Not As Bad...as I feared

[Azjoetrucker]

Hi BugZapper-

   How are You holding up?  I'm on my third week out of last treatment and energy is finally coming back.

   Experiencing problems with my salivary glands both day and night (might have something to do with the Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer) but otherwise all good.

   Hope you're doing well.

  Joe Aztrucker

[Cat]

Another ginger fan! I drink dry ginger ale and ginger tea (Asian food shops stock sweetened & unsweetened versions) along with the occasional dry Jatz and much prefer this to taking more medicine. I'm now going to find ginger tablets - health food shops?? Cheers 🙂

[Azjoetrucker]

Hi Everybody...

  4 weeks and 3 days after treatment notes...

   My "Radio Neck" rash still at the stage the skin in sloughing off-now it looks like a very angry Ruth Bader collar.  Been treating it with Curad triple antibiotic goop and it's healing along, no infections.

   I am guilty of thinking "Hey treatments over so lets hop into the yard work (when I had the energy).  I've been a Sun lover all my life so...no wonder the Radio Rash didn't happen til after the treatments!

   Down to I think 1 salivary gland group but I've learned to mostly ignore the desert mouth st night-though I do keep a bottle of water by the bed.

   Appettite came back two weeks ago and more items are beginning to taste like food rather than Lard.  Interestingly enough I have yet to break the 1800 calorie ceiling, so I have not gained any of the 20 lbs I lost.

   Fatigue is slowly fading but I'm not ready to hop into Interstate Truck Driving yet...giving it 2 more weeks.

   So for those of you in the treatment depths...there's revovery at the end.

   Regards, Joe azTrucker

[Azjoetrucker]

BugZapper...how are you doing?

[Bugzapper]

Hey Joe... One week and two days out and I'm feeling alright. Have to get the blood pressure under control.. Was toohigh, now too low. Might be contributing to my sluggish feeling. Mouth was a mess but diagnosed with thrush so meds are tackling that. Foods still an issue... Need to find the magic recipe for getting it past me mouth. Can't taste and I'm starving!!!.. Lol.. Need a burger!...

I'm happy to hear you doing alright.. Time does its thing its just patience we need to find I guess

[Azjoetrucker]

BugZap!

   Glad to hear you made it to the other side.  I know what you mean about the taste thing-tried a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup and, hoho, the chocolate still tastes like Lard.

   Thank God Beer still tastes like beer but it disagrees big time with the last surviving salivary gland...so much for Pabst.

   Right after the last Chemo I decided to soak up the sun and finish the waterfall in the pond...and now have to wear a gauze collar over tons of antibiotic goop.  The Radio rash around the neck shed off the skin down to the subdermal fatty tissue (though its healing along).

   All in all you'll hopefully be experiencing a return of some of the taste buds, albeit gradually, over the next few weeks like I have.

  Wish you well and glad to hear alls as well as can be...

  Joe aztrucker

[Azjoetrucker]

Hi BugZapper...

    Wondering how ye be faring in the aftermath.

   I'm still dealing with an issue or ten but all in all still waiting for life to settle.

   Hope all's well with ya.

[Bugzapper]

Hey Joe... So nice to hear from you!

I'm holding up ok. The mouth is still a f#&@ fest... Stinging all the time, hums are swollen and I wake up with an extra two pounds of swelling in my face and neck. It settles over the day but shit!. They say I should sleep prompted up but I'm only now enjoying actually resting well and can't sleep on my back. Got my taste buds back though.. That's an amazing sensation but dry mouth is a killer. It's like you get one bit of progress and then get kicked in the teeth with another side effect. I'm now 2 months after treatment and they say there's still stuff going on and it's all normal... I sure don't feel normal!!!ive got my CT scan booked for September 9 to see where we're at with the tumors.... I guess I'll just enjoy not knowing for now 😉

Anything new to report on your end.. Shouldn't you be coming up to your next scan as well?... Keep me in the know and I hope you've recovered from your burn... Argh! 

[Azjoetrucker]

Hey BugZap!  

   And I thought the Neck Swelling thing was either the too many hours in the Arizona Sun or too many Pabst Blue Ribbons! 

   Yah, the neck swelling started two months out...after last Rad, but I had already started working in the sun.  I'm doing a better job at covering myself and that seems to stabilize it.

   Night dryness is pretty fearsome...but I've found that gargling with baking soda stretches the hours and gives me sleep time.   I think I'm down to one salivary gland...sometimes, when dryness just won't let me rest, i just lick some baking soda (which can cause gastric probs is some people...).

      Unfortunately my insurance ran out and I kissed my friendly neighborhood Oncologists goodbye...and will let things take their course until I can get back to work or make it to retirement age in three years.

    Otherwise life is good.  Glad to hear yer hanging in there and making the best as can!

   Regards,

   Joe