Yesterday Mr Aotearoa made it to the end of radiotherapy! 35/35 done and bell has been rung! A poignant moment for all kinds of reasons. The review was good, no sign of thrush, bloods all good except white cells are a little low, but nothing significant, so we are staying in our lockdown for the next couple of weeks. There are some patches on his skin which need the Flamazine for a while longer, the rest is looking okay. He’s keeping up with Gelclair, mouthwash, salt and bicarb rinses, cleaning teeth after every meal. Voice is coming and going, but nothing too much to worry about. The thick mucous is a problem though. He wakes up unable to breathe and he often feels sick with it, the steaming helps (with Olbas oil) and he’s been offered a nebuliser if he wants it. He’s lost 7-8kg, so not bad. It’s going to be strange not having to get up at 6.15 every week day.
I’ve got him to do a chart to monitor his exercise count and his calorie and fluid intake (he’d fallen off the wagon for everything after several bad days in a row). That way he can see how much he needs to make up with Fortisip, which he drinks, and take extra water through the PEG with his oxycodone medication. It’s still porridge, soups, scrambled eggs and cod fillet in plain sauce at the moment, but I think he’ll want to try other things as we move through this coming fortnight (fingers crossed). We’re getting there but by God it’s hard, really hard, at times.
This place is so very helpful. So much to read and learn, wonderful support, great advice, lots of things to try and somewhere for people to cry, vent or whatever they need to do.
Time to see if he's awake and can manage a cup of tea. 
