Category Archives: Health

Another blood draw today, along with a visit with my oncologist. The same nurse who, invariably, cannot find my vein without prodding my arm with a sharp needle to the point that I inform her that I have nerves in … Continue reading →

I should have listened to the assertions that I would feel increasingly bad as my chemo treatments went along. Instead, I hoped I would be the exception to the rule. I’m not. Ever since last Monday, a week and four … Continue reading →

Food has lost its appeal. I’m no longer in love with the textures and flavors of food. Instead, I seek only enough to survive and keep me from feeling hungry. And whatever I swallow has to give me as little … Continue reading →

Today I will have the final radiation treatment designed to kill whatever cancer cells remained after surgery to remove the lower lobe of my right lung and the tumor housed therein. Radiation treatments caused me quite a bit of fatigue, … Continue reading →

Yesterday, during my visit with my oncologist, I learned that the inquiry from Caris Molecular Intelligence a few weeks ago wasn’t entirely about “future treatments” if cancer were to recur. The genetic tests revealed that I have a “60% positive … Continue reading →

Nothing much new, except that painful swallowing continues. It’s possible, of course, that it could be far worse without the extremely inconvenient medication regimen after every meal. One of the medications, nystatin suspension, apparently is in short supply for some … Continue reading →

My radiologist resumed my radiation treatments today. I didn’t expect that he would in light of the fact that the pain I feel when I swallow hasn’t receded at all. He said “I hope the pain goes away after we … Continue reading →

I’ve slept more in the past week, I think, than I usually sleep in the course of a month. That may be an exaggeration, but not much. I am in bed by 8 or 9 in the evening, up around … Continue reading →

It’s Sunday morning. I slept/dozed most of the day yesterday, waking occasionally long enough to eat a bit or listen to the radio. Janine drove in to Benton to do some shopping while I rested. Rested isn’t the right word; … Continue reading →

Apparently I misunderstood my doctor yesterday. He said, but I did not hear, that he wanted to postpone further radiation treatments until next Thursday. I went in for my treatment this morning and the radiation tech informed me that the … Continue reading →

The radiologist told me to keep following his drug regimen and to drink six bottles of Ensure a day. And to come back next Thursday and tell him whether the pain I experience while swallowing improves. Hmm. I was hoping … Continue reading →

A week ago, I began experiencing pain when I swallow, thanks to (I assume) the effects of the radiation treatments on my esophagus. The radiologist prescribed some drugs that I take in succession following each meal: first an ounce of … Continue reading →

My radiologist called in two prescriptions for me yesterday in response to my recent issues with burning pain after swallowing. My regular pharmacy told me yesterday there were “issues” regarding the amount of time for which the drugs were prescribed. … Continue reading →

Part I My wife reminded me to make a note of a new development. This morning, I notice a quite significant pain when I swallow hot coffee and cold water. And pain, though not so significant, accompanies swallowing anything else. … Continue reading →

This morning, as I was getting ready to take a shower, I noticed that the red area on the skin on the side of my chest, beneath my right arm, had grown in size. I looked closer and noticed a … Continue reading →

Thursdays are “talk with the doctor” days after radiation treatment. First, a nurse weighs the patient, then another nurse queries the patient about any problems or questions, then a dietitian asks probing questions about the patient’s appetite and discusses his … Continue reading →

Just twenty more radiation treatments to go. I’ve completed one third of them. The skin on my chest and back can attest to the fact that I’ve had treatments. It’s tender and, in a place or two, slightly inflamed as … Continue reading →

January 14, 2019 I didn’t realize until today that I never bothered posting yesterday’s “Cancer Journal.” No matter, it wasn’t particularly insightful. I’ll include it with today’s, just for the record. I woke late again today, thanks in large part … Continue reading →

Today might as well have been a fleeting idea, an ephemeral abstraction that never solidified into reality. Today is now lost to a fog, for me. I hope days like today are few and far between. Not only because they … Continue reading →

There’s evidence that the chemo may be ready to cause nausea. Yesterday, even before the seventh radiation treatment, I felt a tiny hint of nausea, enough that I decided to take the nausea pills with me to the session. I … Continue reading →