offering protection/shield against and recurrence). Feel free to add any other options... I think my blog tomorrow might ask for suggestions...?
