DAY 99 - Day 2 in Recovery Paradise

Bad night sleeping. I need to get more rest. I was not able to keep much food down today. Seems mostly to be the buildup of mucus on my throat. It keeps gagging me when I swallow.

Got another cool card from my sister. She is a pillar of strength in all of this, and I owe her big time, along with my wife. I could not bear it without their support.

I have an appointment tomorrow with the oncologist nurse to see if I need to get hydrated before the weekend. I hope so. I always feel better and rejuvenated. We will talk about the feeding tube and whether I can outlast the gagging.

Song of the Day: U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

Day 98 - Day 1 in Recovery Paradise

Day one of post recovery. A long way to go to make it back down the hill to the grassy fields below.

I've lost a lot of weight--down to 137--about 25 lbs below my bulked up weight before treatment. Don't know if I can lose much more. It's hard to keep Ensure down. I keep throwing it all up along with the heavy mucus on the back of my throat. I am getting pretty weak. It's getting difficult to even move around. My eyesight is negatively affected, so it it hard to sit up and type this blog.

Enough for now.

DAY 97 - Day 0 in Recovery Paradise

Finally, Day zero. The end of treatment. I know it's going to get worse in the next two or three weeks, but it really is a milestone to reach the last treatment day. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. I got to take my mask home, and I got a certificate from the radiation oncology staff for graduation day.

From this day forward, I need to focus on getting better, even though today's treatment effects will last for the next two weeks.

Song of the Day: Huey Lewis and the News - I want a new drug

DAY 96 -Day 1 in Recovery Paradise

Long boring day - But is the first day back down the hill to Paradise. Not much to do except sleep and watch movies. My eyesight is poor and I can't concentrate long enough to read. trying to keep the ensure down - not having much luck - down to 137 lbs.

Don't know if I can out last the effects without getting a feeding tube. Eill meet with staff on Friday to discuss nutrition.

Too weak for more right now.

DAY 96 - Another Day in Paradise

I'm sick and miserable. It's been a very long weekend. The good news is tomorrow is my last treatment. Yay! I've gotten lots of good birthday wishes. I also need a haircut, which is kind of ironic. Just on top, though. Getting my haircut by my wife is one of my favorite activities.

Rented more movies today. Movies and sleeping seem to get me through the days.

Got a birthday present from Lise--a cool moisture humidifier. The other one was hot steam, which I couldn't abide. This one should work out well. It also works for 24 hours instead of four. It's a good present. I think I will use it a lot. I love my wife very much...mucho, mucho, mucho, mucho, mucho. She takes very good care of me. I know it's got to be a tough job. [A note from Lise: No, it's not a tough job, because Bob is so self-reliant!]

The mucus seems to be the biggest problem because it builds up in the back of my throat and gags me. It is so thick that it stopped up the sink in my bathroom. We'll have to get some Draino at the store.

I dropped down to 139.5 pounds this morning. This is the lowest I've been in 30 years. But I weighed 130 in college, so I have a few more pounds available. I've had three Ensures so far today and intend to get one more down tonight. That's the best I've done for a week.

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow being the last treatment so I can finally start the upswing. Thanks to everybody out there that's checking up on me. I love you all.

Song of the Day: Weird Al' Eat It