Hi all,
Today is my first day of healing, let me take you through my day. I start at 6 am with a gargle to settle my throat, then I take 4 pills to cover the pain etc. then it's breakfast time with instant breakfast. The burns on my neck must be addressed with a change of bandage every 24 hrs., I can't do this myself so Kath must help. Now I have some free time and later when I'm stronger I will spend this time in the gym. Lunch using the feeding tube takes 45 min. with another 45min. to settle the stomach, then it is nap time. More pills, I need to renew the pain killers about every 4 hrs., some more free time, later I will use this time to bike ride. I must gargle every 4 hrs. or the mucus will build up to the point of blocking my wind pipe. Some TV time is allowed till supper, again with the feeding tube, this is my big meal and takes about 1 hr. with that same amount of time to settle the stomach. The nurse says that this should go on for 10 days then I can adjust as required, maybe with full time real food, the entire recovery time is listed at six to seven weeks. I've lost a total of 25 lbs which brings me back to high school weight, with so much sleep, my bones hurt from lying down so much and at night my breathing suffers. But no matter I am not scared any more and will plod onward no matter what happens.
Yesterday we saw Lanny McDonald wheeling his Mom out of radation, poor guy looked beaten, even a superstar is brought to earth by cancer in the family, our prayers go with them.