DAY 125 - Day 28 in Recovery Paradise

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I've never quite believed that one chance is all I get." Ann Taylor

I am getting tired of watching TV and movies. My throat is still sore, but my mouth is improving with the new Mycelex tablets. I have a hard time swallowing the mucus without gagging. Lost a bit of dinner tonight from one of the gagging sessions. Usually I just gag, but this time I lost a bit of food. I hate the vomiting thing.

Today was a sleeping day (catch up on energy). I took a nap from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and again from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. When Lise came home from lunch we walked around the block. It was a bit too warm for my liking, but I was able to do it without slowing down or feeling exhausted.

I fixed dinner for the girls tonight: spaghetti, broccoli and salad, plus apple slices and cheese. We had birthday cake (from the freezer) and ice cream for dessert. I watched--ha. They like it when they can just come in the door and have dinner ready. As chef, I like it when they eat it all.

I have a small infection around the feeding tube entry point. A bit of blood and stuff. I cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide and put antibiotic ointment on it. I hope it clears as I hate going to the ER or even doctor appointments. I hate the waiting.

I have both my follow-up visits with the radiology oncologist and the head and neck doctor this month for my first diagnosis of success with the treatments. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Song of the day: Tom Petty - I Won't Back Down

DAY 124 - Day 27 in Recovery Paradise

I had a full night's sleep for a change. I didn't get up in the middle of the night. I was still tired though when I woke up and took a nap after the girls left for school and work. I used my zero gravity chair for the nap. I slept for about 1.5 hrs and then took another nap after Lise came home for lunch and headed back to work.

I will try to have a full day of 500 cc drinks at meal times. It really fills me up, so Io will switch from every 2.5 hours to every 3 hours. Each meal is 600 calories, so it would be a 3,000 calories meal schedule. I was up to 140.5 pounds this morning. That is about a two-pound gain. Tonight I still felt full at 6:30 pm , so I had just one can of nutrient instead of two. That puts me at 2,700 calories for the day.

So far the feedback on yesterday's adventure has favored the poor little freaked out hamster versus me with a rodent in my pants. Ha.

I fixed dinner for the family tonight: roast beef deli rolls, corn-on-the-cob, salad and peaches and strawberries for dessert. I had my feeding tube. Not quite the same. I can still smell everything. I miss eating. When the saliva comes back, I would love to sit down to dinner with my family. My mouth is still a bit sore and my throat is sore. The meds are slowly catching up.

Song of the Day: Creedance Clearwater-Long As I Can See the Light

DAY 123 - Day 26 in Recovery Paradise

I decided to up the calorie-content on each meal to gain some weight. I want to be in the mid to high 140 lbs. I have decided to go with two cans of nutrient drink each meal instead of 1.5. That is 500 cc of drink with 600 calories. If I can do this for 5 meals a day, that would be 3,000 calories instead of the current 2,4oo (not gaining any weight). I have done that twice today and feel really full each time.

We went to a concert Lise was playing in--a free children's concert at the local high school. I missed my lunch meal, and so I am running late in meals today and have to do another around 8:00 p.m.

My mouth is really sore and so is my throat. I have a pretty good case of thrush and can't seem to get rid of it. Today I got a new prescription for it--tablets that are supposed to dissolve in your mouth (if you have saliva). They work, but it takes a long time due to my dry mouth. Most of my daily discomfort revolves around my mouth and throat.

I thought I had experienced just about everything, but got to add a new one to my cadre of stories today. After telling Sarah to be careful in playing with her miniature dwarf hamster outside the cage because it might get loose in the house (many times), the inevitable happened. Lillian made The Big Escape in Sarah's bedroom. Her room is like every child's room--far too much stuff for a dwarf hamster to hide in, behind, under, etc. We had Mom, Dad, Sarah and her friend Heather all scrambling around with baskets, cupped hands, buckets, etc., trying to dig her out from behind stuff and catch her. We moved the bed, stacked toys, etc. The poor little hamster was totally freaked out, scurrying around past all these yelling, jumping, grabbing people. Finally, the hamster ran right at me and past me into the corner. Sarah jumped behind me to grab Lillian, and that is when she decided to run up and hide in my pant leg. I stood up and grabbed the cuffs of my pants tight around my ankles. We finally had her captured--INSIDE MY PANTS! Now what to do. While I duck-walked to the bathroom with my hands holding the cuffs tight to my ankles, Lillian decided to explore her new environment by going up and down my legs and back and forth in my crotch and across my bottom. Lise and the girls were laughing hysterically, as if that would somehow magically help the situation! I managed, amidst the laughter and rodent antics, to hobble into the bathroom and hop into the tub. I was able to stand up and "encourage" the hamster to leave my pants and run down into the tub. I can now recommend a surefire way to capture loose hamsters in the house.

Got a cool email and recommended song from my sister about how close I am to getting back to where I was before treatment.

Song of the day: Paul McCartney - Get Back

DAY 121 - Day 24 in Recovery Paradise

I'm still feeling a bit better each day. I can't seem to sleep through the night, however. I wake up around 4:30 each morning. Either I have to go to the bathroom or I am too warm.

After Lise and Sarah head off to work and school, I generally take a one-hour nap from 8:00 to 9:00. My little alarm goes off then as it is time for my second meal. I have my nutrient drink--either drink it or by tube--at 6:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. and again at 4:30 p.m. Once again I was able to drink it without much problem the first three meals today. Once the mucus starts in the afternoon, I can't swallow without gagging. A monumental day will be the day I can take all of my meals by mouth. Once I get the tube removed, that will be great!

Dustin came by today with Tilly, whom he referred to as his girlfriend for the first time since they've been together for over a year. He came by to mow the lawns for me, as I am not up to it physically. Love that guy. He is really a good kid. He should transfer to Sac State in the Spring.

I am starting to do some stretches--not really exercise or anything that breaks a sweat.

Song of the Day (video): OK GO - Here it Goes Again

DAY 120 - Day 23 in Recovery Paradise

I'm still not as strong as I would like to be, but I'm getting a bit better and stronger each day. I made beef stew for the family today. It turned out OK. Lise likes to come home and find dinner ready to go.

I had three meals orally today--a bit more each day. My throat is still sore.

I bought Showtime today for a six-month offer. I figure that by March I won't need it any more. More emails from my sister and a friend from high school.

Song of the Day: Chicago - Feelin' stronger every day