Would you believe 19 down and 14 to go?!?!?!

My RO has me doing double treatments of Fridays (which is Thursday this week since they are closed on Friday due to the holiday weekend). Did any of you do double treatments on Fridays? My RO wanted me to do them since I didn't start radiation until 9 weeks post surgery, and he said ideal is to start 6-8 weeks post surgery, so he wants me to "catch up". He said it is especially important now since I missed a week of treatments. I guess this makes sense, but boy does it wipe me out. I feel like a train hit me! I can't get up out of this bed now due to extreme fatigue and nausea. I hope it's better tomorrow.

Thanks, Brian and others, for the info on trismus. I've never heard of it before, so I asked my RO about it today. He said, "Oh yea, that can happen, but I don't like people to stretch too much before radiation is complete because it can cause damage to the teeth." I don't get that, but he gave me some wooden tongue depressors anyway and said I could do some "Light" stretching with them, but nothing too aggressive. I think I'll start right away! In fact, let me see...I can get in 20 tongue depressors!!! Yippee. They don't want me to start with a speech therapist until after treatment is complete also. So in the meantime, I just talk funny. My 8 and 10 year old kids say they can't remember how I used to talk when I was "Normal Mommy".

Also I asked the nutritionist today about the CIB VHC. She gave me one can as a sample and said I might need to thin it with skim milk (which I drink soy anyway), so we'll see how that tastes. Any suggestions on recipes to make it taste good? Thanks too on the tip about giving this website credit on Amazon, I'll be sure to do that if I order some there.

I noticed today, especially after 2 treatments in one day, it is really hard to swallow. I'm trying really hard to keep swallowing, I don't want to lose that ability. I know many of you ended up on a PEG, and I might too, but I want to avoid it if I can!!

Regarding the God discussion...I'm not sure why there needs to be suffering in this world. I especially don't get it when I see small children with cancer, I don't know if I'll ever get the reason why that needs to happen, along with all the suffering that takes place in third world countries. I do know, though, that without suffering there would be no compassion. And, I truly believe that we are meant to love and serve one another in this world. What a beautiful testament this website is to loving and serving one another, so thank you for that. And since I believe in the strong power of prayer, thank you for all of yours. I'll keep you all in mine as well.

Until Monday...
Sone